“Being a big guy has kept you out of fights. Most guys don’t like to tangle with six-foot-five assholes.” Brand felt a familiar heat rising deep within him. His anger at Natalie’s likely indiscretions, coupled with the threat of violence, narrowed his eyes and stiffened his back.

Everyone did it. Everyone wept. That was the process. He felt an urge to console the Driver with this information. Instinctively he knew it wouldn’t help. His Shotgun hadn’t said a word to him when he was the Driver. He said nothing to this Driver.

“It is time you both became one with Muchachos Hablidad. My concern is not just for what you can do for me, but also what I can do for you in return.

Her bikini reluctantly concealed her most intimate regions. Large sunglasses shaded her eyes, making it impossible to determine if she saw him. As always, he experienced a mixture of pleasure and doubt as he admired her.

“A total of four men forced Bert into the second SUV. He resisted mightily until one of them struck him in the face with a pistol. They finally wrestled him into the back seat.

Brand grabbed the woman’s half-full beer bottle in his left hand and ran headlong into the group. The mustached man turned towards the movement and Brand broke the bottle against his face. He brought a powerful right fist under the next man’s jaw. His teeth crunched together, and he collapsed beside the beer bottle recipient.