Chapter 84

Mr. Jackson had seen his bruised knuckles.

“What have you been up to, Tommy?”

“That abusive bastard won’t be bothering Josh anymore.” He flexed his fingers and winced.

“You didn’t hurt your hand, did you?”

“Nah, I’m fine.”

“You’d better get it looked at.” Not realizing—or maybe just not caring—that Mopp was in the trailer with them, Mr. Jackson picked up JT’s injured hand and touched it with gentle fingertips.

“I will.”

“Areyou sure you’re okay, buddy?”

“Yeah.” But JT sighed and leaned into Mr. Jackson. “I just don’t know how anyone could be that cruel to Josh.”

“Some small men need to do that in order to make themselves appear bigger.”

“Lucas Robinson isn’t small. You know that.”

“Sure he is. Oh, he might be more than six feet tall, but inside he’s a midget.”

“Yeah.” JT gave a snort of laughter. “And he’s going to hate it like hell that I took him down without breaking a fingernail.”