Page 112 of Iron

I had to say that Midori was smart once she snapped out of her shock. She even made her laugh seem genuine when she asked Amy if the men still played poker on Friday nights in the back of the sheriff’s office like it was such a ridiculous thing that she found it funny.

I knew what I was walking into.

I knew how many men I was up against.

And they were all the ones I needed to make my point to.

Two men came running out, both of them fighting to get through the doorway first. It was hard not to roll my eyes at the scene.

“Don’t fucking move,” Garen said as he rushed toward them with his gun raised.

Both men went deathly pale as their hands shot up into the air.

Garen quickly removed their bulky utility belts, rendering them even more useless. Then he slid out both sets of cuffs with one hand.

“Walk,” he told them keeping a good distance away.

Shaking, they turned around and walked into the back with Garen right behind.

“What the fuck!” I heard a second later.

My heels clicked against the cheap tile as I made myself known.

The sheriff made a run for the back door. It popped open a foot before flying back at his face. He fell back on his butt not expecting it to be blocked.

It was hard to hold my smirk back.

Garen secured all four of the men and I wasn’t surprised that he’d done it so quickly.

“Who the fuck are you?” the man wearing a cheap suit snarled at me.

“Petra Novak,” I said with a flat tone. “I assume you’re William Sampson.” His mouth snapped shut and his nostrils flared in anger.

My eyes darted to each of the other men as I pointedly said their names. This way they knew I was here for a purpose and that I knew exactly who they were.

My eyes moved to the cell in the back corner. A woman that I assumed was Midori and Amy’s mother was sitting on the cheap cot bed, shaking in fear. Seeing her eyes, there was no denying the family resemblance.

Her hair was dirty and matted to her head. Just the same for the rest of her. I wondered if they’d even allowed her to bathe the entire time she’d been held here.

Garen read my face and yanked the keys off of one of the men. Going to the cell, he let the woman out, telling her that we had her daughters and to go wait in the car out back.

She met my eyes and there was a smile playing on her lips as if she knew what I’d come here to do and she approved.

Then she scurried out of the room. I didn’t move until I heard the sound of the bell over the front door.

“Look, I don’t know who the hell you are, lady, or why you’re here,” William said with rage in his tone.

“I’m the woman that is going to put you in your place,” I said as I walked over to him. I reached for my razor, sliding the blade free with ease. “You came for one of my girls. She doesn’t belong to any one of you. And I will do anything to keep her safe.”

With the rounded tip of my razor, I forced his chin up until he had no choice but to stare directly into my eyes.

“Do you know what I do to men that like to rape little girls?”

He must have seen the coldness in my eyes because he kept his mouth shut. Maybe he was smarter than I gave him credit for.

“They’re married, you can’t rape your wife,” the young deputy said.

“Shut up Teddy!” his father spat out.