<b>Chapter</b>275
ThearrogancehadlefttheroomalongwithJarrod’sconfidence.
Gregorycrackedaslightsmile,hisvoicelight,“Idon’tcareaboutyourMyersfamilyconnections.Ifyoutouchheragain,Iwon’thesitate.tosendyoutojoinyourbrothersixfeetunder.”
Jarroddroppedtohiskneeswithathud,“Iwaswrong.Youhave myword,IoweeverythingIhavetoyou.Fromnowon,ifyousayjump,I’skhowhigh,andI’llrespectMs.WebsterasIdoyou.”
Iwaspuzzledatfirst,wonderingwhyJarrodwoulddaretonegotiatewithBryantyet
<ol>
<li>me.</li>
</ol>
ernedterrifiedofGregory.Itthenbecameclearto
TheFergusonGroupwasaboutlegitimatebusiness,steeringclearofthemurkywaters.
ButtheFordfamily,theyhadafootinbothworlds,fearedandrespectedinequalmeasure.“Youbetterkeep yourword,”Gregoryspat,hispatiencewearingthin.“Nowtakeyourcrewandgetlost.”
“Rightaway!”
Jarrodscrambledtohisfeet,motioningforhismento leave.Beforeexiting,heturned<i>to</i>me,handsspedinaplea,‘Ms.Webster,Itrulyintendedtoletyougo.Please,ifyoucouldjust…”
“Takealook.”Iliftedmyhandsfor himtoseetherawwounds,“Jarrod,Imightletthisslide,butIexpectDorothytosharethesamefate.Iwasdurningtheothercheek.Ifnoonewaswillingtospareme,whyshouldIseekpeace?
“Ms.Webster…”Jarrodwasonthe verge oftears.
CaughtbetweentheFordandtheMyersfamilies,hecouldn’taffordtooffendeither.
Ismiledgently,“NomattertheMyersfamily’sinfluence,thisisRiverCity,<b>your</b>turf.Makinghersufferwithoutdrawingattentionshouldn’tbehard,right?”
“Ms.Webster,pleasedon’tmakethisdifficult…”
Beforehecouldfinish,Gregorydescendedthe stairs,flickinghislighter,“Yousurehavealottosaytosomeonewhokidnappedyou.”
1pursedmylips,pretending toleveragemysituation,“IwasaskingJarrodforafavor,buther
“I’lldoit!”<b>Jarrod</b>couldn’taffordtohesitateanylonger,hisvoiceloudwithdesperation,“Ms.We,Iagree!”
Bettertoagreenowandfigure<i>out</i>asolutioterthantoopenlydefyGregory.
“Thank you,”Ismiledinrelief.
Hequicklyledhismenout,leavingthebasementeerilyquietexcept forthewhistlingwind.
Gregorylookeddownatmydisheveledstate,his<i>brow</i>furrowingslightly,<b>“</b>You’rethefirstwealthyman’swifeI’veseeninsuchamess.“Thanks<i>to</i>yourbeloved‘sister“,”
KnowinghistieswiththeMyersfamily,Icouldn’thelpmysarcasm.
Hedidn’tdenyit,merelyraisinganeyebrow<i>,</i>“Canyoustand?<b>”</b>
Ihadtriedtogetupafewtimes,buttheinjuryonmyanklewasasbadasmyhands,ifnotworse.Anyattemptwouldonlyleadtomorepain,“Ineedyourhelp.”
“Alright.”This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.
Withzynod,hepocketedhislighterandbentdown.AsIreachedoutmyhand,he effortlesslyscoopedmeup,hisgripsecureundermy backandknees.“Mrs.Ferguson,sometimes,showingalittlevulnerabilitymightworkinyourfavor.”