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“Well, then I’ll do all the hitting.” Bret went after Kai, but he kept dancing out of the way. “Stay still!” Bret roared. As much as Kai knew he deserved to get hit, he couldn’t quite manage to tell his body to lie down and take it.
“Bret. I am sorry, man. You’ve got to believe me. I never meant for any of that to happen. I am sorry!”
“If you were really sorry, you’d quit.” Bret swung once more, and Kai dodged him. Then Bret lowered his shoulder and plowed it into Kai’s midsection, sending both men tumbling to the sand near the surf. A wave rushed in and soaked Kai’s shoulder. Bret held him there, the water rushing over his chest. For a split second, Kai looked up at Bret’s rage-filled face and wondered if his oldest friend in the world planned to drown him. The water was only an inch deep here, the end of the wave soaking the back of his head.
“You should’ve quit!” Bret was shouting at him now, holding him as the water leaked into his shirt.
Kai fought to unpin himself, not liking Bret’s full weight on top of him. Kai struggled, even as Bret cocked his fist back. Kai dodged at the last second and Bret hit sand. Kai strained, trying not to hit his friend but not get hit in the process. He managed to kick out hard, and Bret went sprawling on the sand. Bret swung his leg out, making contact with Kai’s bad knee. Painful fireworks exploded in his brain. His knee. His damn knee. Kai folded instantly, falling to the ground as Bret scrambled back to his feet.
“Kai!” screamed Jun. Dazed, Kai could just make out Jun running toward him, white dress flouncing in the moonlight. Her scream distracted Bret, too, whose head whipped in her direction. It was just enough of a window. Kai hadn’t intended to fight Bret, but his throbbing knee demolished the last of his self-control. He reared up and punched Bret square in the jaw. Bret flailed backward, landing on his back, half in the surf. The punch seemed to knock some of the anger out of him, and he lay there coughing. Jun ran to Kai, trying to help him up. Once on his feet, he held out a hand to Bret, who refused it.
“Bret. I’m sorry. I wish your wife never lost that baby. I wish my knee wasn’t destroyed. I wish... I wish there was some way for me to make it up to you. I do. You’re my best friend, Bret. I never wanted any of this to happen. You’ve got to believe that.”
Jun stood stock-still, frozen as her head swiveled from man to man, her arms twitching anxiously at her side.
Bret glared at Kai as he shakily rose to his feet, swiping blood from his mouth. For a second, Kai thought his friend would accept his apology. Bret shook his head ruefully as he stepped forward. Kai expected him to offer his hand for a shake.
Instead Bret wheeled back and punched Kai hard, straight in the belly. Kai bent over, wheezing, the breath knocked out of him as he stumbled, nearly falling to his knees. Jun gasped behind him.
Bret leaned in then to Kai’s ear.
“Stay off Jaws, Kai,” he grumbled. “For your sake and everyone else’s.”
Bret straightened, and Kai struggled to breathe. He nodded once at Jun, and then he stalked back up the beach.
Jun grabbed Kai’s elbow, trying to help him. Breath came slowly as his stomach muscles contracted.
“I’m going to call the police,” Jun cried, glaring at Bret’s retreating back.
“No...” Kai panted. “Don’t.”
“He needs to be arrested... He...”
“No.” Kai waved her off as he took in a shaky breath. Every muscle in his abdomen protested the act. Bret had gotten him good. “Let him go.” He tried to straighten up but a sharp pain rippled through his side. He grimaced, holding his belly. “Let’s just go home.”
* * *
BACK AT HIS CONDO, Kai lay sprawled on his squared modern sectional, his feet propped up on his expensive koa-wood coffee table. He had a bag of frozen corn over half his face. Jun handed him a cold beer from the fridge. She felt a mix of emotions that made her jittery. Most disturbing of all was the fact that Kai wasn’t explaining anything.
“You want to tell me what the hell all that was about?” Jun asked when she couldn’t take it anymore.
Kai cracked open his good eye and looked at her. He was bruised and battered, but even so, Jun had to fight the urge to go to him and wrap her arms around his neck.
