Page 84 of Midnight Salvation

Two hours later, I’m standing in the middle of my wrecked front room. Thinking. I want to go home—to go to Evangeline’s home, but I can’t yet. I made her a promise to reel in my shit, and I’m going to do my damndest to keep it. So that means hanging out here for a little while longer until I can take a full breath without wanting to punch something.

The crew is gone already. Turns out, it doesn’t take all that long to tear shit out of a house. It’s going to take so much longer to redo everything. To patch the walls and put in new furniture and make it feel like my home again.

There’s a knock at my front door, and I yell “come in” without looking. I’m sure it’s one of the guys looking for me. It seems I’m needed endlessly, especially lately, and normally I can easily weather it or shove it off to Nova or Bane. But it’s only me here right now, and as much as I never wanted to be the president of the Reapers, I’ll be damned if I shirk all my responsibilities.

A low whistle slices through the air, and I pivot instantly, grabbing my gun from the back of my pants in the same breath.

Ethan Bellfleur is standing at the threshold of my living room with his hands in his pockets and a slimy little grin on his face. I lower the gun slowly, hoping he reads the disrespect in the move.

“What do you want?”

“Now is that any way to greet your new sheriff?”

“You’re not the sheriff yet, Ethan. So what the fuck are you doing in my house?”

He whistles again. “I heard about this, but I haven’t had a chance to see it until now. They sure did a number on your house, hm?”

“I’ll ask one more time: What do you want, Ethan?” I widen my stance, my fingers still taut around the grip of my gun.

“Just came by to give you a friendly heads-up, that’s all. There’s a new sheriff in town, St. James, and he doesn’t play by the same rules as the old one.”

My head rears back and I narrow my eyes at him. “Why the fuck are you talking about yourself in the third person like that? Get to the fucking point.”

His face reddens, and he smooths his dark-blond hair back with both hands before exhaling and shoving them into his pockets. It’s a fucking strange little series of movements I just witnessed. And for the first time, I start to think that Nova might’ve been onto something about this guy.

“The point I’m trying to make is that we’re gonna do things differently around here. Starting now.”

“Redford’s still sheriff for two weeks.”

Bellfleur shrugs, rocking back on his heels. “He decided to take an early retirement package.”

“When? I just talked to him this afternoon.”

“Retirement moves fast apparently. I don’t fucking know. That’s not the point. The point is we’re doing shit my way now. And you won’t be able to buy me off with bribes and shit like you did with Redford. He was weak. A fucking coward who didn’t have what it takes to keep this town safe. But not me, St. James.”

The implication is there, but I don’t fucking buy it. Still, Redford’s advice rings in my ears. I school my face into my most neutral expression, locking all my shit down tight. ”Why are you here?”

“We’re starting something new. A new-age co-op. The Diamond’s coming together to agree to a peace treaty. Good for the many and all that.”

“And this warranted a house visit? Fucking call the clubhouse next time, Bellfluer.”

“I’m here because your presence is required. You, your cousin, and your asshole brother. That’s it. Don’t roll up with your whole fucking club, or you’re all going to go to jail.”

I let the Nova comment slide for now. “For what?” I scoff. “Driving?”

“Nah, St. James. For trespassing and violating the curfew laws I’ll set just for you.”

My blood roars in my ears. “You threatening me Bellefleur?”

“Threatening?” He shakes his head dramatically. “Gosh, no. As an officer of the law, I wouldn’t dream of such things. But”—he sucks his teeth, dipping his head in an exaggerated shrug—“as an officer of the law, it is my duty to uphold it. So if I find you in violation of it, I’m gonna have to take you in. And then I’m going to have to take in your cousin and your shithead brother. And then I’ll probably have to shut down your little boys club. And who knows what’ll happen then. I hear you got quite the pretty nanny too. Maybe she’ll need a new job. I’m sure I can rustle up a few kids for her to look after.”

My body vibrates with anger so potent I half-expect to look down and see my skin blistering from the inside out.

“You have two seconds to get the fuck out of my house and off my property. Because in case you forgot, Bellfleur, we live in Rosewood. Which affords me the right to defend my house against intruders by any means necessary. And Bellefleur? Right now, you’re looking exactly like the kind of guy I saw trespass with intent to harm. Be a real shame to never see your swearing-in ceremony, yeah?”

His jaw clenches and his jovial fake fucking grin slips into something decidedly sinister. Good. Now we’re fucking getting somewhere.

“Be at the summit, St. James. Or I’m going to have to assume you’re unwilling to comply, and then I’ll really fuck you, your family, your bullshit club, and that pretty piece of ass. Yeah?” he mocks me. “Two days. Three Crowns Tavern. Three p.m. Don’t be late.”

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