Uh-oh.

I went still and stopped struggling against Mace’s arm so I could focus my attention on freaking about what was going to come out of Ren’s mouth next. I had told him about Luke under the influence of three glasses of wine and a major flip out. I hadn’t expected he’d ever have the opportunity to share and even if he did, I never expected him actually to share.

“Ren,” I said but it came out breathy and quiet and I knew he didn’t hear me.

I looked to Luke who was silent and watching, his body looking both relaxed and prepared at the same time.

“Ren, please. Don’t,” I went on, sounding louder but not loud enough because, to my horror, Ren went on.

“I get a good shot in maybe I’ll knock some f**kin’ sense into you. Then maybe you’ll be thinkin’ of Ava when you f**k her, not some other man’s piece you can’t have.”

The Rock Chicks collectively sucked in breath at Ren’s words and all their gazes swung in my direction.

Oh shit.

Luke’s eyes sliced to me and my breath left my lungs in a whoosh.

His eyes were cold, hard, furious and lastly and most frighteningly, disbelieving. Somehow his look made him seem like he’d already suffered a blow before a punch had been thrown and that blow had been delivered by me.

I wanted to say something, anything to take that look off his face but I didn’t have a chance. Luke looked back to Ren and it began.

At first I didn’t move, I watched in shocked, horrified fascination.

It was brutal, powerful and, in a weird way, beautiful and even awe-inspiring. Luke and Ren knew what they were doing, they were strong, fast, light on their feet and so angry neither of them was holding anything back.

Then the sound of flesh thudding against flesh, again and again and again, got through to me.

“Stop it!” I screamed, my voice not sounding like my own, it came out as a screech.

They kept going.

“Stop it!” I shrieked again, unable to think of something better to say.

Luke’s fist smashed into Ren’s mouth and Ren’s lip opened up, blood flying and Ally started to scream “stop” with me.

Then I saw Ren throw a punch that Luke didn’t dodge and I watched a cut open on Luke’s cheek.

At that I started struggling like a she-cat and screaming like a banshee, not using words just yelling. I pressed my back against Mace’s body, lifting my feet clean up in the air to power kick out of his arms. This didn’t work so I planted my feet and leaned forward, trying to take him with me or break the contact. Neither of these worked so I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Godamnit, stop it!”

Of course, they did not stop.

I used the move I used with Luke at Sissy and Dom’s and elbowed Mace in the side with all my might. I added an additional touch and at the same time I kicked him in the shin with the heavy heel of my cowboy boot. This worked. His arm loosened just enough for me to get away.

Even though both Daisy and Jules made a grab for me shouting at me at the same time to stay back, I evaded them and ran straight into the fight just as Luke reared back for a punch. I didn’t have a chance to dodge him, his elbow slammed into my forehead and stars exploded in my eyes. I went back two steps and then down, hard on my ass.

“Stop!” Daisy screamed, running forward. She got low next to me, holding her arm out to the boys as if to shield me from them. “Stop it, right now,” she snapped but they’d already stopped.

Luke was moving to me and I was shaking my head because I could swear I saw two of him.

“Sugar, you okay?” Daisy asked as the Rock Chicks lost patience with holding back and took their positions.

I put my hand to my forehead but didn’t answer.

“Ava, talk to me,” Daisy urged.

“Is she all right?” Jet got low beside me.

“Holy crap, Ava, say something, honey,” Indy got down next to Daisy.

“I’m fine, I think.” My other hand came up to my forehead and I touched it gently.

“You f**king guys!” Ally snapped from somewhere else. I couldn’t see her but then I couldn’t see much of anything because I was staring at my lap and blinking a lot. I looked up and saw she was in Ren’s face, blocking him from approaching me. “Why didn’t you have a pissing contest?” Ally went on, getting way close to Ren. “Look at Ava, she’s on her ass in a parking lot!”

“Well,” I whispered to Indy, Ally and Jet. “Now I have something to write to my Mom about.”

Jules materialized at my feet as the girls looked at each other not responding to my lame effort to make light of the moment. Jules wasn’t laughing either. She was looking at me in a funny way. For obvious reasons I couldn’t hold her eyes so I looked back at my lap just in time to hear Roxie throw down. My head came up again and I saw Roxie quickly approaching Luke in order to get in his face and I could hear her high-heeled boots hitting the pavement in an unmistakable pissed-off woman staccato.

“Seriously!” she snapped. “It’s okay if you make each other bleed but what did you think Ava would do? Just stand there and watch you beat each other to a pulp? Men! I don’t get it!” she shouted to the sky, throwing her hands out to her sides.

“I’m okay,” I said, pushing unsteadily to my feet with Jet and Daisy helping me.

Once I got to my feet, I watched as Luke set Roxie aside and he did this by picking her up by her upper arms and literally setting her aside. Then he was there, I could see his black t-shirt in front of my face.

“Look at me,” he said and he definitely used a tone that one would obey without question because, even though I didn’t want them to, my eyes lifted to his. He stared at me closely. I still felt a little funny, a bit woozy, but even so I noticed the cut on his cheekbone, blood streaming from it and it made my stomach churn.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded, staring at his cut and all the blood and wondering when I’d ever learn my lesson.

Repeat after me.

No men. No men. No men.

The second I nodded, before I could ask if Luke or Ren were okay or I could throw an insane, out-of-control hissy fit of my own, Luke took my hand and started toward the Porsche. I looked back at the Rock Chicks and they were watching me, all except Ally who was (kind of angrily) wiping blood with a tissue from Ren’s face all the while giving him lip, which he deserved. Next time I talked to him I was going to verbally kick his ass.

Without thinking (I really should have thought), I got in the passenger side of the Porsche, Luke holding the door open for me and then slamming it shut behind me. He nabbed his jacket off the hood, shrugged it on, slid behind the wheel and, with no further ado, we took off like a shot.