"Good."
"He's not going to let this go."
"I know." Sergio's eyes are hard. "We'll be ready."
Carlos pulls away with Jessica.
Sergio and I stand in the parking lot, watching them disappear.
“Years of friendship," Sergio says. Not a question. A statement.
"Against one woman we all love." I meet his eyes. "Not a hard choice."
"No." His mouth curves into something sharp. "Not hard at all."
We stand there for another moment. Two brothers who just crossed a line we can never uncross.
Then Sergio claps me on the shoulder.
"Pack meeting tonight. Seven o'clock. We make a plan."
"Agreed."
I watch him walk to his truck. Watch him drive away.
Then I go back inside to get those steaks I never paid for.
The store manager sees me coming and waves me off. "On the house, Sheriff. For handling that situation."
I nod my thanks. Pay anyway. Leave a generous tip.
When I get back to my patrol car, I sit in the silence for a long moment.
My hands are shaking. The adrenaline is wearing off.
I could have killed him.
The thought comes unbidden. True.
When I saw his hand on her arm, when I heard him call her nothing, something in me wanted to forget the badge and the oath and the law. Wanted to show him exactly what happens to men who hurt women in my town.
I didn't.
Because I'm the sheriff. Because I'm supposed to be better.
But God, it was tempting.
I start the car and head back to the station.
Friday is coming. Callum's dinner. The confrontation we all know is inevitable.
When it happens, we'll be ready.
All four of us.
United.
Because Jessica isn't nothing.
