Chapter Fifty-Five: An Introduction

Daniel didn’t speed, but he drove fast enough to make Noah laugh, fingers gripping the door handle as the city blurred past.

Daniel kept his eyes on the road. Time mattered. The city was trying to take the church under eminent domain, but they didn’t have a ruling yet. No judge. No signed order. Which meant they had no business being there.

Not yet.

He hit the button on his steering wheel and called Tori.

“Hey,” she answered immediately, breathless. Wind and footsteps crackled through the line. “I’m at the courthouse.”

“Hi, Tor Tor,” Noah chimed in from the backseat.

“Hey, buddy,” Tori replied, still breathless, a smile audible in her voice.

Daniel didn’t waste time. “Listen to me. I need you to file for an emergency injunction. Temporary restraining order if we can get it. They’re trying to move before a ruling.”

“Me?” she said, the word catching.

“Yes, you,” Daniel said, firm but steady. “Argue lack of imminent harm. They can’t demonstrate urgency without a signed order. No order, no authority.”

“But … I’ve never—”

“Tori,” he cut in, gentler now but no less certain. “You’re smarter than half the associates in that building. You’ve been following me around courtrooms for three years. You know the facts better than anyone.”

There was a pause. Then a breath.

“Okay,” she said. “Okay. I can do that.”

“I know you can,” Daniel said. “Call me the second you file.”

He hung up and glanced in the rearview mirror. Noah was still smiling, oblivious, watching the city rush by like it was a game.

Daniel tightened his grip on the wheel and pressed forward, already rehearsing the argument in his head.

He saw them when he pulled up to the church, two suits and three in orange vests and hard hats.

“Stay in the car, son.” He exited quickly and ran to the men up by the church.

To her credit, Rosa was planted squarely in front of the church doors, arms crossed, body immovable, body like a boxers daughter. Georgia stood a few feet back, phone raised, recording everything—her jaw tight, eyes sharp.

And there was Daniel charging towards them, all full of fury, “Hey, who hell are you?” He shouted at them in that booming baritone of his.

That caught their attention.

“City inspectors,” one of the suited men said coolly. He stepped forward and flashed a badge, holding it just long enough to be seen. “We’re here to ensure the building meets environmental requirements.”

He extended a paper toward Daniel.

Daniel snatched it from his hand without looking away, then deliberately stepped in front of Rosa and Georgia, placing himself between them and the city men.

“You try this with no court order?”

“It’s an inspection,” the man said. “You can’t block a city compliance check.”

Daniel glanced at the form, already scanning the letterhead, the dates, the legal language—or lack of it.

“This isn’t a warrant,” he said. “It’s a bluff. And if you try to cross that threshold without a judge’s signature, you’ll be the ones out of compliance.”

He stepped forward, forcing the man to take a step back. “Now get off this property before I file for harassment.”

For a beat, there was silence.

Then one of the orange vests muttered something under his breath. The man in the suit exhaled sharply and signaled to the others.

“Let’s go,” he said, already turning away. “We’ll be back—with papers.”

“You do that,” Daniel called after them. “And tell your boss I’ll see him in court.”

They left in silence, and Daniel stood there his shoulder still tensed, his green eyes watching as they got in their trucks. Only after they were actually gone did he actually exhale.

He heard a low whistle, “Damn old man, that was kind of hot.”

Georgia clapped him on the shoulder. “Nice timing, counselor.”

Rosa took the reverend’s phone. “Yeah, this is going on TikTok. And it’s totally going viral,” she said flatly. “You looked hot.”

Daniel gave her a look. “Please don’t say that where my son can hear you.”

Georgia raised a brow, “Your son is here?”

Daniel nodded as he walked forward, “Yeah, hold on.”

Georgia followed close behind, as he went to his car and helped Noah out of his car. “Hey buddy,” he said lifting him up.

“Dad did you scare all those guys away.”

Shit, Daniel thought to him. He really was hoping that Noah hadn’t actually seen that.

“That was so cool,” he exclaimed suddenly.

Daniel laughed deciding best to just move forward. “Glad you think so,” he said.

“Who’s this?” Noah asked as he saw Georgia.

Daniel looked to the blonde religious figure, “This is a friend.”

Georgia smiled, that sweet sort of smile which was as warm as any of Noah’s moms. “Hello love,” she said to Noah. “So, you’re the famous Noah I’ve heard so much about?”

“You talk funny,” Noah said, matter-of-fact.

“Noah,” Daniel said, his voice warning but not harsh. “That’s not polite.”

Georgia laughed. “Oh, he’s trouble. Just like his old man.” She leaned in and gently pinched Noah’s cheek. “Cheekbones like him, too. Dangerous combo.”

Noah grinned, unbothered. “Dad said we’re getting pizza. Then the Mets.”

Daniel sighed. “Sorry, buddy. We might not have time to make it to Joe’s.”

Georgia tapped her chin. “Maybe not Joe’s. But there’s a place just around the corner—thin crust, bit of basil, proper slice. What do you think?”

Daniel looked at Noah. “What do you say, buddy?”

“Is it good?” Noah asked, squinting at her.

Georgia winked. “The best, love.”