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Her stomach growled, demanding attention. She had plenty of time to get ready for tonight. A meal from Norma’s Cafe was exactly what she needed.
She left her room and headed to the cafe.
When she walked in, the place was empty. She heard a crash in the back and a female scream. Without pausing, Jessie ran through the door into the kitchen. What she saw shocked her.
Paul King, the man who was driving the equipment that almost killed her the first day at the mine, had Samantha pinned against a stainless steel prep counter.
“What the hell is going on here?” Jessie screamed.
Paul turned his gaze to her. “You.”
“Leave her alone!” Samantha yelled. “She’s got nothing to do with this.”
He snorted. “You know she’s got everything to do with this, Sam.”
Jessie tried to sound brave even though her heartbeats were pounding in her chest. “Let her go, Mr. King.”
“If you know what’s good for you, Miss Greene, you’ll get out of Wilde.”
“Fuck you, Paul.” Samantha kneed him in the balls. He doubled over, and his hands that had been on her shoulders shot to his groin. He stumbled backward.
Samantha ran to Jessie’s side and grabbed her hand. “Get out of my restaurant, Paul. I am not interested in you. Get that through your thick skull. Besides, you’re married.” Jessie’s eyes widened when she saw the woman pick up a large knife from the counter.
“Please, Paul. Leave,” Jessie begged.
He coughed several times.
“You heard her. Leave.” Samantha’s tone didn’t falter. She meant business, and if he pushed her, Jessie was pretty sure she’d run him through with the blade.
Paul didn’t say another word, but left through the back door to the alley.
Samantha let go of Jessie’s hand but not the knife. Oddly, she seemed completely calm, though Jessie’s entire body seemed to be vibrating from the close call.
“He’s gone, Sam. Are you okay?”
She nodded, and put down the knife. “Thank God you came in when you did.”
Jessie put her arms around her. “What the hell was up with him?”
“I’m okay.” Samantha gently pushed her away and shook her head. “Did you know he’s married?”
“Yes. I heard about his wife visiting him in the hospital after the accident.”
“Fucking asshole. He has come on strong in the past but nothing like this.”
That news shocked Jessie. “This has happened before? Have you told anyone about it?”
“No. This is a small town. Something like that gets out, and tongues start wagging.”
“Well, I’m telling the Wilde brothers. They need to know.”
“No, Jessie. Please don’t. I think after slamming my knee into his nuts, he won’t be coming back again. Besides, I think if you told Austin, he might kill him. There is bad blood between those two.”
Jessie thought that odd. “What kind of bad blood?”
“When Austin was around ten years old, Paul, Malcolm Winters, and a few other boys took him out by the Old Mine. They tied him to a tree and left him.” Samantha sighed. “It took three nights and days for the authorities to find him. He was dehydrated, starving, and half out of his mind.”
“Oh my God.” Though she’d spent little time with Austin, her heart ached for him. “What happened to the boys that did that to him?”
