Page 77 of Ava Greasemonkey

Jo glared at the couple. She had to get that contract back. Sure, she could take them to court, but the truth was, she hadn’t read that contract, and the Warners were a lot wealthier than her. If she had to go to court, they’d be in big trouble. She stepped forward, hand extended. “Give me the contract.”

Cynthia lashed out, her left hand swung wide and connected with Jo’s cheek with a loud smack!

Everyone went silent.

Jo fell back a few steps, grasping her check. It felt like she’d been hit with a rock, and her head went fuzzy. A little blood trickled through her fingers. She glanced up at Cynthia, who smirked and lifted her hand, showing her large diamond ring had been turned into her palm, and now sported a red spot. “Did you just—”

Ryan laughed. “Nice slap, babe.”

Cash moved, covering the last few steps between him and the Warners. In the forward momentum, he brought his fist up and right into Ryan’s nose. It connected with a satisfying whomp and crack. The man went down flat, and Cynthia shrieked.

Jo blinked, her mind racing. Cynthia had just slapped her!

Honey barked.

Cash grabbed the contract from Cynthia’s hand, and she went after it, but Cash kept it out of her reach.

Next thing Jo knew, a streak of red plowed into the woman, knocking her flat. Cash stumbled back as Allie and Cynthia rolled around in the cornstalks, hay, and leaves covering the ground. Shrieks and unladylike words shrilled through the maze. The women rolled into several bales of hay, knocking them over.

Cash ran over and grabbed Allie, pulling her writhing, kicking, and screaming off the woman. “Let me at her Cash!”

Honey barked again and let out a deep growl.

Jo glanced around. Honey had bitten down on Tony’s pant leg. Tony let his other leg fly right into Honey’s stomach, and Honey yelped and skittered back. Jo dropped her hand from her cheek, and before she could think darted across the space, and shoved Tony with all her might.

He went down hard, letting out a boyish shriek as he hit a patch of corn stalks, flattening them.

Honey grabbed his pant leg again, pulling his leg out. Jo took aim, threw her leg back, then let her steel-toed boot fly. “You rotten pig!”

Tony’s eyes rolled back into his head, his legs pulled in on themselves, his face turning a strange shade of green.

She hoped he couldn’t walk straight for a month. A year! He had no notion of what he’d put them through. Of what he’d done to Allie. But she was going to make sure he understood. She lifted her foot to kick him again, when large hands grabbed her, and pulled her back.

***

Cash barely kept a hold on Allie as Brandon moved across the space. They were quickly flattening down the corn maze. Brandon grabbed Jo, pulling her away from Tony. Her stinger flipping up and down in the struggle. Cash cringed, and Brandon looked a little sick too. Cash almost felt bad for Tony.

Jo let loose a slew of less than friendly words. “You double dipping, flaming piece of turd! How could you treat my sister like that? How could you kick a dog?”

Brandon pulled Jo back by Cash.

Cash got a death grip on one of Allie’s arms, and tried to get a look at Jo, who was fighting Brandon just as hard. He’d seen blood on her face.

“Let me go, Cash. I’m going to jerk her bald!” Allie threatened.

Cynthia scooted back crab style on the hay-covered ground, fear replacing any smugness she may have had.

Allie squirmed. “Let. Me. Go! Or so help me, I’ll kick you to next week and look both ways for Sunday!”

Cash might have chuckled, next week was tomorrow, but he was also a little afraid of Allie. She’d gotten in one fight in high school, and he’d seen the other girl. “I’m not gonna let you beat her. Knock it off.”

Allie tried to yank her arm away. “I’ll knock your block off! Don’t think I forgot what you did to my sister!”

Cash grabbed her other arm.

Jo was still yelling at Tony, but for all Cash could make out over Allie’s yelling, she might as well have been speaking in tongues, but he thought he caught, “You better give your soul to Jesus, cuz your butt is mine!” At least she wasn’t fighting against Brandon so much.

Oh, Jo. His muse and love.