I was set to be tear up while reading this one. It was moments my heart broke, but instead of a lot of tears, I found myself laughing and cheering.
Elbert’s heart had been so closed off from loving anyone except those he considered his immediate family. I expected him to fight and reject love/intimacy. It was just the opposite, before he was able to take control of his feelings, he was forced into a situation that would threaten his life as a free man.
In spite of the challenges he and Anna were faced with, you witness a man while his circumstances made him feel less than a man and forced him to prove to the woman he loved that he was capable of loving and protecting her. He basically becomes a champion for everyone, forcing us to look into the mirror and see that women and men of all walks of life, while different in many ways, BLEED RED.
When the Fort Independence posse was summoned for a mission, Elbert took the opportunity to avenge the wrong done to him and Anna. Proving to her that she could feel safe and by any means necessary he would protect his family. Throughout the story whenever Elbert came face to face with those that dare take his freedom, he made a point of referencing that he was their equal (as a man). On sight there was no human differences.
Fort Independence continues to grow and the character engagements are very interesting. The journey’s intensity is high at times, keeping you on the edge, but we all can find a lot of take-a-ways from the residents of the Fort!
Finished this read with Jamaican rum and Romeo & Juliet cigar.