Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

Chapter 5

Elliot couldn’t intervene in time and could only rush over with a look of distress to help

Emmett up.

“Where does it hurt, buddy?” he asked, gently propping his little brother.

“Here… and here.” Emmett sobbed, pointing to his backside and shin.

Elliot rolled up Emmett’s jeans for a quick look and was shocked, “Holy smokes!”

A large bruise was blossoming on Emmett’s pale leg, a deep purple mark that stood out starkly against his skin.

Elliot clenched his fists, fuming. He had wanted to keep his brother Evan from stirring up trouble, but now it seemed he wouldn’t just stand by; he was also ready to let him off the leash.

Someone thought they could bully Emmett and get away with it? Emmett had his back!

lright, Emmett. I’m here. Let me blow on it, and the pain will go away,” Elliot consoled.

Emmett nodded in aggravation, “…Okay.”

Meanwhile, Evan had chased Nola out of the train station.

Upon seeing her trying to get into her car, he dashed in front of her and puffed up like a little bulldog.

“Hey, witch, who gave you the nerve to pick on my little brother?”

Witch?

Nola’s finely arched eyebrows knitted in anger as she glared at Evan. She wanted to smack

him into next week! NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

But with Tarquin in the car, she needed to curry favor and show off her ‘affection‘ for children. So she shot Evan several death glares and hissed, “Who are you calling a witch?!”

“You! You’re not only ugly but also old and mean! A wicked old hag beyond saving!” Evan retorted, then pulled out a pocketknife and started circling the luxury car, leaving a trail of scratches.

Nola’s eyes bulged as she saw the fresh marks on her sleek black car.

“Stop it, you little terror! Do you have any idea whose car this is when you did this? You’re playing with fire!” she yelled, rushing to stop him.

Evan dodged, leading Nola on a wild goose chase around the car like a circus act.

Tarquin had come to pick up Nola and was watching the scene unfold from the car seat. Frowning, he said to his assistant Lowell, “Go check it out.”

“Right.”

Lowell was about to step out when suddenly-

“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Four loud crashes followed by a heavy thud made the car lurch downward!

“Ahhhhh!” Nola screamed at the top of her lungs.

Tarquin’s brow furrowed as he stepped out of the car. The sight before him locked his expression into a grimace.

All four tires had blown out, smoking and rolling away from the vehicle. The luxury car lay lifeless on the ground like a dead dog.

A little boy, no taller than Tarquin’s waist and hiding behind a mask, stood in front of Nola and puffed from his chest, “I’m new in town today, so I won’t get serious with you this time. But if you dare mess with my brother again, I won’t be so nice! Ugly! Old! Wicked! Hmph!”

Tarquin was stunned. Who was this kid to talk big like that? And he still called it something unserious? Then what kind of havoc would he wreak if he got serious? Who did this little rascal belong to? Why he was such a wild little terror?

Unaware of who he had just crossed, the little guy turned on his heel to leave. Suddenly, someone grabbed the collar of his coat, and his feet left the ground.

“Who’s this?! Let go of me, now!” Evan wriggled and squirmed, trying to break free.

Tarquin’s face was stormy as he held Evan up to him.

‘Are you ordering me around?” he asked, his voice cool but with an undercurrent of chill.

“I…” Evan, behind his mask, froze mid–sentence.

Oh boy, this man… he looked a lot like him and his big brother–like an adult version of them!

Was this their absentee, good–for–nothing dad?

But their mom had told them their dad had passed away young, taken by illness.

It must just be a resemblance!

Thinking this, Evan fluttered his long lashes a few times and said defiantly,

“I’ll let you off this time since you look a bit like my dad. Now put me down, or else! I’m warning you, I can be scary when I’m mad!”

He even yelled and made a spooky face at Tarquin to punctuate his threat.