The grip Andrew had on Claire’s wrist threatened to break it. He was snarling like a beast in the wild, looking at her with crazy eyes. It was hard to predict what he intended to do next.
"You dumb bitch!" he screamed, spit flying. "Did you go after him because you also think he is better than me? Do you think that I am humiliated by this? Do you think I will sit back and watch you parade him around while making me the subject of ridicule? Why can’t you go away quietly?"
Claire kicked one of his legs, screaming right back at him. "You are even more stupid than I thought." her eyes blazed. "You think I am dating him to humiliate you? Trash, you really give yourself so much credit. And by the way, don’t twist this into some tragedy where you are the victim. You have been cheating on me for two years. Now kindly let me go or else."
"Or else what?" He screamed.
Before Claire could add to her threat, Paddy lunged forward with a growl that rattled the flowerpots on the porch. His teeth sank into Andrew’s leg, and the man howled, stumbling back. The grip he had on Claire’s wrist loosened just enough for her to wrench free.
Without hesitation, she drove her knee upward, catching Andrew squarely between the legs. Andrew howled again and collapsed with a strangled cry, clutching himself, eyes watering.
Before Claire could even catch her breath, her grandmother rushed out of the house, apron still tied, wielding a fish like a weapon.
"Who the hell are you and how dare you lay a hand on my granddaughter?" she bellowed, swinging the fish like a sword.
Claire had no idea what Wilder intended to do with the fish, but she certainly didn’t expect the old woman to slap Andrew’s cheek with it. Wilder was not finished. She pushed Andrew down onto the ground, shoving the slippery body of the fish into his mouth.
"In my town, you dare to come and lay hands on my grandbaby. My pregnant grandbaby!" She raised her hand and slapped him on the cheek. Claire kicked him on the butt.
Andrew gagged, flailing, but Claire and Wilder were relentless, raining blow after blow mixed with curses.
"Get him, grandma, get him." Claire egged the old woman on.
The scene was pure chaos--Paddy barking, Wilder cursing, Claire cheering her grandmother on. And then, as if fate wanted to heighten the absurdity, Mrs. Paisley Ashford and Apollo arrived. Apollo stepped out of the car first, arms full of neatly wrapped gifts, his mother trailing behind with a smile that froze immediately at the sight before them.
Claire looked up, cheeks flushed, hair slightly wild, and in an unusual manner, she smiled sweetly at Apollo. "Hi," she said, before turning back to Andrew and landing a punch square in his eye.
Apollo yelped, staggering backward. When Claire Dane smiled around him, bad things followed.
Mrs. Paisley gasped, clutching her pearls. "Oh, dear Lord," she whispered. "They are going to eat my son alive around here. What kind of family are we walking into?"
Her shock deepened when Apollo suddenly surged forward and dropped the gifts.
"You should have told me that we were beating up your ex," he said to Claire. "I’ve never liked you!" he shouted, fists flying. "You have been a parasite since high school!" He shouted to Andrew.
His punches rivaled Claire’s, the two of them a united front of fury and catharsis.
Wilder cackled, egging them on. "Hit him harder! Make him regret ever coming around here to harass my baby!"
Mrs. Paisley stood frozen, torn between horror and awe. She never thought Apollo and Claire would ever be on the same side. Not even when it came to the baby Claire was expecting.
"Is this love or lunacy?" She muttered.
Andrew, overwhelmed, tried to crawl away, but Paddy barked and snapped, his canines sinking into Andrew’s shoe. It came loose and Paddy flung it away before attacking the other one. Clair twisted Andrew’s ear, Apollo twisted the other, Wilder cursed, and the yard became a battlefield of personal vendettas and resentment that had boiled and spilled over.
"That’s right, give him some fish scented justice." Wilder hooted.
Neighbors peeked from windows, phones recording, news spreading like wildfire through the town.
Luckily for Andrew, the wail of a siren cut through the chaos. The sheriff’s car pulled up, lights flashing. Out stepped the sheriff, weary eyes scanning the scene: Claire mid ear-twist, Apollo mid-kick, Wilder mid-curse and Paddy mid second shoe-bite.
"Cops are here." Wilder hissed.
They all froze. Claire straightened, brushing hair from her face, angry eyes still locked onto Andrew’s face in suspicion. Apollo stood beside her, chest heaving, fists clenched.
"What’s our story?" he whispered.
Claire put aside their long-standing feud and whispered back. "Kidnap and assault."
Apollo nodded firmly. "Got it. My mom is already calling our lawyers, just in case we are forced into the back of the sheriff’s car again." He sighed. "It’s the second time I am seeing you after so many years and the second time I am getting arrested!"
"I didn’t ask for your help." Claire hissed.
The sheriff looked at Wilder, raising his brows high and forcing a smile. "Never a peaceful day around here when it comes to you Danes. Is it your goal to force me into early retirement?"
Andrew whimpered, bruised and battered, fish scales clinging to his shirt. "Arrest them. I want all of them in cuffs right now. They tried to kill me," he croaked.
Claire smirked, voice dripping with defiance. "Sheriff, it was self-defense. This man is my ex-boyfriend who cheated on me with my cousin. I broke it off and I was very clear that I wanted nothing to do with him ever again. He showed up here suddenly, screaming and demanding to know about my relationship with Apollo.
He called me many unpleasant names, grabbed my hand and tried to force me into his car while promising to teach me a lesson. Any tiny, weak, woman would be scared if a big menacing man with sharp teeth said such things to her."
Andrew’s eyes widened.
The sheriff groaned. Big menacing man with sharp teeth! He was not some kind of rabid wolf. And Claire Dane was certainly no tiny weak woman.
Claire continued on, while rubbing her lower belly. "As you know, I am pregnant. I had to protect my child."
"And I had to protect my grandchild." Wilder jumped in.
Apollo pointed to Claire’s abdomen. "And I had to protect my child and the child’s mother. So, you see, we are in the right and he is the villain here."