Queen of the track

XXVI

I move without properly thinking through my game plan, striding over until I'm ten feet away from the pair. As I approach, their voices become clearer.

"Are you kidding me?!" Alex screams at him. "You've no right to tell me where I can or can't go, dammit!"

"When you fucking embarrass me like that?! I do have a right." He seethes back. "You and that bitch better get the hell out of here—"

"Or what?" Alex says calmly, yet she physically shakes. I'll hand it to her, she's got balls to stand up to whoever this jackass is.

"Everything alright over here?" I call out, gaining their attention.

Alex whirls around to face me, startled, but doesn't seem annoyed—or relieved—to see me. I'll take that as a good sign for now.

"Who the fuck are you?" Jackass says. "We're talking over here."

I ignore him and look her in the eye. "You okay, Alex?"

Jackass steps around her and towards me, so I tilt my head to the side slightly and look at him, survey him. He's big, maybe a footballer, but looking at his bloodshot eyes and stumbled footing, he wouldn't be able to land a hit on me.

His voice is low, and I think a vein pops out in his forehead, "I said—"

"I heard what you said, asshole." I tell him, my voice cold. "If she tells me to leave, I'll leave."

I keep my eyes trained on him, but Alex, without saying a word, slowly steps back and around to my side, slightly behind me. She's definitely shaking now.

Jackass turns his head at her movement, his eyes darkening as he looks at her. "I meant what I said Alex, don't bring that bitch here again."

"You can't dictate where we go, Cam." Alex tells him, her voice now being drowned out by the commotion of the crowd behind us. "She's my—"

"Don't...finish that sentence." He growls out, stepping towards her and making Alex flinch. I follow his movement and stand directly in front of her.

"Not another step." I say lowly, my temper rising. He's barely three feet away from me now, within touching distance. I subtly tense my body into a sense of stability and balance.

He barks out a sharp laugh. "Or what? You gonna hit me, big guy?"

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Try me, big guy."

Nostrils flaring, he pulls his right arm back, but pauses for a slight millisecond before swinging, giving me the perfect opening to jab under his chin, knocking his head back just as his arm swings forward, knocking him off balance. I swerve away from his hand, and land a left-handed hit to the side of his face, knocking him back on his ass.

Alex squeaks in surprise, her hands flying up to her mouth. Jackass groans as he hits the floor, then starts saying random shit to me as he rolls to the side. The alcohol is probably making him dizzy, but he'll be fine.

"Neat trick."

I lift my head up and clench my jaw, then turn my head to the side and would be damned if I didn't admit my breath hitches in my throat. Raven looks... God, the word hot doesn't even begin cover it.