Page 40 of Chasing Callie

“Don’t get him started, too,” Maura chastises. “Go on, get.” She shoos me away and I laugh, holding up my hands in defeat.

“All right, all right. You win.”

“Go home.”

“I’m going.” Turning, I make my way past the line of customers, clenching my fists. It’s mostly men with a few women here and there. The guys at the end are talking about Callie’s ass.

“I’m taking her home tonight,” one guy says with far too much confidence for how scrawny he is.

“You don’t have a chance,” I tell him.

The group of four give me looks that scream who the fuck are you?

“What’d you say, redneck?” the biggest of the group demands.

“Knox,” Maura warns from behind the bar, but a feral grin is already cutting across my face.

“Say it again,” I tell him, stepping into their ranks.

The scrawny dude who wanted to fuck my girl takes a big step back. Chicken shit. His friend isn’t so smart though.

“Oh that’s right, I forgot the school sucks down here. Let me say it again slowly so you can understand me. Red. Neck.” He elongates the vowels and consonants, and I laugh, shaking my head.

“See, now you really fucked up.” No one insults my brother’s ability to teach, and there’s no way these city slickers are going to come into my town and look down on us.

The guy puffs up his chest. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Uh-oh. Looks like his mommy is coming over,” another says.

Maura will be on me soon enough. That’s fine by me. I only need three more seconds. I fake a punch, the guy dodges but runs right into my other fist. My knuckles connect with his temple and his head snaps around. It’s almost comical how he staggers then drops to the ground.

One hit knockout. What a pussy.

“Goddammit, Knox,” Maura growls, grabbing me by my scruff and dragging me out of the bar.

I glance over my shoulder and grin at Callie who is wide eyed and gaping at the man on the floor. Sensing my attention, her gaze slides up to meet mine, and she mouths you’re nuts.

A laugh rumbles out of me. For Callie? Yeah, I’m straight fucking looney.

Chapter Sixteen

JAX

Maura physically shoves my brother out. Knox looks ready to murder someone, but even he knows better than to go up against Maura when she’s in this mood.

“And stay out until you learn some goddamn manners!” she shouts after him, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. “This isn’t your personal fight club, Knox Williams!”

The crowd in the bar goes quiet for all of three seconds before erupting into excited chatter. Nothing gets the locals more worked up than a Williams brother losing his shit. Especially in public.

I catch Callie’s eye from across the bar. Her cheeks flush pink, and those eyes are warm with something that looks suspiciously like arousal. I can’t say I’m surprised. Knox has always been a powder keg when it comes to Callie, and no matter how much she pretends to hate it, I know deep down she loves it.

I smirk at her, and she quickly looks away, busying herself with straightening bottles.

“You like that, Alley cat?” I ask, sidling up next to her at the service well.

“No,” she lies, but the pulse jumping in her throat gives her away.

Chuckling, I grab the vodka from her well and pour the stupid tourists a free shot in hopes they’ll let my brother’s aggression slide. Nodding at them, I slide the shot glasses over and do my best to sound apologetic. The one Knox went head-to-head with watches Callie with far too much interest for my liking.