Joe's face darkened for the first time, cold as ice. He said flatly, "Andrew, I never wanted to lay a hand on you. Because if I did, Lauren would think less of me. She'd think I'm a bully, that I'm using my power to crush an outsider like you."

He continued, "But Andrew, you really don't know your place. In all of Gabo Creek and the southern region of Holtrien, there aren't more than people who would dare to stand up to me like this. And you? You're nowhere near that level."

Andrew slowly ro