Is he still upset about that? “No. He offered, but I declined.” Specifically because I knew it would trigger Aaron. “I’ve been renting an apartment.”
“Anapartment? What kind of stupid are you?”
“Oh, I don’t know. But definitely not get-myself-in-debt-for-two-million stupid!”
He opens his mouth, but a soft moan comes from the bed.
Sherry!Has she been listening? I rush to her side, but her eyes remain closed. Hopefully she just had a dream.
I shoot Aaron a glare hard enough to break his skull. “You keep her comfortable. Say whatever you need to say so shedoesn’t know what you’ve done.”
I spin around and leave the room. Aaron claimed I wouldn’t be able to leave, but that’s what he thinks.Seriously, who’s going to track me and Sherry all the way to Monroe?It’s a small city—really more like a town, compared to Los Angeles. It doesn’t even have its own airport, so I have to fly to Madison then drive forty more miles. Way too much work, when they can squeeze the money out of Aaron here in L.A.
Besides, my sympathy for him hit rock bottom after that crap he said about his Maserati. I’m not going to be part of his mess when he doesn’t even take the disaster he’s created for himself seriously.
Checking for an available flight for Sherry, I go to the lobby and slice through the crowd. As I exit, the same two men who confronted me and Sherry stare at me, then jerk their chins up, smirking.
My skin crawls.
“Where you going, pretty lady?” Scar Mouth calls out.
Ignoring them, I hurry toward the parking lot.
“Hey, I’m talking to you.”
Keep walking. Keep walking.
He doesn’t lay a hand on me like he did before. Too many people around. “Don’t even think about skipping town without making good on the IOU.”
A chill skitters over me like scorpions. “Aaron’s in there.” I jerk a thumb at the hospital.
“Did you already forget? When one of you owes us,allof you owe us. You ain’t going anywhere. Neither is your mama.”
I spot a black Escalade with its hazard lights on. The driver’s face is difficult to see through the windshield and huge sunglasses. He gives me a mocking salute.
Horror coils around my gut. My knees tremble, and I stiffen my legs to not betray myself.
Just what the hell kind of people did Aaron get tangled up with?
Chapter Four
Bryce
“Hurry!” Ares yells. We make a break for it.
My heart pounds as my brother Ares, my identical twin Josh and I run as fast as our legs can carry us. Mom lets out a soft cry as she follows. The cookies she gave us churn in my belly. My vision gets fuzzy, everything going out of focus. Even though it’s dusk, the sunlight is somehow blinding, making me squint.
I don’t understand why Mom tries to grab us like this. She and Dad argued loudly when they didn’t realize we were listening, and he threatened that she’d never see us again. But kidnapping us like this… Isn’t it too extreme?
You’re such a good boy. My good boy.
Mom’s words ring in my head. She always called me a good boy. I was always sweet-tempered and obedient. Even Aunt Jeremiah told Dad I might be too nice to survive at the family’s law firm.
You’re a good boy, Bryce.
Mom always looked me in the eyes when she said it.
I can always count on you.
