Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“I can,” Josh said, and his tone had gone arctic. “It’s Hazelton.”
A chill went up Grim’s spine. Jim Hazelton ran the feed store. What was his stepfather doing with the feed store owner? He couldn’t forget about the fact that his stepfather and brothers had been preaching about how sin was causing the trouble with the local cattle. And sin was the word they always associated with his new family.
Now they would associate it with Nicole.
“Maybe I should check on Buddy.” If he wasn’t sitting here perhaps his stepdad wouldn’t cause a scene.
All the assholes in his life were right here in the café. Alyssa kept looking over like she was planning to approach them but hadn’t worked up the courage yet.
He felt like all their joy was about to get slashed and burned.
Was this how it always would be? Had he brought this down on them all?
“Or you can sit here and enjoy your dessert,” Josh said with a frown. “He wants to start something, I can handle him. Same with our other problem. I thought she was the only thing we had to worry about tonight.”
Only because he hadn’t seen the real trouble coming their way.
“What’s going on? Why would Grim need to leave?” Nicole’s sweet happiness was replaced with obvious anxiety.
His stepfather was talking to Jim Hazelton and reached a hand out. They shook like they’d decided on something.
He probably wouldn’t like the decision.
“Maybe we should all head home,” Grim said, wanting to avoid the confrontation. The public confrontation he was pretty sure was about to happen. It wouldn’t bother him. Josh would actually enjoy it.
Nic was the one who would get hurt. She was the one who would see what it meant to be his woman.
His stepfather walked toward them, flanked by his stepbrothers. Peter’s eyes flared when he saw him, and he slapped at John’s arm to get his attention.
Sharks. They smelled blood in the water.
Grim started to slide out of the booth, but Josh stopped him.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Josh said. “They want to start something, we can finish it.”
“That’s your stepfather?” Nicole asked.
Grim nodded. “Yes, and if I walk out, he’ll leave you alone. He likes to cause scenes. It makes him feel righteous.”
His stepfather had a gleam in his eyes, the one he had before he started a sermon on how the world was evil and only he could protect his flock.
“Here we go,” a deep voice said.
That was when Grim realized the minister of the Presbyterian church was sitting at a table to their left with his wife.
“I know I’m supposed to love everyone, but some people make it hard,” his wife declared.
Pastor Mike looked over Grim’s way. “You okay, son?”
Grim nodded.
“He’s going to be.” Josh’s eyes had gone flinty.
“Is now not a good time to remind you Jesus wants us to turn the other cheek?” Pastor Mike offered with a sigh.
“What’s happening?” Nicole asked again.
“Well, if it isn’t the reason we’re all in trouble.” Ezekiel stopped at the head of the booth, his sons flanking him.
“What kind of trouble are you talking about?” Josh asked, looking bored. He sat back as though he wasn’t ready to kick someone’s ass.
Which Grim knew damn straight he was. “Move along. There’s nothing you could say to me that matters.”
“We know you don’t care,” Peter sneered. “You gave in to evil long ago.”
“Evil?” Nicole asked, obviously confused. She looked his way. “Babe, I thought you were kidding or overstating things. They really use the word evil?”
“Hey, you should move along.” Christa couldn’t get to the table because his relatives were crowding her out. “They’re having their dinner.”
Ezekiel’s frown deepened. “And you’re fine with serving degenerates. If you ever wonder, woman, why no one of good reputation will patronize your establishment, it’s because you don’t have any standards.”
Christa glanced around her crowded café. “I think I’ll stick with the degenerates.”
If she thought a logical comeback would do anything to get rid of his stepfather, she didn’t know him at all. “If you want to talk to me, let’s go outside.”
Josh’s head shook. “You’re not going anywhere with him.”
Ezekiel turned, and his arms came up. “People of Willow Fork, there is a devil among you. Has anyone wondered why the good, God-fearing ranchers of this town have lost so much lately?”
They were back to this. Grim groaned.
“Is he talking about the beetles in the feed?” Pastor Mike asked. “I thought Grim was the one taking care of that.”
His stepfather had everyone’s attention now, and he preened under it. “Jared is the very saboteur who placed the bugs in the feed. He does it because he’s got Satan in him. It is a sad fact of life that some of us are born evil, and my stepson is one of them. He is here on earth to harm real men. To do Satan’s work.”