*Author's Note*
Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.
This picks up where the last chapter left off.
The New West Virginian
Novella POV:
We walked hand in hand across the grassy pasture and into the tree lined woods. The woods were full of jewel toned leaves hanging from brown branches. Bright ambers, crimsons, burnt-oranges, and citrines danced in the slight breeze and made the atmosphere seem more serene. Quietly we walked, the only sound being our feet crunching on the fallen leaves covering the ground and of the one's rustling on the branches above us. We came to a small clearing that opened up to a large rectangle sized red-wood dock and a large stream. The stream was more like a little pond. The water was a beautiful clear blue that reflected the sun.
"I used to fish here a lot as a kid." Cap revealed as we walked onto the dock.
"I went fishing once or twice growing up." I told Cap, offering him a small smile, as we sat down on the dock besides each other. Cap put his arm around me, pulling me into him, as I said in a light chuckle, "Got pushed into the water once, how I learned how to swim."
"Let me guess, once of the McCoys tossed ya in to see if you'd sink or swim?" He darkly asked, rolling his mismatched eyes, as he looked ahead at the beautiful body of water.
Nodding my head, I simply said the name, "Tolbert."
"Hmm, such a nice guy…" He sarcastically scoffed, his deep rolling timbre lingering in the crisp fall air. "I know you got a past with the McCoys, but ya gotta realize that now the only thing good 'bout them's the memories of 'em. They ain't those same people ya knew growin' up, baby."
"I know…" I sighed out relentlessly, knowing deep down that what he was saying made sense and had a truthful ring to it. "It's just had seeing them all in a new light."
"Yea, it's never easy to realize that who we think are the good guys turn out to be the bad guys while the bad guys are really good."
"Oh boy, now you're turning into a philosopher." I teased, lifting my head up off his chest to give him a little playful smirk.
"Guess I am." He shrugged, a small grin on his face.
My phone rang loudly, breaking the peaceful calm of the pond's atmosphere. I pulled out my phone and looked at the flashing screen. "It's Moses." I told Cap, who was just eying up my phone. He nodded and motioned with his hand for me to answer my brother's call. "Hey, Mo." I greeted my brother, holding my iPhone to my ear.
"Sissy, Uncle Perry told me you totaled your car. He chewed my ass out, blamin' me for you datin' Cap. So, what did Nancy and Bad Frank do to the car?" Moses quickly rattled off instead of nicely telling me hi or something. Just got straight to it.
"You figured out that I didn't total the car then."
"Of course, I did. I told ya that Bad Frank's got gangster connections and Nancy's a nutcase. So, what really happened?"
"At like 12:30-1 in the morning my car got torched. It blew up, so did Cap's." I truthfully told my brother, knowing that he'd keep what was said between us.
"Goddamn….that's some hardcore shit right there." Moses lowly whistled out in his drawling voice. "Is Cap 'round? Can I talk to him for a sec?"
"Yea." I told my brother before passing the phone over to Cap. "Moses wants to talk to ya." I explained as he took the phone with a slightly raised dirty blonde brow.
"Hey." Cap told my brother over the phone.
Moses POV:
"Dude, my uncle read me the riot act bout your ass. I know what your family's side business is so I know that you can protect my sister from Bad Frank and his James Gang goons." I told the man my uncle said was involved in a gun running scheme with his kin as I sat in my truck, chillin' in the parking lot of the law office.
Honestly, I didn't give a shit what Cap and his family did for extra cash. I mean Tolbert's a shiner, that's illegal. How is it that Uncle Perry and Randall are cool with Tolbert making illegal homemade hooch for money, but are damnin' the Hatfeilds for runnin' guns under the logging business. Shit, people gotta eat. How they do it's none of my business. Hot damn, I'm gonna make a horrible lawyer cause I don't give two shits bout nothin'. Hmm, wonder if them Hatfields could hook me up with a kick ass rifle for huntin'.
"Yep." Cap popped his tongue. I knew that since my sister was with him he couldn't say much, but just hearing that one-word answer of yep was enough to make me feel confident that he's gonna protect my older sister. Hell, my only sister.
"If you need anythin', like some information and a computer system hacked, just let me know. I'm on my sister's side in this bullshit. I don't give a damn bout the McCoys no more. Hell, even my uncle's too worried 'bout Ole Rand'l then Novella."
"Yea, I'll let ya know if you can help."
"I gotta run, drop some shit off at the courthouse. Was just checkin' in." I told Cap while crankin' on my truck.
Over the sound of my radio blaring to live I heard him say, "Bye.", before hanging up. I just tossed my phone in an empty cupholder and pulled out onto the side street that'd take me to the road. Damn, looks like I'm gonna be pickin' my best friend Billy McCoy's head lots an' lots when I hang out with him, see if he knows anythin'. Eh, anythin' useful for my sister's safety that is.
Novella POV:
"Yea, I'll let ya know if you can help." I heard Cap tell my brother before following it up a minute later with a simple, "Bye." After hanging up the phone he handed it back to me while saying, "I assured your brother that you'll be safe living with me."
"Oh, so he asked you something bout that then? Why you answered with yep?"
"Mhm." Cap mumbled deeply, his Adam's apple vibrating in his throat, as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and brought me close to his side. "Nobody hurts what's mine." I heard him declare, his deep voice soft, barely above a whisper, as he kissed the top of my head.
Tolbert POV:
I was in Pikeville grocery shoppin' after takin' Sally Elle t'school an' doin' a couple mornin' deliveries. After leavin' the store I decided to pop into Perry Cline's office to see if Ella was back from her trip yet. I didn't see her hot pink an' black hot rod in the parkin' lot an' for some reason that didn't sit well wit' me. I hope she just left the car at home an' got a ride wit' Perry or Moses I turned off my truck and got out, holdin' onto hope that'd I'd see Ella's purty smile this late mornin'.
The walk up the alleyway sidewalk was short. The town seemed to be a bit quiet today, odd for a Monday. I went over to the glass windowed doors of the firm and pulled them open, settin' off the old-fashioned brass bell chime above 'em. My old as time Aunt Betty looked up from her desk, her piercin' beady blue eyes starin' at me. "Novella's not here, never came in." She told me, knowin' my reason for bein' here.
"What? Why?" I asked, frozen in place near the doorway.
"Dunno, go talk t'Perry. He most likely knows her reasonin'."
I just nodded my head 'fore walkin' down the hall to Perry's office. Once I reached his door I knocked an' popped my head in the door. "Perry, Aunt Betty told me I need'a talk t'ya bout why Ella's not here."
"Ah…" Perry sighed, his mouth tightly lined. Motionin' to the chairs in front of his desk he said, "Come on in and take a seat, Tolbert.
"Is ev'thin' okay? Ya sound upset." I questioned, walkin' into the office an' takin' a seat across from Perry in one of the leather sittin' chairs.
"I have a lot to tell you 'bout Novella and why she's not in today."
"Okay. Go 'head." I nodded, givin' him the okay to tell me whatever it was he had'a say.
"Novella totaled her car last night, that's why she's not here today." Perry said, causin' my eyes to widen in fear.
"Is she hurt? What happened?" I asked, my gruff velvet tone rushed an' snappy. I needed to know that Ella was okay. Her bein' hurt or worse would destroy me, rip my heart out.
"Tolbert, calm down. She's fine, she's not hurt, but I'm not sure what happened." Perry told me, his slick voice an even pitch. "All I know she that she totaled her car." He told me, pausin' for a moment 'fore addin' in, "She's staying with her boyfriend."
"Boyfriend? Ella don't got a boyfriend." The bullshit my cousin told me better not be true.
"Apparently now she does. Seems she reconnected with the man she was seeing in Baltimore."
So my cousin was right, she's got herself a man. So Mr. Bal'more was tall an' blonde wit' a sports car. Just my luck. Bastard's not even from here. Narrowin' my stormy-blues at the fine dressed lawyer I stated, "So she's outta state's what'cha tellin' me."
"Yes. I don't know when she'll be back, but I'm hoping it'll be soon. She should be renting a car to use shortly."
"Thanks for lettin' me know what's goin' on. I'll call Ella, talk t'her myself 'bout all this."
"You're welcome, Tolbert. When you talk to her remind her that she's needed back here right away."
"I'll tell 'er." I told Perry 'fore gettin' up from my chair an' walkin' out of his office.
Quietly I quickly walked down the hallway an' into the main entrance room of the law office. I was gettin' ready to go ov'r to the door whenever it opened. In walked Moses wit' a tired expression on his bearded face, his dark hair was a mess tied up on top of his head. Hell, I think I do Sally Elle's hair better then how Moses do his.
"Hear 'bout my sister from my uncle?" He asked, standin' in front of me.
"Yea." I nodded, goin' to walk out the door.
The brick all of a man didn't let me pass. Moses looked at me wit' a understandin' look while sayin', "I know ya care 'bout her, but just leave her be for a while. Last thing she needs is you botherin' her."
"I can't do that, Moses. I love her, need'a check on her." He had'a know that I weren't gonna be givin' up on her. Not that she's back an' we got our second chance within our reach.
"If you truly love her, man, then let her go. If it's meant to be then it's meant to be, if not then go find a whore from up in these hills. Lord knows there's plenty 'round."
"Ya know she's got a boyfriend?" I asked since that's the vibe I was gettin' from his lil let 'er go speech.
"Yea, I know." Moses confirmed, his tone even and firm, as he looked me straight in the eyes.
"Ella's just usin' him. She really loves me, we just can't be t'getha now cause of the trial." That had'a be the case. I knew she loved me. She told me many times that she still did. Also told me that we can't date cause of bein' her client. I know that she's just bidin' her time til she can openly be my girlfriend 'gain.
"Yea…ya just keep tellin' yourself that to sleep better at night." Moses sing-songed 'fore walkin' down the hallway towards his office.
I stormed out the door an' into the back parkin' lot. After rushin' to my truck I got in an' grabbed my phone from my jacket. Quickly I turned it on an' pulled up Ella's number. I was gonna call her up, see what the hell's goin' on.
Novella POV:
We were walking back to the house whenever my phone started to ring, echoin' loud in the vast woods. I stopped, causing Cap to halt in his steps as well, and dug my iPhone from my pocket. Looking between it and my boyfriend I sighed, "It's Tolbert."
"How precious, he's callin' to make sure you're okay after his crazy cousins torched your car." Cap deeply sneered, sarcasm dripping off his tongue like venom from a snake's fangs.
"Cap, stop it." I chastised, shaking e head at him. "He's probably checking in cause Uncle Perry must've told him what happened."
"I think the entire McCoy clan knows what happened." He told me before pointing to my phone and asking in a tight snap, "Ya gonna answer that or let it ring, scare off all the wildlife?"
"I'll answer it." I told Cap, earnin' me a head shake an' a mumbled inaudible breath from him. Quickly I swiped the green button on my phone's screen 'fore sayin' into it, "Hi, Tolbert."
"Ella, darlin', I was in town shoppin' an' I popped into the office t'see ya. Yer uncle to me ya totaled yer car." Tolbert's gruff velvet timbre quickly sounded out over my phone. It was clear to me that he was worried, or at least he sounded that way.
"Yea, I totaled my car last night." I confirmed, causing Cap to roll his mismatched eyes and shake his head while standing next to me in the middle of the forest.
"How? Ya love that car of yers. Don't let nobody drive it." Err, that kinda changed when I got with Cap. I let him drive my car a few times, but Tolbert didn't need to know that. "Or did ya let yer boyfriend from Bal'more drive ya'll, have him ruin yer '70 Challenger?" Tolbert asked sarcastically, his velvet-gruff timbre dripping with distain on the term boyfriend from Baltimore.
Reckon his concern for me just ended. Now the ginger-haired hot-head's upset that I got a boyfriend. Damnit, Uncle Perry would open up his big fucking mouth. "Oh, of course Uncle Perry told you I made up with the boyfriend I had in Baltimore." I sarcastically remarked, my flowing voice rising slightly.
"Yea, Perry told me yer wit' him outta state right now." Tolbert told me, his voice high with annoyance. "I don't know what he said to make ya take him back, but be careful. I don't like the idea that yer back wit' yer ex. If he were any good ya'll wouldn't 've broke up 'fore ya got back t'Pikeville."
"Tolbert, who I'm dating's not any of your business. Don't get all snippy 'bout it." I countered, my flowing voice even and serious while being loud and commanding at the same time.
"I ain't gettin' snippy. I'm just worried bout ya cause I love ya. I think yer movin' too fast wit' yer ex, tryin' to place feelin's onto him."
"Don't go there. I told you when I moved back to town that I had fallen for somebody back in Baltimore, felt like I could move on. Remember?" He had to remember that heart to heart we had the day we met took his daughter to the park after meeting her teacher.
"But he's yer ex. Ya don't got no ties wit' him, means ya don't gotta get back wit' him. Hell, Ella, it ain't like it is wit' us. I'm yer ev'rythin', yer first love, darlin'." He told me, his velvet-smooth tone light, but also firm. I imagine right now his finely sculpted face was faltering and falling with emotions.
"Tolbert, just drop it. I'm with my boyfriend right now and that's that." I barked, feeling my body begin to shake in annoyance. Why can't he just shut up, accept that I'm not single anymore? I can't deal with his emotional state right now, I can't being myself to hear the feelings laced in his words.
"Ya know Perry needs ya back right 'way." Tolbert gruffly informed me.
"Tell my uncle I'll get there when I get there. Work's the last thing on my mind right now." I needed to worry about filing a claim with my insurance, getting a truck from the Devil, and accepting that I now live permanently with Cap. A residency status I wasn't planning on officially having, but got stuck with due to some shit happening that was out of my control.
"Darlin', if ya need a ride I'll break my bond rules an' come get'cha. I mean it, Ella. If yer in trouble or need'a ride home just say the word. I'd do anythin' for ya." He told me, emitting as much care as he could in his velvet-smooth tone.
Oh my god, he was willing to break his terms of release for me. Why is he such an ass one minute and the next a nice guy? Tolbert's being so nice and caring right now, thinking about me over himself, and I'm dating his mortal enemy. My god, I'm such a bad person ain't I?
"Don't trust a word outta his mouth." Cap mumbled to me as he watched my face fall slightly.
"What's that noise? Yer man wit' ya?" Tolbert asked, referin' to the mutterin' he must've heard in the background.
"Tolbert, I gotta go. Bye." I told him before hanging up and stuffing my phone into my back pocket.
Placing an arm around me he looked into my eyes with such an intense amount of love and concern laced in his icy eye and its milk twin. "You a'ight, babe? The shit he was sayin' seems to have struck a nerve."
"I'm fine." I assured Cap. He just gave me skeptical look which caused me to expanded with, "Perry just told him a half-truth and Tolbert was running with it's all."
Arching a brow, he enquired in his deep rolling timbre, "Does he know I'm your boyfriend? You never used my name when talkin' to him."
Nodding my head I told him, "He knows that we were seeing each other back east. I also told him that in Baltimore I was moving on with a guy I was seeing til life got in the way and we had to break up."
"If Tolbert ain't figurin' out that we're together then he's a dumbass." Cap lowly chuckled, poking fun at my ex-sweetheart. "Lets go see if pa got us those trucks." He said, slinging an arm over my shoulder and leading us out of the woods and back to the main house.
I was standing outside in the front driveway with Cap and Devil Anse looking at a pair of Dodge Ram 2500 trucks. One was black and one was silver, both had chrome accents. They seemed to be fairly new, a couple years used the most. They were freshly waxed and detailed, I could tell by how they shined and from the strong chemical smell emitting off them.
"You'll need to go to the county tax office, get these cars registered in your names." Devil Anse told us as he passed Cap over some paperwork. Most likely the deeds and information on the truck. Looking between us the tall imposing man said, "For her license change ya'll need to go to the DMV today. Joe's workin' and he won't ask for any paperwork if he sees ya bring her in, Cap." What? That's against the rules ain't it? The DMV needs everything, but your first born and the blood of a virgin to renew or give out a new id.
Cap just nodded his head, signaling that he understood his father's instructions. I on the other hand opened up my mouth and asked, "Why do I need a West Virginia id for? My Maryland one's just fine."
Devil Anse arched a brow at me while replying in his deep drawl, "Can't have the truck in your name under Logan County registration without a West Virginia id."
"Oh, um, can't Cap just have both trucks under his name?" I asked, tryin' to get out of changing my id over to a West Virginia one. Honestly, I wasn't ready for that, having an id with Cap's address on it. Err, his address as mine.
"No." Anse's deep firm was curt and firm. Expanding on his answer he told me, looking down at me with hardened icy eyes, "You're part of the family now. Even tho you're livin' with Cap you're gonna be responsible for your own truck."
Damn, his speech made sense. I got where he was coming from. He had taken me into his family fold, had finally accepted me with Cap, so he expected me to do the small things he requested. Okay, actually changing an id and getting a car registered into one's name wasn't a small thing, but apparently it was in Mr. Hatfield's eyes.
"She was just askin', pa. Didn't mean no harm." Cap said, his deep voice a bit flat, as he came to my rescue. Dampening things between me and Devil Anse before they could sky rocket.
The Hatfield patriarch nodded his head while commanding in a deep boom, "Just go get everythin' done. Come back here after ya do."
What were we, little kids? Why did we have to come back right away? Sheesh, are the Hatfields that shaken up over Bad Frank's James Gang connection targeting my car and blowing Cap's up in the process?
"Okay, pa. Don't worry, we won't be long." Cap told Anse before placing his hand on the small of my back, leading me towards the black truck. Hmm, guess he's claiming that one as his.
Silently we reached the truck and got inside of it. The truck was huge, it was definitely a heavy duty one used for work. Quietly we clicked on our belts and then Cap pulled away from the house. We were one the road for maybe a minute, the radio on softly, whenever Cap's deep rollin' timbre sounded out with, "Nova, why'd ya second guess pa for? He's just tryin' to help us out."
"I didn't second guess him, I just didn't see a reason for changing over to a West Virginia id so soon for." I answered, lightly bobbing my head to the fiddle and guitar solo sounding out over the radio from a Shania Twain song.
"Didn't see a reason? Damnit, babe, ya just moved into my house. Ain't that a reason." Cap snapped, his voice deeper then usual, as he shot me a look with his mismatched eyes.
"Yea but-" I started to say until Cap abruptly cut me off with a deep voiced, "No buts 'bout it, Nova. You've moved in so you're gonna be usin' my address and getting a West Virginia id. There ain't gonna be anythin' half-assed bout us living together."
I knew I wasn't going to be winning the battle with Cap about the change of address and new id thing. No, not with how hard-jawed and cold faced he looked as he drove us down the road towards where the nearest Logan County DMV was at.
Reckon I was going to be a new official resident documented on the West Virginia state books.
True to Devil Anse's word the guy he knew working at the DMV worked his magic and gave me a new id. Cap did most of the talking, explaining that we were dating back in Baltimore and that I moved to Logan to be with him, but due to the long move didn't have a lot of the documents I needed to show for my new id. Joe, the DMV guy, just smiled and told Cap that giving me my license wouldn't be a problem. He had me stand for a new picture, which might I add looked horrible since a blue backdrop doesn't mis well with copper hair and a coral shirt, and then printed me out the id. Told me that anybody that were kin and friends to the Hatfields could always count on him. Weird thing to say, right?
After leaving the DMV on Main street we had to drive a few blocks to reach the tax office for Logan County. There we handed over the filled-out paperwork for the trucks and showed our ids before being giving new plates and tags. Of course, Cap had a screw driver in his black truck and changed his plate in the parking lot. He assured me that he'd change mine when we got back. I knew how to change a plate, but just smiled and nodded at him. If he wanted to be the one to change it then so be it.
Currently we were on our way back to his parents' house. Brantley Gilbert was playing on the radio as I looked out the window, just starin' at all of the trees that had jewel toned leaves on them. It was easy to get lost in the beautiful colors of amber, gold, rust, and ruby on the brown barked trees while thinking bout life. Damn, my life's spiraling out of control. I feel like I'm trying to hold fine sand in my hand only to have it slip thru my fingers. I mean moving in with Cap and getting my id changed all happened so fast, I can't help to think that it shouldn't 've happened so quickly.
"Thinkin' awfully hard over there ain't ya, baby." Cap remarked, his deep wave-like voice breakin' my trance.
Turning my attention from the window and over to him I sighed, "Everything's going so fast, feels surreal."
"What? Babe, everythin's fine." I just nodded at him, my lips in a tight line, as I took in his quick snap of words. Looking between me and the road, he asked, "Ya havin' regrets, second thought?"
"No. Just feel like I got pressed into getting the West Virginia license." I honestly told him, hoping that he'd understand how I as feeling.
And nope, he didn't understand my feelings at all. Instead he insensitively told me in his deep tainted tone, "Hell, Nova, ya didn't get pressed into it. You'd have to do it eventually, just got it done today's all."
"Yea, by a guy that does favors for your daddy." I sneered out before I even realized what I was doing. Good going word vomit.
"My pa knows a lot of people. He's a business man, well liked on this side of the Tug." Looking over at me with hardness in his lone icy eye and it's milky twin he ordered, "Don't be actin' pissy cause it's just hittin' ya now that you're dependent on people other than yourself."
"I'm not-" I began to say til Cap's deep rollin' timbre rung out in the truck and cut me off with, "I'm not bitchin' with ya today, baby. Not bout this. What's done's done, now I'm takin' us back to pa's and in a couple of days when everything's cleared up we'll go home."
I wanted to say more, to protest, but the cold-hardened look etched on Cap's rugged face told me that he'd chew me up and spit me out if I tangled with him on this subject right now. I decided to concede, let him win this. I don't got the energy to deal with going toe to toe with my boyfriend, not when he's so adamant that he's right bout everything.
Jeez, I would have this love for Cap where I crave the fool's presence. I just tossed all common sense out the window in being with him and there's no turning back now. Everything's going full speed ahead and I'm just holding on tight and trying not to fall off the crazy roller coaster ride that's my life right now.
AN:
Next chapter should be a small time jump of a few days or so. Ah, wasn't this chapter full of goodies and potential plotline buildups. Novella's in deep now.