His cool gaze looked me over. His expression suggested he wasn’t impressed. “What’s it to you?”
“I'm Holly's husband.” Okay, so lying wasn’t such a good thing, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with disparaging my wife…fake or not. “I don’t know what is wrong with you, but since when is it okay to attack a woman’s dedication to children or her personal life? Seriously. It’s the new millennium. Assholes like you should be hiding in a hole.”
He flinched, and for a minute I thought maybe he didn’t like me calling out his misogynistic attitude.
But he quickly recovered. “You barely look out of high school. I don’t take advice or threats from—”
I gaped at him. “Is this really how you operate? You come in guns blazing insulting and threatening people? No wonder people hate you.”
His jaw clenched.
People were exiting the meeting room, but I didn’t stop my tirade. “And you’re an idiot.”
“I beg your—”
“If you had any brains, you’d know that these people would have welcomed you and maybe even your ideas if you treated them with the respect they deserve. You think they’re dumb hicks—”
“I’ve never said—”
“You don’t have to. It’s clear in the way you talk to them and treat them.” I shook my head. “Of course, that doesn’t matter does it? All you know is how to throw your weight and money around.”
“You’re the one acting like a child.” His eyes flicked to the crowd of people. He probably didn’t like looking weak in front of them. Well, too bad, buddy.
“Yeah?” I leaned in close to him, and to his credit he didn’t flinch this time. Strange how he could deal with a threat but didn’t like being called a chauvinistic pig. “If you say or do anything to hurt Holly, I will hunt you down and kick your ass.”
“Are you threatening me?” His eyes narrowed like he was surprised.
“Nah. It’s a promise.”
18
Holly
When Stark finished and walked out, I saw Tucker followed him, but I couldn’t imagine what he’d say to him. Stark seemed like a soulless man bent on bending Salvation to his will, although thankfully, he hadn’t been successful so far. Of course, that just seemed to make him more determined to punish us for not doing his bidding.
The meeting was finally adjourned and I hurried out to see what Tucker was doing.
“If you say or do anything to hurt Holly, I will hunt you down and kick your ass.”
The feminist part of me knew it was silly to feel good at how Tucker was threatening Stark on my behalf. I was a strong independent woman who could take care of herself. And yet, my body went all warm and gooey to see Tucker getting into Stark’s face for me.
“Are you threatening me?” Stark’s eyes narrowed like he was surprised.
“Nah. It’s a promise.”
“I’m not a man to fuck with,” Stark said. Several of the PTA members watching the altercation gasped at his choice of words.
“You don’t scare me, Stark,” Tucker scoffed.
“You should be.” Stark glanced at the crowd, and then turned, walking away toward the parking lot.
A woman I’d seen around the mayor’s office walked up to Tucker. “Well done.” She handed him a business card. “I’m Erica Edmonds. I’m a journalist doing a story on Stark. I’d like to talk to you. Give me a call if you’d like to share your story.”
She walked off before he could answer. The rest of the crowd was breaking up and heading off as well.
Tucker turned and saw me. “I’m sorry about that asswipe.” His hand reached out for me, but then he seemed to remember we were in a school setting and put it on his hip. I was bummed. In that moment I had a strange desire for him to touch me.
“Don’t be sorry. I would like to get home though.”