She beamed, and Kirk nodded. “Cool.”

The two continued to stare at each other, having a small moment before Nick punched his cousin in the shoulder.

“Ow!” Pete clamped a hand over his arm and glared. “Honestly. What is up with the physical violence?”

“From what I remember, you hit him the first time I met you.” I pointed at Pete and then Nick.

Both cousins froze and then Nick cracked up. “Ha! She got you there.” But he swung back and tried to punch his cousin again, only Pete was ready this time. He leaned back, and Nick’s arm went in front of his chest, and he grabbed it. Nick retaliated, and the two started brawling right there in the stands.

Kirk grabbed Cora and me, pulling us down a seat, but most of the others around them scrambled out of the way. A few little kids started crying.

“Ah! Stop it!” A middle-aged lady took her purse and began batting at Nick and Pete’s backs. “You two. Stop it at once.”

It worked, and it didn’t.

They stopped wrestling and returned to their seats, but they started shoving instead.

“You guys.” Tom had run up the side of the bleachers, using the actual stairs, and he paused at the end of our row. “Kirk.” He gestured to the court where some of the basketball players had stopped to watch the scuffle. “They’re going to call security.”

Kirk groaned, but he started to wade in between the cousins. “I can’t take these two anywhere, I swear.”

The purse lady gave up and passed her weapon to her husband, who was the only one who didn’t seem perturbed by Pete and Nick. He remained almost in the middle of it, sitting calmly and watching the court. I followed his eyes and found his attention fixed on where the cheerleaders were stretching. One had her back to the bleachers, bent over so she could still talk to her friend. Her ass was right there. I didn’t think she cared.

Then—smack! I reeled backward, feeling blinding pain on the side of my face.

“Hey!” Kirk yelled, but I couldn’t see. I just knew I was falling—falling—until hands caught me, more than one pair of hands.

“Oh, dear.” A lady gasped from beneath me, and then an arm came around the back of my waist and lifted me back upright.

“HEY!”

I recognized that chest pressed against mine and started to protest even as I relaxed. “No, no. You’re supposed to be warming up.”

Ryan’s arm tightened around me. His whole body tensed, and he barked again, “Knock it off! NOW!”

He kept me cradled against him with one arm, his other moving around.

The pain started to recede, and I opened one eye enough to see Nick and Pete staring at me.

“Oh no.” Nick started forward.

Tom had waded in too, and he made a gurgling sound. If it was meant to stop Nick, it worked because his shoulders dropped dramatically. “That wasn’t Pete I hit with my shoulder, I’m betting.”

Pete pushed forward. “I’m sorry, Mackenzie. He’s sorry too.”

Nick hit his shoulder. “I was about to say that. I’m sorry too, Mackenzie.”

“Yeah.” Pete’s head bobbed up and down. “We’re both sorry.” They looked at Ryan, and if they could’ve taken a step backward, I was sure they would’ve. Pete gulped before adding, “Sorry, Ryan.”

“Fucker,” Ryan grit out, flinging a hand toward the court. “You hit her, and you’re causing a scene. Security was coming in before I told ’em I’d stop it.” His entire body was rigid, and hearing a threat of violence in his tone, I looked up a little more intently.

I wasn’t the only one.

Kirk met my gaze, and I could tell he was also slightly concerned.

I frowned, placing a hand over Ryan’s chest to calm him. “I’m okay. Honestly.” I blinked my eye open a few times, testing it out. “I can still see.”

Ryan didn’t respond as he wrapped his arms around me for a hug. He pulled me in tight, dipping his head down a moment. His lips grazed my neck, and then he released me.

He pointed at Nick and Pete. “Sit your asses down, and shut the fuck up.” Pointing at Tom, he said, “You. Sit.” He pointed on my left side. “Stop hitting on my sister, and if these assholes start fighting, use your face to protect Mackenzie next time.”

Ryan glanced at me for a second before leaving for the court. As he went, a few people patted him on the back. One guy pumped his fist in the air. “Bring home the win, Jensen!”

Kirk chuckled once Ryan got back to the floor and turned to Tom, adding, “Or next time just get your ass in here to help out.”

Tom sat, but he leaned around us to give Kirk a menacing look. “It isn’t my fault these two revert to being nine year olds when they’re around each other.”