Hayes grins again. “You’d think, wouldn’t you?”
“So, how did you gain control of White Horse?”
“I took it,” Hayes says without missing a beat. “When I saw a weakness, I exploited it. When I saw a threat, I eliminated it. No one gave me shit. I had to take it all.”
“But how? I mean you can’t just walk into a business and threaten them into giving you half. Well, I guess you could, but I don’t think that’s how you did it.”
Hayes shrugs as if he doesn’t want to brag. I roll my eyes at his bullshit, and he finally gives in.
“I had a small inheritance from an uncle. Mom suggested I use it to travel. Dad wanted me to go to school. Back then, White Horse was failing, and businesses were leaving. People needed a vision, so I took the inheritance money and bought partnerships with several businesses. I made those businesses healthy while using my power to bully other businesses into working with me and doing things my way. I looked for uses for the local empty land and abandoned buildings to lure new businesses into White Horse. The more new blood into the town, the more my businesses flourished.”
“You’re pretty fucking smart, eh?”
Hayes adjusts his large frame in the circular booth. “Yeah, but lots of guys are smart. I was willing to break bones to get things done where other guys just wanted to talk or bribe their ways into power. Everyone has a button that can be pushed. With some people, they can’t be bought or charmed into obeying. They only understand pain and fear.”
“You’re pretty fucking scary, eh?”
“I’ve heard, yeah,” he says in a voice reeking of pride.
“The outfit in Common Bend has backers from out of town. The bikers run Hickory Creek. You do it alone.”
“If you mean I outsource much of my muscle, yeah. I don’t trust anyone. People are stupid and selfish.”
“Don’t you have anyone who will watch your back?”
“Are you fishing for a compliment?”
“No way do I want to watch your back. It’s too big, and I’m easily distracted. Don’t you have anyone you consider a friend? Does it really have to be so lonely at the top?”
“I had someone. When he got nailed for a murder charge in Nashville, he could have lowered his sentence by turning on me. He had the info to sell, and the cops were always willing to plea someone down for info that’d increase their conviction count. Moot could’ve made life easier for himself, but he didn’t sell me out. He’ll be out in a year, and I plan to reward the fuck out of him.”
“Ah, you do have a friend.”
“That I haven’t spoken to in four years.”
“Friends are overrated,” I say immediately.
“You always have a response.”
“Silence has never worked well for me. The day I’m speechless, call a doctor.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Tell me Moot isn’t his real name.”
“It’s Sasha. Apparently, it’s a guy name in certain parts of the world, but here in the greatest country on the planet, Sasha is a chick name. So he ended up going by Moot.”
“Why Moot?”
“I don’t know.”
“Didn’t you ask?”
“I’m a guy. I don’t ask questions.”
“You ask me questions.”
“Because you’re a woman and women like to think men are interested in their crap. Men know we aren’t.”
“Fascinating stuff.”
“Tell me about your kids’ dad.”
“What about him?”
“How did you hook up with the rich boy?”
“I worked in a doctor’s office, and he flirted with me. We went out a few times, and I decided to make him my wealthy sperm donor.”
“A fucking fairytale.”
“Fairytales don’t work out for my family. We always end up with the frog that empties out our checking accounts or fucks our best friends or is an all-around douche like Andrew.”
“Did you like Eddison at all?”
“Sure. In the beginning, but there’s something empty about him that turned me off.”
“He didn’t want kids, and you trapped him.”
“Don’t get all high and mighty with me, you big bully. I’ve seen you tell off an old, disabled woman.”
“A mean old disabled woman.”
“Still an old disabled woman.”
Hayes waves his hand around as if to erase any culpability. “You knew he didn’t want kids.”
“He said there were too many people in the world, and most were trash. I didn’t give a crap about his views. I’ve never been interested in romance. I like dating for the free meals and movies. Once things get too clingy, I bail. Romance and Wilburn don’t mix.”
“So you decided to pop out a kid with a guy you didn’t like.”
“I always wanted kids. At that point, I had a stable job and a decent apartment. I was ready to be a mom. Toby had solid genetics, and his family would provide for the kids’ education. I still wasn’t sure until he pissed me off one night. Then I decided I didn’t give a shit what he wanted.”
Hayes’s dark eyes light up. “Pissed you off how?”