Page 91 of Five Mountain Daddies

And I don’t want him to know. I’m terrified of what he’ll do if he finds out. Ingram clearly isn’t against doing some horribly unethical things to get his way, and I’m not going to risk mybaby.

I grip my steering wheel in sudden surprise. I didn’t know I felt that way about this baby. Honestly, I’ve been pushing it out of my mind, trying not to think about it at all. But I suddenly realize that I’m going to keep it, no matter what. Part of me was considering adoption, and abortion was never an option, but I know I can’t go through with that. I’m going to raise this baby, whether Samuel wants to be involved ornot.

I need to tell him. I know I have to tell him, sooner rather than later. I just don’t know how to do it, and this is the absolute worst moment. I’m so dug in deep here, and I don’t know how I’m going to get back outagain.

14

Samuel

Ihave to lay low for a few days before I feel good enough to leave thehouse.

My bruises are still there, but starting to turn sickly yellow at the edges. That’s a good thing, Sarah says. I’m lucky she’s a nurse and willing to help me out, because there’s no fucking way I’m going to the hospital for this shit. I can barely move around without pain, although it’s getting better everyday.

Amelia doesn’t visit again, doesn’t contact me. I’m not surprised. I blamed what happened on her, or at least I suggested it was her fault by proxy. I was fucked up on pain meds and didn’t mean it that way, but I can only imagine how it felt to hear me say those words. I wish I could take it back, but there’s nothing I can do about it now but goforward.

I told her I wouldn’t back down, even if the part of me that thinks we can really win this is slowly shrinking smaller andsmaller.

I shuffle into The Shaft, and the place is nearly packed. Every miner that isn’t on duty is here right now, and most of them are drunk or at least getting there. Roy spots me right away and comes over, a concerned look on hisface.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asksme.

I nod, shrugging off his offer of help. “I’m fine. Just need adrink.”

“You got it.” He heads off to grab me a beer from the bar. I shuffle further in, nodding at guys, shaking hands, and everyone treats me like a fuckinghero.

Except I’m not. I just got jumped by some dirty cops, took a beating, and survived it. I didn’t do anything worth their adoration, but the guys all seem impressed by me, which I don’t get atall.

Roy shoves a drink into my hand. I take it from him, drink half of it down real fast, and lean up against thebar.

“You’re sure everyone’s here?” I askRoy.

He nods. “I’m sure. What’s this meeting about,anyway?”

“You’llsee.”

He looks concerned. “Listen, Samuel. I know you’re pissed. But don’t do something stupid,okay?”

“This isn’t the first time I got my ass kicked, probably won’t be the last. I’m not doing anything because ofthat.”

He grunts in response and sips his whiskey. “I’m just saying. You’re not out of thisyet.”

I meet his gaze. “I know I’m not. That’s exactly why we’rehere.”

We don’t say anything more until I finish my beer. When I’m done, I give him a nod and shuffle toward the back of the bar. Guys start to notice as I climb up onto a chair, pushing away Roy as he tries to help me. It hurts my ribs like a motherfucker, but once I’m up there, I’m the tallest guy in the fuckingbar.

And everyone’s looking at me. Slowly, conversation dies down. I don’t have to say a word, and eventually the whole bar’s silent except for the sound of the bartender cleaning glasses and pouringdrinks.

“You all know me,” I say finally. “You all see what happened. Who here thinks a little pain’s going to stopme?”

“Fuck no!” Vernon shouts from the crowd. A bunch of other people take up the cheer, and I hold up myhands.

“That’s right. Fuck that, I’m not backing off. They think they can break me, beat me down, make me accept any old contract and fuck you boys over. But they’re so fucking wrong it almosthurts.”

The boys cheer again and I grin at them, basking in it. “I called you all here for a reason. I’m going to ask you all to do something with me, something that’ll hurt them. And it may hurt us,too.”

“We’re with you, Samuel,” someone yells, and it takes me a second to realize that it’sArnold.

I’m surprised, but I nod at him. “We’re not going to let them walk all over us. We unionized for a reason. We have fuckingpower.”

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