Chapter 2

2: 2

2

"Sister-in-law—no, wait, you two are divorced now. Thank you, really. If it weren't for you, I'd never get to enjoy the good life in the city."

Being a foreman was already respectable enough for Julius Delgado, and now he'd gotten into college on top of it. He was the finest man for miles around.

"Little early to thank me. Whether you actually get to enjoy that good life is still an open question."

"I know you're jealous of me. You can't stand it, but so what? Julius is protecting me. I'm the one going to Washington with him."

"A widow raising a kid on her own really does have it hard, clinging to some other man for dear life. I hope you can hold on to him."

A pair of hands suddenly seized me.

"Apologize."

Julius glared at me, the fury in his eyes enough to burn me to ash.

"I told you, as long as I'm here, no one bullies Noreen. Anyone who dares had better not blame me for what comes next."

"I'll say it one more time. Apologize."

I pressed my swollen, aching wrist and ground out through my teeth,

"Not a chance."

"Beulah Gilbert, are you provoking me?"

"Don't push me. I don't want anything to do with the two of you either. Keep your woman in line."

Julius hadn't expected me to talk back, and it left a knot of anger in him that wouldn't go away.

He'd meant to spend the next few days warning me off Noreen Simmons, but instead I kept dodging him. For half a month straight, the moment I spotted him in the distance I took another route, and once I was home I shut the door tight and wouldn't answer no matter who called.

That only put him more out of sorts.

There was only a week left before the move to Washington, so while I was getting my things ready, someone with an eye out saw me, and word got back to Julius.

"Even if you sneak along after us, it won't do you any good. I've already signed the divorce papers. The place I was assigned is only big enough for the three of us."

I paused a moment, looked down at the thing in my hands I hadn't managed to put away yet, said nothing, and turned to go inside.

He swung his arm hard and sent all my things flying.

"Have you lost your mind?"

That was what that man had bought for me. Looking at the clothes now smeared with mud and dust, I took several deep breaths before I could barely bring myself back under control.

"Get out."

"You're telling me to get out? Let me make this clear: I won't let you hurt them. If you don't fall in line, don't blame me for what I do."

The pain of being tortured in that past life set me shaking despite myself. I braced a hand on the wall to steady my feet, and every word came out perfectly clear.

"Julius Delgado, I'll say it once more. I am not following you. Don't rip apart the last shred of feeling between us."

My coldness stunned him. He froze where he stood, at a loss for how to react, and I turned and shut the door on him.

Maybe it was my coldness that threw him, since he was used to me lowering my eyes and going along with everything.

So for the past few days he kept coming around to my place.

"Just behave, and once I'm settled I'll come bring you to Washington. You don't need to go after Noreen and her son."

"We're already divorced. There's no need to come warn me about anything."

His face turned cold.

"Divorced? You think I'd believe that? You're just playing hard to get so I'll cave."

Because he knew my nature too well.

"Go explain it clearly to the people in the village, or the two of them will have gossip thrown at them day after day, crying their eyes out."

"I won't. Are they wrong, though? If they went and did it, they shouldn't be afraid of people talking."

I didn't give an inch. He'd chosen to protect the two of them, so I would protect myself. In this life, I would absolutely never live as such a doormat again.