“You all right?” he asked, still taking his time with his words, his expression seeming like this mix of horrified and shocked as he watched me. “Yes.” I bit my cheek and then shook my head immediately afterward. “No.” Those eyes sliced to somewhere behind me for a split second before returning to my face. That foreign expression disappearing into that mean-muggin’ Rip face that was my favorite. His chest expanded with a big breath, and he was totally serious as he asked, “Want me to go whoop his ass?” “Yeah.” One of his big feet moved. “But don’t.”
