Page 37 of Regressive

I frown and glance out the window of the truck. I drove the F-450. Completely inappropriate for a road trip, but I like how powerful it feels in my hands. There’s one customer picking through a stack of melons and it strikes me that bringing Imogene with me was a bad idea. The average female resident of Serendee has no idea about the collection of fire power Anex has accumulated in this armory. Imogene would know that there are guns for hunting and general security, but this goes beyond that. Me, Rex, Levi, Silas and any other male in the inner circle have been trained extensively for a breach of the walls—to defend the property and our business.

“Elon, why do you need a gun?” she repeats.

I watch the customer reach for her wallet and scratch my forehead with my thumb. “Because I’m not here to buy organic fruit. I’m here to collect on an outstanding payment. It’s a pretty standard situation, but since you’re with me, I’m not taking any chances.”

The customer finally leaves, and I exit the cab. Walking around the back to grab the basket of green beans I brought with us from the farm, I do a quick check for the two kilos of hard-packed marijuana underneath. With the basket in one hand, I wrench open Imogene’s door and offer her my hand to get down. A warm buzz passes between us during the few seconds we touch. She’s in a cute striped T-shirt and navy-blue shorts that reveal her long legs. Very college co-ed. Very innocent but sexy.

Fuck. Now is not the time to get hard.

Walking into the open-air stand, I move slightly in front of Imogene. It smells of hay and fresh food, dirt and greenery. A man in overalls and a wide brimmed hat arranges husks of corn in a large pile, while a female in a heavy jumper and bonnet cuts up a cantaloupe by the counter. Soft strains of guitar music waft through the breezy shed.

“Morning, Jeb,” I say, eyes combing the area for anything out of place. Everything is quiet, quaint and normal. Well, as normal as can be.

“Elon,” he says with a nod, eyes flicking to Imogene. “Wasn’t expecting you today.”

“Well, I had some extra time, and it turns out you and I have some unfinished business.”

Jeb’s eyebrow arches. He plays like he’s a small-town, innocent farmer, and not a shrewd businessman. He and Anex are cut from the same cloth. It’s not a surprise that they found one another, or that one is trying to get one over the other.

“Honey, offer this young woman a piece of that cantaloupe, while the men handle our affairs,” he says, smiling over at Imogene. “So sweet you wouldn’t believe it.”

Imogene looks to me for approval. I nod, keeping an eye on her.

“Thought your women dressed more modestly in Serendee.”

“Who said she was from Serendee?” I say, not liking the way he’s looking at her.

He grunts and darkness flickers in his eye. I should’ve made her wear her normal clothes. Why did I bring her? Deep in my chest the truth threatens to reveal itself. My Indulgency will be my undoing. My desire to see her skin, to have her close, to pretend like she could be mine.

I follow him behind a sheet of burlap that acts as a barrier between the ‘shop’ and the back. Keeping an eye on Imogene through the sliver of space, I say, “It’s my understanding that my runners shorted you last time. I apologize” I hold up the basket. “Two kilos of our best batch.”

He takes the basket and pushes aside the beans, finding the drugs underneath. He must like what he sees, because he reaches behind his bib overall and pulls out a packet of money. He starts to hand it over but then draws back. “I don’t know,” he says, voice hesitant. “I’ve put a lot of faith into this arrangement with Anex and to just accept this… well that means I’m accepting bad practices.”

“It shouldn’t happen again.” Itshouldn’t, but I’m not convinced. Anex is expanding too fast. Moving to territories where we don’t understand the culture or know the people. He’s brought in more of young men in the community—giving them access and jobs they aren’t prepared for. That’s how this mistake happened. One of our men, Malen, fucked up.

I glance into the shop front and see Imogene holding a piece of melon in her fingertips and quietly speaking to the woman. “I’ll personally make sure of that.”

The man chuckles. “That’s not as comforting as you think it is son.”

My jaw tightens. “Then what would smooth this over? This partnership is important to Anex and to the community of Serendee. Tell me, what’s it going to take to make this right.”

He reaches up and rubs the tip of his chin with two fingers. His beard is thick, long. His nails dirty. “Rumor has it there’s other merchandise for sale in your community.”

I blink trying to follow. There’s the herbal trade, the salves Silas makes and uses. A group of women harvest honey and wax, along with other products from the hives. There’s dairy and of course, the produce, which he already seems to have in supply. I frown. “What merchandise are you speaking of.”

He pulls back the burlap curtain and nods inside. “Property like that little thing in there.”

“Women?” I blurt.

“Girls. Females.” He says it with zero emotion, completely business-like. “The community I belong to… we’ve recently changed our decrees to include polygamy and we have too many men. We need more females.”

“You want to buy her.” It’s a statement. One I manage to keep controlled despite the rage building inside. “From me.”

“From Serendee. Anex has made it known this is a service he plans on providing soon.” He tilts his head toward Imogene. “If you want to make things right between us, you’ll give me that one as a peace offering.”

I’m not sure how to describe the sensation that runs through me. It’s white hot, searing straight from my soul. I only know one thing and it’s that I will slaughter anyone that dares touch—to possess—Imogene other than me and my brothers.

My gun is out of the waistband of my pants before Jeb even blinks. The barrel two inches from his forehead.

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