“Not much,” she insisted. “I just needed some here and there to get me over the rough patches, and it’s harder than I thought it would be.”

“No fucking shit, Bonnie. You’re an addict and a stupid one at that! These guys are dangerous, don’t you get that? Or are you too far gone to give a shit anymore, because honestly, I can’t tell.”

“I…just forget it.”

I shook my head, too angry to listen. “They’ll whore you out until you’re all used up. Is that what you want, Bonnie? Is it?” I was being harsh, but how else could I get her to understand?

“These aren’t some college kids selling dope for tuition; this is business Bonnie. A lucrative one at that.”

Her head fell forward, damp red hair covering most of her face. “I’m sorry, Cal. I just…I thought I had it under control.”

“Bullshit,” I snapped. The truth was it didn’t matter what she said at that moment. I was too angry, too betrayed, too scared for her to listen to reason. “You’re a fucking junkie and junkies don’t change. I knew it and I went there with you anyway. Christ, you’re not shooting up are you?”

Bonnie gasped and took a step back, looking like the injured one all of a sudden. When she spoke, her words were so soft they were barely audible. “No.”

“Thank fuck for that,” I told her and stormed back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

On last night.

And on us.

I had other shit to worry about, so I slapped on my game face, got dressed and went to face Sadie. And Jasper.

I had to tell them that I trusted in the wrong person and it would definitely bring more shit our way. I took my time heading down the stairs and joining my brothers, enjoying a few moments of silence before I entered the lion’s den.

“Boys. Nice of you to join us.” Sadie wore a sardonic smile from her perch behind her oversized desk. “Grab a drink. Have a seat.”

As much as I would love the sting of booze to get me through what had to happen next, I knew I needed a clear head. I took several deep breaths, listening as Sadie caught us up on everything.

“A crew will clean and repair everything at Midnight Mass as soon as the police clear, which should be early tomorrow morning. Two of the three suspects are in custody. Our custody,” she clarified when Kat opened her mouth to ask the question. “The thing no one, not even the cops on our payroll, can figure out,” she said as if she already knew the answer, “is what the fuck prompted this attack?”

This moment was as good a time as any. “I think I know.” All eyes swung my way, Jasper’s burning with anger and suspicion. “Turns out Bonnie hasn’t been as clean as we all thought.”

“Fuck,” Jasper bit out, his worst fears, his prediction had come true.

“Poor girl,” Kat said with a sad dip of her head.

“Fuck. Maisie’ll be crushed,” Virgil growled, knowing his girl would be gutted by the news.

“I’m sorry, Ma. I fucked up. I thought I had her under control but it turns out that it was beyond my capability.”

I still couldn’t fucking believe it. Bonnie had gotten one over on me. She looked pale and thin, sure, but no worse than she had when I found her on the street, beaten. Broken.

“No need for an apology, son.”

“The hell it isn’t,” Jasper roared into the thick silence of the room. “He said—”

Sadie cut off Jasper’s tirade by raising her hand and slicing it through the air. “Enough! Addiction is a powerful thing, and we all know what it did to your father.” Her gaze was pointed as it bounced on each and every one of us, so we were all clear what we were dealing with. “The battle is a tough one and there are always setbacks. Always.”

“Bullshit, Ma. I’m sorry, but it’s true. I gave her a chance. I laid out my expectations, and she agreed, but the whole damn time she was using. Popping pills, snorting shit and who knows what else. She owes a lot of money.”

“What? We don’t have money to help her? And we will help her,” Sadie said. Her tone made it clear she expected no arguments.

But I couldn’t help it. “No way. Bonnie made this bed and she can find her way out of it. On her own.”

Kat sucked in an outraged breath as if I were the monster here. “Bonnie has no one, you asshole, and that’s on us.” Her gaze slid from me to Sadie before landing on Jasper, the one in charge.

“We have to help her, even if it offends your delicate sensibilities, baby brother.”

“You’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment.” The same way I had but unlike my sister, I’d very recently learned this lesson the hard way.

Tags: K.B. Winters Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net