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“I understand,” Carmen whispered, clearly disappointed. “I’m working as hard as I can from here to come up with a solution.”
“We are too,” she assured her. “Remember what Gloria always said.” She smiled at the thought and then saddened at the idea that the world had lost such a great woman.
Carmen answered without skipping a beat, “Equal parts persistence and patience always wins.”
“Let’s hope she was right.” Bailey gripped the phone tightly, wishing she was hugging Carmen instead.
“You’ve got this, kid,” Carmen replied through a familiar breathy laugh. It was an old rallying cry she’d always hit Bailey with in her darkest moment. It made sense now, everything was pitch black.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
LOU’S CONTROL
King
Standing before Lou, his hands tucked into the pockets of his suit, King listened intently. This was a day like any other. They were in the lounge of the empty restaurant, hours before it opened. The owner, for a little cash on the side, let Lou and his men meet there as often as they liked. It was quiet and Lou felt confident the place wasn’t bugged.
“It’s got to be today,” Lou barked, banging his hand on the already set table and sending the silverware into the air. “You know what happens when a rival family gets a foothold around here. It can be over like that.” He snapped his fingers.
“They’re hardly rivals,” King replied flatly. “They don’t have a fraction of our capital and no loyalty within their organization.”
“Do you want my mother shot in her sleep?” Lou asked, narrowing his angry eyes. “You’ve sat at her table every Sunday for years, eating the food she’s made you. But you don’t care if she’s gunned down by these monsters?”
“Of course I care.” King sighed. “I thought we were lying low. Arson is a serious charge if we’re popped for it. And retaliation. The Carter boys will know it was us who torched their warehouse.”
“They’ll have nothing to retaliate with. They keep their cash, their guns, and their drugs all in one place like idiots. They’ve made it too easy. We need to strike now and take them out before they smarten up.”
King had done many jobs for Lou in the past, but something in him had shifted lately. A small voice in the back of his mind, reminding him how screwed up this was. "I don't know, Lou," he said, shaking his head. "It seems reckless.”
“What do you care?” Lou asked, eyeing him closely. “You love this shit.”
“I do?” King cocked up a brow. For as much as he thought of Lou as family, it was becoming apparent that he didn’t really know him at all. Lou was ruthless, but King had excused it away as part of the job. But now he’d seen things get more terrible by the minute.
Lou sneered at King, his eyes glinting with anger. "It’s your job. These are the things you do. Don’t start turning into a chickenshit on me. You’re a hammer, if you turn into something else, I’ll have no use for you.”
King nodded, knowing Lou meant what he said. If he was no longer of use around here, Lou would have no reason to keep him around.
Lou tossed King the car keys and gestured with his chin for him to leave. He was being dismissed. Because he was nothing more than an employee around here. Even if he wanted to believe otherwise, it had proven true again and again.
Lou sighed, his expression growing less patient. "We have to strike first. We have to protect the people we care about."
“You’re the boss,” King replied with a sarcastic salute. “I’ll call you when it’s done.”
As King drove to the warehouse, the voice in his head told him that life could be different. Should be different. But he silenced it. There was no path out of this for him, no better place for him to be. Nothing was waiting for him around the bend.
CHAPTERTHIRTY
Bailey
The sun rose as it always did, not caring about the darkness that was closing in around Cinderhill. That morning Bailey had slowly opened her eyes and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the fresh air that always made her grateful to be alive. The early morning light filtered through the trees, casting a golden glow on everything around her. She felt the softness of the grass beneath her feet as she walked the field and the coolness of the earth against her skin. This was her home, her sanctuary, the place where she felt most authentic.
But as she gazed around, she could feel the tension in the air. People were moving quickly, packing their humble belongings into bags and crates, grabbing whatever they could carry. She could see the worry etched on their faces, the fear that they might not be able to leave in time. James and his men were coming, and nothing would be the same once they arrived.
Bailey knew that King and Carmen had coordinated with her people to get two buses up there to load everyone up to bring them to a safe location. She’d been on the same journey years ago. The rescue that had plucked her from the place she loved. Now, with this new perspective, as the person who was staying behind, she felt a sense of pride. This time she would fight.
It was infuriating to see people flee. They were right to do so. This was dangerous. The anger rose in her when she considered how unfair it was. The people of Cinderhill couldn’t live the way they wanted to in this peaceful spot because the thirst for power always destroyed everything. It was invasive like a weed that choked out the happiness of others. It wasn't fair.
They had worked hard to create this utopia, this perfect little world where everyone had a place and everyone was valued. They had lived in harmony with nature, taking only what they needed and giving back what they could. And yet, here they were, being driven out by a group of men who wanted nothing more than to rule like kings.
