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Mason’s hands squeezed around the man’s throat, pinning him to the ground.
“No! Stop!” Bobby Jo hollered.
The bouncer outside the door said, “The police are on the way.”
Lester turned red under the floodlights as he struggled for breath and Mason reluctantly eased his hold. Lester coughed and sucked in air. “You fucking monster! You’re gonna pay for this.” He got to his feet, his chest puffed out, his face darkening to cranberry as he snarled. “Just like that fucking bitch daughter of yours. You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
A red haze covered Mason’s vision. “You want me to tackle you back down to the ground again? You like the feeling of another man on top of you that much?”
Lester’s eyes widened before he snarled and swung. Mason didn’t move; he knew the rules of the game. The slimy fuck’s punch clipped the edge of his jaw.
Mason grinned darkly. Lester’s eyes widened, fear flashing in them as he stumbled back. Mason’s fist met with the man’s jaw. No one threatened Aspen and got away with it.
Bobby Jo’s screams faded into the background as Mason let that dark part of himself surface. He hit Lester again and again. Every punch was for Aspen, for Pippa, for goddamned Bobby Jo who stayed with a loser like Lester.
“Boss.” The bouncer grabbed his arm.
Mason jerked away and stood up straight. Red and blue lights flashed as the police truck entered the parking lot.
Mason turned to Bobby Jo. “When you’re ready to leave this piece of shit, give me a call and I’ll arrange your security to move out. You don’t have to put up with this treatment.”
“You monster!” she raged at Mason, her glare turning to concern as she knelt beside her bleeding husband who lay there, dazed. “You okay, baby?”
“Okay, pack it up, folks. Go back inside or leave. Show’s over.” Mason shooed the small crowd that had formed around them.
The crunch of approaching footsteps on gravel had Mason turning.
“What happened here?” Bently asked.
Bobby Jo pointed to Mason accusingly. “He attacked my husband for no reason.”
Bently looked to Mason as another cop car pulled in.
“He was about to assault a patron. So I walked him out here where he assaulted his wife instead. He took a swing at me.” Mason rubbed his jaw; there would be a small bruise there tomorrow. “And I responded.”
Vargas exited the second vehicle and jogged over to them.
“Would you take care of Mrs. Marby?” Bently turned to Vargas.
“He’s the one that belongs in jail.” Bobby Jo pointed towards Mason as Vargas escorted the woman out of earshot.
Mason sighed and walked to the bar steps. He sat down as Bently and Vargas sorted out the details with the couple.
He turned to the bouncer. “You go inside. I’ll stay out here.”
“Yes, sir.” The man turned and ushered a few straggling patrons back into the bar with him.
After loading Lester into an ambulance, Bently approached Mason.
“Didn’t think he was hurt that bad,” Mason commented.
Bently shook his head and sighed. “Just his pride. You broke his nose though.”
Mason shrugged. Like daughter, like father. “I was just defending myself.”
Bently gave him a knowing look. “I wish Bobby Jo would leave him. I’ve offered to help.”
“Me too.”
