That snapped her out of it. Her hands came up fast to push him off. She struggled angrily as he tried to wrap his arms around her.
Then, there was only air in front of her, as he was ripped away by a very large hand connected to a very large body. Seamus held him only half a foot away from her, by the back of his shirt.
“Get the fuck off of me,” Penelope growled, even though it was a moot point now. With a gesture she didn’t even knowshe was capable of, her hand flew across his face, slapping him hard. “Who the hell do you think you are? You think you get to demoralize me, degrade me, then show up here like I’m some kind of idiot, ready to follow after you again? You disgust me,” she spat the word out at him.
“I….” was as far as he got before Seamus cut him off.
“Shut the fuck up, ya langer. She’s a lady and won’t be treated like that.” The hand not holding Carson shot out in a palm-outward motion. “Stop right there, guitar boy. You need those hands to play your next set.”
Finn stood, jaw clenched, his hands balled into fists, and his eyes on fire in impotent rage. Every muscle in his body was tensed, ready to spring. Bonnie and Felix were behind him, moving in fast.
Seamus sighed heavily as if making a difficult decision, then easily shoved Carson to the ground in one quick motion.
Carson caught himself just before connecting with the pavement. Rolling to his side, he hit his shoulder hard, grunting in pain.
“There,” Seamus said to Finn. “That’ll have to do.”
Everyone, including Carson, remained motionless, watching Finn.
He took another threatening step forward, still seething with anger.
“Please, don’t,” Penelope said, coming to her senses. “He’s not worth it.”
No one moved.
“Seriously?” Seamus spoke again into the tense silence. “Can ye not come to this bar without creating some kind of drama?”
Bonnie was the first to crack. It was gradual, a twitch of the lip. Then a lopsided smile. The others still stood paralyzed until her burst of laughter broke the spell. None of them were quite able to join in. But movement became possible again.
Still angry but not sure what to do with it, Penelope turned on Felix. “Why didn’t you tell me he was here?”
Felix, obviously confused by the whole situation, shrugged defensively. “I didn’t know it mattered. He just said he wanted to see Ireland. He didn’t mention anything about you.”
His innocent face turned her back to the true focus of her anger. “You’re an asshole. You always were. But you’re right. I’m not the same person I used to be. I’m so much better in so many ways. And you don’t ever get to come near me again.”
She spun on her heel, turning her back to him. She wanted to walk away stiff and proud. Unfortunately, her body betrayed her. As the adrenaline seeped from her, her limbs began to shake.
It was the distraction Finn needed. Finally, turning his fury from the figure on the ground, concern for Penelope took over instead.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his body moving to cradle her.
“Five minutes, Finn,” Seamus called. “I’m going to pretend none of this happened, and you have five minutes to get back on that stage.”
“Right,” Finn called back distractedly, his eyes staying firmly focused on Penelope.
“I didn’t know she had a boyfriend,” Carson complained, slowly dragging himself up from the ground as if that explained everything.
“You shut up. That is not why she slapped you, asshole!” Bonnie was over her fit of laughter, ready to have her turn with him. “I know what you did to her, how you toyed with her. How you destroyed her confidence.” Her voice was thick with scorn. “You’re lucky I didn’t know sooner. But she’s stronger now. And you don’t get to go near her. You were never good enough for her. Not then. Not now. So get the hell out of here.”
“Dude?” Carson looked imploringly at Felix. “You can’t believe this.”
“Sadly,” Felix answered. “I do. I didn’t know about any of it. But I’ve seen who you’ve become. You’ve been one of my oldest friends. But hardly one of my better ones. I should never have asked you to be my best man just because of some stupid pact we made years ago. That you would do that to Penny….”
“Penelope,” Bonnie corrected, her voice still heated.
“Penelope. Go home, man. Don’t worry about the wedding. I’ll find somebody else. Go home and stay the hell out of all our lives.”
The four of them turned and headed back inside, leaving Carson to pick himself up off the ground.
