Sheryl Nantus - Battle Scars

“Just a headache.” I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands. “What are you doing here?”

“As I said, Bran called me. Told me where to find you and told me he’d be back. I told him to take care of his own business and I’d drive you home. Don’t need him driving while distracted.” The impatient tone in her voice made me feel better. Obviously I didn’t look all that bad. “It didn’t hurt that I got a call from Jake, asking me to come and see what this was all about. Man gets a call to come out here to enemy territory he’s going to ask for Board backup, especially given the situation.”

I looked around. “You’re the backup?”

She glared at me. “Me and the twenty men just out of sight waiting for me to signal them to come in. You think I was born yesterday?” She ran a hand through her near-white long hair. “So what’s going on?”

“Evan Chandler just took over leadership of his family.” I enjoyed the shocked look on Jess’s face. “Yeah, I didn’t see that one coming either.”

“Damn.” There was a sense of wonder and respect in her voice. “How did Mary handle it?”

“Not.” I swallowed hard. “She’s broken, I think. She thought all she had to do is tell Evan to fall into line and he’d do so. Now he’s stood up to her and taken charge not only of his life but also that of his family.”

“The kit’s become a man now, has he?” Jess said. “And he had Longstrand call up Jake Middleston and invite him here to—”

“I guess we should go in and look.” I gestured toward the open door. “Because I’m not making any more guesses on anything.”

“What about the hostage?”

I noticed Jess wasn’t referring to her by name.

“Bran took her out. She didn’t see anything and he’ll give her a good cover story.”

“Good.” Jess moved toward the opening. “One less crisis to deal with.”

I followed her in, feeling better for her presence.

My eyes took a second to adjust to the dim lighting again, the fledgling headache giving a sigh of relief at the darkness.

Mary Chandler had moved to the back of her group, supported by McCallister. The gash on her forehead had closed, leaving an ugly scarlet line.

Her sister stood nearby with a distinct air of shunning about her. The other Chandlers and their few supporters were busy muttering to each other but there was no evidence of anyone stepping up to challenge Evan’s claim to leadership.

The Middlestons and their enforcers, including Eddie, stood just inside the door. They parted like the Red Sea upon seeing Jess, allowing us to move into the open space between the two parties.

In the neutral zone Evan was talking to Jake Middleston in a low voice, standing almost toe-to-toe with the patriarch. There was a lot of hand waving and gestures, frowns and smiles, but no clenched fists.

Jake took a step back. The wariness I’d seen before had been replaced with a look of relief, almost happiness. Whatever they’d been talking about had been good, at least on Jake’s side.

Eddie came to my side. He nodded respectfully to Jess before speaking. “They’re about ready.”

“For what?” I asked. “He’s going to challenge him for Lisa?”

I didn’t think Evan could take on another challenge, not so soon after the last. It wasn’t that he’d been physically exhausted by defeating his own mother; it was the emotional toll I worried about. It’d be worse if Jake used Eddie. I still wasn’t sure Evan could take Eddie and didn’t want to see if he could.

Evan had come a long way from hanging in the tree and strumming chords for spare change.

Jake cleared his throat, getting the attention of everyone in the barn. “First, I’d like to thank Jess Hammersmythe for coming here in her capacity as a Board member.”

Jess stayed silent.

“Second, well—” He licked his lips. “As you all know this feud has been going on for years, generations. We’ve spilled plenty of blood over the years on both sides, Middleston and Chandler. A lot of bad blood spilling out into our businesses, deals cut that make us bleed money when we couldn’t afford it just to keep a deal from the other side. Until my wife died it was all I thought about.” He swallowed hard. “And when she left I looked around and found I had a family who needed me and a daughter who didn’t want anything to do with me. Typical teenager.”

This won a chuckle from the crowd, including Evan who gave a sheepish nod. Lisa didn’t say anything but her flushed face spoke for her.

Jake looked over at Lisa, standing by Red. “When I heard my daughter had taken up with a Chandler, well—I was speechless. Which, for those of you who know me, is hard to accomplish.”

Low laughs reverberated off the wooden walls. Lisa kept a firm grip on Red’s arm, joining in with her own giggles. She hadn’t moved from her position on the Chandler side.

“My first idea was to get her back and lock her up until she was at least thirty.”

Another round of soft laughter.

“Then I thought things over, thanks in part to what Rebecca said at the meeting.” He gestured at me.

I resisted the urge to hide behind Jess as a dozen curious eyes scanned me.

“I love Lisa, but I’ve got to let her grow up. Her mother, God bless her, would have wanted her to be happy even if it wasn’t what we would have chosen for her.” He looked at Lisa, his eyes watering. “But I see she’s become a young woman. And she’s got a man who’s willing to stand up for not only what he believes but for their love. I respect that and I ask you all to do as well.”

He tilted his head toward Evan who moved up beside the patriarch.

Evan cleared his throat. “I’ve asked for the privilege of courting Lisa Middleston.” The nervous quaver in his voice had many of the men smiling on both sides. “With the goal of marrying her in the future, of course.” He looked at Lisa. “If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right by both our families and our Pride.”

Jake grinned, clapping a hand on Evan’s shoulder. “Takes a brave man to come up to a father and ask for courting these days.” He eyed Lisa. “Considering you both just up and ran away a few days ago against both families’ wishes.”

Lisa cringed. Evan looked at the packed earth at his feet and shrugged.

“But I’m willing to at least let you two date,” he conceded. “I’m afraid of what’d happen if I don’t.”

Evan straightened up, giving Lisa a smile and a wink.

Jake took his hand off Evan’s shoulder. “Jess, I think you should come up here for this.”

Jess strolled toward the two men, her near-white hair loose around her shoulders.

She stopped in front of the two.

Evan visibly shrank under her concentrated gaze. Jake withered a bit but not as much, holding his own.

“As for the feud, we’ve discussed it as well. Family leader to family leader.” Jake stuck out his hand toward the young man. “Evan Chandler, I’m willing to accept your agreement offered here to end the disagreement between our families. All’s forgiven and done, says I as the head of the Middlestons.”

Jess’s eyes went wide. She hadn’t seen this coming.

Neither had I.

Evan took Jake’s hand. “As the head of the Chandler family I am pleased to put an end to this fight.” He looked around the circle. “Too much blood’s been split over this—Chandler, Middleston and those closest to us. Now humans have become entangled in this and it cannot continue. It would endanger the family.”

Jess nodded. As soon as Mary Chandler kidnapped Angie the feud moved to a whole new level of concern.

Evan looked at Jake. “I say the feud is over.” A mischievous look came into his eyes, a young man’s playfulness. “Now we can talk about the wedding.”