Chapter 24

After visiting the second ranch and meeting another family of really nice people, Asher and Axel headed back to town. On the way back Asher asked, “Are you hungry?”

Axel grinned. “Always.”

“Me too,” Asher agreed. “How about we stop by and see your mom and have some lunch?”

“Sounds good.”

Asher couldn’t stop smiling. He was happy he had taken Axel with him today and they’d had a chance to talk. He was still smiling when they walked into the Bar and Grill. It took his brain about half a second to wipe the smile off of his face when he saw what was happening. The place was packed with people and they were all just sitting or standing there like little scared bitches as far as Asher was concerned, watching the drama behind the counter unfold. Mia was at the center of the drama. James and two huge men in suits were behind the counter and James was yelling at Mia only inches away from her face. Her pretty eyes were wide with terror and Asher felt a wave of rage pass through him, he saw red. Nobody had a right to make Mia afraid.

In that frozen second between stand off and fight, Asher saw James’s eyes flicker from him to his men. He was making the mistake of thinking it was three against one. The two large men flew towards him while James looked on. Asher took the first one down with a jab to the throat. As he lay writhing on the floor, gasping for breath the second one was taking a swing. Asher grabbed his arm in mid-air and twisted it into an unnatural angle. He heard the bones snap just before the man screamed. He left him on the floor crying like a baby and grabbed James by his throat. James had his hand inside his jacket, undoubtedly going for a weapon but brought both hands up protectively when he felt Asher’s hand tighten around his throat. With one hand Asher shoved him back into the counter and held him there as he pulled the gun out of the man’s coat. He handed it to Mia and then used that same hand to crush James’s nose. Blood spurted out and flew across the counter and the floor. Asher let go of his throat and he crumpled but Asher didn’t stop there. He just kept picturing the terrified look on Mia’s pretty face as he went down to the floor and continued pummelling the other man. He heard Mia scream, “He has a gun!” and turned in time to see the idiot with the broken arm holding a Glock nine on him with his good hand. Asher stood up and before the other man could even process that he was on his feet; he threw out one of his long legs and kicked the gun out of his hand. The man fell back and screamed like a little girl again. Asher reached down and pulled him to his feet as he begged for his miserable life. He used one hand to hold him while he reached down and pulled the other guy up. That one had caught his breath, but he wasn’t willing to confront Asher again. They both looked on the verge of pissing their pants as he looked down at James and said, “Get him out of here and make sure he knows that if he ever comes around any of my family again, I will kill him.”

The men hustled to pull James to his feet and then with him hanging between them, they half dragged/half carried him out the door. The Bar and Grille erupted into applause. Asher just glared at the patrons as he tried to slow his breathing. He was still pissed that not a single one of them had stepped up and tried to help Mia. He turned his attention back to her then. She looked like she was in shock. He gently took the gun she was still holding from her hands and wrapped her up in his arms. He felt his son’s hand on his shoulder as he held her. After several minutes passed, she pulled back and looked up at him with tears in her pretty eyes and a smile on her face.

“Thank you. You are amazing.”

“Hell yeah!” Axel said. Mia furrowed her brow at her son and he looked abashed. “Sorry Mom, but that was so cool. My Dad is cool. I want to learn how to fight like that.”

Asher couldn’t help feeling proud of the fact that his son thought he was cool. He grinned and winked at Axel and then brushed his lips along the side of Mia’s pretty face and said, “Did he hurt you?”

“No, not this time…” she seemed to catch herself as she said that. Asher’s entire body stiffened.

“What do you mean…this time?” Axel and Mia exchanged a look and before either of them said anything Asher said, “If I’m going to protect my family, I need all of the facts. Has he hurt you before, Mia?”

She nodded. “He got scary, after I found out he was doing illegal things and confronted him.”

“He got abusive,” Axel said.

Mia looked at her son with sorrow in her eyes and said, “He was mean mostly and scary, but a few times yes, he did put his hands on me. It’s why I got the gun.”

Asher’s chest was rising and falling rapidly and he had almost a death grip on her. “You won’t need it,” he said. “Damn straight,” Axel said, looking up at his father. Mia shook her head at her son and he grinned. Asher couldn’t help but relax just a little bit and smile back at him. He looked back down at Mia and said, “Let’s get you out of here, okay?”

She nodded but seemed reluctant to let go of him. He continued to stand there and hold her until she was ready. As they left, she was telling her staff what to do about closing up. One man who had been sitting at the bar approached Asher. “I wanted to apologize to you for all of us. I don’t know if you remember me? We went to school together. My name is Brian Folger. These men, the Proctor’s and their thugs, have terrorized this community. For one thing, they own most of our homes and businesses. If we so much as say a word against them, we’re on the streets. The other thing that happens is people disappear or end up in the hospital after experiencing ‘accidents’ at their hands. None of this is an excuse for cowardice, especially to a man like you, I’m sure. But I hope that you will at least realize we were paralyzed by our own fear. I like to believe that if he would have touched her, I would have at least tried to do something.”

Asher could see the embarrassment mixed with terror in the man’s eyes. He put his hand on Brian’s shoulder and said, “I remember you, and I believe you. This has gone on far too long. I don’t plan on letting these men continue to terrorize our town. I’d appreciate whatever help I can get, but the truth is I’m not afraid of taking them on myself if I have to.”

“I think your attitude about them will help motivate the rest of us,” Brian said. Asher smiled at him and then Mia and Axel were back at his side and he took his family home.

On the way there Asher finally asked, “What was that about today? What did James want?”

“He was telling me that I needed to convince you to sell him the ranches and the other properties your Dad left you. He told me that…” she stopped and looked at Axel like she didn’t want to say it in front of him. Axel rolled his eyes.

“I’m not a kid, Mom. I wanted to kill that guy when I saw him on you like that too. I despise that man and his entire family. Nothing you say is going to ever make me think less of you and it couldn’t possibly make me think less of him, he’s already pond scum to me.”

She took a deep, shaky breath and said, “James said that since I was spreading my legs for you like a whore I shouldn’t have trouble using my…” she hesitated again and Asher had the feeling she was searching for a word she felt comfortable saying in front of her son. “My body,” she went on, “To convince you to do what I want you to do. He told me it would ‘keep you alive’ if I convinced you to sell and go away.”

Asher and Axel were both silent. Asher felt a deadly rage flowing hotly through his body. He glanced over at his son and from the look on his face he could see that Axel was a lot more like him than he thought. The boy looked like James was lucky he wasn’t there in front of him right now. Taking several deep breaths to calm himself down, he slid his arm over Mia’s shoulders and drove with the other hand. He kissed her head and inhaled the sweet fragrance of her hair as he said,

“I’m so sorry baby. I’m so sorry they put you through that and I’m so sorry for all of the times I wasn’t here to protect you. Just know that there is no way I am selling to those people, nor am I going anywhere, ever. I promised you and my son that I’m never leaving again, and I meant it more than anything I have ever said. James Proctor and his family are the ones who will be leaving, if they know what’s good for them, and I guarantee you that he won’t get close enough to hurt you again.”