“Shouldn’t I get a choice?” I protest.
“You are getting a choice. No one is forcing you to bond with anyone,” she counters.
“But I’m also not allowed to pursue anyone in the club.”
My mother stands and looks at me with compassion but also a bit of irritation. “We want more for you. Can you please just do your best to be pleasant on this date?”
“I’ll do my best,” I concede. She sighs, but says nothing else, accepting this as the win it is.
I sit on my bed and sort through my mail, nothing standing out except the last envelope.
“The IRS?” I say out loud to myself. When I open the paper, my heart sinks into my stomach, and I feel like I’m going to throw up.
It’s vain and stupid, but my first thought is that Omegas shouldn’t have to worry about shit like taxes. Some of the verbiage in the letter is confusing and scares the absolute shit out of me.
I’m panicking, my stomach hurts, and I want to cry.Why wasn’t this something I even thought about?
I obviously can’t go to my family with this or they’ll wonder where all the money came from and where I’m keeping it. I could go to Axel, but as much as I care for him and adore him, I’m not sure he’s ever paid taxes before in his life. I’m tugging on the ends of my hair when a person who I know is good with numbers pops into my head.
I slide on my sandals and fold up the paper before heading out the door. Only to realize that I don’t know where to find Cash. Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll still be working in the office at the body shop.
Honestly, I’m being very brave right now, not spiraling into a fit of tears as I make my way through the shop where the guys are working. Most of them ignore me. Though Axel gives me a curious look. I give him the best smile I can manage until I make it to the office. To my sweet fucking relief, he’s there.
It’s stupid. I know it’s dumb, but I burst into tears as soon as he says my name. “Lily? What’s wrong?”
“Fuck, I’ve got to stop crying around you,” I joke as I try to compose myself. He seems sympathetic to my breakdown, and I wonder if he thinks I’m insane.Probably.
“Sit down,” he urges, and I do, taking a seat on the shitty couch next to his desk. He hands me a bottle of water, and I take it. “What’s wrong?” he asks again. We both look down at thepaper fisted in my hands. With a dejected groan, I hand it over to him.
After he reads it, he looks back over at me. “Lily, how… okay, this is what we’re going to do?—”
“You’re going to help me?” I ask hopefully.
“Yeah, I’m going to help you. Because the IRS coming after you could lead to them coming after the club.”
“Oh my God, I didn’t even think about the club. I’m so stupid,” I chastise myself.
His palm on my chin is tight as he forces me to look at him. “Don’t say bad shit about yourself again. We’re going to fix it. It’s going to be simple. You gonna tell me how you made this money, sweetheart?”
“I’d really rather not,” I say.
“Is it legal?”
“Yes. Obviously, if the IRS wants a cut.” He gives me a look, and I swallow down the sass.
“Fuck the IRS,” he grumbles. “You don’t have to tell me how you got the money. Can you just promise me that you’re safe?” he asks.
It makes me want to cry again. All this emotion is fucking bullshit, and I hate it. I hate feeling like this, and I hate knowing what it means.
I’m running out of time.
My eyes must water again, and Cash leans down and kisses my forehead before sitting down at the desk. The action was so out of left field and endearing for a man who looks like he could rip a car in half.
“You know what’s bullshit. The IRS knows exactly how much money you owe, yet they expect Americans to figure this shit out on their own. You’re not alone, and you’re not in trouble. We just need to pay the Federal tax from what you made last year and it will be fine. You’re going to be okay,” he reassures.
“Okay,” I reply softly. “Can we keep this between us? No one knows about this account.”
“Why doesn’t anyone know?” he asks skeptically. I don’t know what it is about Cash, but I just feel comfortable around him. The moment I ran into him that first night, he made me feel safe, and right now I feel precious and taken care of. He’s helping me out massively, not only by calming me down but helping me with my problem.
