Page 57 of About the Green

I'm not shocked to see Colton step forward, but I am shocked to see William Griffith. I couldn't imagine what his beef is with Dupont, but I'm sure he's about to tell us exactly that, since this is a meeting of how to make amends with not only Lafayette, but us too.

Blue is the first to sit with Redd standing behind him. I stand behind Nina, who is sitting at Racquelle's left side, while Liezel is on the right, with Lidia standing behind both Racquelle and Liezel. The most important of the Griffiths sitting at the table with his guards and entourage all crowding behind. I recognize far too many of the faces I see standing with him, including Remo and Colton.

If I were someone who got nervous easily, now would certainly be the time with the energy buzzing around this table of bosses all gathered.

Racquelle is the first to speak, saying, "Which one of you is actually in charge?"

I fully expected it to be William, but it's not.

The man sitting next to him speaks instead.

"That'd be me," he says, standing from his seat, much to most of the guards in the room's dismay, as you hear the shuffling of them all preparing to protect their most valuable assets.

Racquelle doesn't seem to be completely surprised by this man standing here when she asks, "And who exactly are you?"

“Names Harrison, but you can call me Harry,” he says coolly. “If you couldn’t tell, pa’s got a trach tube now. I’m who you’ll be dealin’ with as the rightful second, the rightful ruler of Lafayette,

Racquelle chuckles. "Rightful in what way?" she asks. "I'm not saying that because I think there's any merit to what you're saying, but because I'm interested to know what gives you the right to be so bold in my presence. Too many in this room seem to be saying the same thing.”

"Well, I have plenty of rights. See, it was me who put in Senior's ear that Junior should come next because I knew it'd be easy for us to work around him. I don't know how familiar you are with the boy, but he was not fit. But once his life was—“

Racquelle speaks over him, “Yea, I know he wasn't, which is why I'm here.”

Now it’s Harry who chuckles, “No, no, no. It's why I'm here. You deviated from the plan that Lafayette already had in place. Then you took credit for cleanin’ up a problem that we already had under control." There's a murmur in the room as people talk to each other about the claim Harry has made.

Blue speaks up and the murmur comes to a swift halt. "No, that's why we're all here, because there was a gap. A big one that cost Lafayette our alliance in the first place. If you had so much under control, why was our original partnership in the goddamn trash? We knew it needed to be resolved, closed up right. But you let that gap grow wider when it was me and Terrell Senior working together closely. How does that make you the rightful ruler?"

Harry doesn’t back down, insisting, “Because after him was me, and if Racquelle had just minded her own business, I'd be doin’ what I was supposed to already be—unimpeded by her sheep.”

Racquelle scoffs. “Well, the fact is that the business was and is mine to mind in the first place, as I am Terrell's daughter. I’m his last living successor.”

"True, true,” Harry drolls, “We heard about that. Doesn't make it any better. And, quite frankly, I don't want to work with anybody who accepts your rule. Unlike you, I have a problem with forcin’ people to be loyal to me. I'd rather them come on their own, like Colton here." Our Queen glares at the man’s sandy hair and hazel eyes, crossing her arms. At least he’s not in his sheriff’s uniform today. “Oh, you two have met?”

"No, but I've seen the tapes,” she says, likely meaning the ones we had all seen of Redd giving him a beating that no one thought he’d recover from.

Colton shifts, eyes focusing on his sudden movement. "Good. That segues into my situation rather easily."

"Colton!” Harry demands, “The fuck are you doin’?”

"Well, after the last month or so of healing my face after Redd so callously decided to rearrange it, I look good enough to walk down the aisle." There is no humor on the sheriff’s expression. He genuinely means what he’s saying.

"What fuckin’ aisle? What are you talkin’ about?" Blue questions looking to Redd but he doesn’t know either. Nina manages a giggle that hopefully only I can hear.

Redd steps aside to block Colton from his King’s path. "You're lucky you're not fuckin’ dead. Be happy to correct that.”

"You're right, I am lucky,” he bows, flagrantly. “If I wasn't, I wouldn't be able to make the agreement that I so generously have brokered on Dupont's behalf."

Redd is still fuming, “What gives you the right to make any decisions on brokerin’ for Dupont? You're not part of this family."

"But you said that I was going to be loyal to Dupont until I died. I would owe Dupont until I died, and I'm still here…”

"Not for long, fucker," Redd says, baring his teeth.

Racquelle speaks. "Alright. Enough of this. What do you want? What are you bringing to the table?"

Colton tugs at his shirt cuffs and then adjusts the collar. “Despite what everyone thinks, I've only been trying to secure something I've wanted for a long time."

"What would that be?" The Queen asks.