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Back The Third Brother Save as PDF
Chapters (116)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by the Author
  3. The Third Brother
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. PART I
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. PART II
  67. 60
  68. 61
  69. 62
  70. 63
  71. 64
  72. 65
  73. 66
  74. 67
  75. 68
  76. 69
  77. 70
  78. 71
  79. 72
  80. 73
  81. 74
  82. 75
  83. 76
  84. 77
  85. 78
  86. 79
  87. 80
  88. 81
  89. 82
  90. 83
  91. 84
  92. 85
  93. 86
  94. 87
  95. 88
  96. PART III
  97. 89
  98. 90
  99. 91
  100. 92
  101. 93
  102. 94
  103. 95
  104. 96
  105. 97
  106. 98
  107. 99
  108. 100
  109. 101
  110. 102
  111. 103
  112. 104
  113. 105
  114. 106
  115. 107
  116. 108

Mike gets up and follows Bridget. They are all by the wall, in the shadow under the staircase. Mike comes up behind Bridget just as she is saying that she will pay double what the American is paying. The uncle likes Bridget’s offer and apologizes to the American, pointing to another girl across the room who might replace Tweety.

“We had a deal,” says the American. “I already paid.”

The uncle apologizes, but says he is a businessman and offers the money back.

“This is bullshit,” says the American. He is sweating and the blood is going to his face and he is stomping his cowboy boots. He even spits on the floor.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he demands, jabbing a finger at Bridget. “You can’t have her. You won’t even fuck her.”

“How do you know?” says Bridget.

Mike notices Tweety, crouching on the staircase, watching.

“Fine, goddamnit,” says the American. “I’ll pay the same.”

“Come on,” Bridget says, “there are so many other girls here. What difference does it make?”

“Fuck you,” says the American. “You want to pay more?”

Bridget doesn’t have any more money. She looks at Mike and he nods. His good leather wallet is full of money. He can feel Tweety’s eyes on him as he hands it to Bridget. The American yells, “What is this shit?” and starts jabbing his finger at Mike. “She’s for you?”

Mike doesn’t say anything. The uncle quickly takes Mike’s money from Bridget. The American whirls and calls Tweety a little bitch he didn’t want to fuck anyway.

When Mike turns back to get his money, the uncle is gone.

36

The fight starts like a fight between children, with shouting.

“What kind of con is this?” the American yells, pushing past Bridget and punching Mike clumsily, but with the full force of his shoulder. Mike sees the punch coming. The fist expands until it’s all he can see, but he’s too slow from the beer to slip it. It hits Mike in the nose and bright red blood flows over his lips as he stumbles back like a tripping dancer.

The cop drinking from the coffee mug sees Mike get punched and puts down his beer. The American is now on top of Mike, clawing into him. Mike feels his heat and weight and the hair on the American’s forearms rubbing in the blood on his face. Mike flails his arms, but the American has a hand under his chin and is pushing back, trying to hit him in the temple with his other hand. “Oh shit,” Mike hears Bridget say.

Paul starts to pull the American off, but the cop pushes him away and clubs the American hard on the head. Mike hears the cracking sound and coughs on the floor, scrambling to get up as the American blacks out.

The cop chatters furiously at Mike, who doesn’t understand.