Page 313 of Power Play

“That was my beer.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“I know.”

I shoved him hard enough to rock him backward one step, but he steadied himself and kept his hands at his sides.

“Do something.”

“No.”

I shoved him again. “You came all the way to Flint to stand there?”

“If that’s what you need.”

“What I need is for you to get the fuck out.”

“That isn’t happening.”

“Then hit me.”

“No.”

My fist closed around the front of his coat. “I’m giving you permission.”

“I don’t need your permission to hit you.”

“Then fucking do it.”

Briggs looked down at my hand twisted into his coat before lifting his eyes to mine. “You’re trying to choose where it hurts.”

My grip tightened. “What?”

“You can’t control what she did, so you’re trying to pick a fight you understand.”

“Don’t psychoanalyze me.”

“I don’t need my degree to know you’re bleeding all over the place.”

I slammed him against the glass. The boards shook behind him, but Briggs didn’t raise his hands. He let me hold him there while fury tore through muscles already exhausted from the ice.

“You weren’t there.”

“No.”

“You didn’t see her fucking face.”

“No.”

“You don’t know anything.”

“I know what you told us.”

“You know what I could say without driving through a guardrail with Bliss listening.”

Something finally moved through his expression. It wasn’t fear. Briggs knew better than to pity me where I could see it.

“What couldn’t you say?”