I have to lay low for a few days before I feel good enough to leave the house.

My bruises are still there, but starting to turn sickly yellow at the edges. That’s a good thing, Sarah says. I’m lucky she’s a nurse and willing to help me out, because there’s no fucking way I’m going to the hospital for this shit. I can barely move around without pain, although it’s getting better every day.

Amelia doesn’t visit again, doesn’t contact me. I’m not surprised. I blamed what happened on her, or at least I suggested it was her fault by proxy. I was fucked up on pain meds and didn’t mean it that way, but I can only imagine how it felt to hear me say those words. I wish I could take it back, but there’s nothing I can do about it now but go forward.

I told her I wouldn’t back down, even if the part of me that thinks we can really win this is slowly shrinking smaller and smaller.

I shuffle into The Shaft, and the place is nearly packed. Every miner that isn’t on duty is here right now, and most of them are drunk or at least getting there. Roy spots me right away and comes over, a concerned look on his face.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asks me.

I nod, shrugging off his offer of help. “I’m fine. Just need a drink.”

“You got it.” He heads off to grab me a beer from the bar. I shuffle further in, nodding at guys, shaking hands, and everyone treats me like a fucking hero.

Except I’m not. I just got jumped by some dirty cops, took a beating, and survived it. I didn’t do anything worth their adoration, but the guys all seem impressed by me, which I don’t get at all.

Roy shoves a drink into my hand. I take it from him, drink half of it down real fast, and lean up against the bar.

“You’re sure everyone’s here?” I ask Roy.

He nods. “I’m sure. What’s this meeting about, anyway?”

“You’ll see.”

He looks concerned. “Listen, Samuel. I know you’re pissed. But don’t do something stupid, okay?”

“This isn’t the first time I got my ass kicked, probably won’t be the last. I’m not doing anything because of that.”

He grunts in response and sips his whiskey. “I’m just saying. You’re not out of this yet.”

I meet his gaze. “I know I’m not. That’s exactly why we’re here.”

We don’t say anything more until I finish my beer. When I’m done, I give him a nod and shuffle toward the back of the bar. Guys start to notice as I climb up onto a chair, pushing away Roy as he tries to help me. It hurts my ribs like a motherfucker, but once I’m up there, I’m the tallest guy in the fucking bar.

And everyone’s looking at me. Slowly, conversation dies down. I don’t have to say a word, and eventually the whole bar’s silent except for the sound of the bartender cleaning glasses and pouring drinks.

“You all know me,” I say finally. “You all see what happened. Who here thinks a little pain’s going to stop me?”

“Fuck no!” Vernon shouts from the crowd. A bunch of other people take up the cheer, and I hold up my hands.

“That’s right. Fuck that, I’m not backing off. They think they can break me, beat me down, make me accept any old contract and fuck you boys over. But they’re so fucking wrong it almost hurts.”

The boys cheer again and I grin at them, basking in it. “I called you all here for a reason. I’m going to ask you all to do something with me, something that’ll hurt them. And it may hurt us, too.”

“We’re with you, Samuel,” someone yells, and it takes me a second to realize that it’s Arnold.

I’m surprised, but I nod at him. “We’re not going to let them walk all over us. We unionized for a reason. We have fucking power.”

The boys all cheer again, and I take a deep breath. I know what I’m about to ask is going to be unpopular, but I also know they’ll do it. They’ll suffer for me, because they believe in me.

I just have to hope that their belief isn’t misplaced.

“Two days from now,” I call out, clear and loud, “we’re walking off the job. We’re shutting down that mine for one day, and we’ll see what those fucking bastards think about us then.”

The boys go nuts, cheering, and I can’t help but grin. They’re excited now, heady with joy and a little drunk, but the fact of this is going to settle over the next few hours. They’ll complain, bitch and moan, but they’ll do it, even if it hurts.

I climb down off the chair. Roy looks at me, frowning.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks me.

“They beat the fuck out of me,” I say to him plainly. “That’s the only language they speak.”

He sighs, but he doesn’t argue.

I limp over to the bar and take a shot of whiskey. More guys shout at me, shake my hand, clap my back, and I endure it all with a grin. This is my job now, to smile and to lead them. I can’t let them see the cracks in my façade, not yet at least.

After a half hour, I check the time and limp back outside. I get into my truck and drive over to the Evans Energy offices. It’s just after five, but I know Amelia will still be in her office as I ride the elevator to the top floor. The place is mostly empty, but sure enough, Amelia’s door is slightly open and there she is, sitting behind her desk.

She looks up as I limp in. She’s surprised and stands. “Samuel,” she says. “What are you doing here?”

I shut the door behind me and walk to her desk. “I’m here on business,” I say.

She frowns. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” I say. “Now listen, please. I’m here to warn you.”

“About what?”

“In two days, we’re going to walk off the job. We’re going to shut the mine down for a day.”

She stares at me for a second. “Is that a good idea?”

“Ingram and men like him, they don’t understand anything but strength. If we’re going to get anything, we have to fight back.”

She stares at me and finally sighs. “I don’t like it.”

“I know you don’t.” I drop a stack of papers on her desk. “If they want to avoid the shutdown, here are our demands.”

She picks up the papers. “This is the contract we made together,” she says.

I nod. “Pretty much. I made a few adjustments, but it’s pretty much the same.”

“They won’t take it.”

“They will.” I walk around the desk toward her and she leans back in her chair, looking up at me. I lean down over her, holding onto her armrest, getting near her. “You’re going to convince them.”

She takes a sharp breath. “I don’t think I can.”

“Prove yourself wrong.” I tip her chin up toward me. “Because I believe in you.”

She wants to say something, maybe argue with me, but I don’t let her. I kiss her full and deep and I don’t care about the consequences, about the walkout in two days, about my fucking broken ribs. I need this kiss, her fucking lips, her goddamn body. I need it more than I can even understand.