Page 19 of Thug

Brisco let out a laugh. “Hell, he poked the man’s daughter. I didn’t think poking around a little more will hurt anything.”

I didn’t need reminded of what I’d done. For the past week, it was all I could think of. I glanced in Brisco’s direction and sharpened my gaze to a glare.

“Don’t even try that shit with me.” Brisco said, laughing as he spoke. “I’m not Sailor, Shaft, or one of those other wormy fuckers. You want to look at me like that, you better be ready to throw down.”

“I’m always ready,” I said dryly. “Always.”

“You fucked her like a boss.” He rocked his chair back, clearly to mimic me. “Now, act like a Boss.”

Arguing with Brisco wasn’t something anyone could succeed at. Intimidation tactics didn’t work with him, nor was he willing to listen to anything he didn’t agree with, from anyone. Including me.

“It’d be much easier to be the boss if you two weren’t in here staring at me like a couple of lost little kids,” I said.

“We’re just trying to get your head in the right place.”

“My head’s fine.”

“I disagree.”

I laughed. “Based on what?”

He looked at his watch. “As of right now, it’s been a week, exactly. I think you’re avoiding the issue, personally.”

“Avoiding?” I lowered the chair onto all four legs. “Excuse me?”

He leaned forward. “You heard me.”

“How am I avoiding it?”

“Well, her padre is to you what Batman is to the Joker. If the Joker fucked Batman’s daughter, but he didn’t know it was Batman’s daughter, and then he found out after the fact who he’d fucked, what do you think he’d do about it when he found out?”

Brisco used analogies to explain everything. They often weren’t easy to follow, nor did they always make sense to anyone but him.

I shook my head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Pretty easy story to follow.” He dropped his chair onto all four legs and let out a huff. “Like I said, avoiding the issue.”

“Alright,” I said. “I’ll answer your stupid fucking question. The Joker would rub the facts in Batman’s face. More than likely he’d use his knowledge of who the girl was as a means to taunt Batman until he lured him into a fight.”

“Damn right,” Brisco said. “As soon as he found out he was dicking Batman’s daughter, he’d probably fuck that chick like he was in a cock slinging contest. Out of spite, hatred, and just pure ‘get back’ on Batman for whatever he’d done to ol’ Jokerman in the past. What he wouldn’t do is this: he wouldn’t disappear like a pussy-assed clown.”

“Nobody disappeared.”

He smirked. “It’s Thursday night, last I looked. Heard no mention of going to that gal’s bar for dollar beers.”

I was confused. His analogy, as always, made zero sense. “So, you think I ought to fuck her a few dozen times to taunt Pig Pen into a brawl?”

“Not the point I wanted to make, Price.”

“What point did you want to make?”

“I guess you need to either shit or get off the pot,” he said. “Decide what you want to do and do it.”

“I was contemplating my next move when you two came in here and flopped down,” I complained. “If you’d kindly find somewhere else to go spend your evening, I’ll get back to it.”

“You don’t look like you’re contemplating shit.” He looked at Carp. “Does he, Carp?”

“Nope,” Carp said flatly.