“Those papers in front of you are for you to relinquish your rights to Eli.”
“He’s my son.”
King leans across the desk and stares down at Brad. “Yes, he’s your son, and you abandoned him. And when you came back, you cracked his ribs and beat him. After talking to Eli, I know you did it more than once.”
I gasp because I had no idea. I thought it was the first time. I shake my head, feeling like I’m going to throw up at any minute.
“He’s my son, and he needed discipline. No judge would fault me for it.”
King stands to his full height and crosses his arms over his chest. “After they saw the pictures and heard Eli’s testimony, I would have to disagree.”
Brad just stares unflinching at King, and my stomach starts to sink.
“How much?” King asks.
Brad’s eyes light up, and he leans forward. “You’re going to buy my son from me?” He tries to sound disgusted, but I can hear the intrigue in his voice.
“No. I wouldn’t buy your son, that’s illegal. However, I understand you are trying to find investors for a startup venture. I may be willing to invest.”
He looks around the room. “Are you kidding me?”
“I don’t kid about money.”
Brad leans forward. “Two hundred thousand dollars.”
The man, who I’m assuming is King’s attorney, hands King a check, and he fills it out and lays it on the desk in front of him. “Done.”
“King...” I start. Two hundred thousand dollars. I can’t let him do this. I know I need to keep Eli away from Brad, but there has to be another way.
King reaches for me and squeezes my hand. ‘It’s okay, honey.”
Tears form in my eyes, but I blink them back.
Brad is shaking his head. “As soon as I leave here, you’ll call the bank and cancel the check. I’m not stupid.”
King picks up the check, folds it, and puts it in his pocket. He walks behind me and enters a code on the safe on the wall. He pulls stacks of cash out and walks back to the desk and sets them down. I’ve never seen so much money in my life.
Brad reaches for the money, but King leans forward and points to the formal documents. Brad doesn’t even read the papers. He signs his name at the bottom and then grabs the money.
“Once you’re off my property, you will be escorted out of Whiskey Valley. You will leave Tennessee and never come into the state again. If you do, you’ll be a dead man.”
Brad looks over at the sheriff. “Are you going to let him threaten me like that?”
The sheriff puts his hand on the side arm at his waist. “I’ve talked to Eli too. It sounds to me like you’re getting off easy.”
Brad doesn’t look ashamed or even remorseful. He shrugs his shoulders and starts to leave.
King looks over at me. “You want to say anything before he leaves?”
Damn, I love this man. He’s always thinking about me. I look at Brad, and I want him to understand and realize what he’s throwing away. Eli is the best thing that ever happened to him, and he doesn’t even realize it. He may someday, but it will be too late. “No, I don’t have anything to say to him.”
King nods, and the sheriff and the deputy push Brad out the door. The attorney takes the signed papers and holds them up. “I’ll get these filed today and put a rush on them.”
“Thank you,” King says, shaking the man’s hand. When we are the only two left in the room, King turns to me. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “It may take forever, but I’ll pay you back. Every dime, King.”
“I’m not worried about the money. I would have paid whatever he asked. You and Eli are safe, that’s all that matters to me. You can get on with your life now.”
As soon as he says it, the calm happy feeling goes away. He promised he’d take care of it, and he did. Now what? How can I walk away from him? That was the deal, though.
“Uh, I should probably go pack.”
Chapter 20
King
I’m in the middle of calling my brothers when she drops that bombshell. I wrap my hand around her arm to keep her with me and grunt into the phone, “He’s gone. Can you bring Eli up to the house?”
I hang up the phone and put my hands on her shoulders. “What do you mean, pack? Do you not like it here on the ranch... with me?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know I do, King. But the longer we’re here, the harder it’s going to be when we do leave.”
I put a hand at the back of her neck. “I told you the other night that I can’t let you leave, Nat. I meant it.”