“I don’t know. All that matters are the ones here right now.” My foot punches the break, pulling a hard left, ripping the earth to shreds with the tires. Throwing the truck in park, Wilkinson and I bail, weapons drawn, taking cover behind the open doors. “Freeze. Hands where I can see them, now!” I order across the field.

By the large orange flames flickering across Rodgers’s battered face, I can tell he’s been beaten pretty badly.

Four men, donning white robes and hoods, stand in a half circle, facing their leader. I watch the one in red visibly tense before turning to me. He stands less than thirty feet away, arms outstretched to the side, palms up, facing the sky. He carefully lowers them, keeping his eyes pinned on me. I’m helpless to look anywhere else. The bright flames above casts light into the dark holes of his hood. I can’t see his face, but I know who’s hiding underneath. The man who betrayed my family—who killed my father.

I leave my spot, holding aim dead center to his ridiculous fucking mask. “Let him go, Dixon!” I demand.

“I never wanted it to come to this, Grayson. I never wanted you to find out this way,” he says calmly, a hint of remorse heavy in his tone.

Blood pumps with ruthless fury in my veins as his familiar voice echoes through the night. I ignore what he says, trying to keep my mind from venturing to the dark place inside that calls to me. “Move away, now.”

He follows the command, slowly stepping away and moving closer to me.

“Stop! Hands in the air!” Wilkinson’s order draws me from my stare down with Dixon. I catch a glimpse of one of the men reaching inside his robe before Wilkinson fires a shot to his left leg, effectively dropping him to the ground.

As he howls out in pain, the other two quickly scatter off into the woods.

Wilkinson rushes over to the flailing body and flips him over, ripping off his hood to reveal Larson. He cuffs him before running over to Rodgers to free him.

I return my attention to Dixon, who remains in place, his eyes holding mine with an intensity that has everything else around us falling away.

“I warned James. I told him he needed to raise you the same way our fathers raised us but he wouldn’t hear it. Said Carol wouldn’t allow it.” Dixon’s tone is bitter and cold. “I always knew she was bad for him. Filling his head full of all that equality shit, but I never thought he would fall for it.”

“Shut the fuck up. Don’t talk about my family. Especially my father.” My throat is raw from the command and the emotion behind it, as I give it all over to my undeniable hate.

It’s all I have left for him.

Stepping closer, I reach out to pull the hood from his head, wanting him to face me after what he’s done. “You killed him,” I grind out, needing to hear it from his own mouth.

“I had no choice,” he replies. “For years he’d kept this town pure and clean of the scum that seek to destroy us. Then he slowly started to change, all thanks to your mother.” His expression twists with unashamed hatred. “After a lifetime of trust and friendship, of brotherhood, he said he had a change of heart. He betrayed something sacred, betrayed what our fathers spent years ingraining in us. He could no longer be trusted. He made his choice, and unfortunately for him, it was the wrong one.”

The way he callously talks about killing my father, like it’s nothing more than an afterthought, has that dark, forbidden rage hurdling through me. I take him to the ground with a solid punch then get on top of him before delivering another blow. My heart thunders inside my chest as I draw the hammer back on my gun, pointing it right between his eyes.

A cold smile spreads easily across his lips, blood trickling out of the corner. “You don’t have it in you.”

“Don’t bet on it, motherfucker.”

“Then do it. Go ahead. I dare you.” He taunts.

I want to end him so badly I can hardly see past the blinding hate that’s consumed me. My breathing is harsh and furious as I try my best to stomp down the urge to pull the trigger.

Images of Liv flicker through my mind, reminding me of my promise to her.

“You’re not fucking worth it,” I grit, the pressure in my chest easing slightly.

His smile grows bigger. “The war has already begun and it will continue on with or without me. You will never stop us from what we are obligated to do.”

“Watch me.”

His eyes flare when the distant sound of sirens pierce the tension-filled air.

“It’s over, Dixon. You’re finished, and I’m going to make sure you fucking pay for all of it.” I stand, looking over my shoulder just as Lambert and my backup come racing through the trees.

“Taylor, behind you!”

The warning yanks my attention back to Dixon to see him sitting up, brandishing a .45 from under his robe, but my draw is quicker, firing off a shot straight to his heart. His hand moves to cover it as shock registers on his face. He falls back to the ground, the weapon going slack in his left hand.

I kick the gun away and kneel down next to him. My vision blurs and a sharp ache takes up residency in my chest as I look down into his lifeless eyes. I think of all the pain he’s caused, the death of my father, and the evil he represents. I know the world is better off without him in it, but he’s right, the war will rage on. There will always be those who hate, who seek to destroy the equal balance of humanity.

But only if we allow it.

CHAPTER 33

Olivia

Three weeks later

“Author Pierre Berton once said, ‘Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and is meant to be met head on and stamped out.’”

Tania’s hand finds mine, linking our fingers together as the mayor’s powerful words wash over me, flowing through my heart and soul with renewed faith. Most of the town has gathered on the square in front of the courthouse to hear Mayor Rodgers speak out on the events that have taken place recently.

After the news of Willie Dixon’s death spread, and it was exposed what kind of man he really was, our town was once again turned upside down. Lane, Eddie and Prichard were arrested after Larson gave them up in an effort to save his own skin, though Henderson didn’t show much mercy. Needless to say, none of them will see the outside of a jail cell for a very long time.

The FBI has taken over the investigation since the KKK was involved, and as of last week, Grayson was reinstated with the department.

Where he belongs.

“Those are words we all need to remember, especially during these trying times. This community has been through a great deal over the past couple of months. Lives lost, heinous acts of revenge have been committed.”

My throat tightens when Pap’s arm goes around my shoulders, bringing me in close.

“The line between right and wrong has always been skewed. The ways in which we are raised, and our cultures, determine what is right and wrong in our hearts. This is why we need law and order to guide us. To validate our choices or condemn them. And therein lies the bottom line…choices.” He pauses. “We all have choices. Reggie West had a choice. He chose vengeance, and in the end only injustice was served. Willie Dixon had a choice. He chose hate.”

The crowd remains stoic and silent, absorbing the mayor’s every word.

“Then there are people who make the right choices. Who stand up for what’s noble and good. Which is why I asked you here today. To help me honor a man who, along with others, honorably fought and put his life on the line, without hesitation, to not only protect our town but save my life.”

Warmth flows through my blood as my eyes drift to Grayson who is standing off to the right, looking incredibly sexy in his uniform, a look of indifference shielding his emotions.