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Weak. She felt so damn weak and wished she could leave the town. As always, the questions rose in her mind: Where would she go, and could she leave Jace and her friends behind?
The answer was always the same. She couldn’t leave them. If she asked, perhaps they would leave, but why should they uproot everything for her?
“Dalton!” Justin came up and stood in front of Bryn as he addressed the man who had shoved her.
No. Please, don’t make it worse, Justin!
“Yeah, Sheriff?” The man turned, his two friends looking between her and Justin.
“Watch your step. You knocked a lady over.”
Damn it, Justin.
Caden stopped in the street from where he was walking back into the bar, turned, and put his tray under his arm as he watched.
“Don’t,” she whispered, only earning a look from over his shoulder before Justin turned fully back to the men.
“Ain’t no lady, Sheriff, and you know it. A damn witch, casting spells and killing people. If she wasn’t spreading her legs for the governor’s son, we’d be rid of her by now.” The man spit on the ground near her feet, and Bryn moved away, hugging her middle and curling in on herself. Something she always did to make herself small enough to appear unassuming.
Finian growled a warning as Justin grabbed Dalton by the collar, bringing them both face-to-face.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you believe or the thoughts you have while sharing that one deranged brain cell between the three of you. That’s none of my business, but I won’t have you physically harming her again, do you hear me?”
Worse and worse. She knew Justin only wanted to help, but he was putting a bigger target on her back. Her eyes caught on the graying blond hair of her aunt, and the seething look she shot Bryn told her she was in for it later. As if her existence, and Justin’s choice to step in, was all her fault.
Great. There would be hell to pay later.
“Gentlemen!” Caden walked up, shoving his tray into one of the men’s chests. Their only option was to put their hands out to hold it. “Let’s have a drink and be on our way.” Throwing his arms around the shoulders of the two men not currently in Justin’s proximity, he turned them away to focus on something else while Justin finished up with Dalton.
Such loyal friends, Bryn thought, regarding the men who left Dalton to Justin’s wrath, but she wouldn’t begrudge the small mercy of there being only one bully now instead of three.
Justin released Dalton, and she knew the glower the man was receiving from the officer of the law. Bryn could see it clearly in her mind’s eye even if she were unable to see his face right then. Justin could bring a man to his knees and make them confess everything with that look.
“This is a warning and a promise. Don’t mess with Bryn anymore. I won’t have that kind of behavior happening under my watch, and not in my town.”
Dalton gave Bryn a look promising retribution, and she knew he would make good on it. She’d need to watch her back.
“Yes, Sheriff. For however long you are in charge.” His voice held a snide tone, almost a warning, and she feared Justin would find himself on the wrong side of the church because of her.
Dalton stood and dusted himself off before turning and following his friends.
“I thank you for standing up for me, but you know he will take a shot at me when you’re not looking now, right?” she whispered as Justin watched Dalton wander off before turning to her.
“I wouldn’t have to if you’d stand up for yourself a little. Why do you allow this, Bryn? You weren’t always so ready to take people’s crap when we were all younger.” Justin turned to her as he folded his arms across his chest.
She’d had her father to protect her then. Mallory wasn’t able to get through him so she could take her rage out on Bryn.
No, that’d come after when she was grieving his death and vulnerable. Mallory got her hits in and kept Bryn down so she knew it wasn’t worth trying to stand back up.
It was physical attacks when she was younger, before Bryn became an adult herself, and then it turned into emotional manipulation that left Bryn living a life of fear. Her aunt always reminded Bryn that her future was in her aunt’s hands, not her own.
“One word from me and they burn you to the bones, witch,”she would say, leaving that as her last words to Bryn after an argument.
Just survive. Don’t make waves. Disappear into the shadows.
He placed his hand on her shoulder, careful not to touch her skin, and she looked up into his clear blue eyes.
“One day, you’ll tell me?”
