In order to do this, I stepped forward and spoke.
“Okay, this is a tense situation and emotional. Understandable that tempers would get frayed. Why don’t we take a second, calm down, and I’ll get everyone coffee?”
Kristy leaned my way and snapped, “Fuck you, bitch, and you can shove your fuckin’ coffee right up your fuckin’ ass.”
“That’s it,” Buck bit out and was instantly on the move, and I knew enough not to stop him, but suddenly, we all heard, “Dad, don’t.”
Gear was there on the landing at the top of the stairs, wearing nothing but his cutoff sweatpants.
Buck stopped and turned his head to his son.
“You get her out or I do it,” Buck stated.
“I’m not leavin’ until my kids’ asses are in the Nova and I’m followin’ them down your drive,” Kristy stated.
I stepped forward again and spoke to Kristy.
“Listen, please. I can see you’re angry, but we’ve had a rough weekend, and this isn’t making it any better. Especially for Tatie. Now, I’m asking you, please—”
“Especially for Tatie,” Kristy mimicked me, her voice pitched high, her face twisted even uglier. “She done a number on you or what? Especially for Tatie. Jesus, that girl is trouble. She was trouble the minute she pushed her way out, squawlin’ the whole fuckin’ time. She acts like she acts, shit is gonna happen. It happened. Practically every teenaged asshole with a dick has hit my daughter here and at home. Now she cries rape? Bullshit.”
I stood in stunned, shocked, furious…no, enraged silence.
Gear moved forward, and I noticed vaguely his movements were quick and angry as he said, “That’s not fuckin’ true and you know it!”
I also noticed vaguely that the snake beside me had awoken, and I could sense enough poison emanating from Buck, it was a wonder we all didn’t drop where we stood just inhaling it.
But me?
Me?
I lost my ever-loving mind.
I lunged forward, and with every ounce of strength I had, I smacked Kristy Hardy Whatever-Her-Name-Was-Now hard across the face.
Her head jerked to the side and immediately jerked back to straight, her hand to her cheek, her eyes huge and incensed, and she stared at me as I stepped even closer and got in her face.
“Take that back!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Kristy did not take it back.
She pounced.
She might have been a biker babe of a lot longer standing than me.
But I grew up in foster care.
Sometimes, it could get rough.
And sometimes at school, kids could be cruel.
You didn’t last long unless you learned how to defend yourself.
It had been a long time, and I was in a robe and nightie, but I knew my way around a catfight.
And she’d underestimated me, so I had surprise on my side.
In no time at all, I got her on her back, straddled her chest, my knees in her biceps, incapacitating her arms (and her nails), and I bent into her face.
“Now, take it back!” I screamed.
“Fuck you!” she screamed back.
I wrapped my fingers around her throat and screeched, “Take it back!”
Suddenly, I was in the air, a strong arm around my middle, and then I was set on my feet. Buck got in front of me and shoved me back farther with a hand in my chest.
“Jesus, Toots, calm the fuck down,” he ordered.
I pushed against his hand at my chest and yelled at Kristy, “Take it back!”
“Kiss my ass!” she yelled in return, getting to her feet at the same time pushing off Knuckles who was trying to help her up.
Buck gave me a shove, and then he turned.
I started to move but stilled and stared in complete and utter awe as Buck entered the fray and dealt with Knuckles and Kristy.
Without delay.
Kristy was first.
He grabbed her wrist, dragged her, fighting, to the door, and hurled her out with such force she went flying. She flew into a chair, bounced off it, and landed on the wood on her behind.
Knuckles went after her, or more accurately, Buck and he met head-on with a low roar.
Buck was ready and he threw one punch. It connected with a hideous thud against Knuckles’ jaw and Knuckles flew back, stumbled and nearly dropped to the ground. He didn’t because Buck caught him by the throat, lifted and twisted him around and shoved him out the door.
Knuckles came back at Buck swinging.
His movements were lumbered, and Buck easily ducked. Knuckles missed.
Buck came up, grabbed Knuckles’ head in both hands, then, with wondrous eyes, I watched as Buck headbutted him.
Headbutted him!
It was glorious!
Before Knuckles could stagger back, Buck’s torso dipped low, his movements powerful, and he savagely connected with a fist between Knuckles’ legs.
Knuckles fell to the deck on his knees with a heavy noise, his hands covering his crotch, his low groan painful to hear.
After that, Buck straightened and pointed at Kristy.