Addie shook her head. She stayed silent, her eyes begging me to stand down, to be quiet. But those things had never been my strong suit, and now I was even better equipped to fight my battles.
Allen sneered. “You think you’re better than us, with your fancy education and worldly ways. You haven’t lived here in a long time. That mountain can bite, girl. And we might just help it along.”
“I don’t think I’m better than you. I know I am. But not because of anything I have. Because I don’t prey on those weaker than me. That doesn’t make you strong. It makes you an asshole.”
Allen’s hand lashed out, aiming for my cheek. I was ready with my block, my other hand poised for a palm strike to his nose, but Allen’s palm never made contact with my skin. Tanned fingers wrapped around Allen’s forearm. I followed the limb up to a face with dark, haunting eyes. Eyes that had held so much judgment just yesterday. Now, they were full of anger, but that rage wasn’t directed at me. It was solely focused on my uncle.
“That, Mr. Kemper, is attempted assault.”
Allen ripped his arm from Hayes’ grip. “I was trying to teach the girl some respect. You don’t need to intrude. It’s a family matter.”
“It’s a matter of law.” Hayes inclined his head to a female officer. “Deputy Young, please take this man into custody.”
A woman whose face spoke of her Native American heritage stepped forward, and she began reading Allen his rights as she placed him in handcuffs. Allen blustered and threatened. When none of that worked, he turned his head towards Addie. “Get Ian. Now.”
Addie quickly nodded and headed towards Main Street, barely sparing me a glance, her eyes wild with fear. I wanted to reach out, to pull her to me. To tell her to run in the opposite direction. But she wouldn’t have heard a word I said. Allen had her just where he wanted her, under his thumb.
I glared at Hayes as his deputy placed Allen in a squad car. “Was that really necessary?”
His eyes flared. “You would’ve preferred he hit you?”
“Yes. Then I would’ve been within my rights to kick his ass.”
Hayes was silent for a moment. “Or you could’ve been seriously hurt.”
“Which probably would’ve had you dancing a jig.”
A cool heat filled Hayes’ eyes. “I may not want you here, but I take my job seriously. That means if any citizens of this county are at risk, I’m going to step in.”
I searched his face, looking for any signs of deception. There were none. This town was lucky to have someone who cared so deeply for its people—even those he despised. “Well, you’ll be happy to know you can take me off that list of people to worry about. I can take care of myself.”
A muscle ticked along Hayes’ jaw. “You haven’t been here in a long time. Your uncle’s and brother’s beliefs have only intensified. They think the law doesn’t apply to them.”
I swallowed against the lump in my throat. We’d been raised to be self-sufficient. To survive without help from the outside world. To rely only on the people in our small little community. Sometimes, I wondered if the obsession with preparedness had fed my father’s illness. It certainly hadn’t helped.
There was beauty in that world, too. People who chose to live off the land and treat it with care. Those who wanted to create self-sustaining communities where everyone was looked after. But the Kemper family looked at everyone with distrust—as a potential enemy or thief.
I met Hayes’ hard gaze. “Trust me, if anyone knows what my family is capable of, it’s me.”
6
Hayes
“Hell,” I muttered as I watched Everly weave through the parking lot towards the hardware store.
“Looks like my big brother finally met a woman who will put him in his place.”
I turned to face Hadley, who grinned from ear to ear. “It’s not funny, Hads.”
She only smiled wider. “I’m pretty sure it is. Who is she, anyway?”
I scrubbed a hand over my jaw and wanted to let a slew of curses fly. I hadn’t had time to fill Hadley in on the latest developments. “Everly Kemper.”
The grin slipped from Hadley’s face as her eyes widened. “That Everly Kemper? The one who…?” She let her words trail off as she watched Everly disappear into the store. “I can’t believe she’s back.”
“It’s not a good situation.” It was more than that, though. After watching the encounter with Allen, I knew things were volatile. A powder keg just waiting for a spark.
Hadley’s gaze turned shrewd. “Please tell me you weren’t a giant asshole to her.”
I blanked my expression. “What do you mean?”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “You know I love you. The kind of love that means I’d do anything for you.”
“But?”
“But you have taken what happened completely on your shoulders.”
My gaze drifted away from my baby sister towards where they’d be setting up the fairgrounds any day now. “I was supposed to be watching her.”
“You were watching her. You turned your back for a few minutes to play a game.”
“And because of that, Shiloh will never be the same.”
“Bubby…”
At the use of her childhood nickname for me, I looked back to Hadley. “It’s the truth.”
She shook her head. “If it hadn’t happened right then, it would’ve been some other time when someone else had their back turned. He was a sick man, and he was obsessed.”
“But it wasn’t some other time. It was when I was supposed to be watching her.”
Hadley gripped my arm. “You have to figure out a way to let this go. You’re letting it eat away at you. It’s not your fault, and it’s certainly not Everly’s.”
I let out a groan. I knew it wasn’t her fault, but Everly was a reminder. Not just to Shiloh and my parents but also to me. If I’d been paying more attention, all of this heartache and pain could’ve been avoided. Everly was a reminder of my greatest failure. One I’d been working to make up for ever since.
“I know she’s not to blame.”
Hadley arched a brow. “Does she know you feel that way?”
Uneasiness slid through my gut. Everly had known she would have to face a family that hated her, but me piling things on had likely been a surprise blow. “I’ll make it right.”
The corners of Hadley’s mouth tipped up. “I know you will, Bubby. You always do.”
I scowled at her. “Stop calling me that.”
“But I love the way it makes your eye twitch.”
I wrapped an arm around her neck, bringing Hadley in for a noogie. “What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were on duty today.”
She shoved at my chest, extricating herself from my hold. “Another EMT asked to switch shifts. So, I’m using my free afternoon to fix my leaky faucet. Aren’t you proud?”
“Why didn’t you call me? You know I would’ve come over and fixed it.”
Hadley rolled her eyes. “You know I am capable of doing things on my own, right?”