Page 43 of Cowboy Heat

Guy in mask. Knife in right hand. Civilian too close to both.

I don’t have time to run calculations.

I only have time to make one move to hold my element of surprise.

So I make it.

He’s a big man, broader than me. His forearm arm, his wrist? Twigs compared to a bat.

I close the distance between us and bring the baseball bat down as hard as I can on his right forearm.

Then everything goes to shit.

The man roars out in pain; his arm breaks.

He drops the knife. Kissy throws herself off the couch away from us both. Something is slowing her down though. I think duct tape, but I can’t get all the details yet.

I might’ve broken the man’s arm, but he’s still got steam. He spins around, roaring like a wild animal. He’s clutching his arm, but he doesn’t plan to hit me with it.

He rushes me like a damn bull.

I’m not expecting that.

I can only brace as he bowls into me.

The man is a wall. A bull and a wall.

I’m flat on my ass. He’s standing over me, blowing smoke through his nose. He goes to kick at me, but I still have the bat.

I jab him right between the legs, and all of his intentions to bring his boot to my side turn into him crumpling in on himself. He hits the floor next to me, knees making a Godawful sound when he’s doing it.

My own leg is doing good, and I’m up with the bat, ready again.

“Don’t-Don’t you move,” I tell him.

Maybe I should’ve been explicit in my threat of using the bat again if he doesn’t listen.

He becomes the picture of resilience and lobs himself away from me.

Right toward Kissy who’s fumbling to stand.

I swing out but hit nothing but air.

He grabs Kissy with his good arm. She yells as he gathers her hair up in his fist.

I throw the bat down and remember a wrestling move Lee showed us two Christmases ago when he was piss drunk. I put an arm under his left armpit and the other around his neck. Then I drop my bodyweight backward, hard.

Kissy yells again as all the man loses his balance and falls to the floor with me.

My breath goes out, but when you’re fighting for someone, you don’t care to focus on the little things like not being able to breathe.

Plus, I have to be quickest here.

I tighten my arm around his neck, coughing and gasping for air. He’s kicking, and I don’t need any of that.

I wrap my good leg around one of his.

He’s pinned.