“A lot. We need to get him a down payment by Sunday,” I say. “I’m working on it.”
Without another word, Ben turns to Seb and nods at him meaningfully. Seb turns, walking over to a closet in the back of the kitchen. It’s a run-down little space, the door falling off, with a load of old equipment and brooms piled inside it. I never go in there because it’s always full of junk, but Seb doesn’t hesitate, getting onto his knees and pulling something from under a shelf.
In minutes, he’s hauled an old duffel out and brings it over, dropping it at my feet.
I bend down, opening it to find it filled with stacks of cash.
“That’s five grand. We got it doing a job a few weeks back,” Seb says.
“What job?” I ask suspiciously as I stand back up.
“A kitchen,” Ben says defensively. “We outfitted it for someone, and he was rich. That’s what’s left. Take it.”
My heart swells at the determination in their eyes. My brothers might be total idiots most of the time, but they’re more loyal than anyone could ask for.
Scott sighs, looking dejected and miserable as he shakes his head.
“That’s yours,” he says. “You shouldn’t have to clean up my messes. Any of you.”
“We’ll deal with the consequences another time,” I say. “The best way you can repay us is to stop putting bets on anything. Right now, we need cash; you can talk about paying them back later.”
I look to my younger brothers again. “Flynn doesn’t know about this mess, and we’d like to keep it that way.”
They both nod, but Ben’s eyes are glued to the bag on the floor.
“How much have you got?” he asks, attempting to work out the math, but it’s never been his best skill. “Whatever you owe, you’ll need at least 10% to get him off your back. More if you can. He’s a ruthless son of a bitch.”
Scott blinks up at him, his lip beginning to quiver.
“I’ll get the rest,” I say with more certainty than I feel.
I have five grand for the interview, three for the phone sex, and if I’m any kind of escort, I’ll get even more when I fuck Jones’s brains out in the morning.
“Where are you getting that kind of cash from?” Scott asks again, and they all turn to look at me.
“Don’t worry about it. Just stay out of trouble until Sunday.”
Chapter 18
Jax
The next morning, I head to work in my highest heels, my best lingerie, and a determination I haven’t felt in years.
After making sure Scott was comfortable the night before, I had no choice but to leave him with Ben and Seb and head to the club.
Without Scott, we were short-staffed, and I’d had to deal with a shit ton of problems the minute I’d walked through the doors.
When I finally fell asleep after getting back at almost 3 am, my dreams were filled with armed men breaking down the door of our house and my brothers getting shot in the head.
Waking, soaked in sweat, I scrambled out of my bed and walked along the hallway to Scott’s room, only to find him sleeping peacefully. I curled up on the floor beside his bed, listening to the reassuring sound of his breathing as I fell into a fitful sleep.
We’vegotto get this money and get these assholes off Scott. The thought of him getting beat up again or worse makes me want to throw up.
As I walk into the office building, I should be exhausted, but instead I’m vibrating with energy. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that I’m going to be able to save my brother, or the prospect offucking Gray Jones that has me so wired, but either way, I will be ending the day with his dick inside me.
Before I head to my desk, there’s one quick stop I have to make first. Pressing the central button in the elevator, I get out at the third floor and walk toward Fran Morgan’s desk.
I’m not surprised to find her in her office already. She’s the only person on her floor at this hour, reading over a document, her glasses perched on the end of her nose.
