23

The next morning, the immediate family met in the living room. I was quiet, I was not planning to say much. I was in green pants and a brown blouse. Floyd sat in her usual chair and Bear and Dodd just stood up. Dodd looked annoyed as usual and Hanzee just stood in the corner. No one said a thing and Floyd just shook her head with annoyance.

"Alright this is enough! We are all family here and we are in a war. We can't be squabbling amongst ourselves. Now Ollie is taking your father to the doctor today and we all need to be over this, by the time they return." she said. I just stared at Dodd almost with little to no emotion. I couldn't believe he was the reason for everything that's happened and that's going to happen. His lies are the reason Gale's life would be in in danger. He's the reason that his brother was taken from him. Dodd clenched his jaw annoyed at my staring.

"You got something to say?" he asked.

"No but I'm sure you do." I replied flatly. Hanzee tensed. He had nothing to worry about however, I wasn't going to share his dirty little secret. Floyd looked at Dodd.

"You threatened her, Dodd. You threatened her family, our allies. So, you're going to be punished." she declared, and Dodd whipped his head to her almost as if he didn't believe her.

"What are you going to do?" he asked. Before she could speak, I raised my head.

"You like to be violent; I like to be violent too." I replied. Now everyone looked at me. A few seconds after, the door opened, and a Gerhardt man came into the view of the doorway.

"A man from Georgia is here. He is asking to see Ms. Everdale." he replied. Dodd's eyes tightened on me as Floyd looked at me.

"Our deal from last night is still on the table… except I want my man to do it." I replied. Dodd looked at me and then his mother.

"Do what?" he asked. Floyd just stared at me for a moment as if thinking long and hard about this, but she nodded.

"Bring him in." she said and the henchman nodded and left the room. Dodd just looked between me and his mom.

"Do what, ma?" he asked a bit louder. Floyd looked up at him.

"You put your hands on Dawn and threatened her. I cannot allow that to happen again." she said. I just crossed my legs and stared at Dodd as heavy footsteps began to transition into the room. Dodd and Bear looked over at the doorway as the footsteps grew louder. Floyd kept her hands crossed and maintained a professional position as a very large man entered the doorway. And here he was, Silas. Standing at six-five weighing at three hundred and twenty pounds of pure muscle.

"What the hell ma!" Dodd asked as all the men just stared up at Silas who kept his hands clasped over each other.

"So these are my terms for me not moving out," I said smiling up at Silas as he stood beside my chair. I then looked at Dodd. "Silas here is going to punch you in the face. And you will not retaliate or fight back since you drew first blood." Dodd didn't have his guns on him so I knew he couldn't shoot up the place. Silas began to remove his black leather jacket and I was kind enough to hold it for him over my lap. Dodd just looked at Floyd.

"Ma you're not going to let this happen now are you?" he asked. Floyd raised her head.

"You're the reason the counteroffer with Joe Bulo went south. This is your punishment for that among many other things. You will take this punishment then we will all move on from this." she said before looking away as if her words were final. Bear seemed very pleased with this outcome and Hanzee just stood there looking down as if hiding a smile himself. Dodd looked at me and I just stared at him and slowly he nodded.

"Alright. Fine. I can take it. Bring it you big behemoth. Give me your best shot!" he challenged. Silas looked down at me and I looked up at him.

"You heard him." I replied and Silas just nodded and began to take a few steps forward.

"Yes Ms. Everdale." he said in a low thick tone that made Dodd's eyes pop with surprise. I just sat there calmly watching as Silas's right hand curled into a fist his knuckles cracking in the process. His arms were like lightning and in one motion, he popped Dodd square in the jaw and his entire body spun around before he fell to the ground. I just watched him hit the ground, face planning into the rug. Floyd just looked away and Bear just stared down at the ground with a big smile. Hanzee was tense but remained in his spot. Floyd looked up at me.

"It's done then." she said with a nod. Silas stepped back over to me and I smiled and raised his coat to him of which he nodded and placed it back on his body. He then bowed his head in respect.

"Ms. Everdale." he responded. I nodded once at him and he did the same before moving from the room. His large footsteps faded from our ears as he was out the door. Once it closed, I smiled.

"Yes. It's done." I replied. Dodd fought to get to his feet and once he was up, his body wobbled a bit and he cleared his throat, his mouth red with blood. He panted some and cleared his throat as he looked around at all of us as if not knowing where he was before looking at me nodding.

"Yeah, it's done." he said, and I nodded some more in agreement. Floyd nodded.

"Alright. This foolishness is behind us. No more retaliations unless it against those Kansas City bastards who killed my son." she said before getting up and looking around at everyone before leaving the room. Bear followed after his mother laughing now. Dodd just looked at me now with a dark lustful stare.

"Before all this is over, I'm gonna put a son in you." he declared, and I just stared up at him before he smirked spitting out blood on the wooden floor before walking out of the room. He knew it would be cleaned up. Hanzee just glanced down at me before leaving the room behind him. I inhaled slowly now trying to keep calm. I felt the trust had shifted in me still and I knew if I had to watch myself it would be around both Dodd and Hanzee.

After breakfast, I told Floyd I was going to go into town and hang out.

"You sure you want to go out alone?" she asked. I shrugged.

"I figure no one is going to do anything in broad daylight. If you want to put a man on me you can." I replied and she sighed and shook her head.

"No. We need all the men here; we can't spare none off the ranch. I trust your judgement. Be smart and keep your eyes open." she said. I nodded and left the house. Already Simone was beside her car, a cigarette blowing from her red lips.

"You had someone punch Dodd in the face. That's hot. Get in we're going for a ride." she said with a smirk. I really was not in the mood to hang with someone. If anything, I just wanted to see Gale again. I needed to talk to him to be in his arms. We moved into her car and took off. The window was down some letting her cigarette smoke out. "God, I gotta tell ya, when Uncle Bear told me you had your guy punch Dodd out, I nearly jumped with joy. I've wanted to do that for a long time."

I don't think she'd stop at just punching. I shrugged.

"I did what I had to do." I replied and she nodded.

"And you are radical for it!" she replied, and I just gave a small smile before looking around. The snow covered the land like a white ocean.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Just need to get some weed from my guy. We'll be fast then we'll go shopping." she explained. I arched a brow.

"You're not worried about all that's going on? I mean after what Hanzee and the others did to Joe Bulo, I'm sure they're going to come for you guys even harder now." I replied. She shrugged.

"Sucks for them. But I'm not worried. I'm not worried at all." she said. She drove into town and parked in front of an abandoned shoe warehouse. She looked at me.

"Okay so I have never really met this person. I just heard he has good weed. Will you come with me, you know make sure he's on the up and up?" she asked. I rolled my eyes and sighed before nodding.

"Okay fine." I replied and she smiled with excitement and got out of the car. I followed after her and we moved over to the side of the building.

"He said he's waiting in the breakroom an emergency exit should be here to lead us inside." she informed. I could see a beige door in the middle of the building. Used to men holding doors open for me, I didn't think anything of Simone opening the door and holding it open for me. The second I walk inside, my mind doesn't process anything around me, all I see is Mike Milligan stepping inside from the other end of the room. My entire body jumps to attention and I scream immediately. But a hand covers my mouth from behind and an arm locks around my waist and lifts me off the ground. I begin to struggle against my captor.

"Dawn stop it!" he says lowly in my ear and my eyes widened as I looked to see it was Gale. I looked at him utterly stunned. Mike laughed.

"Wow, Gale you've really got her trained." he replied. What the hell was going on?