*Author's Note*

Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.

Oh yes, the awkward pain of weddings was great in the last chapter, right? Well it continues next, poor Cap lol. I mean all the weddings I ever went to always had something go wrong like a late start, awkward dinner convos, drunk brawls, etc. LOL!

Anyways enjoy the chapter and the twist at the end.

A Wedding Reception & Molotov Cocktails

Cap POV:

I've been at this wedding reception for a few hours now. I didn't like the guy at my table, Fred. The guy was a peckerhead. His wife, Grace, was a bit dense and looked like a barbie doll. The fact that she was a nurse practitioner had me nervous, I mean I wouldn't want her seein' me or tendin' to me if I was sick in a hospital or doctor's office. I know that she's Nova's friend, but she just seems to be lacking common sense.

I was at the open bar waiting to get a drink, watchin' Nova dance with her friends to some song they used to jam to in college, whenever an average looking guy with sandy hair walked over and joined me at the bar. "You're Nova's boyfriend?" The man asked me as the barkeep placed my glass of bourbon infront of me.

"Yea, name's Cap Hatfield." I answered as I grabbed my drink

"Brett Williams." The man introduced himself. Pointing out to the group of sorority sisters dancing he said, "My wife's Molly, the one in the purple sundress."

"Ah." I simply nodded, sipping on my drink. Fred was sitting at my table and I've had enough of him, so I opted to just lean 'gainst the bar to enjoy my drink.

"Scotch on the rocks, please." Brett told the bartender before turning his attention to me and saying, "Noticed you're stuck at Fred's table. I had to sit with him at the last wedding, Vicky's, and it was hell on earth. That man's a pompous ass."

"Peckerhead's more of what I was thinkin', but pompous ass works too." I told Brett as the bartender gave him his drink

The sandy-haried broad man took a sip of his scotch before suggesting. "How bout we head to my table and bullshit while our women dance and do their thing."

"Like sports?" I asked, needing to know that we had something in common before I went off to buddy-buddy with the man. I didn't want to get stuck talking 'bout dumb shit like I'd been doin' with Fred at my table.

"Yea, played football in high school and college." Brett answered as he took another sip of his drink.

"Okay, reckon I can bullshit with you for a bit. Better then dealin' with Fred." Hell getting a hole in my head would be more fun them dealing with Fred. Fred was just horrible, couldn't stand him one bit.

Novella POV:

"Molly, look, your hubby and my boyfriend are talkin' at ya'll's table." I told my friend as I spotted Brett and Cap sitting at table 9, bonding over their glasses of amber liquor. Oh and no doubt their hatred of Fred and love of football.

"Most likely complaining about the décor, food, and teal everything here." Molly giggled as she looked over at her table to see our men having an animated conversation.

"Too bad Charlotte didn't seat us together. Dinner would've been a lot smoother then it was."

"Yea, saw Fred's at your table. Sat with him at Vicky's wedding and thought my Brett was gonna clobber him."

"Think we should let our men talk alone or should we join them?" I asked, feeling a bit hesitant about leaving Cap alone for too long. My boyfriend wasn't a very sociable person and had no mouth filter so…

"Let them drink and complain amongst themselves, we're having fun girl." Molly told me as she swayed her hips to the beat of the music, dancing and having fun. Her little daughter was nearby dancing with a small group of other kids. Like mother like daughter I guess, they like to dance.

"You two stop talkin', it'll sober me up too much." Hayley told us, twirling and dancing, before taking a sip of the cocktail she was holding. Yea, only blonde-bombshell Hayley would drink and dance at the same time. To give her credit she hasn't spilt any of her drink on the floor yet.

"Next wedding'll be yours." Susannah told me with a smile that made her filled lips stretch and upturn a bit creepily.

"Oh god…" I mumbled before remarking over the music, "Let's not get that far ahead of ourselves."

"Oh, come on, we all know that you and Cap are going to get married one day. He wouldn't be here with you if that thought wasn't in the back of your head." Abby told me in a sure tone, rolling her eyes at me.

"Today's Charlotte's big day, let's focus on her happiness instead of trying to marry me off to my boyfriend." I told everyone, trying to get them off of the subject of me needing to marry Cap.

Much to my pleasure nobody brought up me, Cap, and marriage again. A few minutes later a slow song came on. I was walking off of the dancefloor whenever Cap appeared at my side. He didn't say a word, just took my hand in his and led me out onto the dance floor. He placed his hands on my hips and brought me flush against him. I just wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder.

Slowly we swayed back and forth to the slow song the DJ was playing. As a typical wedding cliché, it was a '80s ballad being played. Please Forgive Me by Bryan Adams, the king of '80s romance songs, to be exact.

I felt so comfortable and at peace in Cap's arms, swaying and slow dancing. I never wanted the moment to end, but I knew it'd have to eventually.

After a while everyone was asked to go back to their tables for the cake cutting. Oh goody, cake. Cap was tensely sitting in his seat, waiting for the cake to get cut by the newlywed couple with an unreadable expression on his cold-chiseled face. I knew he was a bit aggravated that he had to be around Fred again. It was as clear as a sunny day to me that Cap liked Fred about as much as he liked Tolbert and he hated the ginger shiner so…

The cake in the front of the room was huge. It was made out of 8 large round tiers. It was covered in white fondant with orange fondant starfish and teal fondant ribbons. Candy pearls lined the bottom of each tier while the topper was a white-teal ombre colored heart with various orange shells glued into it.

"Damn, that's a big cake." Cap whispered to me as we watched Greg and Charlotte walk up to the cake table.

"Yea, it is." I whispered back as I watched the newly wed couple grab the cake knife, that's handle had teal, white, and orange ribbons twined and dangling off it.

The couple sliced the cake and delicately fed it to each other, elating cheers from everyone. After the bride and groom took their seats the rest of the cake was sliced up and handed out. As soon as a server placed some cake in front of me and Cap his nose turned up. Looking between me and the cake he asked, "Why's there orange lookin' goo in the cake?"

"It's the filling." I explained as I picked up my fork.

"Oh my god, this cake is to die for. It's key lime with mango filling." Grace gushed after taking a bite out of the wedding desert.

"Yep, I' gonna die eatin' it." Cap muttered deeply under his breath as he picked a small piece off his slice with his fork.

"Cap, be nice and eat it." I told her under my breath before eating a bite of my own piece. Eh, it tasted interesting. Definitely went with the beach theme.

"You don't have fine bakeries in the back hills so you're probably not used to tasting gourmet cake." Fred sneered in an even, mocking tone.

"No, we don't got fine bakeries in Mate Creek cause up where I'm from women know how to cook and bake. Nothin' better then a Black Forest cake made by scratch. Oh and when I saw scratch I don't mean that boxed shit from Betty Crocker either." Cap told off Fred in smirk before eating his tropical flavored cake.

Fred just looked wide-eyed and clueless. Apparently, he didn't know how to come back to Cap's remark. Fred and Grace's 4-year-old and 2-year-old were playing with their cake instead of eating it. Good to know they didn't like it either. The baby was asleep in it's carrier on the chair. Lucky thing was too young to taste the interesting cake.

"I'm not much of a cook or baker, but Nova is. She can make just about anything from scratch." Grace told Cap, hoping to settle the tension rising in the air.

Wrong move, Grace, wrong move. Cap just rolled his eyes before snapping in his deep waving tone, "I know she can cook. I'm with her, ain't I?"

Great, Cap's aggravated by the people at our table and the cake sucks. I hope the rest of this reception is nice. Hopefully the bouquet and garter tosses will happen soon so we can go. I don't know how much more of this I can handle. Hmm, going to a wedding with a date's just as much of a hassle then going stag. Stag I got hit on endlessly by drunk groomsmen and random drunk guests, I was always pushing people away. Having a date keeps the men away, but not knowing what's going to come out of Cap's mouth cause he's tired, bored, and irritated is enough to spur on a migraine.

Shortly after the bouquet toss, which to my surprise I won and got the teal, white, and orange ribbon tied bunch of mixed tropical flowers, and the garter toss, which Cap won since he was as tall as a tree, we said our goodbyes to the bride and groom and then left. I was tired and my feet hurt. Cap was tired and in a stressed-out mood. It was apparent that Charlotte's wedding wasn't the highlight of his weekend, but he endured it cause she was my friend.

I was overjoyed whenever Cap slid our keycard into the slot and opened up the door. As soon as we stepped into our room I kicked off my heels. "Damn, my feet are killing me." I explained to Cap the reason why I kicked my shoes off as he started to unbutton his black vest.

"Figured. Bet they're blistered now too." Cap told me, peeling off his vest as I dropped my flowers on the dresser before unzipping my dress.

"Yea, they are." I confirmed as I let my dress pool round my feet. Grabbing some pajamas from the dresser I remarked, "God, I'll be wearing flats for a good week."

"Hope you brought some to the house." Cap told me as he took off his shirt.

"I did." I told him as I unsnapped my bra. Taking it off and pulling on my sleep-tank I chuckled, "Actually I stuck most of my shoes into your closet."

"Oh, nice to know my three pairs of shoes are hidden behind your billion pairs." Cap teased as he took off his dress-pants while I pulled on my pajama shorts. "I don't mind. I'm happy you've moved in." He smirked as we walked over to the bed.

I know he was thrilled that I confirmed that we were living together. The fact that I was living with him now left me feeling anxious. I'm not sure I was ready for that big of a commitment with him yet, but guess I had to be. I opened my big mouth at the reception and what I said about moving in with him can't be taken back. I made my bed, now I gotta lie in it.

Meanwhile In Pikeville, Kentucky

Nancy POV:

"Frank, we gotta do somethin'. She can't get 'way with bein' with him." I firmly told my husband, my voice soundin' hard and snake-like, as we scrolled through the pictures his man tailin' Novella sent us. Damnit, she was at a wedding introducing all these people to her demon Hatfield. Picture after picture showed Novella and Cap Hatfield together or mingling with people she knew at that wedding. Goddamnit, they even caught the bouquet and garter. She was off playing happy couple with the evil man that wants to kill my cousin, the same cousin she's s'posed to be with and savin'.

"What'd ya say we do?" Frank asked me as we looked at the last picture that was in the set sent to his phone.

"Tomorrow night, late after they get back, torch her car." I ordered my husband, my low bitter voice flat, but full of hatred.

Frank raised a brow and gave me a clueless look. "Torch her car? What good'll that do?"

"It'll send her a message. She loves that car, it used to belong to her uncle til she started driving. He got it redone for her and customized." I explained the reason behind by idea, resting my head on Frank's shoulder as we sat on the couch together.

"So losin' her car'll hurt her feelin's?" Frank asked with a hmm type look crossin' over his weasel-like face.

"Yes, but since it's parked in that demon's driveway they'll both know it weren't an accident. That her car gettin' torched is cause they're together instead of her bein' here in Kentucky with my cousin."

"Oh, so you plan on scarin' her 'way from the Hatfield and West Virginie?" Yea, now my Frank gets it. Oh, if it weren't for me I don't know how he'd ever use that brain of his. He's smart, but safe to say I'm smarter and more cunning.

I nodded and smiled wickedly. "Yes, Frank, so call up whoever and make sure it gets done."

My Frank gave me a peck before gettin' up and goin' into another room to make the call to get that Hatfield lovin' bitch's car torched. Oh, once that precious car of hers is on fire she'll run 'way from that demon Hatfield. Hell, he'll throw her back 'cross the river for bringin' harm to his front door. Yes, my plan was gonna work out great. Tolbert's gonna get Novella back, I'll make sure of it.

Nobody betrays the McCoys and gets 'way with it. Nobody.

Novella POV:

Since we had a good 10-hour ride home Cap wasn't too happy that we had to wait til noon to check-out. He tried to reason with the clerk and explained why we needed an early checkout, but the woman didn't budge. Of course, when noon came Cap darted to the front desk to pay while having me load up the car and wait for him. Once he we were checked out we got gas and something for lunch, then hit the highway for the long drive home.

Oh boy the drive back home seemed even longer then the drive to the Sunshine State. All of the highways seemed packed. Dinner was from Hardee's somewhere in North Carolina at about 8 at night. At least Cap let us eat inside of the burger joint, but I think that's only cause it'd be too hard for him to eat and drive in the dark. Mountain roads, even the highways, were very windin' an' treacherous. One needed to pay attention in the dark to navigate them safely.

It was nearly midnight now and we were just pullin' into the driveway. Oh god I was so tired. I just wanted to go to bed. Cap turned off the engine and then dragged himself out of the car. "I'll get the bags. You can just go in and get ready for bed." He told me, as I got out of the car, before walking over to the trunk.

"Okay." I simply said before walking to the house. As I stood on the front porch unlocking the door I heard him slam the trunk close. I just walked in and headed upstairs. I knew that he'd be in shortly.

"Thank god the next weddin' we're going to's here in Mate Creek." I heard Cap sigh as he dropped our bags down on the floor.

"Whose wedding are we going to next?" I asked, coming out of the bathroom with a large sleepshirt on. Actually, the shirt was one of his, but it worked to sleep in so…

Pulling off his t-shirt he simply answered with the name of, "Skunk Hair."

"Oh." I let out as I got into bed.

"Yea, him and Vera's gonna do somethin' small. Since we're best friends I'm gonna be his bestman." Cap told me as he took off his shoes, unzipped his jeans, and stepped out of them. I didn't say a word, just nodded as I watched Cap take off his socks and grab his wallet and phone from his jean pocket. "Maybe we should do dinner with them sometime so you and Skunk Hair can get on friendly terms." Cap suggest as he walked over to his side of the bed, dropping his wallet on the bedside table and pluging in his iPhone before getting in.

"Yea, maybe." I yawned as I fought to keep my eyes open.

"Gonna be a bitch wakin' up in the morning." Cap remarked, his deep waving tone dripping with exhaustion, as he set the alarm clock. He bent down and gave me a kiss before saying, "Nite, baby."

"Nite, Cap." I replied, my eyes droppin', as he laid down in bed.

He pulled me to his side and as soon as my head hit his chest he softly told me, "Get some sleep babe." I didn't say anything, just closed my eyes and went to sleep.

Unfortunately, sleep didn't last long. Maybe 20 minutes if we were lucky. A loud thunderous boom sounded outside causing us to jolt up. "What was that?" I asked a bit startled.

"Dunno. Stay here, I'll go look out the window." Cap said as he got out of bed. He went over to the window and looked outside. "Holy fuckin' shit! Your car's on fire in my driveway! Shit!" Cap shouted, shock laced in his deep rolling tone.

"What?!"

"Yea and my car's next to it, bout to get blown up too."

"Oh my god…" I sighed shakily. This can't be happening.

"I'm gonna call 911, then my pa." Cap told me as he snatched up his phone from the charging dock on the bedside table. "Don't look out there, it'll just upset and scare ya." Cap ordered me before racing out of the room and dialing 911. I could hear his voice down the hall say, "My girlfriend's car's on fire and mine's gonna be on fire any minute."

Not listening to what I was told, I got out of bed and rushed over to the window. I pulled the curtain back only to gasp in horror as I saw the fiery red-orange-yellow hued flames engulfing my car. I watched as some flames began to dance across Cap's car, burning that too. The sight was like something out of a movie. I never thought I'd be looking out my bedroom window to see my car get burned into nothing but a twisted metal charred-out frame.

I let out a deep sigh of sorrow and closed the drape. I shuffled over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of yoga pants, after putting them on I left the bedroom and headed down stairs. I wasn't sure, but I figured that Cap would be outside on the porch waiting for the fire department. I walked out the front door only to see Cap perched on the porch step smoking with a clenched jaw. Silently I took a seat next to him.

Breaking the silence in the cackling air Cap told me, "Fire truck'll be here soon. Pa's comin' over too."

"Okay. Maybe you should get dressed." I suggested as I eyed his bare chest. Cap was still only wearing his boxers.

"I'll go put on some sweats. Just wait here for the fire truck." Cap told me before stubbing out his cigarette, getting up, and going into the house to get dressed.

I just nodded my head while grabbing the back of Reds and lighter that were on the porch step. As I lit up a cigarette I was watching the red-orange-yellow flittering flames lick at Cap's car. As I took my first drag off my smoke the fire was fully engulfing my boyfriend's car. It would just be a matter of minutes before it blew up and turned into a mangled mess of metal frame, just like my car had done.

If only the damn fire department would hurry up.

It was nearly 3 in the morning and the first responders (being the fire fighters and cops) had just left. They got our statements and arranged for some junker trucks to tow the cars to the junkyard on the edge of Mate Creek. Devil Anse was still here tho. He was actually leaning against the porch post while I sat on the steps with Cap standing next to him. Instead of leaving the intimidating cold man stayed and stared at us for a few moments before opening his mouth and saying, "This was a targeted attack. Any idea who'd wanna do this?"

I remembered the warning my brother had given me a week or so ago about Nancy and her husband Bad Frank. They popped into my mind and my gut clenched, knowing even tho I had no proof that they'd done it. "Nancy McCoy and her husband Bad Frank Phillips. They're behind this."

Devil Anse raised a brow before asking me, "Why'd you think that?"

"My brother told me he heard that Bad Frank used to be a Pinkerton years ago and was in the James Gang. He was worried if Nancy suspected I was seeing Cap that she'd have her husband or his goon buddies do something."

"Why didn't ya tell me bout that, babe?" Cap asked as he slightly turned to look at me. Curiosity was shining in his lone icy eye as his mily-white eye just stared a hole into me.

"Cause I didn't think she'd be suspicious." I honestly answered, earning me a head nod from him. "The only one that knows bout us is…" I began to say, trailing off right before the name could slip off of my tongue. No, she wouldn't. Or would she?

"Is who?" Devil Anse asked in a deep tone, his brows furrowed as he looked at me.

Cap's mismatched eyes widened. His mind coming to the same conclusion as mine had.

"Roseanna." I let out in a shaky breath.

Anger flooded Cap's stone-cold featured face as he snarled deeply, "Bitch lied, said she wouldn't tell on ya for seein' me. That was bullshit."

"Well, I'm gonna have to call some people I know to make sure this stays out of the papers and off the news." Devil Anse said deeply, but flatly, as he looked over at the cars that would be getting towed soon. Looking between us, he said, "Get some things packed, I'm bringin' ya'll home with me. It'll put your ma's mind at ease having ya'll 'round for a while after what happened." Now I'm stuck going to the devil's house so his wife can calm down, see that her son's okay. Oh my, I'm in it deep now. "I'll also have some of the boys bring over two trucks from the lumber yard to the house for ya'll." Devil Anse told us, taking me by surprise.

"Thanks, pa." Cap nodded, a grateful look in in his icy eye and its milky twin.

"Thank you, Mr. Hatfield, but I'm not sure that I can accept a truck from you. I can just get a rental til my insurance cuts me a check." I politely told him. I didn't need his charity. Plus I knew the man didn't like me much.

Devil Anse's cold beady blue eyes bore a hole into my head while telling me in a deep and flat no-nonsense tone, "Just take the truck, Miss Landon. You're a part of the Hatfield clan now, Nancy and Frank Phillips made sure of that when they torched the cars."

Before I could say anything back to Devil Anse Cap looked at me and said, "Babe, can ya pack us a bag? I'm gonna talk to my pa for a minute."

"Sure." I nodded before getting up from the porch steps and walking into the house.

Cap POV:

As soon as Nova closed the door I rounded on my pa and told him, "Now you're welcomin' her in the family with open arms, now that her car got blown up by McCoys?"

"Yes." Pa simply told me, causin' me to narrow my eyes at him. "Seems that she's pissed them off." No shit, of course she pissed them off considerin' they blew up her car and mine too. "That car of her's was an antique, used to belong to her uncle Perry Cline many years ago. Back then it was all black tho." I didn't know that. Nova never said how she got the car and I never asked. "Nancy and Frank Phillips were sendin' her a message. It ain't just us the McCoys are at war with, but her too." Pa said, his deep-smooth voice firm and solid.

"This is just the cherry on my shit-sundae this weekend." I scoffed, foldin' my arms over my chest. Now I get why she was so leery to tell the MCCoys we're datin' and livin' together. Reckon she had a feeling somethin' bad would happen.

"Ya better start carryin'." Pa advised in a deep, but fatherly tone. "Once I find out who Mr. Phillips had do this tonight I'll have Jim take care of him." He assured me, hoping to calm my sizzling temper.

"And me, I want to help Jim." I told my pa, my voice deep and full of resolve.

He shook his head at me, his face droppin' slightly. "I don't want that for you. You're a lawyer, made something out of yourself. You don't need to devote your life to arms and fightin' like I did."

"Almost everyone's involved, time I take my place as your lieutenant cause I know Johnse's too soft to do it and Robert E. don't got the sense."

"You're the goddamn ADA in Pikeville, can't be my lieutenant." Pa snapped at me, his eyes narrowin' slightly with irritation shining in them.

"Pa, let me do this." I pleaded before steeling my face and adding, "I can handle the fine line between lawman and outlaw."

"I'll think bout it, but I'll let you help Uncle Jim take care of who torched the cars. Deal?" He offered me, a quizzical look on his cold-featured face.

"Deal." I nodded just as I heard the door open. Turnin' 'round I spotted Nova walkin' onto the porch with a bag slung over her shoulders.

"Lock up, let's go." Pa ordered before walking off the porch towards his large truck.

Silently I took Nova's hand and led her down the porch and over to the large Dodge Ram my pa was getting into.

AN:

DUN DUN DUN Devil Anse traffics guns via his lumber business. I needed a reason for the rift between Anse and Randall, other than Jim killing Harmon and the bad romance between Johnse and Roseanna, so that's why Anse is in the gun business. In the history channel miniseries Randall never got over Anse's desertion of the Conferate Army, but for modern day purposes instead of desertion it's gun running. Randall's a religious man so I don't see him approving of easy money from gun running, he'd most likely view it as blood money. In the miniseries he viewed Devil Anse as profiting from deserting while others died and suffered for the Southern cause so…

Err Cap wants in the family business cause Bad Frank sicked his James Gang goon friends on Nova, oh boy. Oh Nancy's scheme is backfiring in her face a bit. Seems that Cap's more dangerous then what he lets on too.

Drama's in the air and the jury selection for the trial's still a couple weeks away. Oh boy, how exciting! Oh, either the next chapter or the one after that should have Tolbert in it.