Page 36 of Texas
There’s a murmur through the crowd. Some people nod. Some look away. But most are listening, really listening. Donna’s face shines with pride. Kristin glances at her phone, then back at the crowd. “If you have a story, if you have ever been threatened, or silenced, or made to feel small, know that you are not alone. And you don’t have to stay quiet anymore.”
Taking a deep breath, she lets the words seep in. I scan the street, and that’s when I see the Mercedes. Will pulls up, silver paint flashing in the sun. He gets out slowly, like he’s walking onto a stage. The sheriff follows, hat in hand, eyes darting. Will’s smile is pure TV preacher. He walks right through the crowd, cutting through like he owns the air. He doesn’t look at Kristin as he steps in front of her, and instead smiles at the crowd, all smooth charm.
“Good morning, everyone. I want to assure you that my wife’s passion for this town is something we all admire. But I’m afraid she’s become confused. Distracted by the influence of outsiders who don’t understand our values.”
His eyes flick to me, then away. He gestures to the sheriff. “This gathering is unauthorized. It’s a public disturbance. Sheriff, I’d like you to disperse the crowd.”
The sheriff shifts, uncomfortable. “Will, I—”
Will’s voice sharpens. “Do your job.”
Kristin steps forward, voice cold. “This is a peaceful assembly, Sheriff. Protected by the Constitution. If you shut it down, you’re complicit in his abuse.”
There’s a ripple in the crowd. I see more phones being lifted, no doubt recording. Donna calls out, “Let her speak!”
Will’s mask slips for a second. He turns to Kristin, voice low and venomous. “You’re embarrassing yourself. You’re embarrassing me,” he grows. “You need help, Kristin. You need to stop before you ruin everything you’ve worked so hard to build.”
That’s my cue. I step out of the shade, up to the edge of the crowd, and raise my voice so everyone can hear. “Actually, Will, I think you’re the one who needs help.” My tone is level and clear. The voice I used to use when I called in air support. “See, I’ve got proof showing you’ve been laundering money through dummy companies. Plus, we all know you’ve been bribing officials, and paying off the cops to keep your dirty secrets.”
Will’s face goes white, then red. “That’s slander.”
I shake my head. “No, Will. That’s evidence. I’ve already sent it to a few friends in the media. Check your inbox.”
“You’re making a huge mistake,” Will growls, taking a step in my direction.
With a grin, I nod to the teenagers, the reporters, the livestream. “Smile for the camera, Cleveland. You’re on a live stream. In fact, I bet you’re trending.”
For a second, the crowd is silent. Then Denise, bless her, starts clapping. Tasha joins in. Donna. Hank. Then others. The applause grows until it drowns out whatever Will tries to say next, his voice lost under the sound of people waking up.
The sheriff glances at Will, then at the crowd, then back at Will. “I think it’s best if we just… let folks be for now.”
Will sputters, tries to regain control, but it’s too late. The mask is gone, and the town is watching. He looks desperate, and exactly like the man Kristin’s been telling them he is. I step back, arms crossed, watching him unravel in real time. His only answer is to scramble into his Mercedes and speed away. Kristin turns, finds me in the crowd, and our eyes meet. There’s fear there, but underneath it there’s relief. I nod once. She nods back.
After another few minutes, when the show is over, women come up to Kristin, hugging her, and thanking her. Reporters ask for quotes. Someone shoves a phone in my face, but I wave them off. I’m not the story. Kristin is. The livestream’s alreadyracking up shares and comments. Someone tags an Austin news station. The tide is turning.
Once the crowd finally disperses, we slip back into the clinic, hearts still pounding. Kristin leans against the wall, eyes closed and lets out a shaky breath. “Was that enough?” she asks.
“It’s a start,” I say. “But we’re not done. I’m pretty sure Will Cleveland won’t take this lying down.”
Kristin nods, a grim smile on her face. “I imagine he won’t,” she agrees. “But we will be ready.”
Later, the clinic is finally quiet, except for the sound of Kristin’s light laugh echoing down the hall as she hugs Donna goodbye at the door. I stand in the doorway of her office, watching her until she closes the front door behind Donna and leans against it, finally letting out a breath I imagine she’s been holding for a long time. When her eyes meet mine, I see all of it. Relief, exhaustion, a hint of fear still in her eyes, and something else too. Maybe it’s just hope. I want to say something clever, but all that comes out is, “You were incredible out there.”
Kristin smiles with a little shake of her head, like she can’t quite believe we pulled it off. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” she says, voice barely above a whisper.
I move to her and press my forehead to hers, breathing her in. “You did it all yourself,” I murmur. “I just watched you burn Will’s world down.”
She closes her eyes, her hands coming up to rest on my chest, fingers splayed over my heart. The silence between us is heavy. It’s like the air right before rain. Electric, charged, and full of promise. I tip her chin up with my thumb, and I kiss her.
Her lips are soft at first, tasting me, inviting me in. She sighs into my mouth, her body melting against mine, and I feel her let go. The last of the armor drops. Walking her backward to the desk, I never break the kiss, hands mapping the curve of her spine, and the slope of her hips. She sits on the edge, kneesparting for me, her skirt riding up to bare smooth thighs. I take my time, sliding my palms up her legs, feeling the heat of her skin, and the tremble in her muscles.
She reaches for my shirt, fingers slipping under the hem, tracing the line of my stomach. Her touch is gentle but there’s an urgency there too. I pull the blouse from her shoulders, baring her to the light, and let my hands roam over her skin. She’s flushed everywhere. On her neck, chest, and the soft skin above her heart. Her nipples are peaked, begging for my mouth, but I don’t go there yet. I want her trembling with anticipation.
She hooks her legs around my waist, and pulls me in, her breath stuttering in my ear. “Reggie,” she whispers, then hesitates.
I cup her jaw, thumb brushing her cheek. “Tell me what you want,” I say softly.
She looks at me. “I want you to touch me,” she says. “I want to feel you.”
