Page 47 of Resist

“Moore,” Mick muttered to himself, and Coulton got the sense he was trying to place the name.

“This is my dad, Mick Hall.” Ainsley was obviously ready to get the hell out of the apartment. Not that Coulton could fault her for that.

“Nice to meet you,” Coulton said, receiving the same befuddled look from Mick that he got from his daughter whenever he said something polite.

“So…” she started, turning toward the door. “We really need to?—”

“Get me a beer before you go,” Mick demanded.

Ainsley drew in a slow breath. “Mick. You shouldn’t?—”

The man exploded. “Get me the fucking beer, Ainsley! Don’t need a sermon about not drinking with my meds. Like I give a fuck.” By the end of his tirade, he was struggling to breathe, but he persisted, banging his fist on the arm of his recliner.

Ainsley stormed to the kitchen, returning with a can of Busch Light. She slammed it down on the side table, then turned toward Coulton. “Ready?”

Coulton nodded.

Before they made it to the door, it opened, and her brother walked in.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Ainsley muttered under her breath.

Eli smirked when he looked at her bruised face. “Found yourself another winner, I see, Painsley,” he said, gesturing toward Coulton.

“Excuse me?” Coulton said through gritted teeth. He’d been hoping to run into her brother ever since the attack in the bar. He didn’t consider himself a violent person, but damn if Eli Hall didn’t bring out the beast in him.

Eli barely spared him a glance. Obviously, her brother didn’t recognize him from their run-in at the tavern. Then, as Coulton took a closer look, he noticed the red-rimmed eyes and blown pupils. The asshole was stoned out of his mind.

“Word of advice. Hide your scissors around her,” Eli slurred, chuckling over the idea that Coulton had hit his sister.

Coulton didn’t give a shit if the man was high or not. He grabbed him by the shirt, shaking him until Eli managed to—at least partially—focus on him.

“You again,” her brother said, when he finally recognized him.

“Me,” Coulton said hotly. “You think it’s funny that she got hurt?”

“Coulton,” Ainsley started, but he shook his head, pissed as hell about how her brother and father treated her. No wonder Ainsley always looked equal parts confused and shocked whenever he did or said something nice. She sure as shit didn’t get any kindness here, despite the fact she was the only one working her ass off to keep the family afloat.

“I would never hit a woman.” Coulton shoved Eli into the wall. “But I have no problem teaching assholes like you a lesson or two about how women should be treated.”

“Seriously, Coulton,” Ainsley tried again. “He’s a lost cause.”

“You’reto blame for those bruises.” Coulton tightened his grip when Eli tried to pry his fingers off.

“I didn’t lay a fucking hand on the stupid cunt!” Eli protested. “Tell him, Ainsley.”

How the hell Ainsley had turned out as amazing as she had after spending a lifetime with these two assholes was beyond him.

“Those thugs you sent to the tavern the other night did this to her.”

Eli blinked a couple times, as his drug-addled brain tried to process those words. “You pay ’em the money?” Eli asked.

Coulton shoved Eli against the wall again, hard enough that some of the peeling paint fell off, showering the man in white flecks. “Are you serious? All you care about is the money? They beat your sister up! They were going torapeher.”

“They stolemymoney, you fucking idiot,” Mick said, clearly considering that the more serious issue.

Ainsley’s hand was still on his forearm. “Coulton,” she said softly. “Please. Let’s just leave.”

He looked at her, forcing himself to calm down. It took some effort, but he didn’t want to upset her, so he released her brother.

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