by K. Langston
Besides him, I can’t trust anyone else from the department.
“What about backup?” he asks, looking uncertain.
“Don’t worry about it, I got us covered.”
He nods and radios Thompson. I head to the bedroom and grab my gun.
Liv is waiting for me as I step out, her face ashen with fear. “I know you have to do this. I know. But please be careful. I can’t lose you, Grayson.”
I pull her against my chest, wrapping her delicate frame in my arms. “Nothing is going to happen to me, baby. I promise.” Stepping back, I frame her face and press a hard kiss to her mouth. “Be waiting for me when I get back.”
A lone tear slips from the corner of her eyes before she brushes it away. “I’ll always be waiting for you.”
“Okay, Taylor, let’s go,” Wilkinson shouts, bringing my attention to him. “Thompson is heading over to the house now. He’ll radio us when he gets there.”
After another brief kiss to Liv, I rush out the door behind him.
He tosses me the keys to the patrol truck. “You drive, I’ll navigate.”
I hop in the driver’s seat and head toward the location. We get a call within minutes over the radio from Thompson saying he talked with Patricia, Rodgers’s wife, who says he never came home after work and she hasn’t been able to get ahold of him.
He begins asking questions, but instead of responding back, I hit the gas harder and put in a call to Lambert. I’m not taking the chance of trusting anyone else right now.
“Lambert,” he barks.
“It’s me. I need backup.” I give him the location and a brief rundown of what’s happening.
“How fast?”
“As fast as you can. I’ll be there in ten.”
“Shit. It will take me at least fifteen, maybe twenty.”
“That’s fine. Just get there as soon as you can.” Hanging up, I take a hard right on an access road, kicking up dust in our wake. “We’re on our own for a bit,” I say, glancing over at Wilkinson. “You ready?”
He nods, looking a little shaky as he holds the shotgun.
“Wilkinson, tell me you’re good. Right now we’re all Rodgers has. I need you to have a clear head and a steady hand.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good,” he assures me, his voice holding confidence as he grips the gun more firmly.
The GPS takes us off-road, the location at least a mile and a half in the woods.
A few minutes later we spot a faint orange glow flickering between the trees. The closer we get, the brighter it burns, and begins to take the shape of a massive cross.
Anger spins into a black pool of rage.
Pressing my foot all the way to the floorboard, I gun it, adrenaline propelling me. “We’re going in hot. You ready?”
Wilkinson cocks the shotgun. “Ready.”
We approach the clearing, spotting Dixon’s pickup and Lane’s Yukon along the way. Once everything comes into full view, the sobering knowledge of what’s taking place slams into me hard and fast. “Fuck me.”
Mayor Rodgers’s hands are secured behind his back as he balances himself on the balls of his feet beneath a low-hanging branch of a sycamore tree, trying to keep the noose around his neck from cutting off his air supply.
“Jesus, they’ve lost their fucking minds,” Wilkinson grits through clenched teeth. “And where the hell are the rest of ’em?”
“I don’t know. All that matters are the ones here right now.” My foot punches the break, pulling a hard left, ripping the earth to shreds with the tires. Throwing the truck in park, Wilkinson and I bail, weapons drawn, taking cover behind the open doors. “Freeze. Hands where I can see them, now!” I order across the field.
By the large orange flames flickering across Rodgers’s battered face, I can tell he’s been beaten pretty badly.
Four men, donning white robes and hoods, stand in a half circle, facing their leader. I watch the one in red visibly tense before turning to me. He stands less than thirty feet away, arms outstretched to the side, palms up, facing the sky. He carefully lowers them, keeping his eyes pinned on me. I’m helpless to look anywhere else. The bright flames above casts light into the dark holes of his hood. I can’t see his face, but I know who’s hiding underneath. The man who betrayed my family—who killed my father.
I leave my spot, holding aim dead center to his ridiculous fucking mask. “Let him go, Dixon!” I demand.
“I never wanted it to come to this, Grayson. I never wanted you to find out this way,” he says calmly, a hint of remorse heavy in his tone.
Blood pumps with ruthless fury in my veins as his familiar voice echoes through the night. I ignore what he says, trying to keep my mind from venturing to the dark place inside that calls to me. “Move away, now.”
He follows the command, slowly stepping away and moving closer to me.
“Stop! Hands in the air!” Wilkinson’s order draws me from my stare down with Dixon. I catch a glimpse of one of the men reaching inside his robe before Wilkinson fires a shot to his left leg, effectively dropping him to the ground.
As he howls out in pain, the other two quickly scatter off into the woods.
Wilkinson rushes over to the flailing body and flips him over, ripping off his hood to reveal Larson. He cuffs him before running over to Rodgers to free him.
I return my attention to Dixon, who remains in place, his eyes holding mine with an intensity that has everything else around us falling away.
“I warned James. I told him he needed to raise you the same way our fathers raised us but he wouldn’t hear it. Said Carol wouldn’t allow it.” Dixon’s tone is bitter and cold. “I always knew she was bad for him. Filling his head full of all that equality shit, but I never thought he would fall for it.”
“Shut the fuck up. Don’t talk about my family. Especially my father.” My throat is raw from the command and the emotion behind it, as I give it all over to my undeniable hate.
It’s all I have left for him.
Stepping closer, I reach out to pull the hood from his head, wanting him to face me after what he’s done. “You killed him,” I grind out, needing to hear it from his own mouth.
“I had no choice,” he replies. “For years he’d kept this town pure and clean of the scum that seek to destroy us. Then he slowly started to change, all thanks to your mother.” His expression twists with unashamed hatred. “After a lifetime of trust and friendship, of brotherhood, he said he had a change of heart. He betrayed something sacred, betrayed what our fathers spent years ingraining in us. He could no longer be trusted. He made his choice, and unfortunately for him, it was the wrong one.”
The way he callously talks about killing my father, like it’s nothing more than an afterthought, has that dark, forbidden rage hurdling through me. I take him to the ground with a solid punch then get on top of him before delivering another blow. My heart thunders inside my chest as I draw the hammer back on my gun, pointing it right between his eyes.
A cold smile spreads easily across his lips, blood trickling out of the corner. “You don’t have it in you.”
“Don’t bet on it, motherfucker.”
“Then do it. Go ahead. I dare you.” He taunts.
I want to end him so badly I can hardly see past the blinding hate that’s consumed me. My breathing is harsh and furious as I try my best to stomp down the urge to pull the trigger.
Images of Liv flicker through my mind, reminding me of my promise to her.
“You’re not fucking worth it,” I grit, the pressure in my chest easing slightly.
His smile grows bigger. “The war has already begun and it will continue on with or without me. You will never stop us from what we are obligated to do.”
“Watch me.”
His eyes flare when the distant sound of sirens pierce the tension-filled air.
“It’s over, Dixon. You’re finished, and I’m going to make sure you fucking pay for all of it.” I stand, looking over my shoulder just as Lambert
and my backup come racing through the trees.
“Taylor, behind you!”
The warning yanks my attention back to Dixon to see him sitting up, brandishing a .45 from under his robe, but my draw is quicker, firing off a shot straight to his heart. His hand moves to cover it as shock registers on his face. He falls back to the ground, the weapon going slack in his left hand.
I kick the gun away and kneel down next to him. My vision blurs and a sharp ache takes up residency in my chest as I look down into his lifeless eyes. I think of all the pain he’s caused, the death of my father, and the evil he represents. I know the world is better off without him in it, but he’s right, the war will rage on. There will always be those who hate, who seek to destroy the equal balance of humanity.
But only if we allow it.
CHAPTER 33
Olivia
Three weeks later
“Author Pierre Berton once said, ‘Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and is meant to be met head on and stamped out.’”
Tania’s hand finds mine, linking our fingers together as the mayor’s powerful words wash over me, flowing through my heart and soul with renewed faith. Most of the town has gathered on the square in front of the courthouse to hear Mayor Rodgers speak out on the events that have taken place recently.
After the news of Willie Dixon’s death spread, and it was exposed what kind of man he really was, our town was once again turned upside down. Lane, Eddie and Prichard were arrested after Larson gave them up in an effort to save his own skin, though Henderson didn’t show much mercy. Needless to say, none of them will see the outside of a jail cell for a very long time.
The FBI has taken over the investigation since the KKK was involved, and as of last week, Grayson was reinstated with the department.
Where he belongs.
“Those are words we all need to remember, especially during these trying times. This community has been through a great deal over the past couple of months. Lives lost, heinous acts of revenge have been committed.”
My throat tightens when Pap’s arm goes around my shoulders, bringing me in close.
“The line between right and wrong has always been skewed. The ways in which we are raised, and our cultures, determine what is right and wrong in our hearts. This is why we need law and order to guide us. To validate our choices or condemn them. And therein lies the bottom line…choices.” He pauses. “We all have choices. Reggie West had a choice. He chose vengeance, and in the end only injustice was served. Willie Dixon had a choice. He chose hate.”
The crowd remains stoic and silent, absorbing the mayor’s every word.
“Then there are people who make the right choices. Who stand up for what’s noble and good. Which is why I asked you here today. To help me honor a man who, along with others, honorably fought and put his life on the line, without hesitation, to not only protect our town but save my life.”
Warmth flows through my blood as my eyes drift to Grayson who is standing off to the right, looking incredibly sexy in his uniform, a look of indifference shielding his emotions.
“After being sworn in this morning, I would like to announce our new Sheriff of Harmony Falls. Grayson Taylor!”
The applause is deafening as Grayson shakes hands with the mayor before taking his stance in front of the podium.
“That guy always gets all the attention.” My gaze shifts over to Terrell at his lighthearted grunt, seeing a smirk on his lips.
“Oh be quiet.” Tania playfully elbows him, making him chuckle.
“Okay. He deserves this… I guess.”
Shaking my head with a giggle, I return my gaze to Grayson. I can tell he’s a little nervous by the way his fingers grip the wood but to everyone else he looks steadfast and stronger than ever.
“Thank you,” his deep voice booms into the microphone and the crowd quiets. “It’s hard to believe how much we’ve had to overcome in order to get here. I think it’s fair to say we’ve probably all learned a little about ourselves over the last couple of months. I know I have. I’ve also learned things about people I never thought possible. People I trusted.”
I hear a sniffle to my left and look over to see Carol watching him with pride, yet also regret and a deep sense of loss. Reaching across Pap, I give her hand a gentle squeeze, offering comfort. She gives me a weak smile in return.
“But I’ve also learned people can change, and courage comes in many forms. It doesn’t always have to be laying your life down on the line for someone else. Sometimes it might be owning your mistakes and doing right by them.”
My heart warms as he looks over at Brandon who’s standing with his parents and Jamal’s family. His father gripping his shoulder for encouragement.
“Sometimes it means finding forgiveness when it seems impossible.” Grayson takes a moment to look out over the sea of people before his eyes lock with mine. “Actually, I’ve seen courage, kindness, and forgiveness at it’s best.”
My breath hitches, tears blurring my vision. To hear him say that after he saw me at my weakest means more than I could ever say.
“We can choose to dwell or we can choose to move on from what’s happened.” That deep valley of conviction bunches between his brows as his eyes roam the crowd once more. “It may take time for some to trust again, but I promise you all, you can trust me. I vow to always seek the truth and stand up for what’s right. It will always be about right and wrong. We’re all in this together, and as long as we stand united, justice will always prevail.”
“Amen,” Fletcher shouts, bringing a smile to my face.
The crowd erupts as Grayson steps down from the small stage. He forges a path through the throng of people, shaking hands with everyone as he passes.
Once he makes it through most of them, his stride picks up, eyes fixed firmly on me. My heart skips a beat when he reaches his destination, banding one arm around my waist. He pulls me in close before he picks me up off my feet and lays one heck of a kiss on me.
My arms wind around his neck, everyone falling away as I lose myself in my favorite place…a place where I hope to spend the rest of my life.
Once he’s kissed me thoroughly, he pulls back but keeps me locked tightly in his arms, my feet dangling off the ground.
“Great speech. I’m proud of you, Sheriff Taylor,” I tell him with a soft smile.
He grunts, uncomfortable with my praise. “I hate public speaking.”
“Well you did great. This town is lucky to have you.”
His eyes lock with mine, the intensity of his stare robbing me of air. “I’m lucky to have you.”
I bite my lip and press my forehead to his, savoring this perfect moment.
“You ready for Paris, baby?”
The smile on my face has been permanent since he surprised me with the trip a few days ago, telling me I deserved to see the world and take the trip I missed out on. He even lined up Tania to take care of Pap for me while we’re away, knowing I would worry about him.
A week alone with the man I love, in one of the most romantic cities in the world…how could I resist?
“I’ve been ready since I was eighteen years old.”
He returns my smile. “Good. We’ll finish packing when we get home.”
Home.
My tummy flips every time he says that word. Grayson has permanently moved into the guesthouse with me, and I couldn’t be happier. Not only because I love the farm so much and could never imagine living anywhere else, but because now I’m surrounded by my two favorite men every day and the joy that brings me cannot be described.
“Pfft. Paris.” Terrell scoffs, interrupting our moment. “You’ve been sheriff a whole five minutes and you’re already taking a vacation.”
With a swift kiss to my lips, Grayson places me back on my feet before turning to Terrell. “I’m sure you can handle things while I’m gone. I’ve got faith in you, crutches and all.”
Terrell l
ifts one of the metal crutches he leans on, pointing it at Grayson’s chest. “Watch yourself, brother, I can do some serious damage with this thing.”
Grayson grunts while Tania and I both share a laugh.
“All right, you know I’m just busting your balls.” Terrell chuckles, offering him his hand. “Congratulations, Taylor. You deserve this.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Just don’t think you can be bossing me around or anything.”
“Someone needs to fetch my coffee,” Grayson shoots back.
I shake my head with a smile.
Carol walks over now, wrapping her arms around Grayson’s waist. “I’m proud of you, son, and your father would be, too,” she adds quietly.
A small flash of pain washes over Grayson’s expression before he quickly schools it. “I know, Mom. Thanks.”
More people approach to congratulate Grayson. Brandon and his parents along with Jamal’s family also offer their support and encouragement. As I watch them shake not only Grayson’s hand but Pap’s too, a new sense of comfort invades my soul.
What started out as a bad choice led to devastation and has now ended in peace and unity. I know as long as there are people like Grayson, Terrell, and Wilkinson protecting Harmony Falls, good will always overcome evil, and right will always overcome wrong.
EPILOGUE
Grayson
Eight years later
“Make a wish, Daisy Mae,” Liv says, kneeling down next to our daughter.
Every time I see them side-by-side it still takes my breath away. She looks just like her mother, soft blonde hair and those big brown eyes I can never refuse.
I can’t believe she’s seven years old today. Other than Liv agreeing to marry me—she was the best thing that came from our trip to Paris. A surprise to say the least, considering we were unsure if she would even be able to conceive.
“Yeah, blow dem out, Daisy!” Our five-year-old son, Cash, shouts from the chair in front of me as he squirms on my mother’s lap. He’s wearing the cop costume she bought for him so he wouldn’t feel left out.