Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“How did you in fact take him down?”
“I’m 6’4, 237 lbs. last I checked, and able to hold my own. But more importantly, I know how to fuckin’ fight. David and Goliath. Jonah and the whale. Where there is a will, there is a way. Where there is a wish-a-motherfucker-would, there is a Wilde. Amen. I don’t just sloppily swing in the air and hope for the best, Sheriff. We Wilde men know how to defend ourselves, sir. Regardless if it’s mental or physical, we’re always up to the task. You have to be; comin’ from this family. Ain’t a motherfucker alive that can take me down without gettin’ licked in the process. Don’t get me wrong, now. I can be a braggart on occasion, I accept that. I can’t win every fight, sir, but in every fight I have, I’ll gain me at the very least, a little win. He ain’t walkin’ out the same way he walked in… I knew this was coming sooner or later.” He huffed, lowered his head and shook it.
He heard the sherriff’s chair squeak as he rocked in it.
“Seems like you’re in a heap of trouble. Like you said, where there is a will, there is a way. There’s always a solution to what ails us though.” He could hear the smile in the devil’s words.
“All of y’all can kiss my trouble-covered ass,” He lifted his gaze and glared at him. “And then you can talk to my lawyer with those same lips.”
“Your lawyer?” The guy huffed, then laughed. He slipped a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it with a plain yellow lighter. “Are you refusing to speak to me any further, Mr. Wilde?” The bastard blew smoke out of the corner of his mouth.
Roman smiled at the smug bastard. “You know what ya done, and I know what ya done. My lawyer is one of the few people who ain’t afraid of my grandfather, and definitely not afraid of shit kernels like you. Attorney August Lyles.”
The sheriff’s smirk drooped like hot lava.
“August Lyles, huh? I haven’t heard that name in a minute.”
“He ain’t far. He’s workin’ on high profile cases ’nd such, but he’s always there for me when I need him. One of the few men who still defends the righteous against evil.”
“I’ve done a little research on you, Roman, in spite of what you think. Righteous isn’t exactly what I’d call you.” He sneered.
“O, I wasn’t referring to me… I’m on the other end of that stick. Anyway, now that you know who my council is, maybe we can come up with a deal after all.”
“This sounds right. What did you have in mind?”
I have a list of demands.”
“Nobody said anything about honoring any demands, Wilde. I don’t do demands.”
“But you do participate in dirty work? Paid under the table? Holdin’ a U.S. Military veteran hostage in a jail cell? Let’s not get all virtuous now. First, take these handcuffs off me.”
“Nope.”
“I can get out of ’em anyway, Sheriff, but I’d prefer to not have to make like a magician and break police equipment, costing the taxpayers more money. ’Specially on some trumped up, frivolous charges.”
“Your grandfather already told me about your slimy, slick moves. If you can get out of those handcuffs, let me see you do it.” Their gazes hooked. “…That’s what I thought.” He smirked.
“My second demand is simple: If you’re going to make this difficult, the least you can do after our little chat is put me in a cell by myself. No more roommates unless you want their blood on your hands because the next time you do it, the motherfucker will be certifiably dead. If I wanted to kill him, I would have. I was trained to kill, and all I need is five seconds to complete the task. I had more than enough time to make that man meet his maker. The last thing you need is a dead man on your stompin’ grounds due to a Wilde. Wouldn’t look good for you. Thirdly, you better make sure that there’s no official arrest record of this shitshow y’all pulled—but somethin’ tells me that my grandfather already asked you to bypass that, seein’ as how he needs for my job to not be in jeopardy so he can use me to abuse my knowledge and power for his benefit.”
Sheriff yawned rather dramatically. Yup. It’s true. This is all playtime for them.
“But before you honor my first three requests, I suggest you hand me that gotdamn phone.” He nodded in the direction of the cellphone lying on the metal desk between them. A beacon of light and freedom.
The sheriff looked at the phone, then back at Roman.
“How about we come to a more reasonable agreement first, Mr. Wilde?” The light caught the handle of the sheriff’s revolver placed securely in the holster on his hip.