Hanging On (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2)(107)

William was going to be smug about this one.

All too soon, but not soon enough for poor David, the show was over. Adam lunged and grabbed Lump before she could do further damage, not noticing the pain in his shoulder as he pinned her to his chest. A couple cowboys jumped between Lump and David to make sure the fight was over, unsure whether to keep the man away because that was what they were used to doing, or restrain the girl because she was the one kicking ass. It helped that the man in this situation was unconscious. Not much to do, there.

One of the miniature cowboys’ dads volunteered to take David to the hospital. He was trying desperately to keep the smile from his face. Men did love a good fight!

Lump was still struggling with Adam, but not to go after David. She wanted to stand on her own. To be left alone with her pain. Her face was torn and broken, mirroring her emotions. It gripped my heart.

I ran after Adam, worried that one would incite rage in the other.

As Adam’s arm held her, Lump twisted one way, then lurched to the other. Despite Adam’s shoulder, he held on tighter than she could break. Lump, in her current madness, lifted her legs up to where Adam had to hold all her weight, leaning back a little to do so, both arms holding tight.

I knew this move. She taught it to me. She would curl her feet into her chest, making him lean back to hold her, then swing them down. Three-fourths of her weight would drive into the ground, throwing him over her. He would need to let go at the last minute to put his hands up in front of his face. Big guys like him would generally go face first into the ground.

Adam would not let go of her. He’d take whatever punishment she inflicted, to continue trying to help. She was not the victim in this one, she was the attacker.

“Lump! No! You’ll be as bad as you said Adam was. You are being your dad right now! You’ll hurt him! Stop!”

Lump’s feet were held in such a way that I could tell she was struggling for control.

“You’ll hurt him, Lump. He is trying to help you. To protect you, Lump. That’s all he ever wanted to do. Why is everything a fight with you?” I was keeping my voice a plead instead of anger. I was scared and I let that trickle into my voice.

To Adam I said, “Put her down, Adam. Get her feet to the ground. Lump, don’t move. His shoulder is hurting. He isn’t the bad guy in this. You are. I don’t know how to Jane you with knowledge in this, but you are hurting everyone around you. You are dragging everyone down with you.” I felt a tear leak out of my eye.

The fight went out of her. Her limbs went slack. Her expression fell.

Adam slowed, holding her with his good arm, trying to let his wounded shoulder dangle. I stepped forward, ready to take her, but Adam said, “I got her Jessica.”

His voice was soft, supportive. Understanding.

William and Ty ran over panting as a tear ran down my face.

“What happened?” William asked, confused by Adam holding Lump.

“Lump was fighting, again, and Adam had to keep her from killing her boyfriend. Or, probably, ex-boyfriend.” I was still looking at Lump.

She had tears in her eyes. I could see the agony and dejected sorrow on her face that must be the mirror of what existed in her soul. It looked as though her demons could easily rival Adam’s.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Adam was now kneeled beside her, talking to her quietly. She was nodding and shaking her head in response to his questions. He was smoothing her hair and rubbing her shoulder. He finally nodded, stood up, and helped her to her feet.

She looked up at William with eyes doing little to mask her inner turmoil and pain. “I owe you an apology. I should not have done that on your land. I won’t be fighting anymore for a while until I get myself under control. I am sorry that I embarrassed you. And myself.”

My heart ached. I looked at Adam, who was also studying Lump.

William, missing all this for lack of not knowing her like I did, and now like Adam did, looked at Ty, trying to mask a smile. “I think you should stop fighting for a while. Frankly, I don’t want to piss you off!”

He and Ty chuckled. Adam, Lump and I didn’t.

“However,” he said, suddenly conscious he was missing something, “you far from embarrassed me. I had no idea you could do all that! No one will say anything bad about a woman holding her own. Not out here.”

She still looked down-trodden and miserable, but nodded her thanks. Adam was responding to her emotionally as I had never seen anyone do. It looked like he was reaching out with himself, trying to heal her pain. I had a feeling it was the same pain he had buried inside, he had just worked on dealing with it longer.

“I meet these guys in Muay Thai. None of them know I’ve mastered another discipline for just such an occasion.”

“You’re hurt,” he whispered, reaching without hesitation and wiping away a spot of blood on her forehead. She didn’t flinch or move away, letting him clean her up.

When he finally backed away, he was trying, and failing, to hide his compassion for what she was going through.

It was time to wrap this up. If you let Lump wallow in self-pity, it would eat away at her, taking her into a downward spiral. You had to keep her active so she couldn’t over-think.

“Lump, I am going to ride a steer.” Which I really don’t want to do. “Would you mind taking Adam’s spot and helping William get me on?”

She looked up at me, knowing exactly what I was doing, and thankful for it. She nodded eagerly. As we pushed past the others, I saw Lump give William a look of gratitude and a kindhearted smile to Adam.