Page 58 of About the Green

"A wife,” the sheriff says plainly, as if this is a logical train of thought that anyone would have pieces together. He had said something about walking down the aisle, but I didn’t actually think he was serious. I don’t think anyone did.

"Is it really that hard to get some ass, Colton?” Racquelle laughs. “I’ll let you have a couple of nights at the Chrome, on the house, to stop this foolishness. How’s that sound?”

"It's not about getting it. It's about getting the ass I want." His eyes flash over to the woman to the right of Racquelle, who throws daggers his way from her own.

"And so you caused all this dissent so that you could lie with Liezel?” Racquelle looks toward her and they seem to exchange some words with looks alone. Then she says to the sheriff, “Liezel is still working. You could have just booked her."

I take a moment to check on Nina underneath me. My hand rests on the back of her chairs and she has remained quiet as she usually does in these meetings. I was surprised to even hear her giggle before. I’d like her to at least be present to see how her work has paid off for her family.

Now, she has almost entirely checked out.

Daydreaming about who knows what as the bickering between families continues. I caress a few fingers over her shoulder, hoping the touch will, at the very least, ground her floating mind and it seems to register to her. A soft sigh on her exhale before she places an elbow on the table to set her head on it, pink curls pooling on the surface of it.

"No, no, no, no, no. I don't want to book her.” Colton goes on, “I’d like to take her hand in marriage. Figured that you could arrange something like that for peace between Lafayette and the Griffiths.”

"There is no Griffiths and Lafayette. There is just Lafayette and Dupont.”

Harry takes this opportunity to speak up. “Well, you're right. Lafayette will stay as it is, but our faction, the Griffiths, will be its own entity. We won't work against you. Hell, we could even work together in the same capacity as we usually did."

"Working together would imply that I recognize that whatever this faction of yours is is valuable enough to deserve my business. I don't just work with anyone,” Racquelle clarifies, “So far, you have only been a hindrance to the progress that Lafayette could be making.”

"Neither do we," Harry scoffs. "And since it would behoove me not to lose any more men, at least a quarter of which would be comin' with us. I think a partnership between the three families would be good.” When he drops those numbers the lot of us are shocked to see how many people are truly on their side. It’s not a devastating number but it is certainly enough to halt profits and be a threat. Harry continues, “Most commonly, we could align families through marriage. Dupont, we could take Colton as our own. Everyone can use a little help on the inside, can't they? But we will allow Colton to return to Dupont unscathed in exchange for honorin' his wishes and ours."

Blue balks, a noise conveying just how irritated he is. “He’s already been workin’ against us. What makes you think we even want him back?”

Harry’s head tilts, “He’s your pet project. Isn’t he? What would happen if he were out there with no one to hold all those highly sought after details of Dupont’s inner workings?”

"I won't do it," Racquelle says. “That’s not the kind of business I do. I’m not selling anyone into marriage.”

Liezel steps up after holding her tongue throughout it all. "What makes you think that that's even on the table?"

"Everything is negotiable, isn't it, Liezel?” Colton says, a glint in his eye from Liezel addressing him it appears. “It’s about that time anyway, right?” Lidia growls under her breath at the man who is getting too much leeway in a mess that he singlehandedly created for his own gain. I don’t know if I should be impressed or pissed about all the destruction that could ensue if an agreement isn’t reached.

Nina speaks for the first time since the meeting has started, “You can't expect Racquelle to honor that. She advocates for women’s choice to make their life look however they want. You’re asking her to destroy her integrity just because a woman told you no.” Racquelle pats her hand and it’s not condescending, it’s understanding.

The room goes quiet for a moment while everyone processes what the Queen’s most prized possession has said.

Harry breaks the silence. “For one woman, are you willing to go to war with us? Settle our lines and jump the broom. It’s simple. Or don’t and find out how strong Griffiths are. You prepared to war with us over somethin’ so menial?”

“We don’t deal in women. That’s final,” Racquelle says, not flinching at Harry’s threat.

“Neither does Dupont,” Blue agrees.

“If I’m the deciding factor, then there is no decision.” Liezel says, walking around Lidia who is still reaching for her as she comes around the table to where Harry and Colton wait. “No lives will be lost over something so pointless. You want to be married. It’s settled.” She huffs, “Fine. I do.”

Chapter 22

There is something so strange about being perceived in a way that you didn’t design.

In a way, that is not planned. It’s scary.

It’s too vulnerable.

For our meetings, I do what I normally do. Prepare to wait it out until the end.

Vert didn’t allow that.

He made sure that I wasn’t able to sit there and zone out.