Page 137 of Their Property
“Fat fuckin' chance,” T-Bone muttered as we all watched Gerard leave. He picked up a generously seasoned hard boiled egg and sniffed it.
“I'm pretty confident the food is safe.” I swiped a thin cracker through some cheese dip and stuck it in my mouth before I could overthink it.
“Kyrie!” Dyno hissed. “Just because he gave you clean water in that basement does not mean the food is safenow.”
“It's fine.” I chewed the cracker and cheese, then washed it down with the wine provided. “More than fine, it's really good actually.” Grudge decided to be brave next, biting into one of the eggs T-Bone had been inspecting.
“Those do look really fuckin' good,” the skeptical president muttered.
Munin then hopped down from his shoulder, stepping delicately around plates on the table until he came to a bowl of peanuts. He dove face first into the bowl, making happy little caws and vocalizations at his find.
All of us were digging in by the time Gerard returned with three other people. “I wondered how long it would take you to come around,” he remarked with a smile. “Believe it or not, Iwantto be allies and a good host. Let me know if anything is not to your liking.”
“It certainly beats getting tied up and thrown in the back of a truck.” I couldn't help but bring that up again. While I understood the reasoning better, thanks to my men's perspective, I still didn't want him to think I had forgiven or forgotten.
“And yet here you are,” Gerard returned lightly. “I stand by what I did, Miss Vance. I accomplished what I needed to do, with minimal harm to you and your men.” He looked at T-Bone. “If only I could say the same about my own people.”
T-Bone noisily gulped down a swallow of wine. “I also stand by what I did,” he said. “You attacked us. We defended ourselves. Anyone who lays a hand on our woman deserves death.”
I raised a hand to interject. “I am sorry about the soldier you lost. But I think you can agree that our reaction was understandable given the circumstances.”
Gerard inclined his head. “I'm willing to put it behind us, if you are.”
“I suppose that's what we're here to find out.”
“Indeed.” A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth before he turned to introduce the three people who’d walked in with him. “This is Renae. She was a court reporter before the Collapse and volunteered to transcribe this meeting for us. Loraine and Riley were both attorneys and have agreed to sign any agreements we make today as witnesses.” He inclined his head, lifting an eyebrow. “Does this suit you, Miss Vance?”
“It does, thank you.” I nodded to the three of them taking seats further down the long table. “And thank you for joining us.”
Renae prepared herself with a small keyboard she’d brought, and then we began the meeting officially.
“The floor is yours, Miss Vance. Name your terms for accepting my offered position as Lieutenant Governor of the newly formed territory of Gerardson.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I thought I didn't hear him correctly. He wanted me forLieutenantGovernor? Second-in-command of the whole territory? He didn't mention that in the first meeting.
“Gerardson?” Dyno scoffed. “Naming the territory after yourself?”
The man shrugged. “It’s what the people want to call it.”
The transcriber tapped on her keyboard without comment. It was the only sound in the room as everyone waited for me to begin. My gaze locked onto Gerard's, whose eyes shined delightedly. He wasn't a stupid man and excelled at scheming. What game was he playing now?
It didn't matter, I'd find out soon enough. And I had tricks up my own sleeve.
“I want all kidnappings and hostage situations criminalized,” I began. “This territory will not condone or orchestrate such actions, if I am to be a part of it.”
Gerard shrugged. “It wasn't something I ever planned to make a habit of, but sure. Done. What else?”
“Violence will be outlawed, unless it's in self-defense or an act of war,” I said. “It doesn't matter if it's your soldiers, citizens, police, with weapons, or without. I will not be part of a territory that uses fear tactics to keep people in line.”
“Neither will I,” Gerard answered solemnly. “We'll draft an extensive and fair penal code, Miss Vance, I assure you. What else?”
I swallowed and folded my hands together. “If I'm to spend a significant amount of time in this territory, I want the Sons of Odin MC to be able to come and go as they please. We will not tolerate harassment by your soldiers or police.”
I felt my men's eyes on me in the silence that followed, but it was their hands squeezing my knees under the table that lit a fire under my skin. If Gerard noticed, he made no mention of it.
“Of course. Your people will have free reign throughout the territory, provided they don't break any laws you yourself agree to set in place.”
“I'm not a hypocrite,” I retorted.
