Standing His Ground: Greer (Porter Brothers Trilogy 2)

The men’s faces turned ashen when they turned to see the shotgun Greer was pointing at Curt’s chest.

“We were just fooling around, Greer. Call your dog off. I want to talk to you about a business deal.”

Holly wanted to laugh at the men. Curt had lost his bullying attitude, and so had the other men when they saw Greer wasn’t lowering his gun.

“Go on inside the house, Holly, and take Hunter with you.”

She edged around the men, making sure she didn’t take her eyes of them until she was safely inside. As soon as the door was locked, Holly reached for her phone to call Tate.

Putting the phone to her ear, she went to the window to look outside, releasing a sigh when she saw Tate walking out of the woods, his rifle also pointed at the three men who were now looking as frightened as they had made her.

Holly dropped the curtain, going to the counter to take out an organic dog treat from a metal tin then giving it to Hunter. “Next time, bite them, and I’ll cook you a steak.”

2

“What in the fuck do you numbskulls want?”

Looking uncertain, Curt, Justin, and Luke stared at each other as Greer made no attempt to lower his shotgun. When they saw Tate take his position next to him, Greer thought they would piss themselves.

Scaredy cats should have known better than to show up at his door without an invitation.

Curt nodded toward Luke. “We have a proposition for you.”

“The only proposition I want to hear is for you to go fuck yourselves.”

“Come on, Greer, listen to what we have to say before you get all blown up and mad.”

Curt’s amenable attitude had gone through a drastic transformation from the one he had given Holly when the fuckers didn’t realize he had been within hearing distance.

“You always come to someone’s home and insult a female member of their family?”

It didn’t take the dumbasses long to realize that he had heard the exchange between them.

“We were just joking. Bring her out here and we’ll apologize,” Curt offered.

“She don’t want to listen to any apology from you. And neither do we. You’ve got one minute to state your business before I save Knox the effort of arresting you for trespassing.”

“The word around town is you have a new plant you’ve been growing called Kentucky Gold. I want to buy what plants you have. It’ll save you from having to worry about who you’re selling to. I heard the State Police have been trying to catch you. We can help each other out. I’m willing to pay the premium if it’s as good as they say.”

“How’d you hear about Kentucky Gold?”

“I have my sources.” Curt smirked, becoming cocky, thinking Greer would be tempted by the money. Everyone in Treepoint and three counties over knew that he would sell his soul for a dollar.

“You know what he’s talking about, Tate?”

“Nope. But Pa always said that anyone who listens to gossip is an old woman or a bitch. You hiding a pussy behind those jeans?”

Curt’s face turned red with fury, the air around them becoming filled with tension, as Justin and Luke waited for their friend to react with the violence he had administered to those who dared defy him.

When he had been a coach at the high school, he had hidden his true character. Since getting fired for stealing money from the program, though, he didn’t worry about his true colors coming out anymore.

“So, you’re going to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about?” Curt ground out through clenched teeth.

“Damn, Curt, I’ve never heard of Kentucky Gold. Maybe you’ve been listening to the same person who’s been gossiping about you knocking up a high school girl then leaving her when she lost your baby. Or maybe the one who said that you changed your name from Demaris to your mama’s last name, Dawkins, because you were trying the rub the shit off the bottom of your shoe when Jo came back to town and owned your ass at Rosie’s for what you did to her in high school.”

“You don’t want to make an enemy of me, Greer. It’s not me you’ll be pissing off.”

“You threatening me with The Last Riders?” Greer took out his cell phone, holding his shotgun steady with the other hand. “I can call Shade and settle this with him right now if he sent you here.”

Fear entered Curt’s eyes and those of the other two men.

“Shade didn’t send us here. Like I was saying, we thought we would do you a favor.”

“I don’t need any favors from anyone I don’t consider a friend. And I don’t have any of those. Your minute is up. Get the fuck out of here and don’t come back.”

Greer motioned with his gun to get the men moving.