Chapter 11 Mountain
“How are we gonna lure this motherfucker out so we can let the scarecrows handle him?” Phantom asks.
He’s done with bullshit. I’m right there with him.
“Cami’s stalker isn’t going to stop. I’m afraid he’ll escalate after this.” I know he got pissed after he saw me with her. “He thinks she belongs to him.”
“It’s fucked,” Voodoo agrees.
“We keep eyes on her at all times. Two members at the house. One with Granny Jo. The other with Camille,” Scythe orders.
“I volunteer,” I announce, like there’s any other option.
“You sure about that?” Voodoo teases. “Cami is fucking gorgeous and—”
He never finishes that sentence because I reach for his cut and haul him to his feet. “The fuck did you just say?”
Laughter shakes his chest. “Christ. You’re a fucking goner, brother.”
I release him with a chuckle as we take our seats again.
“We’ll rotate members with Granny Jo. She ought to enjoy that,” Scythe notes with humor.
Virus clears his throat. “I’ve found some information on Johnathon Allen.”
The room quiets.
Scythe tenses. “Go ahead.”
“He’s got a cult following. They call themselves Allenites.”
Allenites?
“That’s not all. They’ve got locations in several states. Churches, for lack of a better word. I’m in the chat rooms. If they decide to come back to Raven’s Crest, I’ll know.”
A problem for another time. Johnathon got what he deserved. He fucked around and found out.
“The focus needs to remain on the arsonist and Cami’s stalker. We can’t get distracted by these Allenites during the festival. If they’re not causing trouble, then there’s no point trying to stir some up.”
Scythe is right.
“We still don’t know shit about the arsonist,” Voodoo says what we’re all thinking.
“He set the bakery on fire. Why?” Hayride asks. “What’s his motivation for burning that business down?”
“And for hurting a sweet old woman,” Phantom adds.
“There’s a connection we’re missing.” Scythe scrubs a hand down his face and over his jaw. “I don’t think this will be a one-off. That fire was meant to catch our attention. He’s going to start another one.”
“It makes sense.” Hayride sits forward and leans on the table that sits between us. “I’m not sure what message he wants to send. There’s a fuck ton of hay he could have burned down. Those cornfields bring in money. If he wanted to hurt the club, why not burn the corn maze or any of the fields?”
“Then it’s personal. Has to be,” I conclude. “But what member is a target because of the Butter Bliss? I wasn’t with Cami until now. Hurting Granny Jo doesn’t do more than piss us all off.”
“She wasn’t the target.” Phantom looks pissed. “She was there late, remember? Not her normal hours.”
Scythe pushes away from the table, agitated by the lack of information. He gets antsy when he can’t figure shit out. This is a puzzle that has us all baffled.
“We don’t have much choice. Since we don’t know what he wants or who he’s targeting, we have to play his game.”
I hate that Voodoo is right.
“Then we watch for him to make a mistake or contact us,” Scythe concludes. “When he does, we’ll be ready.”
He picks up the gavel and slams it down, ending church.
It’s not the answer we all want, but we can’t make a plan without the information necessary to form one.
I head out of the chapel and through the bar. I’m not planning to stick around since I want to return to Cami. She’s been on my mind since I left.
The past has fucked with my head since we separated three years ago.
I had such good intentions that night. I planned to tell her that I loved her.
Our age gap, although only six years, was too wide when she was in her teens.
Once she graduated from college, I knew I had to step up, or some other guy would steal her from me.
And then I heard her talking to Emma. The joy and excitement as she shared her dreams about L.A. and a life in California. I couldn’t take that away. When Hannah made her move, I let her touch me since Cami would see it. She’d have nothing to keep her here in Raven’s Crest.
It worked too well.
My chest aches as I think about her taillights disappearing in the night. How she left this small town and me behind. I rub my sternum as the phantom pain pulses above my heart.
I climb into my truck and close my eyes, thinking of that night. It still hurts.
“Lose my number, Rex Coleman. I don’t ever want to speak to you again.”
Those were the last words she spoke before she climbed into her car, leaving the dance as my enemy.
I ran to the cornfields, finding the first scarecrow that I could, and leapt toward it. My body merged with his, staring from his eyes at the lonely road out of town. My thoughts are still as fresh now as they were then.
There’s so fucking much I wish I could say.
The words hang unspoken in the air, heavy and dripping with regret.
As the taillights of her car disappear, my fist rises to the scarecrow’s chest and hovers by the heart that doesn’t exist. The ache feels like a physical wound.
Like a knife plunge that rips the organ apart, spraying lifeblood onto the ground.
I wish she’d turn around.
I wish she’d come back to me.
I hope to fuck she won’t because I have nothing to offer her.
And when she doesn’t. . . I know I’ve lost her forever.
My eyes open, and the ghostly ache recedes.
It still feels dark, cold, and wrong when I think of that separation. The feeling returned after her stalker took her in the corn maze. I haven’t told Cami how I’m connected to her on a level that doesn’t make sense, how my intuition surges when she’s in danger.
I don’t know how much Granny Jo has ever revealed to Cami about this town or the bloodlines that formed it.
Since she came here at thirteen, she’s not grown up keeping the secrets from birth like many of us.
She’s probably not aware that the founding families are spelled to the Salem witches that settled here after the trials.
I have no idea how she’ll react once she learns about it.
None of these matters as I put my truck in gear and drive out of the lot. My focus is better spent on protecting my family and the two women I adore.
I’m halfway there when an idea pops into my head. I make a few phone calls, starting with Alder. After I’ve invited each of them, I dial Cami.
“Hey, baby,” I greet her when she answers. “Would you like to have dinner with my brothers and me?”
“For business or pleasure?” She’s teasing me.
“How about both?” Since we need to talk about Coleman Lumber taking on the rebuild for Butter Bliss Bakery, we might as well take care of business while I tell my brothers that I’m finally with Cami.
“Well, I’m hungry, so that’s an easy yes,” she laughs.
“I’ll be there soon.”
ALL OF MY brOTHERS are already inside the house by the time I arrive with Cami. I lead her up the steps of the back porch and find them seated around the table, waiting for us.
It’s a bit awkward as I guide Cami forward with my hand gently resting against her lower back. I’m not sure what they’ll say to her, but it’s a chance I have to take.
For one thing, Cami is important to me, and I want my brothers to see that I’m working things out with her. She’s a permanent part of my life. In truth, my forever. I need them to know that.
Second, I want to talk about Coleman Lumber helping with the Butter Bliss rebuild and helping Granny Jo with the expenses. I know they won’t refuse.
Alder is the only one standing. He’s leaning against one of the support beams, nursing a beer. “Hey, Camille.”
“Hi, Alder,” she greets him. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long,” he doesn’t hesitate to add, his gaze cutting to me.
Tyre gives her a chin lift. “Hi.”
Wyatt’s expression is mischievous. “So, are you giving that pain in the ass a chance? Because watching him mope around and chop wood for the next hundred winters is getting old.”
I’m going to kick his ass later for telling Cami.
All my brothers laugh at Wyatt’s comments.
“Yes, I plan to give him a second chance, but if he messes up, I’m going to need all of your help to make him suffer for it.”
“I’m in,” Alder laughs.
“Same.”
“Me too.”
“Yep.”
Braden is the only one left to answer. He shrugs. “Sorry, Rex. She’s a hell of a lot prettier than you.”
I can’t be mad. He’s right.
Laughter accompanies dinner as Cami sits beside me. Each of my brothers tells stories as we eat lasagna, breadsticks, and salad. Alder hates to cook, but Wyatt loves it. I can tell they all pitched in to set the table and make things perfect for Cami’s visit.
Tyre holds a shot of whisky as he sits back in his chair. “So, why are we here, Rex?”
“I want to bid on the rebuild project for the Butter Bliss.”
“Hell yeah.” Wyatt doesn’t hesitate.
“We’ve got the best crews and quality wood. It needs to be us,” Alder adds.
Braden nods. “I want to see it rebuilt right.”
Tyre tosses back the shot of whisky. “You want to undercut. Don’t you?”
“It’s the right thing to do. We can absorb the difference. Our financials are in a good place right now.”
Tyre nods. “Yeah, I agree. Let’s do it.”
Cami stares at all of us. “Thank you. You’re all so kind. Granny Jo will be touched.”
“There’s one more thing. I want to clear out the bakery this week. Demolition, framing, and drywall within a week.”
None of the Coleman brothers ever backed down from hard work. They all agree.
“Thanks.” I reach for Cami’s hand and hold it. “The Butter Bliss is a pillar in our community. It deserves the best.”
“I agree.” Cami holds up her glass of wine. “To friendship, hard work, and family. I won’t forget this.”
After the toast, Cami turns my way, finally noticing the new logo sticker I had made for us to give away to customers. “What is that?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I tease her.
“That image on her shirt.” She leans closer like she’s inspecting it. “Oh, wow, Rex. You’re unbelievable.”
“What?” I laugh. Her expression is priceless.
I know what it says. I designed it. I’m good with morning wood is on the artwork that’s a lumberjack. I had these custom-made.
“You’re adorable when you’re flustered, baby.”
“That sticker is ridiculous. I can’t believe you’re wearing an ad with a sexy lumberjack on it and those provocative words.”
“It’ll sell wood,” I say with a straight face as a few of my brothers snicker. “It’s been selling like crazy ever since I stuck it on the website.”
“It’s true. We get crazy online traffic.” Alder would know. He’s got access to all the financials.
Cami shakes her head. “Lumberjacks and sporting wood.”
I can’t stop laughing. It really is the perfect ad for our business.