Page 102 of Monk

My hands tightened on the handlebars, my entire body going rigid. I could see Lina’s posture, stiff, defensive, her arms crossed over her chest. The developer was gesturing, his mouth moving, his expression smug and condescending, and Lina was holding her ground. But I could see the tension in her shoulders. The exhaustion in the way she stood.

She was fighting, but she was tired, and this motherfucker was pushing her.

The rage that had been simmering all day exploded as I twisted the throttle and roared down the driveway, the engine’s growl tearing through the quiet afternoon.

Both of them turned.

Lina’s eyes went wide, and the developer’s face went pale.

I didn’t slow down. Didn’t stop until my front tire was mere inches from the developer’s polished shoes, causing him to stumble backward, his briefcase falling from his hand.

“What the?—”

I killed the engine and swung my leg over the bike, my boots hitting the gravel with a heavy thud as the developer stared at me, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. I took a step toward him and then another. Each slow and deliberate. Every movement oozing menace.

“John—” Lina started, her voice sharp.

I held up a hand, silencing her. My eyes never left the developer.

“You,” I said, my voice low and deadly calm. “You see this woman?”

The developer’s gaze flicked to Lina, then back to me. He nodded once, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

“You see this farm?” I continued, gesturing to the surrounding land. “This house? This property?”

Another nod.

I took another step forward, closing the distance until I was directly in his face. He was shorter than me by a few inches, and I used every bit of that height advantage to loom over him.

“It’s mine,” I said, my voice dropping to a growl. “She’s mine. This land is mine. This family is mine. And if Iever—and I meanever—catch you looking at her, speaking to her, or eventhinkingabout this property again, I will ensure you never see daylight again.”

The developer’s face went from pale to white. “I-I’m just doing my job.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck about your job,” I snarled, leaning in closer. “I will break you into so many pieces they’ll never find all of them. Do you understand me?”

His eyes were wide, his breathing shallow. “I—yes.”

“Say it,” I demanded.

“I understand,” he stammered, his voice shaking.

I took one more step forward as he stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own feet.

“Good,” I said, my tone flat. “Now get the fuck off this property before I change my mind.”

The developer didn’t need to be told twice. He grabbed his briefcase from the ground, turned, and practically ran to his car—a sleek black sedan parked near the barn. He fumbled with his keys, dropped them, picked them up, and finally managed to unlock the door.

Before he got in, he turned back, his face flushed with humiliation and fear. “You—you can’t threaten me!” he shouted, his voice cracking. “I’ll call the police! I’ll have you arrested!”

I didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Just stared at him with cold, unflinching certainty.

“Try it,” I said softly.

The developer’s mouth snapped shut. He scrambled into his car, started the engine, and peeled out of the driveway so fast his tires kicked up gravel and dust.

I watched until his taillights disappeared down the road.

Then I turned to Lina, who was staring at me, her eyes blazing with fury. “What the HELL do you think you’re doing?” she exploded, storming toward me. “You can’t just threaten people! You just got out of jail! Do you want to go right back in?”