Page 89 of Five Mountain Daddies

“Just that he got… jumped,” Isay.

She nods a little. “He won’t say by who, but he’s beat up prettygood.”

“Is he going to beokay?”

“Oh, god, yes,” she says, laughing. “It’ll take more than that to stop Samuel. He’s got a broken rib, some bad bruises, but otherwise he’sokay.”

I let out a breath and I feel some of the tension that I’ve been holding slowly fade. “I don’t understand how this happened,” I say. “He got into afight?”

She frowns a little bit and chews her lip, like she’s trying to decide if she wants to tell me something. After a second, she takes a breath and sets herself. “Look, this isn’t unusual,okay?”

“What does that mean? He got beat up. Sounds pretty crazy tome.”

“He’s the union head,” she says slowly. “And we’re in a contractnegotiation.”

I stare at her for a second. “You think… I didthis?”

“Oh, no,” she says, shaking her head. “No, not atall.”

“But someone at Evans,” I saysoftly.

She nods. “Someone.”

Our eyes meet and it hits me all at once. I know exactly who did this, and I know why Samuel’s not going to say his name out loud. I’m so angry I can barely breathe. Sarah gets up and comes around the coffee table to sit down next tome.

“He’ll be okay,” she says. “Trust me. Samuel’s been throughworse.”

“I would never—” I start, but she cuts meoff.

“I know.” She smiles at me kindly. “I cantell.”

I blush a little bit. “I mean, I’m just saying, he’s a good colleague,and—“

She cuts me off, again, laughing. “Yeah, of course. Great to work with.” She winks at me and I feel my anger melt away under a wave of embarrassment. “Anyway, I’ll go see if he’s willing to talk. Thatokay?”

“Sure,” I say, wanting this conversation to beover.

She stands up. “He’s on some pain meds right now, so he might be out ofit.”

“That’s okay,” Isay.

She nods and disappears up the stairs. I sit on the couch, stewing as my anger slowly returns, looking at all the oldclocks.

Ingram did this. I know he did. This is his fucking negotiation tactic, trying to break Samuel, scare him off. I’ve heard about stuff like this, but I didn’t think people still did it anymore. It’s absolutely insane and terrifying, and I’m so fucking angry I can barely think anymore. The thought of someone hurting Samuel, big, kind, handsome Samuel, it makes my blood boil. He deserves so much better, but life keeps handing himshit.

“Come on up,” Sarah says, looking at me from the stairs. I didn’t even hear her comedown.

I stand, taking a breath. She smiles at me kindly and leads the way up the steps, down a short little hall and into the backbedroom.

It’s a small space, mostly just enough room for a dresser, a bed, and a little nightstand. There are books stacked on the nightstand, and more clocks stacked all along the walls. Small metal parts are scattered all over the dresser and I’m guessing Samuel works on those clocks in here sometimes, because there’s a toolbox on the floor next to hisbed.

But my gaze is drawn toward him. Samuel’s sitting up in bed, shirt off, bandage around his chest and his side. He smirks at me as we walk into the room, but I can tell his gaze is a little glassy, probably from the pain meds hetook.

Purple blooms across his skin. His right eye is black, and when he shifts, he winces with his whole body. I put my hands to my mouth, shocked at thedamage.

“I’ll leave you two,” Sarah says softly, and backs out of the room, shutting the door behindher.

Samuel grins at me, cocks his head. “You look like you’ve seen aghost.”

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