essed into the wet dirt. A heavy combat boo

spitting mud from his mouth. "

in his arms. He nodded once to the guard. The guard eased

daged fingers. He pulled out a folded, crumpled p

egal papers! I adopted her! She was a stray,

in Enoch's hand. Her entire body shook with rage. She looke

SUVs. He was the Barrett family's lead attorney. He wal

sses. He scanned the docume

e internet. The signature is forged, there is no notary stamp, and it

ing a bandaged finger at Clare. "She's ungrateful! I fed her! You owe me!

ground, nodded frantically. "She's a spoiled

low step toward Enoch. His hands curled into

small voic

one f

eve's arms. Her voice was quiet, but i

ilas. "He made me sleep in the woodshed. He beat me with

burned hands. "He tried to hit me. The

Enoch roared, struggling

wn the collar of her ruined sh

anvas of overlapping scars. There were thick, raised welts from the

th her hand, her eyes wide with horror. A

ars. The last thread o

shirt, hauling him halfway off the ground. Silas pulled h

nose shattered. Blood sprayed across th

emale guard stepped on the back of

er down. Genevieve hesitated,

fake adoption paper from his hand. She walke

paper in half. Then she ripped it again, and

per fluttered down like dirty snow, l

hispered to him. "This is jus

ack and forth. She looked at Clare and started

ned her g

s over his head, terrified she was going to crush his mind

The Barrett family's money and guns were terri

account, seize the land, call in every favor. I want

rs flew across the screen. "Done, sir. Th

toward the warm, idling SUV. She di