Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Dad taught me how to track deer and moose. How to find their tracks and the disturbances in the forest that reveal their paths, how to spot their droppings. Unless these Free State people are bigger weirdos than I can imagine, that last bit won’t be much help, but the former? The former could be useful. I just have to trade hooves for footprints.
Boots in the mud, boots in the dirt. Broken branches. Some familiar bare footprints. Were they in that much of a rush they couldn’t even let her put on some shoes?
I find some tracks near the back porch and as I follow them, I pull out my phone again. Despite the urgency, this isn’t something a man faces alone. I’m a decent shot but the gulf between me and Rambo is pretty vast. I need backup.
“Bart, you there man?”
“What’s the problem, Mac? You’re usually a text person and not a call person.”
Do all my brothers think that? Eh, guess I am. “Shit’s hit the fan, Bartlett. I need backup from you and the boys. All of them, the Rowdys and the Roughs.”
The Rowdys are my mother’s family, my uncle’s kids. They’re almost as close as siblings, and that’s saying a lot with how close me and my brothers are already. Growing up, we looked forward to every holiday get together that we had. My father has always said we can look to the Rowdys if we need more help than what the immediate family provides.
Bart pauses. “Shit, what’s with the call for the cavalry?”
“The woman I love is in danger.”
“That is definitely cavalry-worthy.”
No doubt, this compound I’m going to has more than one cruel old man in it. Merit told me there are four families and some scattered single people. Five Rough boys are worth a lot in a fight, but I’m not going to play games with our lives and I’m not going to play games when it comes to Merit. If I’m bringing the hammer down, I’m going to bring it down hard.
“Not too different from Rye’s whole thing with Prairie. Bunch of assholes thinking they can control the lives of others.”
“I hear you. I’ll get right on it.”
“Make sure they’re equipped too. Something besides rifles.”
“I run a hardware store, not an armory, Mac.”
“Sledgehammers, hatchets, and any machetes you got will do more than fine, my dear brother.”
He chuckles darkly. “Consider it done and on the house.”
“Thanks a ton, Bart. You and the boys are lifesavers.”
I hang up, more than certain Bart will come through for me.
Merit, I’m coming for you.
I just have to hope that her father doesn’t have too much petty vengeance built up inside of him.
When all this is said and done, though, I’m certain of one thing.
I’m going to tell her I love her, flatly and honestly, with no ambiguity.
It’s something I should have done as soon as I realized it.
12
MERIT
“I now pronounce you man and wife.”
My father is by my side, a very firm grip on my shoulder. I glance at Pastor Stevens with fury. “What the hell? Just like that? Nothing about sickness and health? No chance for me to object?”
“Shut up, Merit. You shut your smart mouth right now,” my father yells into my ear.
“I’m going to take such good care of you, my love,” Gregory says with his buck-toothed grin.
Pastor Stevens steps away, not even meeting my eyes before heading out the church’s side door.
“You can’t be serious,” I look at Dad, trying to appeal to any decency that may be left in him.
“A woman’s role is to be seen and not heard. To serve men, and to spread her legs when we want her to. If she follows that purpose, society is harmonious. When she speaks up and gets out of order? Everything collapses, Merit. I won’t let my blood contribute to this degradation.”
I hate what I’m hearing. I wish I could say listening to him spout all of this bullshit whole-heartedly was unbelievable, but I’ve been hearing it for the last ten years. After a few days with Mac, though, it sounds all the more unnatural. “Well, I imagine Mom wouldn’t have married you if you went and told her all this while you were dating.”
I’m met with a slap across my face. It stings, but I remain standing, and I remain defiant.
My mother has been distant for so long. I wonder why she never left him. Probably had her own ideas of what family was, once upon a time, and it couldn’t have been this. No parent should ever treat their child like my father was treating me.
“Come along, darling,” Gregory says in that sing-songy voice of his. “We need to consummate the marriage.”
“Is there any possible way you could say that in a less sexy manner?”
My father shoves me as Gregory takes my hand, the two of them walking me along.