The Brawl Read Free Page A

would have given anything to see her in street clothes at one of his concerts.

    Kitt shook his head as he watched his brother bang into the side of the car. “I coulda seen that coming. My apologies, officer. Colton might have one too many to drink, and that tends to lower inhibitions when it comes to authority figures and beautiful women alike. He don’t mean no harm, I promise.” The left side of Kitt’s mouth curled up into a smile. His right cheek was swollen from a fist, or an elbow, or a knee. The smile hurt, but after shitting all over the locals, it was time to play nice and try to clear things up before management and law got involved. Roger wouldn’t be happy about another dent in the tour. The record company wouldn’t be happy about more negative press and court fees.
    “Quiet down.” The officer turned and shot the words back to Kitt, widening his eyes. Cold shoulder. They really don’t like us in this town…
    Kitt was eager to get back to the civilized parts of the country. The county fairs were great shows for building up the fan base, but there was trouble at every stop. Kitt did his best to keep Colton on a leash, but the leash never seemed to be short enough. Austin City Limits could be the break they needed. A new record was due out before the holidays, and ACL could be the thing that pushed them from hard-charging tourers to respected and well-received musicians.  
    Half of the group had left once the fight ended, but Kitt looked around to the crowd watching their arrest. Ain’t nothin’ well-received about this.

    Looking past the officer, Colton met eyes with the blonde who was glued at the hip to the local yokel. There was sadness in those pretty eyes until she looked up. A sparkle came to them when he smiled at her. Colton thought he caught a little hint of pride in her eyes. She was on the Wade brothers’ side, but she was stuck in the shit-kicker town, anyway. The boyfriend squeezed her arm, but the cute blonde pulled herself free. She didn’t want to watch Colton get hauled away, and she didn’t want to spend another minute next to her dumb boyfriend.
    Colton smiled at her defiance. Good girl. Get yourself free. Officer Harbaugh pulled open the back passenger door, put a firm hand at Colton’s neck, and dropped him down into the seat. “Easy now, watch the hair.” He tried to make it sound like a joke, but she didn’t laugh. Kitt was fed in beside him, and the two were on their way to lockup.
    The roads were bumpier than Colton remembered on the way in. The county fair had been well attended, but the town wasn’t nothin’. The lady cop seemed to be giving them the scenic route to the police station. Hell, the town wasn’t big enough for a police station. It would be one of those combo police, fire, and post offices. His fantasy of kicking the locals’ asses and skittering off to the motel with that quiet little blonde was nothin’ but dust kicked up by the Crown Vic’s tires.
    Colton leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the metal grating that separated the front and back seats. Taking in a deep breath, he thought he smelled the hint of perfume on Officer Harbaugh. It might just as well have been her shampoo, but it was mighty fine either way. “Mind if I ask why we the only two bein’ hauled in? Was the ringleader of that ass whoopin’ also the mayor? Sounds about right to me.”
    “The two of you were the perpetrators. I had a dozen witnesses sayin’ y’all attacked Gerry and his friends while they were on their way to head on home.”
    “Bullshit.” Colton brought a long leg up and kicked at the grate between the Wade brothers and Officer Harbaugh. “Bullshit.”
    Kitt leaned over, “Let it go, brother. You really think kickin’ up a fuss like this is gonna get us sprung?”
    Colton’s eyes went wide. “It’s the principle, Kitt. It’s the fuckin’ principle of it.”
    Turning forward, again, Colton softened his approach. Logic and anger hadn’t