Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
It rings twice before it’s answered.
“Kaleb’s Car Service.” The humor in the man’s voice makes my stomach turn. “What can I do for you… Sweets?”
My gasp is unavoidable, and the chuckle that fills my ear coils my insides, but I steady my quivering jaw, backing away from Jess as he steps closer.
“Is it you?” I try to keep my tone steady. “The bar, my brother, the men—”
“Inside your house? I take it you ruined my not-so-subtle hints?”
“I picked up the cards, yes.”
I swallow, and silence follows for a long moment, my body shaking.
I’m about to check to see if he hung up when his voice reaches me again.
“If you didn’t call to tell me good news, hang up now, princess. Let men handle men things.”
“You’re a bastard.”
“You have no idea. And you don’t have twenty-five racks.”
Looking to the card once more, it’s as if all my tangled thoughts tie together, my promise to stay out of things evaporating with my next breath. My shoulders seem to square, and I meet Jess’s gaze. “No, but I have a Classic worth twice as much.”
Crew
My muscles strain, my ligaments threatening to snap, they’re so tense, so tight.
As pathetic as it might be, I had to consider the bullshit with Memphis had nothing to do with the bullshit happening to me, but now I know for sure it does.
The men who paid off a pizza driver to step up to our door are connected to the ones I beat the shit out of, and the man who fucked up, bringing this shit down on us, is my old best friend.
The piece of shit who bailed without a parting word, his problems, once again, falling right into my lap.
“You’re not fucking going! Fuck that!” Drew gets in my face. “They got a call and left. Must not be that big of a deal if they didn’t come in here with guns and shit, dragging you out.”
I look to Willie, who glares at me.
He’s pissed I didn’t confide in him the second shit started to stir around me—I’d sworn I always would, after he witnessed the shit I went through the first time. But Layla’s pregnant, he’s about to be a dad, and his wife needs him. I didn’t feel right having him out or up all night, stressing about me and my problems, and we haven’t had the time to sit back and talk this shit out yet.
“I don’t have a choice here.”
“Yes, you fucking do, Crew! Yes, you do!” Drew frowns, rushes out the front door and looks around, only to come right back to glare at me some more.
“I have to meet him, see what he has to say.”
“We know what he’s going to say. He wants the money Memphis owes him. You can’t afford that shit!”
“I’m not going to stand here and allow this.”
“You don’t have a say.”
“I won’t let them ruin your life. What are you going to do if they just keep coming? What happens if they show up when Davis is here alone, because eventually, she will be!”
“I won’t let anyone near her!”
“Fuck with these guys and you might not be around to protect her!”
“Then I will die trying!”
“It’s done!”
All eyes snap to the end of the hall, where Davis slowly steps from the room, a stiff, frowning Jess at her back.
My pulse beats out of control, my breaths deep and shallow, but I attempt to calm myself as she approaches.
Wait…
“What’s done?”
She looks to Jess, who drops his eyes to the floor, slipping past her and positioning himself near Drew. Closer to me.
My eyes narrow. “Sweets…”
“I paid them off,” Davis says in a rush.
My muscles lock, everyone’s attention is honed on her.
In what feels like slow motion, I turn so my body is facing hers.
“You… what?”
Davis wrings her hands in front of her, her gaze flicking to Jess, who’s glaring at the floor.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Jess looks to me, clears his throat, and nods toward her, forcing her to say it.
Davis flicks her gaze over the four of us, wetting her lips before speaking. “They left cards at the bar, in the gutter, and I… picked one up. I didn’t really know why or what to do with it, but I heard you say Kaleb and that was the name on the front. I called, and he answered. I… the men from the house came around the back. I passed the keys through the gaps of the privacy walls.”
“Keys, what…” My brows snap together, realization dawning.
No…
She nods.
“Davis.”
“It’s done.”
An angry growl tears from me and pushes toward her. “You went behind my back when you promised not to touch this? Called the people who fucked up our livelihood? Brought the people who hurt you to you?”
“Crew—”
“Everyone out.”
“Crew, man—” Jess begins.
“I said OUT!” I scream, and seconds later, Willie’s shoving them all out the door.