Page 28 of The Pretenders of Copper County
Cheri wrapped an arm around Amber’s shoulder. “He’s a fool, honey.”
“Yeah. I think you’rewaycooler than she is,” I agreed loyally. I peeked at the bikers’ table to find that while Knuckles still had the other woman draped against his shoulder, he kept glancing over at Amber like he hoped she’d notice.
So rude.
I felt my anger against rude and mistrustful men intensify.
“You think so?” Amber asked me.
“Of course. You’re kind and intelligent, and your hair isbeautiful,” I said. “And you did nothingwrong!”
My voice might have been a bit too loud again since people at nearby tables glanced my way and I felt the heat of a certain green-laser glare intensify, but I was speaking truth, gosh dang it, and I would not be silenced. “It’s notfairwhen people think they know who you are better than you do?—”
“Preach,” Ginasaid.
“And it doesn’t matter how nice he seemed to be when you first met him, or how handsome he is?—”
“Huh. I dunno if I’d call Knuckles handsome,” Cheri muttered.
“Cheri!” Amber chided.
“—or how tall he is?—”
Now, Amber frowned. “Well, Knuck’s not tall, per se…”
“—or how… how competent he is?—”
Gina wrinkled her nose. “Competent’s not the first word that comes to mind to describe Knuckles?—”
“Or howtallhe is,” I continued.
“Sweetie, you already said tall.” Cheri looked at me in concern.
“And…” I pushed up from the table with such violence the whole floor swayed. “He should apologize for not believing you and for saying mean things,” I declared. “I’m going to tell him so.”
As I marched over to the bikers’ table, I heard a panicked female voice say, “Oh, shit,” and a panicked male voice say, “Jesus fucking Christ,” but I didn’t pause or hesitate.
“Excuse me, Mr. Knuckles?” I said loudly.
The gray-haired man—who had to be uncomfortably cold with only that vest on, which maybe explained some of his negative attitude—narrowed his eyes at me. “The fuck’re you?”
“My name is…” I hesitated, concerned that I might give Reed an actual heart attack since the man was still wrongheadedly convinced I was being targeted. “Unimportant right now,” I concluded. “What’s important is that I’m here to avenge Amber.”
He slow-blinked at me for a second. “Avenge her.”
“That means I’m here to address your wrongs on her behalf,” I added in a lower voice since he seemed confused.
“I know what the fuck itmeans,” Knuckles said hotly. “If Amber wants to talk to me, she can do it herself.”
“But will you listen?” I blurted. “Because… the truth is, Mr. Knuckles, you’ve been unfair in the extreme.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” he demanded. He turned to one of his associates, who wore a matching vest. “Is he kidding me, Grim?”
“He better be kidding,” Grim growled, pushing to his feet. “Or he’s got fucking brass balls and a death wish.”
“That it, kid?” Knuckles asked me curiously. “You got brass balls?”
I shook my head, then had to do a little shuffle-step when the floor tilted. “N-no, sir. I just know what injustice feels like.” I pressed a hand to my heart. “I’d bet a powerful person like yourself has never been called a liar. O-or stupid. But words can hurt?—”
