Page 68 of The Patron Saint of Timber Hollow

"We picked it up. It's being disposed of," Jan answers succinctly.

All I can do is blink at the information. "Are we going to make the lawsuit public?"

"Depends on how the next interaction goes," Jan answers again, looking back at Ethan in the trunk space.

And then, seemingly all too soon, Saint is pulling into the hotel parking lot. Then we're shuffling Ethan out of the back and marching towards their door. Jay carries Ethan easily over his shoulder like he's done to me. Ethan looks so…. petite in comparison to Jay. And, for that matter, Saint. Nero follows in their wake, yet another manilla folder in hand.

Saint pounds on the White's door in swift succession, the banging unbelievably loud in the quiet early morning hours.

When Stephen White opens their hotel door, Jay unceremoniously drops Ethan at his feet.

"I think you lost something," He says, the quiet threat palpable.

"What have you done to him?" Stephen shouts though he doesn't do so much as twitch in his son's direction.

"He was caught,againwithin the bounds of protected lands. He attacked the wolf pack that lives in the Hollow. They fought back." The rumbling power in Jay's voice raises gooseflesh down my arms.

"Mr White," Nero interjects, showing him a photograph that looks to be taken from a drone of Ethan pointing a pistol at a wolf.Jay. "Your son was warned, as you were. Trespass again, and you will be removed with force."

Stephen scoffs, "Please.Trespassing. That won't hold up in the court. I'll have you bleeding out your balls paying for what you've done to my boy."

Nero clears his throat. "I believe you are mistaken, Mr White. We have defended these lands from poachers such as yourself for many years."

"Where is his hand?" Stephen demands, finally sparing Ethan a glance.

"Our apologies. The wolves must have gotten to it before we couldassist," Jay says, smirking. Phil walks behind Stephen, looks down at Ethan, and starts shouting.

"What did they do to him, Father? You can't just let themstandthere!"

"We didn't do anything." Saint chuckles, tucking his hands into his pockets. "He was trespassing. Found out why our woods aren't open to outsiders."

Phil always was a hot head, even more so than Ethan, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when Phil reared back and punched Jay square in the face. Jay gets in an answering blow that sends Phil to his knees.

Then, Nero pulls Jay back, knowing that if he lets loose, Phil will end up being no better than mince meat.

"Gentlemen, unless you'd like to add assault to our lawsuit, I suggest you control yourselves," Nero chides, making me fight back a smirk.

"Phil, take your brother to the truck,"

"But they-"

"Do as you're told," Stephen orders in a booming voice, making his thirty-year-old son flinch away.

Without another word, Phil picks up Ethan, who groans and marches away into the darkness. Well, at least he's not dead on our account.

"How can I keep this under wraps, as you say?" Stephen asks, grabbing a keyring from a nearby table.

This feels like as good of a time as any for me to unveil my secret weapon, so I step forward, pulling Stephen's attention to me. Looking him dead in the face, I lay it all out for him.

"Leave and never return. Tell no one what you know about us, and stop hunting altogether. Do it, or I tell everyone about your arrangements with the Senators. How you are all corrupt pieces of shit. I'll tell the whole world everything. How you poach and how you treat women. How your son is a rapist pig, and you gave me hush money in the guise of a prenup to never open my mouth about him. I'll bring Cassandra's family down with you, too. You and all your little circle will crash and burn, and I'll be standing above the wreckage at the end."

By the time I'm done, Stephen's face is a mottled red, lips tightening into tiny little white lines.

"I'm not bluffing. I'll do it. I knowallyour dirty little secrets, Stephen," I goad, leaning forward slightly. "Even the ones Cordelia doesn't know about."

"You little bitch," Stephen seethes, stepping toward me.

"Mr White, Threats of bodily harm will not be condoned," Nero says, stepping forward. Jay stands still as stone, arms crossed and legs braced shoulder-width apart.