My back aches, my hands are sore, and I swear I keep coughing up black dust, but I feel good.

I always feel good after a shift down in the mine. You’d think otherwise, since it’s such a physically demanding job, but that’s exactly what I love about it. At the end of a shift, I feel damn good, like I’ve accomplished something worthwhile.

But it’s more than just the work itself. I look over at Vernon and he grins at me, holding his drink up. I hold up mine and we both take a nice long chug and laugh together, just one more stupid joke in a long series of stupid jokes. That’s what I really love about this job. It’s the camaraderie of men down in the mine, risking their lives together, trying to make a real living.

That camaraderie’s been strained lately because of my new union job, but I’m trying not to let it get in the way. I need this shit. It’s what defines me, makes me want to keep going forward. Without the guys and this community, I don’t know what I’d be, if anything at all.

“Damn, boss,” Vernon says to me. “Look at that one.”

I glance over my shoulder, at some local townie girl dancing over with her friends. It’s around eight at night, and those girls are clearly drunk. They must have started at dinner, or even earlier. The girl Vernon’s looking at has long blonde hair and she’s shaking her hips, laughing as she spills her drink, and she looks back over her shoulder at me.

“I think she likes you, boss,” Vernon says.

I glance at him. “Stop calling me boss.”

He grins and shrugs a little. “Whatever you say.”

I sigh. “Fuck off, Vernon.”

“Don’t be such a bitch.” He grins and knocks his drink back. “You gonna go get that girl?”

“Nah,” I say, sipping my beer. “Not interested.”

“Why not?”

“Just not interested.”

“Well, shit.” He looks back at the girls and smiles, raising his drink to them. “I’d take any one of them back home.”

“Aren’t you married?”

He gives me a look. “Be real, Samuel.”

“Just saying.”

“Look at her. She’s practically tripping over herself, trying to stare over here at you. Totally ignoring me.”

I don’t bother looking back at her again. “Let it go,” I say.

“What’s with you lately? I don’t think I’ve seen you take anyone home in days, fuck, maybe even weeks.”

That’s true. Ever since I slept with Amelia, I haven’t been with a single other woman, which is unusual for me. I don’t know why, but I just haven’t felt like it. Honestly, all I can think about is Amelia these days, her and the goddamn contract.

This just makes me think about her more. I keep tasting her every night, my cock hard, stroking myself slowly until I can’t take it anymore.

I’m getting sick of these games, though. I don’t want to keep playing this shit anymore. Part of me is starting to regret taking this job, although without it I don’t think I would have ever gotten this close to Amelia.

“Just not interested,” I grunt at him finally.

He smirks at me. “It’s that fucking CEO bitch, isn’t it?”

I stare at him. “Don’t call her that.”

He cocks his head. “What?”

“Don’t call her a fucking bitch. You hear me?”

He shakes his head, mystified. “Look man, I know she’s nice and all, but fuck. She’s still the enemy. You know that.”

I lean toward him. “Don’t call her a fucking bitch.”

“Fine, fuck, I won’t.” He shakes his head, making a face. “But I think you’re getting a little too close to her.”

“What the fuck do you know about it?”

“You think we don’t see?” He laughs a little. “You bring her around the bar, give her a tour of the mine, fucking invite her to our picnic. People are starting to talk.”

“You can tell them to shut the fuck up then.” I slam back my beer. “And you can join them.”

“Man, what’s wrong with you? She’s the goddamn enemy. You’re acting like you’re some pussy-whipped bitch. How the fuck are you going to get us a good contract like this?”

I push back from the bar and stand. “Watch your mouth.”

“Don’t forget who you are,” he says as I walk away. “And don’t forget who she fucking is.”

I’m pissed as hell as I push through The Shaft’s door and head back out into the night. I don’t know why the fuck Vernon needs to be a dick like that and give me shit, but he has a fucking point.

Amelia is supposed to be the enemy. I know she isn’t, but to them, she’s everything they hate. She’s corporate, the CEO, the person that has all the power over them and refuses to give them anything. I know that’s not true, that she’s almost as powerless as we are. She wants to help, but it’s almost impossible for her to get anything done with Ingram breathing down her neck.

And so the fuck what if I bring her around? She’s still a goddamn person. She deserves to spend time with this community, considering she’s going to be a big part of it if she stays. She should get to know everyone, see them for the people they are.

At least that’s my excuse. Truth is, I just want to see her. It’s selfish of me, I know, but I just want to bring her around all the time, get to know her more. Maybe kiss her again, since that’s all I ever want to do when she’s around.

As I walk over to the parking lot, toward my truck, I’m so lost in thought that I don’t notice the three figures get out of a truck nearby and start walking toward me. I’m so pissed and distracted that I don’t see them approaching until they’re right on top of me.

“Samuel Carter.”

I turn just before getting into my truck. “Yeah?” I grunt.

Three guys appear in front of me. In the half light of the moon and the weak yellow street lamp nearby, I can just barely make out their faces. The closest guy is Roger Lark, a heavy man with a bushy beard and hard, gray eyes. The guy on his right is Jimmy Brown, whip thin and starting to bald, with hawk-like features. And the third guy is Tom Sloan, taller than the other two, covered in muscles. All three of these guys are cops with the local PD.

“I hear you’ve been making trouble,” Roger says. He’s the oldest and clearly the leader.

“You three here to arrest me or some shit?” I ask them, except I notice that none of them are wearing a uniform.

Roger laughs. “We ain’t on duty right now.”

“Then what the fuck do you—“

I don’t have a chance to get out that sentence before Tom Sloan steps up and decks me across the jaw, sending me stumbling back. I see black for a second as rage overtakes me, spilling out. I’m bigger than all these guys, and I know I can break them into pieces.

But I react too slow. Tom and Jimmy are on me, fists slamming into my body, and I get tripped up by the fucking curb at the front of my truck. I stumble and Jimmy shoves me to the ground. I hit the pavement hard as Jimmy and Tom kick me in the back and the gut. I can only cover up my face to keep them from killing me.

“Stop,” Roger says finally, and the blows stop. Pain wretches through my skin and I’m struggling to breathe. I’m pretty sure I’ve got a broken rib or two.

Roger bends down next to me. “You know why we did this?” he asks me.

“You’re a bunch of fucking pussies,” I whisper and spit blood onto the ground as I heave myself up onto my hands and knees. That feels a little better. “Gotta jump me with three guys to make it a fair fight.”

Jimmy kicks me in the stomach again and I roll over onto my back, groaning.

Roger leans over me, shaking his head. “Watch your mouth, miner boy.”

“What the fuck do you want?” I manage to gasp.

“Ingram says to back the fuck off Amelia Evans. He says if you want a contract, you better stay in line. You understand me?”

My mind’s reeling. “So the cops do his dirty work?”

“Just us. Do what he says, boy. Don’t get yourself killed.”

With that, all three men disappear. I lay there and listen to their footsteps recede until they get into a truck and drive off.

I stay there for a bit, getting myself together. Pain runs up through my body, but that’s nothing compared to the rage that fills me, burning white hot.

Not only are my own people questioning my loyalties, but now that fucking scumbag Ingram is sending his rotten cop goons to jump me in a dark parking lot. Those fucking cocksuckers had to sucker punch me and kick me on the ground. And they think it’s going to fucking scare me off.

Fuck them. Nothing’s scaring me off. I slowly get up to my feet. I stumble over to my truck, holding my side. Fuck those guys, fuck everyone else. I’m not giving up on my people, and I’m not going to be scared away by Ingram. Now I’ll be ready for them if they try that again. Those rich bastards think they can bust up our union, but they’re so fucking wrong.

I get into my truck and drive back home, anger pouring through me like rain.