Rathbone was squaring off against Luke Bedwin and John Anson, and by the way the two smaller men were reeling, they weren’t going to last long.
Don had his back toward him, but the thumping sound his feet were making on the boardwalk cued him in. Just as he approached, Don turned and made to swing. Cole skidded to a halt, ducked the oncoming punch, then with precision, slammed him once right in the jaw. His fist connecting with Don’s flesh made a satisfied thwack.
Don went down without a whimper, crumbling onto the boardwalk in a heap. Must have gotten him right in his sweet spot . Cole leaned over and placed his hands on his legs just above the knees. Within a few seconds, he’d caught his breath. Thank God for his daily workout routine. He made a mental note to include more weekly sprints. And some serious stretching—his thigh was damned tight.
“You guys okay?” he asked, looking up from where Don was knocked out cold.
“Yeah,” Luke said softly, swaying slightly. Blood dripped from his nose onto his shirt, and he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket to stanch the flow.
“Thanks,” John said, leaning over as he held his side.
“What made you want to fight this A-hole?” Cole asked.
Luke pointed left. “He went after Julie.”
Cole followed Luke’s finger to the wood pylon. She was there, standing in the shadows, head down. She raised her chin and looked up at him. Even in the dim light, he could see the fear in her gaze. A dull roar began to pound in his ears. Not her. Nothing could happen to her.
“He came at her in the Nail,” John said. “We tried to stop him.” John’s voice faded in his consciousness. And then, silence. All he could think about was Julie, alone, afraid, in the dark, while Don Rathbone pawed at her. His chest grew tight. Breathe .
Slowly, deliberately, he stood upright, straightening his posture into something even his old commander would be proud of. Then he walked toward her and held out his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it. He gripped it in his own, almost to reassure himself that she was still there. She was, solid and real and seemingly unhurt.
“You okay?” he whispered, so only she could hear.
“Yes. I’m okay.”
“He didn’t touch you?”
“Just my arm,” she said, pointing to her upper arm. “Here.” She kept his gaze. There was still fear there, but something more. Resolve. He more than liked this woman. All he wanted to do was to take her home, to quell her fears—and his own—but he had a job to do first.
Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he steered her back to her friends, taking care to keep clear of Don’s prone form.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” Cole asked. “Start from the beginning.” But before either man could speak, Val and Andy arrived.
“Called you, but you didn’t pick up,” Andy said. “Your response time is faster than my speed dial. Impressive.”
“He had good incentive,” his brother said.
“Enough,” Cole said tightly. “I want the story and I want it now.” The sooner he got this crap out of the way, the sooner he could take care of Julie. As if reading his mind, Val spoke up.
“I can take Dr. Kensington home,” he said.
“No,” Cole barked out. No one touches her except me.
Val raised his hands in surrender. “Fine. Then give me something to do or I’m going back to the boat.” His brother gave him a warning look, but Cole ignored it. He wasn’t close to the edge, but every minute that he couldn’t see to the woman huddling under his arm, the farther he inched toward the black hole. Struggling to keep his temper in check, he focused on the job at hand.
Cole pointed to Don. “Call Hank to come get him.”
“Will do,” Val said, whipping out his cell phone and turning to walk down the boardwalk a bit.
“You three,” he said to Luke, Andy, and John. “Stories. Now.”
He spent the next few minutes hearing their tales. Nothing varied. Hank arrived
Don had his back toward him, but the thumping sound his feet were making on the boardwalk cued him in. Just as he approached, Don turned and made to swing. Cole skidded to a halt, ducked the oncoming punch, then with precision, slammed him once right in the jaw. His fist connecting with Don’s flesh made a satisfied thwack.
Don went down without a whimper, crumbling onto the boardwalk in a heap. Must have gotten him right in his sweet spot . Cole leaned over and placed his hands on his legs just above the knees. Within a few seconds, he’d caught his breath. Thank God for his daily workout routine. He made a mental note to include more weekly sprints. And some serious stretching—his thigh was damned tight.
“You guys okay?” he asked, looking up from where Don was knocked out cold.
“Yeah,” Luke said softly, swaying slightly. Blood dripped from his nose onto his shirt, and he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket to stanch the flow.
“Thanks,” John said, leaning over as he held his side.
“What made you want to fight this A-hole?” Cole asked.
Luke pointed left. “He went after Julie.”
Cole followed Luke’s finger to the wood pylon. She was there, standing in the shadows, head down. She raised her chin and looked up at him. Even in the dim light, he could see the fear in her gaze. A dull roar began to pound in his ears. Not her. Nothing could happen to her.
“He came at her in the Nail,” John said. “We tried to stop him.” John’s voice faded in his consciousness. And then, silence. All he could think about was Julie, alone, afraid, in the dark, while Don Rathbone pawed at her. His chest grew tight. Breathe .
Slowly, deliberately, he stood upright, straightening his posture into something even his old commander would be proud of. Then he walked toward her and held out his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it. He gripped it in his own, almost to reassure himself that she was still there. She was, solid and real and seemingly unhurt.
“You okay?” he whispered, so only she could hear.
“Yes. I’m okay.”
“He didn’t touch you?”
“Just my arm,” she said, pointing to her upper arm. “Here.” She kept his gaze. There was still fear there, but something more. Resolve. He more than liked this woman. All he wanted to do was to take her home, to quell her fears—and his own—but he had a job to do first.
Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he steered her back to her friends, taking care to keep clear of Don’s prone form.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” Cole asked. “Start from the beginning.” But before either man could speak, Val and Andy arrived.
“Called you, but you didn’t pick up,” Andy said. “Your response time is faster than my speed dial. Impressive.”
“He had good incentive,” his brother said.
“Enough,” Cole said tightly. “I want the story and I want it now.” The sooner he got this crap out of the way, the sooner he could take care of Julie. As if reading his mind, Val spoke up.
“I can take Dr. Kensington home,” he said.
“No,” Cole barked out. No one touches her except me.
Val raised his hands in surrender. “Fine. Then give me something to do or I’m going back to the boat.” His brother gave him a warning look, but Cole ignored it. He wasn’t close to the edge, but every minute that he couldn’t see to the woman huddling under his arm, the farther he inched toward the black hole. Struggling to keep his temper in check, he focused on the job at hand.
Cole pointed to Don. “Call Hank to come get him.”
“Will do,” Val said, whipping out his cell phone and turning to walk down the boardwalk a bit.
“You three,” he said to Luke, Andy, and John. “Stories. Now.”
He spent the next few minutes hearing their tales. Nothing varied. Hank arrived
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