Payback

“Her name is Paula,” I gritted out. “I spent a few days with my friend, Paula. She’s the campus librarian. You wouldn’t understand because I doubt you’ve ever cracked a book in your life.”

“You do spend an awful lot of time in that library,” Johnny agreed, seeming to buy my explanation. “Guess it won’t take much to follow up.”

Fear sharpened my voice. “Get out, Johnny before I call my brother and have you tossed out.”

“Who do you think sent me?” Johnny grinned, giving me a look that chilled my blood. “Timeline’s been moved up. Your brother wants you home tonight. Don’t worry about packing this shit, you don’t need it. College is over.”

I balked. “This is not shit and I’m not leaving it behind. What has gotten into you? I’ll talk to my brother myself. Now get out or I’ll call campus security.”

“Holly…you always were an uppity bitch,” he murmured with a laugh. “Considering where you came from…seems funny to me.”

“What does that mean?”

He continued to chuckle. “Sweet little Holly…the princess. I hope the princess saved herself for her prince. I’d hate to see how that ends if she didn’t.”

I swallowed, feeling nauseous. “You’re insane. Get out.”

Why was he talking to me like this? I had a bitter taste in the back of my throat.

“I’ll be back to pick you up in an hour. Whatever you haven’t managed to pack stays behind.”

I started to protest but Johnny was already gone.

I didn’t have any way to contact Cason. Fear made my palms sweat. I wanted to back out. Something felt terribly off.

Why does Butcher want me home tonight?

Did he know about me and Cason?

Damn it, Cason…I need you. Where the hell are you?

I cast a nervous glance at the clock, feeling the tick of every tock as my hour slipped away.

I had no choice but to pack as Johnny directed.

If I was going to help Cason, I couldn’t let anyone know that anything had changed.

I rose and went to the mirror, pinching my cheeks when I saw how pale I’d become.

My hands were sweating and I looked as twitchy as a narc around a crew who were onto him.

How am I going to pull this off?

I didn’t look very excited to be going home; I looked terrified.

I guess I’d just have to figure it out and wing it.

Or else things were going to end badly for us all.

Chapter 28

Cason

I picked up the phone on the first ring.

“Something is wrong,” Tito said. “I saw Johnny Malco go up to her apartment and she came out carrying boxes.”

“Graduation isn’t until tomorrow,” I said, frowning. “Why would she leave before accepting her degree?”

“They can mail her degree. Butcher is moving up the timeline for some reason. I don’t have to tell you that I got a bad feeling.”

“Me too,” I agreed grimly. “We got to get her out of there.”

“No, we got to let her do her part. We can’t let Butcher know anything is up. Don’t blow it.”

But I wasn’t good with that.

I was on edge. I hated being apart from Holly, especially knowing that she was heading into the lion’s den.

And if she was pregnant?

It was too early to tell but it was all I could think about.

I wanted her pregnant with my baby.

If Butcher found out Holly was pregnant, I was afraid of what he would do.

“Did you meet up with your Fed contact?” Tito asked. “What’s the word?”

“We need evidence that shows Butcher was responsible for the murder of Shay Trunnel and the injury to my sister.”

“And you’re placing your faith in a woman you hardly know,” Tito said, shaking his head. “This is going to end with both of us bleeding out our ass.”

I believed in Holly. I couldn’t explain my dogged faith. Was I blind to what was right in front of me? Was Holly playing me?

I had no way of knowing for sure.

Seeing as my original plan was shot to shit, I had no choice but to believe Holly would come through for us.

“You’ve gone soft,” Tito declared, his nostrils flaring. “What the hell happened to you? What about Christine?”

Anger flared. “Don’t,” I warned. “No one loves my sister more than me, including you.”

Tito had been in love with Christine for as long as I could remember but Christine had seen him as a brother. I think Tito had always hoped that eventually she’d change her mind.

And now, there was almost little chance of that happening.

“You’re putting all our lives in her hands,” he said, his voice rising. “We should’ve stuck with the goddamn original plan but you pussed out. Why?”

I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t owe anyone any explanations. I glowered and jerked open the fridge to grab a beer. “The plan was flawed to begin with,” I said, slamming the beer. I wiped my mouth, adding, “We finally have a chance to do things that might actually work. We got one shot to make this happen. Holly is the key that makes this work.”

“Only if she’s suddenly switched teams! I don’t get why you think she’s suddenly going to betray her fucking brother for you!”

“Because she fucking loves me!” I roared back, startling Tito.

I hadn’t meant to reveal so much but I needed Tito to relax, to believe with me because I was holding on by a thread.

“Love?” Tito repeated, incredulous. “Are you…are you kidding me? You’ve barely known each other for a week.”

“I know,” I bit out. “Don’t you think I know all this? I can’t explain it. I don’t understand. There’s something between us. I…I know she won’t betray me.”

Tito sighed and grabbed a beer as well before dropping into a chair. “Man, I hope you’re right,” he said, tipping back the bottle. “Because if you’re wrong…we’re all fucked.”

I nodded.

A beat of silence passed between us. We were both processing a lot of shit. So much was riding on Holly.

But I was left with my own conflict. Tito was right; it was a tall order to ask anyone to believe that Holly had true feelings for me, especially after how we’d started off.

What I didn’t say was that I didn’t know how to make heads or tails of what I was feeling either.

Love was a foreign concept for me.

I reserved all my love for my sister.

I didn’t let girls get attached.

Dealing with the drama of a woman clinging on my leg was something I didn’t need.

I’d shaken off more clingers than I could count.

Holly didn’t cling. If anyone was guilty of holding on too tight, it was me in this scenario.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I missed her soft body pressed against mine.

A piece of me felt ripped away.

Never in a million years would I have imagined that I’d be so twisted around by a woman.

But I was.

Maybe I ought to admit to Tito that I had feelings for Holly, too.

Would that make the difference?

Tito was my best friend, my crew brother.

However, even though I knew in my heart things had changed for me, I couldn’t quite get the words out.

Like a coward, I remained silent, filling my mouth with beer instead of the words that I should’ve said.

Chapter 29

Holly

I walked into the house my brother owned, a huge sprawling mansion that he’d bought before I was in the picture. My memories of the place were sporadic, certain holidays, such as Christmas but most of the time, Butcher had kept me at arm’s length.

But even if I’d grown up in this place, I don’t think I’d ever consider it home.

The house was too big, impersonal and there were weird sounds at night.

I wouldn’t go

so far as to say it was haunted but I sure didn’t like wandering the halls at night.

I went straight to my room, needing a minute to compose myself. My brother expected to see me at dinner. He’d already chosen a dress for me and it was waiting for me on the bed.

The dress was not to my tastes and made me uncomfortable. Tight and short, it wasn’t anything I would choose for myself.

But I didn’t want to make waves so I prepared to wear the dress.

A quick shower, a little make-up and a blow-out for my hair, I felt more settled. I shimmied into the dress, grunting as I tried pulling it over my curves. Eventually I managed to get the dress on but my breasts were spilling out in an obscene display.

I groaned. How ridiculous.

I wouldn’t be caught dead in this hot mess of Spandex and ruching.

Closing my eyes I tried to imagine that I was meeting Cason for dinner instead of my brother.

Would Cason like to see me in something like this?

Something sexy?

Thus far, I’d been pretty lacking in the sexy department. I didn’t even own a cute bra and panty set. I never saw the point in throwing away good money on such frivolous things when I could spend that money on more books.

I guess it would be fair to say that Cason had seen me at my worst: drugged, dirty, smelly and he’d still found me sexy.

That thought warmed the cold knot growing in my stomach.

I would need something to keep me going while I tried to find what Cason needed to bring justice to his sister and her friend.

I stared into the mirror, seeking courage from the woman staring back.

You can do this, I told her. Be brave.

I was different, no longer content to play the part of the shy girl. Butcher had always managed my life and I’d gone along with whatever he’d dictated. But that was over. I didn’t need him telling me what to do or how to act.

I drew a shaky breath. Time to face the boogey-man.

Slipping into the high heels that accompanied the dress, I ignored the gaudy jewelry. I already felt like an idiot, I wasn’t going to look like a hooker, too.

I exited my room and found a guard posted at my door.