side.
Moses tracked him across the ring. If BJ could come in here and try to dress him down in front of everyone, then he could take this ass whupping. He palmed his head. BJ tossed an elbow in his gut, driving him backward a few steps, then jumped to his feet.
He grabbed BJ’s shirt, ripping the sleeve. Moses spun behind the man, bent his knees and held BJ around the waist, back to chest. Moses bounced, lifting BJ to his shoulder, and fell backward.
Slam! His head bounced off the mat and for a moment he saw stars. BJ moaned on his right and Moses rolled to his left, rubbing the back of his head.
Moses grimaced when fingers entwined, then yanked on his hair. He grabbed the other man’s wrist as he was forced to his knees. A forearm wrapped around his throat, while the other arm applied pressure. He had only a few seconds before the chokehold rendered him unconscious.
He reached up and behind him until he grasped the man’s face, now slick with sweat. Moses raked his fingers across his opponent’s eyes. BJ howled and relaxed his grip. Moses pressed his advantage, knocking BJ to the mat. He straddled the man, hooking the right shoulder behind one knee, stretched BJ’s left arm beneath his, then Moses wrapped his arms around BJ’s face, lacing his fingers tight, before leaning back.
BJ roared, sputtering obscenities.
“This is a dirty move.” He panted.
“So was snatching off my sub’s collar.” Moses applied a little more pressure as he caught sight of Sin’s narrowed eyes and tight-lipped frown. “I want you to take a good look at your sister. Does she look mistreated to you in any way? Has she come to you at all saying the man in her life disrespected her? Abused her?” He punctuated each sentence with pulling back a little more.
Bones and tendons popped to accommodate the unnatural position. “Regardless of how you feel about the lifestyle I lead, I would never hurt my sub and I for damn sure would never hurt my wife.” With that he released BJ and stood, dragging his fingers through his now unruly hair. He ducked between the second and third ropes and hopped down.
“When you want to talk to me like a civilized human being, I’ll be at home.” Moses stomped from the gym, scattering wrestlers in his wake. He paused long enough to scoop up the silver jewelry, laying broken and forlorn on the floor. He pocketed the necklace and disappeared.
* * * *
Sin flashed a grateful smile to Tono and Daniel when they settled a still dazed BJ in a chair. She held out a towel and a bottle of water to her brother. He had a cut above one eye and a bruise was forming around the other. His clothes were ripped and several buttons were missing from his shirt.
“Why the heck would you do that? I asked you not to confront him, to just listen to me for a second.”
He blotted his face, then lowered the towel to glare at her. “Were you ever going to tell me you married my ex-best friend?” Hurt infused his voice.
She swallowed.
“Did he make you keep it a secret?” His tone hardened and he half stood.
She grabbed his wrist. “No. I asked, or rather begged Moses to keep this a secret. You were already upset that you found us...um…in a passionate exchange.” Her cheeks heated at the memory of her brother walking in the shower while she was providing Moses with a little oral attention. Not her best moment, especially since the two ended up dissolving their friendship. She lifted her head until she met his gaze. “I--we were going to tell you tomorrow.”
He nodded. “So how long have you been married?”
“Six, almost seven months.” She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for his outburst. When it never came she looked at him from beneath her lashes.
He stared at her, his jaw slack.
“BJ, I...”
“Anything else you want to tell me?”
She flinched at the bitterness in his voice. He had every right to be mad at her, but tears still burned behind her lids. “Yeah, you’re gonna be an uncle.”
He