Page 10 of Sanctuary

“I would assume so. But if that’s true, then why undercut me intentionally when you’re barely getting anything out of it.”

“Are you being serious? You’re asking so innocently why I’m undercutting you? When last week you went and stole half my supplies. You didn’t need that either. You did it because it would hurt me.”

“I did it because that job was supposed to be mine. Not to hurt you.” His eyes look very dark in the bright light of the sun, which is high in the sky right now. “You claimed not to have stolen it intentionally, but you absolutely stole this one on purpose.”

“I’ve always tried to make partnerships of my own, having nothing to do with yours. But if you’re going to intrude on mine, then I have every right to intrude on yours.” I’m amazed I’m able to sound so cool and unaffected when I’m nearly shaking with hot resentment.

“I’m not going to let you get away with it. This was my territory first.” I’ve never seen Aidan angry before. He’s always been annoyed or indignant, but not actively angry.

He’s angry now.

He’s not shouting. Not attacking me. But he’s cold as ice.

“You don’t really have much choice. You don’t control me.” I purposefully step around him. I turn my head and say over my shoulder. “No one does.”

I lengthen my stride, starting to move quickly and focused ahead of me, as if he doesn’t matter, as if I’m not bothered by the confrontation.

Even though it’s left me trembling—for any number of reasons.

“Breanna,” Aidan bites out.

His tone catches my attention. I turn around.

He’s aiming his pistol at me.

I’m scared. I can’t help but be. I’ve never known Aidan to kill indiscriminately, but I don’t actually know him very well. He’s angry now. He might kill me because I’m a threat to his business.

Or merely because he can.

My vision blurs slightly as I think through available options.

If Del was here, I know what I’d do. I’d back down immediately. I give him exactly what he wants. It’s what I did over and over again for the past eight years, whenever our lives were in danger.

But she’s not here right now. She doesn’t need me like she used to. She has Cole to take care of her.

No one needs me. No one is my responsibility anymore. And there’s something about Aidan that has awakened a defiance inside me I didn’t know existed before.

So I shake off the rising panic and turn back around. Toward Sharpsburg. I call back to him lightly, “Don’t point that thing if you’re not willing to use it.”

I’m holding my breath as I walk. I’m waiting for the crack of gunfire. The searing pain of a bullet tearing through my flesh.

It doesn’t come.

Aidan doesn’t fire, and he doesn’t say anything as I walk away from him.

I get back to Monument about an hour before sunset, and I’m still brimming with excitement and a satisfied kind of pride at my success.

I did it. Exactly what Cole suggested. I beat Aidan at his own game by using my brains and available resources rather than sheer strength or speed. It required a certain amount of risk since I wasn’t entirely certain Aidan wouldn’t kill me, but the gamble paid off.

And I proved I’ll never be a pushover to any man.

Or woman for that matter.

I can’t wait to tell Del and Cole all about it. They’ll be just as pleased with my success as I am. Del is probably worried because I’m arriving back home later than I expected, but she’ll understand. She knows I can’t stay behind walls all the time. She’d never ask me to.

After dropping off my payment of construction supplies at the town center, I walk with a quick stride to our little cottage. It’s a comfortable, cozy place to live.

Del fixed up the roof last year, so it doesn’t leak anymore. And Cole built a wider porch on the front in the spring where we now have three secondhand deck chairs and a small table.

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