HARD KNOX(34)

Knox took one more drag of his cigarette and tossed it to the ground.

“You want more of this?” Porter asked.

The two guys got out of the other black car.

“You can’t do it man to man, huh?” he asked Porter.

“Fuck you,” Porter said. “I should have killed you.”

“You don’t want that war, Porter. I’m simply taking what is mine and then taking control of my town.”

Porter laughed. “You’re starting a fight over a cunt?”

“Call her a cunt again,” Knox said and stepped toward Porter. “I dare you, you f*cking greasy piece of shit. Why don’t you put that gun down and fight me like a man?”

“I don’t need to fight you,” Porter said.

“That’s right. You only beat up on women.”

I gasped and covered my mouth.

Porter then looked at me. “That’s what you want, Ana? You run off to this * to cry about your mistakes?”

“She didn’t do anything wrong,” Knox said. “No woman deserves to get hit. Ever.”

“Oh, please,” Porter said. “Sometimes a woman needs a good beating.”

I honestly stepped forward, ready to take my life into my hands to get a shot at Porter. Talk about the nastiest thing I’d ever heard someone say.

Before I could do that though, Knox sprung to action.

He swung a fist and clocked Porter in the jaw. It was a risky move because Porter had a gun and so did his guys.

Knox grabbed Porter’s arm, twisted it, forcing him to drop the gun. Then Knox kicked the gun out of reach. He grabbed the back of Porter’s shirt and pulled him in. I’d never seen anyone touch Porter let alone punch him and manhandle him like Knox did.

Both of Porter’s guys were ready to kill Knox.

What was he thinking?

I had my answer when I saw two lumbering men appear from the side of the road. They had been hiding behind a thick patch of brush.

It was Matteo and Slam, two of Knox’s closest friends.

They were like beasts as they charged up behind Porter’s two guys.

In a matter of a few seconds the guys dropped their guns and were on their hands and knees, guns pointed at them from Matteo and Slam.

I muttered two words.

“Holy shit.”

It was all I had. Knox had outsmarted Porter and now bad things were about to happen.

“Knox,” I said.

He looked back at me, his face like nothing I’d seen before.

“Darlin’,” he said.

“Don’t kill him,” I said.

Knox grinned.

Foolish me, right?

If Knox wanted Porter dead, he’d be dead by then.

I knew what Knox wanted to do.

I told myself to look away. But I couldn’t. Porter was going to get punished for what he did to me.

I had to watch.

Knox spun Porter around and punched him again. Porter stumbled back. He then came at Knox, taking a swing. Knox blocked the punch with ease and got Porter square in the nose. This time when Porter stumbled back Knox went after him. Two more hits and Porter fell to his ass.

Knox wasn’t done yet.

As Knox towered over Porter I feared what was going to happen next. I had been around and seen enough to understand how everything worked. My simple dream of having a house, paying bills, finding time for a romantic movie night, all that was shattered the day Knox’s sexy lips touched mine. Since then I had watched pain, violence, death, yet I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world to have a chance to be wrapped tight in my beautiful outlaw’s arms.

That meant I had to stop Knox from killing Porter.

The war had started already but I was going to keep it from ending all our lives.

At least I hoped.

Knox got down on one knee but he wasn’t proposing to me or anyone else.

His left knee was on the ground. He lifted Porter up by the shirt with his left hand. His right hand cocked back in a tight fist.

It was like everything moved in slow motion.

The truth was that I wanted to see Porter hurt. What Knox had seen on my face was hardly the first time something of that nature happened with Porter. I had become nothing less than a punching bag for him. He would hit me then f*ck me.

And I let it happen.

I was mad at myself but the pain… in so many ways… was just my reminder that I was alive. And I always dreamed of some pathetic fairy tale where Knox would come save me before I got hurt again.

“You ever touch her again and I will kill you,” Knox said to Porter. “You tell your f*cking family to keep to their shit and we’ll keep to ours. The Reaper’s Bastards own this town and everything in it. You need something, you set up a meeting with me. My cut says enforcer but after today I’m VP of the club…”

That stopped me in my tracks.

VP? Knoxville… as VP?

That was pretty big.

Knox came crashing down with the fist to Porter’s face. He loaded back again and punched again. Porter clawed at Knox’s arms and face but there was nothing he could do. The lion versus the gazelle and there was no escape.

Not until I stepped up behind Knox and put a hand to his shoulder.

He froze instantly and looked back at me. My eyes filled with tears. Why?

In one word: everything.