“I sectioned it off. Each stack is a grand. Should be ten there.”
He counts under his breath, and I follow along in my head, making sure it’s all there. I’ve counted them five times on my own, wanting to be sure I wasn’t missing one. That I wasn’t a dollar short.
“Counted ten,” Finn says seconds later, the car slowing for pedestrians to pass by. To anyone on the outside looking in, we’re doing the same as everyone else. Driving the strip and taking in the sights or looking for parking. They’d shit their pants if they could see through the car to the cash I just handed over.
“I told you it was all there.”
“Never know. You are Janie Moore’s kid.”
I grit my teeth at the dig. Just because she’s my flesh and blood doesn’t mean I’d rip him, or anyone for that matter, off. “Have I ever fucked you over in the past?”
“First time for everything.”
Prick.
The car picks up speed, and unfortunately, we’re only halfway through the strip before the road merges back to the main street.
Now that Mom’s debt is paid, it’s time to say goodbye to Finn.
“I’m not doing this again,” I tell him.
This earns a look from him, one where he turns in his seat to look back.
I’m about to get even ballsier.
“It’s not my problem if you decide to make deals with her. You know how she is. She can’t control herself. If you deal with her again and she screws you over, I’m not getting her out of trouble.” Though I hope to God he doesn’t. Rope her into another deal, that is. I love Mom, even with all she’s put me through. That’s the twisted thing about family. They can run you down through the ground, treat you like shit, disrespect you like no tomorrow, and you’re still biologically programmed to care about them. “If it happens, it’s time you take it up with her.”
He gives me a look, a smirk, that reads bad news all over it. “You’d do your own flesh and blood like that?” He shakes his head. “Cold as fucking ice. Maybe we should’ve roped you intodealing instead. Probably would’ve gotten more out of it than what your piece of shit mom gave.”
I let the insult slide off my back. He’s manipulating me, playing the game he thinks he’s so good at, trying to guilt trip me over choosing me for once.
I think about mom being admitted to the hospital again. No one ever called, but if she’s there, it’s the safest place for her to be. There’s nothing more I can do, but I make the point to check in with her once I get out of here.
“You can say what you want. I won’t change my mind.”
“I told you what would happen to Janie if you didn’t pay up. She comes nosing around, I’m not going to say no to easy money.”
“You’d be stupid to do business with her when she’s already abused your trust and took what wasn’t hers.”
“Maybe I’d do it just to fuck with you.”
My fist flexes. He would. He would fucking do that, but I’m better than lowering myself to his level. “Do what you need to do. I’ll do what I need to.”
“And what’s that, Moore?” He stashes the cash in the glove compartment then whips my bag back at me. He pinches a cigarette between his lips, lighting it. “Hm?”
Check on mom.
Get her help.
Live my fucking life.
Stay the hell away from you.
Make memories with the only girl I’ve ever trusted.
He’s taken advantage of the love I have for Mom. That ends here. No more will I cave and deal with her issues to appease him or his father. I’ll be just as bad as them if I keep doing it, and that’s the entire point. I want to be better. I want to bemorethan Harrison Heights, addiction, and debts that don’t belong to me. Other people get that all the time. It’s about time it’s my turn.
When I don’t respond he says, “What? No answer?”
