Page 71 of Deacon

The officer shows us to a meeting room. There’s a table in the middle, big, round and made of wood. I sink down at one end, spreading my knees, and lean back. Jay sets his things down and puts his palms together.

“Anybody want a coffee before we start?” he asks.

I shake my head. Aiden gets one from the table on the far end. Ryland sits, his chin in his fingers, and watches me, like he thinks he can intimidate me by staring.

I’m not intimidated by much. I think all that got scared out of me before I turned ten. What I can’t get with my lawyer, I’ll get with my fists.

“Alright, you want to tell me what this is about?” I say.

Jay clears his throat. “I have the papers you sent over with a plan for the zoning council and city government. Before we get into it, this is an informal meeting. We’re just talking, seeing if this can get resolved before it needs to be kicked somewhere more serious.”

Aiden jerks his head. His smugness makes me hate him. I’m silent because I know it’s what Jay wants from me, but inside, as I listen to what they want, deep anger sparks. As it sinks in, the flames climb high.

My suspicions were correct.

They plan on getting an easement across the strip of land that separates the Hatfield farm from the McClaine’s property line, across the western point of Ryder Ranch. Then, they’ll run a road up through Aiden’s land and sell out the entire southern side of the McClaine’s land to real estate developers.

Over my dead body.

I grew up with one truth being ground into my head, day in, day out—I came from nothing and I deserved to die with nothing. No parents, no money in my pockets. Dropped on a doorstep, made to work for every meal. Ryder Ranch is the result of years of hard work, determination, and the willingness to do the unspeakable.

Nobody is going to take a square foot of that land from me. I keep my eyes on the table. Not for their sake, but for Jay’s. He’s handling them. There’s a reason he’s the best lawyer in the area.

But fuck, I want to put my fist through Aiden’s face.

Aiden has a bunch of business jargon he pulled out of his ass, probably. But the upshot of what comes out of his mouth is, he’s planning on getting rich. And all he wants from me is that easement.He says that all casual, minimizing it, like I don’t know what that really means.

Because it means I’m about to get fucked.

To my credit, I keep it together all the way to the end, but I let Jay be the one to shake hands and close the meeting. I’m silent, blood thumping like a fast-approaching war drum as we stride from the room.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DEACON

We step out onto the street and stand there, completely silent. The storm hit while we were inside. Rain lashes the buildings and pours into the gutters. I stare out, not seeing, just trying to wrestle with the anger raging through my chest.

My land is the only thing I’ve ever had.

It’s where I fantasized about bringing Freya. Figuring out what makes her tick, what makes her fall for me. Coaxing her into marrying me, having babies with her, filling the empty house with a world we make together.

I know, on a surface level, an easement won’t ruin that. It’s whatever comes next when they start bringing trucks through, when I hear the trees fall and the rocks are blown from the ground.

Smoke, dust, and worse: civilization.

Slowly, I become aware that Jay is talking to me. I put my hat on.

“What?”

“Do not go after the Hatfields,” he says.

I jerk my head in a sharp nod, looking past him.

“Deacon, look at me,” he says, pointing two fingers toward his eyes. “You keep your hands off them. No fighting, no shooting, no talking to them. Got it? Any communication goes through me.”

I work my jaw.

“So help me God, I will kick your ass myself if I hear you’ve done otherwise,” Jay says, as if he’s not half my body weight. “You get in your truck and head home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

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