“Ahh… I see.” His tone suggested he was buying it. “Well, I can certainly put a rush on this.”
His daughter looked up from her tablet. “It will cost extra.”
The man glared at her. “Maria.”
“She’s right,” I said. “Rush jobs cost more. I’m not worried about the cost.”
Because I wasn’t. Money was the least of my problems. What worried me was standing at that altar and meaning every word of the vows that were supposed to be pretend. Again, I shut down the persistent small voice. It needed to stop.
“See? I told you he’d understand,” Maria said.
Thomas chuckled from his chair. “In Chicago, rush charges are automatic.”
“My father was a tailor for years before he opened this shop. Fourth generation,” Maria said proudly.
I nodded, but my mind was elsewhere.
The doorbell chimed.
The man’s daughter set her tablet on one of the chairs. “I’ll be right back.”
Thomas was on his feet the moment the new arrival spoke, hand hovering near his shoulder holster.
I turned and found Colter with two of his brothers filling the front of the shop.
Maria returned. “Uh, you have someone who would like to speak to you a moment.” She looked at her father.
Her father turned, his eyes widened, and he motioned for her to come to him. He didn’t even hesitate. “We’ll be back in a moment.”
Yep, this was a small town, and the Grave Sons were in charge.
“I heard a rumor that you’re getting married. I thought I’d come by and offer congratulations… for thejust friends.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “My relationship status was none of your business. It still isn’t.”
“My son is my business and those hanging around him are my business as well.” He took a step forward.
Thomas’s hand dove into his coat.
The brothers with Colter went for their weapons. He held up his hand. “No. This is a friendly talk.”
Thomas looked at me.
I held up my hand to stop him.
“And what did you want to talk about?”
“Elias is mine. He’s my blood.”
I slowly exhaled. “Weren’t you offering to sell him to Cora?”
His eyes narrowed. “That was a misunderstanding. I’m going to fight for my son. In fact, I can’t wait to see him this evening. This is me giving you a warning. Grave Sons run this town, and I run it. You’re going to waste a lot of time, money, and energy trying to fight me, only to lose. Beau has already filed an appeal.”
Now I knew why he’d shown up. He wanted to act like he was actually fighting for Elias. The shop owner and his daughter could be used as witnesses. “I think I’ll take my chances.”
“I’m just trying to save your woman some heartache. You’re going to get her hopes up, only to leave town without my son.”
I dropped my hands to my sides and stepped off the wooden platform. “Your threats might work for the people in this town, but they don’t work on me. I’ll turn the Grave Sons into a memory before I let you anywhere near Elias. He belongs to Cora. Maya wanted her to have him, and that’s who he’s going to stay with.”
