Back in the Saddle (Jessica Brodie Diaries #1)(27)

Which was exactly what I opened my mouth to say, when suddenly I was airborne. A second later, my teeth clicked when my feet hit the level a step lower. Only then did I register I’d been bodily picked up by a freaking titan and moved out of the way.

A large body stepped in front of me, blocking me from danger. My legs started to wobble, when the ground fell away a second time.

“What the—“ This time I stumbled when my feet touched down. I felt like a freaking rag doll. I was over a freaking hundred pounds and two guys now manhandled me as if I was a sack of grain.

“Don’t fall, it’s a bumpy ride down,” a short guy said to my right, his hand lightly touching my upper arm to make sure I didn’t do a swan dive.

I tried to struggle my way back to the front lines, but as I moved around the protective body blocking my way, William reached out a large arm to keep me back.

“Dusty, git the hell outta here. We don’t need yer kind ‘round here!” Apollo’s friend said with a thick Texan accent. I couldn’t see the guy over the expanse of back in front of me, but he’d been the second guy to lift me out of the way, so he was probably big.

“Ain’t you got nuthin’ better ta do, Adam? This’es got nuthin’ to do with you,” Dusty said, cool as a spring day.

“Hell, Dusty, you always got sumethin’ ta do wit’ me. You’re always causing trouble at my parties. Now, why is that do ya reckon?”

“Your parties? That right? I got no beef with you, Adam. Nor you, Davies. I just wanted to settle a little dispute with my friend here.”

Dusty’s body crested William’s in my line of sight, stepping toward JP and Phil. I only got a glimpse, though, because William shadowed him, irritatingly lodging himself back in my line of sight.

“Now Dusty,” Adam went on, “you know we ain’t gonna let no fight happen in here. We got some bulls to run and we can’t have no trouble.”

Judging by William’s movement, Dusty took a few steps back toward his friends. He wanted the numbers. He was probably weighing his odds and his groups' willingness. Finally, after what was probably a stare-off, Dusty said, “Why don’t you let the lady decide? We was havin’ ourselves a nice little chat ‘afore you all showed up.”

Bodies parted slightly as William angled his body, moving just his substantial width of shoulder. A glare of hatred hit me as I met Dusty’s eyes. A creepy smile slithered up his face.

“I’ll be seein’ you around, darlin.”

My foot took an involuntary step back with the force of his glower, catching the bench, throwing my balance off kilter. As I teetered, arms wind-milling, Adam and William were already in action.

As Adam said, “that about does it—“ they had him clutched between them, jerking him around by the arms and shirt, forcing him roughly down the stairs.

A mountain stepped in front of me, then, but I couldn’t marvel at its size. I was toppling, heading backward in what I knew, I just knew, would hurt something awful.

Chapter Six

“Hang on there—“ The smaller man grabbed me around the waist, using all his strength of keep me from somersaulting end-over-end down the steps.

“Jessica!”

That screech could only belong to Candace.

Sure enough, another, softer body barreled into my back, helping the smaller man with momentum if not strength. Arms like thick cables despite his small stature, he got me on my feet, his steadying hand welcomed.

As I teetered to a stop, I saw one and a half things. The first was the mountain range. And it was huge.

Six-foot-four at least, he towered over me. Huge broad back, tree trunk arms supporting more than one tattoo, and not an ounce of fat that I could see, he was a giant brick of solid muscle.

Behind him was the half of crowd, shifting and sticking hands in pockets, left in Dusty’s wake. The other half was probably there, too, but damned if I could see them around the mammoth in front of me.

The boys got a look at him and shrugged. They lost the desire to fight almost immediately, choosing instead to skulk off down the stands. I didn’t blame them.

Andre-the-freaking-Giant turned to me. “You alright? We wasn’t gonna let him hurt ya.”

I smiled in relief. “Thanks a million! I really appreciate it!” Then, thinking I might offend my crew, I added, “We definitely needed the numbers. Candace and I wouldn’t have been much help, and these guys were only three against five. Or was it six?”

The giant looked around at the guys I came with. Then the littler dude stepped up, smiling like the whole thing was some big joke. Little did he know, the joke was the two of them standing side-by-side. A short, wiry guy and a thick tree trunk of a man. I was sure there was a cartoon somewhere made of this pair.

The little guy stuck out his hand. “Hi. My name’s Clayton. People call me Ty.”

He had a lower voice than I would have thought. It was quite low, actually. No accent, either. He had trimmed eyebrows, a short nose that had been broken a couple times and not set properly, and dark brown eyes. His hair looked shaggy but it was hard to tell because he had a Yankees ball cap on.

“Oh, hi. My name is...ah...Jessica.” I smiled and sighed. “Sorry, my adrenaline is up.”

He smiled back, showing a pretty smile marred by a couple chipped teeth. “No harm, Jessica.”