Going Wild (The Wild Ones 2)

I stare at the behemoths who are all snarling at me.

Without another word, I tear my shirt off over my head. I may not particularly want to fight any of them over a blue paint purchase that has nothing to do with Felicia, but I sure as hell don’t want to give up the girl.

I also don’t want to give up the damn Vincents. Or even the Malones. And certainly not the refuge I’ve found in Tomahawk. Apparently, I can’t have one foot in and one foot out—or, you know, be a sane and rational person.

They’ve made me crazy.

With a weary sigh, I toss my shirt to the side, and Benson grins broadly.

“Turn the music on!” Hale says as the Vincents start backing up, Benson included.

The Malones back up as well, while Eric grabs a speaker from the boat and sets it up.

“Is there a certain amount of paces we need between us?” I ask, calmer now that I realize there’s no real point to this. They’re just simply crazy.

Crazy I can handle.

Crazy I sort of like.

No one answers as we continue to put several extra feet between our two sides.

Music starts playing, and I realize instantly that it’s Born to be Wild.

“Is this the fight mood music?” I muse, causing Benson to snort and mask a laugh.

The Malones turn it up, and…then everyone just starts punching at the air like they’re warming up. Or maybe I’m getting lucky with a pretend fight. Jason does a Z slash with his hand, eyes trained on me with murderous intent like he’s inside my head and wants to cut out my hope.

Two women running in the distance distracts me for a moment. Are they carrying popcorn?

Shaking my head, I return my gaze to the Malones.

“So when does the fighting begin?” I ask curiously.

As if cued, the chorus screams, “Born to be wild,” starts playing, and several of the Malones start pounding their chests like gorillas. The Vincents howl loudly into the air. Then everyone but me charges into action.

I stand still while nodding to myself. “Of course we were waiting on the chorus,” I say under my breath, dodging the first weird snake-hand strike from Jason before slamming my fist into his side.

This is my Friday.

Chapter 27

Wild Ones Tip #257

We hit first and ask questions later.

But no nipple twisting allowed. Keep it classy.

KYLIE

Damn Benson for making Lilah’s damn boat so freaking slow!

Just hearing the fight song blaring has my stomach twisting, but I stumble to a halt and hiss out a breath when I see my dad and cousins charging the Vincents and Liam. Why is Jason on him?! Liam is so not ready to fight Jason!

Jason misses, and Liam counters with a gut punch that sends Jason staggering.

Whew. Maybe he can handle him.

My breath comes out shakily as I stare around at the chaos.

“Get them, baby! Show them no double team is a match for your spinning kick thingy!” Lilah shouts from beside me as Benson does his spinning kick thingy, catching Jared in the face and sending him spiraling backwards.

He turns and repeats the action on Eric, and Eric dodges, but doesn’t miss the very quick punch that Benson delivers right behind that.

Benson winks at Lilah, and she sways as she swoons. Gag.

Killian is obliterating Heath, one quick punch after another, while dodging all of Heath’s slower ones, until one finally catches him in the side. Killian hits the ground, but rolls back up to his feet in a blink, ready for more.

Hale and my dad are circling each other a lot, until Hale finally flies at him like a spider monkey and lands on his back, putting him in a chokehold, while keeping his legs locked around Dad’s waist.

Dad wobbles around, carrying Hale on his back and trying to shake him off.

Liam dives between Jason’s legs, and kicks his foot out, catching him in the ass hard enough to send Jason toppling like a hacked-down beanstalk.

“I have no idea who to root for,” I groan. “I can’t go against the Malones for the Vincents.”

“But the Vincents are backing your man! And we might finally win this time,” Lilah points out, then pumps her fist in the air. “Go, baby! Kick his ass!”

“But why are they even fighting?!” I snap, getting a little queasy when Liam takes what looks to be a painful hit to the stomach.

He recovers quickly, knocking Jason backwards with a battle yell and a football tackle.

“Because you bought blue paint,” comes Krysta’s voice from above me.

Lilah and I both dart a glance above us to see Krysta hanging upside down in a tree from a limb above where Nila is sitting, putting their heads close together as they both eat popcorn.

“I only bought it because I was out!” I argue. “Not because I was miserable!”

“Tell that to them,” Nila says with a grin as she gestures to the madness. Then she shouts, “Aim for his right, Killian! He’s weakest there!”