Page 69 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“JD,” someone warned him. He couldn’t tell who.

“I heard your sister’s real hot, Duke. Maybe she and I could work this out, if you know what I mean,” Grill said, deciding to get a reaction out of Sawyer another way. “Vertical like.”

The instant rage had JD moving with the Dukes toward Grill.

“Horizontal, you uneducated shithead,” he said.

“And you’ll never get near her,” Sawyer added.

“That’s for sure,” Zoe said from far too close behind him.

“Shut up and stay out of this, Zoe,” JD said without looking at her.

“I’ll arrest you for disorderly conduct if you don’t leave,” Dan threatened Grill.

There were now only a few feet separating them, and JD had never wanted to hit anyone more.

“We’re leaving, Grill,” one biker called. “Now.”

JD and the Bandit eyeballed each other, and then he looked at Sawyer. He pointed at them. “I’ll be seeing both of you real soon.”

“Original,” JD said. “And not if I see you first, seeing as we’re going for clichés.”

Grill frowned.

“Sorry, did I use too many big words?” JD said, and Sawyer snorted.

Grill moved closer and swung. The blow was only glancing, but JD felt it. He then retaliated with a quick one-two, punching him with his left and then right hand. The man stumbled back and landed on the seat of his bike.

“You take him away from here and don’t bring him back,” Dan said to the other Bandits. “If you do, I’m arresting him.”

“My nose!” Grill wailed. “You broke it again.”

“Imagine how upset that makes me,” JD said.

The man got back on his bike, but not until he’d waved his fist in JD’s face, which he guessed was meant to intimidate him. It just pissed him off more. The Bandits then left, roaring out of the parking lot.

“I have four brothers. I don’t need you telling me what to do too.” JD turned around and found Zoe glaring at him.

He was suddenly exhausted. This wasn’t his life, all the turmoil and emotional BS.

“Fine. I won’t again. Now get out of my way, you crazy woman. I need another beer. Then I’m going home and locking my goddamned doors. Dukes,” JD muttered, stalking back to Circle Left.

“Sure,” Sawyer said, putting an arm around his shoulders. “Let’s have a beer.”

“Let’s do that,” Brody said, now on JD’s other side.

“Love a beer,” Ryder said from behind him.

“A beer is what you need after an encounter with that idiot,” Dan added.

JD suddenly felt penned in by Dukes, and pretty comfortable about it.

He turned and saw Zoe talking to Lil. As if sensing him, their eyes locked. He pulled away first.

They walked back into the Circle Left and up to the bar. Except for Zoe, who it seemed had thankfully gone home, everyone else filed back in too. Henry, clearly oblivious to what had been going on, was still swaying with his face in Sydney Jane’s cleavage.

“Five whiskeys please, Frank,” Brody said.

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