Chapter 15
Maia gaped, shock at his frigid attitude batting away her doubts. Her spine stiffened, and she yanked out a chair at his table. “What the devil do you mean?”
Samuel’s hand shot out and captured her wrist, his grip an unbreakable band. Not that this brute force stopped her from attempting to free herself.
“Release me, or I will scream. Loudly.”
“I don’t like games, Maia. Where are they?”
“If you’d tell me exactly what you mean, I might help. Right now, I’m clueless.”
“You took the Greek myths and legends books.”
She didn’t bother to hide her confusion. “You gave them to me.”
“On the understanding we’d stay together. You grabbed the books when you left.”
“I did,” she said, not grasping why he was so angry. She’d left the larger, more expensive items he’d given her behind because she didn’t think it was ethical to take them.
In her peripheral vision, she noticed Henry take a seat with Laura, and she silently thanked him for his support.
“I want them back,” Samuel said in his high-handed way.
“Why didn’t you call me? Why travel from Auckland to Middlemarch?”
He shrugged, his dark blond hair flopping over his eyes. He shoved it back and glared at her. “You aren’t taking my calls.”
True, because he’d harassed her, demanding another chance.
“You could’ve contacted Bryce and asked him to message me. When did you arrive in Middlemarch?”
“Yesterday. I want my books.”
“You can have them. I’ll deliver them.”
“I’ll come with you and collect them now.”
“No.”
Fury slid over his face, and he leaned closer to snarl at her. “Don’t test me, Maia. Trying my patience never ends well.”
After the last loud fight that had turned physical, Maia had packed and left, bunking with Bryce until she’d purchased her Middlemarch property.
Another thought occurred. “Why tell the police I’m your fiancé?”
His mouth twisted. “You could be. Say the word.”
“No. Thank you,” she added in the interest of tact.
“You’ve replaced me.” Samuel’s gaze darted over to Henry before settling on her again. The twist of his lips wasn’t attractive despite his blond handsomeness. He resembled a thwarted child.
“Henry is an old friend. I’ve known him for years.”
“Ah, yes. How did you afford a property? It seems substantial and worth decent money.”
“What do you know about my property?” she demanded, suspicion leaping to the fore.
Samuel picked up his knife and fork. “Bryce told me.”
“Bryce wouldn’t tell you shit.”
“Watch your language,” he snarled.
What he meant was that he disliked her standing up to him. He liked his women subservient. “I repeat, I’ll deliver your books.”
“That makes no sense. Let me collect them now.”
“You don’t care about the books. They’re an excuse to get me alone and salvage your pride. Not happening. This meeting is over.” She sprang to her feet. “Stay away from me. I don’t want you in my life. I thought I’d made that clear.”
“Don’t walk away because you won’t like the consequences.”
Good grief. What had she seen in this man? Luckily, she’d wised up and terminated their relationship because it hadn’t been great for her mental or physical health. She sent him a sweet smile—one bearing the sting of a wasp. “I’ll courier your books to you. Don’t contact me again.”
Maia took two steps before Samuel grabbed her. He yanked her arm, and she stumbled, knocking over a chair. The cafe fell silent. Maia was strong from her strength training in the gym but temper had given Samuel an edge. He dragged her back to their table.
Henry started toward them, but Laura was quick.
She darted around Henry and placed herself between him and them.
Maia gave a silent shake of her head, and Henry stilled, although his expression screamed murder.
A low growl had her head whipping to her right, and she half expected to see a dog, but four men eyed proceedings.
Okay then. She’d officially entertained the locals. Samuel’s hand whipped out, and he slapped her across the face. Shock accompanied the loud crack. Silence. Then pain. Chairs scraped the wooden floor.
The men at the table to her right moved in concert, and they, along with Henry and Laura, surrounded them.
“This is a private matter,” Samuel snapped.
“You’re under arrest for assault.” Laura whipped her handcuffs off her belt.
Samuel bellowed as Laura wrenched his left arm behind his back. He cursed and struggled, but two of the four strangers grabbed and held him for Laura to finish cuffing.
Henry walked straight to Maia and gently tilted her head. “He didn’t break the skin, but your cheek will throb. Come with me, and we’ll get ice.”
“I didn’t think he’d wallop me in public,” Maia said.
“But he has hit you.”
“Once, and I struck back. Bryce told me Samuel’s black eye was award-worthy. I’m not proud of the physical violence, but I wasn’t intending to be his punching bag. He has a filthy temper and a set of rules longer than his arm. None of his directives applied to him.”
Laura and the two men dragged Samuel from the cafe. He kicked and shouted, pretending to be the victim.
Two men approached them.,
“Did Emily get you some ice?” The man’s dark eyebrows drew together, his green gaze laser sharp.
“Not yet,” Henry said. “She’s busy with customers.”
“I’ll grab some,” the other man said and disappeared behind the counter.
“Maia, this is Saber Mitchell. Emily, his wife, owns this cafe,” Henry said.
“Pleased to meet you, Maia,” Saber said, assessing her and her injuries. “Are you all right?”
“Mainly embarrassed that Samuel created a gossip-worthy scene,” Maia said.
“Don’t worry about it,” the man who’d retrieved the ice said. He handed it over, wrapped in a tea towel, ready for her to hold to her face. “I’m Felix, Saber’s brother. Tomasine, my wife, is working out the back. She prepared the ice pack.” He grinned. “My attempts wouldn’t look so pretty.”
“I hear you had trouble at your house,” Saber said. “Was it him?”
The thought had crossed her mind, but despite his short temper, Samuel wasn’t sneaky or the type to skulk. Samuel preferred the direct approach. Instant gratification. She couldn’t see him gaining pleasure from scaring and taunting her.
“It’s possible. But he is direct. Samuel is more likely to confront than use clandestine methods. I could be wrong. He might’ve changed or could’ve paid someone to harass me.”
Henry’s phone rang. “Yeah?” His gaze settled on Maia. “Yeah, we’ll be there soon. What? Yeah, that’ll work.” He hung up. “Laura asked if you could give her an official statement. She suggested a restraining order.”
“Sure, we can go now,” Maia said, removing the ice from her cheek.
“Laura recommended we let him stew in custody for a few hours. We’ll get another coffee and one of Emily’s famous cheese scones.”
“Join us,” Saber said. “I’d like to show we’re decent people in this town.”
Maia laughed and was pleased to note it sounded more her. “I’ve met Emily. I know the residents are welcoming.”
“Well, then,” Saber said. “You’ll have no problem having coffee with us. Joe and Sly should be back soon, so you can meet more of my brothers.”
“How many of you are there?” Maia asked.
“Five,” Saber said, his eyes twinkling. “We all have children, so there’s a lot of Mitchells in Middlemarch.”
“If you hang out with Henry long enough, you’re bound to meet my daughter Sylvie,” Felix said.
His features were more rugged than Saber’s, but their black hair and green eyes made their relationship obvious.
“She works with Henry, training his dogs. She’s off to university in Auckland next year.
I still don’t know how she got old enough. ”
Henry urged Maia toward the larger table where the men had sat. “I didn’t ask about your coffee preference earlier. What would you like?”
“An Americano with a dash of milk,” she said. “Are the cheese scones that good?”
“They are,” Henry said. “Laura ordered me to get scones for her and Charlie. She had to leave before the first batch was out of the oven.”
Henry waited until she’d seated herself before he strode to the counter to place their order. Saber and Felix joined her, and not long after, the doorbell jingled. The two men who’d helped Laura entered the cafe and beelined for them.
“Joe, Sly, this is Maia Jacobs,” Saber said. “She plays rugby.”
Maia shot him a look, and Saber laughed. “Emily told me she’d met you and everything she learned. It’s a small-town thing.”
Maia smiled at the two arrivals, tall with black hair and green eyes like their brother’s. If they moved seats, she’d get confused since they were identical. “Pleased to meet you. I moved here to take up a contract with the Dunedin women’s rugby team.”
“I heard you suffered a concussion during the attack,” Saber said.
“Yes, not the best timing. I can’t play until the team doctor clears me. I know it’s for my health, but it’s frustrating when I’m eager to start.”
“Understandable,” Felix said. “To change the subject, what are your plans for the land attached to your property?”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. I know nothing about farming, but I wanted the property.”
Felix exchanged a look with Saber. “We could do with additional grazing for our alpacas. Would you be willing to lease the land to us?”
“The fences aren’t stock-proof. My aunt’s health meant the property deteriorated toward the end.
How about this? Repair the fences, and you have two years grazing rights.
My rugby means traveling often, and I won’t have time to deal with it.
If you prefer a written deal, fine, but truthfully, the land would’ve become a problem. ”
Saber extended his hand. “Are you happy to shake on the deal?”
“Absolutely.” Maia took his hand to seal their gentleman’s agreement.
Maia enjoyed meeting other locals who came up to say hello. Choosing to confront her here had been a big mistake for Samuel, considering the cafe was the town’s heart. After leaving, Henry gave her a town tour and introduced her to everyone they met until names stuffed her head.