by Toby Neal
“Enough with the attitude. Grand Masters, meet Hank Childs, my brother-in-law.”
A murmur erupted, but Dwight made a cut-off gesture with his hand.
“Hank let his wife be captured by the enemy. Not only that, he had the nerve to tell me I should let my sister go her own way and shack up with undesirables.” Rage thickened Dwight’s voice and he rose from the throne chair, hiding the pain in his leg as he approached Hank. “I chose you to wed my sister for your genetic potential, and because I thought I could trust you to take orders and protect what was mine. But you couldn’t do that, could you, Hank?” Dwight narrowed his eyes as he tried to intimidate Hank with his gaze. The blond giant just stared right back at him.
“Do what you’re gonna do, Dwight. I love Jolene. I’ve loved her since we were kids. She loves someone else, and I won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do. Period.”
“Women don’t get a choice!” Dwight yelled into Hank’s face. “They’re only good for what’s between their legs. They’ve got one purpose, and that’s bearing pure sons! If you’re not with us, then you’re against us!” Spittle flew from Dwight’s mouth.
“Then I guess I’m against you.” Hank’s words were calm, his eyes determined and peaceful.
Dwight spun to address the circle of Grand Masters. “You heard it yourself, from the man’s own lips! He’s a traitor!”
The Grand Masters nodded their assent and agreement. The restless shifting of bloodlust animated the group, and the excitement jacked up Dwight’s heart rate as adrenaline pumped through him. Taking a life was such a high.
The guards let go of Hank’s arms. Dwight drew his Colt, lifting it to press it against the blond man’s forehead. Hank’s height forced Dwight to lift his arm uncomfortably high to reach the man’s face, and a zing of rage tightened his voice, and his finger on the trigger. “Any last words? Do you want to beg for mercy?”
Hank shook his head. “Tell Jolene I love her.”
“I’ll be sure to tell her you died for nothing when I get her back.”
Hank did not look away or plead for his life. So damn irritating.
Dwight pulled the trigger.
Hank’s head rocked back at the impact and Dwight flinched, shutting his eyes as hot blood spattered on him.
The big man’s knees crumpled, and he dropped like a bag of boulders onto the piece of plastic under him.
Dwight thrust his arms into the air, the Colt held high. “That’s how I deal with traitors!” He circled the room, fists high, pumped on the moment. “That quick. That clean. That’s how I deal with those who go against us, even those I call family. Who’s with me? Who agrees that I’m the man to lead this great nation, America, into greatness again?”
The Grand Masters surged to their feet, clasped their raised hands, and chanted his name: “Dwight Kane! Dwight Kane! Dwight Kane!”
The two soldiers who had herded Hank in bundled his body in the plastic and dragged it out.
Dwight spun in a slow circle, his arms still raised and his head thrown back, savoring the cheers, breathing deep the power that would take him all the way to the White House.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Jolene
All of the Lucianos sat together at a long table under an outdoor tent strung with lights after the short but emotional group wedding performed by the Sheriff. Jolene’s gaze roamed over their full table, and across several other round tables populated by the townspeople of North Fork.
So many strangers.
While the feeling in the air and the celebratory nature of the night reminded Jolene of their wedding, this was different. Jolene had felt like she belonged in Grimesville. Here, she was the odd woman out.
The Lucianos were all so talented, so gorgeous, so much.
The oldest brother, Luca, was a thick giant of a man with fierce brown eyes who moved like a predator. He’d married Nani, a drop-dead beautiful woman with a butt as large as Jolene’s, but clearly all muscle in her sleek bronze wedding gown. On top of that she held two doctoral degrees. Two!
And she was pregnant.
Nani was basically a genius fertility goddess.
JT, the next brother down in age, was devastatingly good-looking, with chin-length curls, sparkling hazel eyes, and a body corded with muscle built by working the farm. He’d married another brilliant woman, a scientist working on a cure for Scorch Flu. Elizabeth was slender and aristocratic, with long blonde hair and a gentle way about her, but eyes so intelligent and piercing that Jolene found it hard to hold her gaze.
When Cash had told his family that Jolene’s blood contained a vaccine for the latest strain of Scorch Flu, the passion and excitement in Elizabeth’s demeanor made Jolene believe that this young woman would be able to manufacture the cure.
Rounding out the wedding, Dolf, the surviving twin of the family, had married his brother’s widow, Avital.
A former ER doctor, Avital seemed perfectly paired with the serious, handsome Dolf. Those two were living in their own steamy, intense world, with eyes for no one but each other. Avi’s red hair, clear brown gaze, small physique, and burgeoning baby bump all intimidated Jolene. Avital had given Jolene a big hug and congratulated her with tears in her eyes…but how could they ever really be family? Jolene was trailer trash!
Dante, the youngest brother, was even more beautiful than Cash. He reminded Jolene of a neoclassic warrior angel with his golden eyes, amazing body, and shy smile. His wife, Melody, looked like a movie star. In fact, she’d been on her way to becoming one, when the Scorch Flu broke out. Not only was she stunning, kind, and clearly adored by everyone, but she was also Elizabeth’s best friend. The two women had grown up together, and their friendship looked unbreakable.
Jolene had never had a friend like that. She’d never had a close relationship at all, except the one she now shared with Cash.
But when Melody and Jolene were introduced, Melody had wrapped her arms around Jolene, hugging her tightly. She clearly recognized that Jolene was uncomfortable, and she’d tried to make her feel better by saying how much she liked her jeans, how she loved Jolene’s short haircut.
The swastika scar on Jolene’s head had burned with each compliment Melody bestowed.
Cash’s sister Lucy, the only single Luciano, was too sweet and bubbly to be intimidating. Jolene was relieved that at least one Luciano didn’t make her feel like a fat, ill-bred loser. Lucy sat next to her now, touching her arm, joking with her. She’d been in law school before the Scorching, and Jolene could tell the woman was whip-smart, but she was also just a gooey love bug—kind of like Cash when he wasn’t throwing up self-protective shields.
Lucy’s smile was dampened since JT’s best friend, Roan, an attractive, enigmatic man, had barely attended the celebration after his brief role carrying in the box holding the wedding rings. “He’s a loner,” Lucy confided, her mouth turned down. “He tries to avoid all the feels.” Lucy was clearly trying to change that.
Ana sat on Lucy’s other side. A loving, capable woman who didn’t take any lip and could cook up a storm, Ana was the kind of mom Jolene had always wanted. Eggplant parmesan, spaghetti and gravy, lasagna and big bowls of green salad decorated the tables. How would Jolene ever live up to this matriarch’s high standards?
It was painfully obvious to Jolene that she did not fit in. She didn’t even match her own husband. Cash was way better-looking. His perfect body, chiseled features and blue eyes bright with humor made him look like something out of a magazine.
But Cash’s hand on her thigh, squeezing gently, rubbing softly, reminded her that she was in the right place. Because she was his. And he was hers.
Whatever their imbalance, he’d chosen her. Tiny had chosen her. Jolene smiled at the thought and took a deep breath, trying to push away her fears and doubts, trying to concentrate on the connection she felt with her husband. She was so glad they were married. It was so much easier to be here as his wife than just his girlfriend.
JT stood
up, clinking his fork against his glass, drawing the attention of the crowd. His shiny brass deputy star, pinned to his dress shirt, caught the light as he cleared his throat, speaking in a clear baritone that reminded Jolene of Cash’s voice, just a little lower.
“We’re so happy to be gathered here with all of you tonight.” JT held up his glass, gesturing to the townspeople around them. Clapping sprang up, but JT settled them with a hand gesture. “It’s a dream Mama never imagined, to see all her sons married. Salute, Mama!”
Laughter and cheers broke out as Ana Luciano held up her glass to clink with JT’s, and everyone toasted. JT turned to grin down at Elizabeth, and finally, when the noise had settled, he continued. “It was my hope and dream for my family to come together to live safely under one roof.” He turned and looked around the table, holding each person’s gaze, even giving Jolene a warm smile. “Of course, we miss Nando. We’ve all lost so many in the Scorching.” A sadness fell over the celebration as people cast their gazes to the ground, bending their heads under the weight of grief. Everyone had lost someone; many had lost all. Jolene bent her head respectfully as people remembered those who had passed. But for Jolene, the losses were less. In a way, the Scorching had set her free. She shut her eyes, gratitude infusing her body.
JT lifted his head again. “But even on this happy occasion, we have to stay vigilant. As we’ve learned, Scorch Flu was an attack.”
An angry murmur simmered through the crowd.
“My brother Luca and his wife Nani were on the front lines and were able to take out the horrible cult leader who started this disaster, Tanner Hillish.”
The crowd cheered and toasted again. JT eventually settled them again.
“And my brave brother Cash.” JT turned to Cash with a smile. “Not only is he the first of us to get married,” another cheer came up that JT spoke over, “he inspired a town to rise up and fight the skinheads. A toast to the hero of Grimesville, leader of the Resistance!”
The noise was deafening as the entire tentful of people stood to cheer. Lucy whistled, two fingers at her mouth. Cash ducked his head, and Jolene felt a grin on her face.
“Now, I hate to put him on the spot.” JT looked straight at Cash. “But sorry, little bro, you’ve got to tell us how you started a movement.”
The crowd cheered louder. Cash had no chance getting out of this, even though he shook his head as he stood.
The guests settled slowly, sitting down, silence falling over the group as they waited for Cash to speak. He took a breath, put his shoulders back, held his head up, and scanned the crowd, his face serious. He was magnificent, and drew every eye. Jolene felt her chest swell with pride in him.
“What happened in the past doesn’t matter.” Cash set his hand on Jolene’s shoulder, giving a soft squeeze. “Who we were before the Scorching is over. Those lives no longer exist.” Cash turned back to the crowd, leaving his hand on Jolene, marking her as his. “What does matter is where we go from here. Hate and fear spawned the Scorch Flu. Dangerous, delusional men spread the virus, killed our loved ones, and destroyed the civilization that we knew, and all that we built.”
An angry murmuring of agreement filled the tent.
“But we can’t fall into hate. We can’t become like them.” Cash looked down at Jolene, holding her gaze. The connection between them felt alive and charged. She mirrored his energy, hope, and determination, her body humming with joy. “We must love each other and rebuild our society. We must band together and fight for a new world, a better world.” He turned to the crowd and Jolene followed his gaze. Charisma lit Cash like a torch, making his words hypnotic. “Loving doesn’t mean giving in. It doesn’t even mean not killing, when necessary. But we can’t fall into hate, bigotry and vengeance. Instead, we must resist our baser instincts and pull together to help each other. With love, we can rebuild all that’s right and good in this world.”
Jolene stood with the whole crowd and clapped, whistling and screaming, carried on the wave of her husband’s words and conviction. Cash toasted them with a grin and made a flourishing bow, and the room broke into laughter.
Finally they settled again, and Cash went on, setting down his glass.
“My wife has taught me many things in the eventful time we’ve been together. She showed me what true love is.” Jolene’s mouth fell open at his words, at his burning gaze hot on hers, unashamed, in front of everyone. What had she ever done to deserve such devotion, the love of such an amazing man? Her eyes stung even as power surged in her—she’d saved his life, inspired him to fight, freed him from guilt-ridden memories—and made him hers.
“Jolene taught me what’s worth fighting for, worth killing to protect, and that’s love. The love of family, friends, community and nation. Thank you, Jolene. Thank you, my only Sunshine, for being my teacher.” Cash leaned over and pulled her out of the chair and into his arms. He kissed her, his mouth warm and soft against hers. Heat rushed up Jolene’s body as Cash’s hand cupped her cheek. For a moment, it was just the two of them. Cash pulled back, his eyes holding hers, and that’s when she heard the chanting.
“Speak. Speak. Speak!”
Cash smiled at her. “They want you to say something.”
She shook her head. She wasn’t anyone important.
But the crowd would not be swayed, and so with Cash standing by her side Jolene turned, looking out to the faces, at all the remarkable Lucianos and their friends.
She cleared her throat, and the crowd quieted.
Their attention infused her with a new sensation. Strength and energy seemed to start at Jolene’s toes and surge up her body as the people focused on her. She opened her mouth, not sure what would come out.
“I’m not anything special.” Jolene laid her hand on Cash’s chest as he started to object, smiling. “Fair enough, I’m special to someone. But I’m not as gifted or intelligent as many under this tent. I was an elementary school teacher before the Flu. I lived a quiet, mundane existence.” She gazed around the room, her eyes meeting those of her new family and neighbors. “But like all of us here, my life is totally different now than it was before. We are all so lucky to have the brilliant Luciano family creating this safe Haven and working on a cure.” Clapping started again, but quieted quickly so she could go on. “The thing is, though, we don’t have to be that special to make a difference.” A murmur of agreement. “All we have to do is want a different world, a world filled with goodness instead of hate. And then, we each do our little part to make that happen.”
Jolene glanced up at Cash. His gaze on her was filled with possessive pride, the same feeling that swelled her own chest as she looked at him. Her voice rose in strength, ringing out over the people. “I want that new world filled with possibilities, with new beginnings, with hope.” She turned to the crowd. “Don’t you?”
Family and new neighbors rose to their feet, everybody cheering. The beautiful, talented Lucianos and all of their friends were clapping for her and Cash!
Her husband put his arm around her waist, pulling her close, and whispered into her ear. “You’re more than just a cure for the Scorch Flu, my love. You’re the cure for all that ails us.”
Jolene leaned her head against Cash’s shoulder. “I’m not the cure.” She lifted her face to his. “Love is.”
<<<<>>>>
Dear Readers,
Thank you for taking the journey with Cash and Jolene! We love these two “ordinary people” so much.
Emily begged Toby to let her explore a classic amnesia scenario…one of her all-time favorite tropes! Toby was game, and Jolene’s unique situation developed.
We knew that Jolene’s vulnerability and strength would be impossible for Cash to resist, even though he’d spent his life avoiding attachments. At the end of the day, all the Luciano men are big softies with moral compasses that won’t let them walk away from anyone in need. Cash is no exception, even if he is the “blond” sheep of the family. :)
Cash and Jolene are “everyday�
�� heroes. They are not hugely talented or brilliant like some of our other couples, but in many ways they are the most inspiring. We believe that the worst of times can bring out the hero and leader in all of us.
Throughout the series we’ve explored the psychology of groups in response to a massive challenge like Scorch Flu. Grimesville is our ideal of how we hope a community would support each other, band together and fight against hate.
The funny thing is that when we began to write Grimesville, we had decided that the town would turn against our heroes—but Maud, Jeb, and Billy just refused to cooperate. By the time we got to the village dance, it became clear that this was not a group willing to throw Cash and Jolene to the wolves.
We adore Grimesville, and its colorful characters, and hope to go back and visit it in the future.
Please continue the journey with us! Read on for a sample from Smolder Road, Lucy and Roan’s story.
With love,
Toby & Emily
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SMOLDER ROAD
A Scorch Series Romance Thriller # 6, Lucy
Roan
Tanning a hide shouldn’t make me think of her—but these days, everything makes me think of Lucy. Her skin is even softer than the rabbit's fur I'm holding.
Inside the cabin, it still smells a little musty, but it gets better each week as I find a way to come out here, breaking away from the busyness at the Haven, and work on the restoration.
Every corner of the simple space is filled with memories: the kitchen area with its squat black cook stove where Grandfather used to prepare meals; the small bedroom in back where we slept; the living area with its wood-burning stove where we worked in the evenings on our weapons and hunting gear, or Grandfather beaded or wove pine needle baskets—crafts he taught me that I’ve never used.