Golden Trail (The 'Burg #3)(134)
Layne felt his neck muscles contract.
“Porn?” he whispered.
“Three films, none of them starring roles, she did them under false names, different colored hair, carryin’ an extra twenty pounds, hadn’t yet had her boob job, was underage and looks it but no denyin’ it’s her.”
Layne grinned, not because Marissa Gibbons’s life clearly sucked but because he f**king loved it that Astley was f**king a p**n star. No doubt he was still shit in bed but at least she’d have the skills to convince him he wasn’t
Devin watched him grin and shook his head, leaning even closer.
“She pulled herself outta that shit, Tanner. Don’t know how she did it, but she did. She’s goin’ to IUPUI, studyin’ to be a social worker. She’s turned her life around. This shit hits, no matter how big the names are around hers, she’s the face of it for…f*ckin’…ever. History books, boy. Online encyclopedias, Goggle her name and she could cure world hunger but that’s the first thing you’d see. No more Pacemate, the squad will dump her. She’ll quit school. She’ll go back to what she knows. You tip Astley, you destroy her life. We both know it wasn’t a good choice for her to hook her star to his or how she did it but now we know why she did it. You want me to use it, I’ll use it. I’ll even use all of it which means he’ll set her out before he takes you on, whatever way that comes about. But he doesn’t bite, you go the distance, you take her down. She’s not a good woman because she’s had no role models but, even so, she’s tryin’ like hell to learn how to be one. You do this, you set her back in that task, I’m guessin’ irrevocably.” Devin sat back and finished, “That said, your call.”
Layne stared at Devin and made a decision.
“Lean on ‘em both,” he ordered.
Devin’s brows shot up. “What?”
“Go to her, tell her what you got on him and what you got on her. Porn past or not, she can do better. Fuck, anyone can do better,” Layne explained. “I’m guessin’ here but what they got is no love match so we’re doin’ her a favor. She leans on him one way, we lean on him the other. We partner up, coach her, play it right, he pays her off, settles with Rocky and they both get on with their lives with him not in it but his cash in their accounts.” Layne leaned forward and continued. “He still doesn’t play, you go one by one through the Republican Committee. I’ll lay money down that one of ‘em will buckle and I’ll lay more down on it bein’ the first one you talk to, especially seein’ as this isn’t blackmail, you’re sellin’ quiet cheap. They won’t have to dish out anything but a little pressure. Astley may think he’s untouchable from me, from Roc, but those boys can convince him a f**kuva lot different.”
Devin smiled and leaned back, saying, “Like the way you think, boy.”
Layne pushed up out of the armchair, replying, “You should, you taught me how to think.” He moved to the side of the couch, stopped and looked down at his friend. “Losin’ your touch, old man, you’da called that five years ago.”
“Lucky for me, I had the foresight to train my replacement before the dementia kicked in,” Devin shot back.
Layne bit back his smile and shook his head, muttering, “Goin’ to bed.”
“Don’t blame you,” Dev muttered back, his eyes moving to the TV.
Layne hesitated then asked, “Ma all right with Roc while I was gone?”
Devin didn’t look away from the TV. “Seein’ as both your boys threw down on Rocky’s side, then yeah.” He turned his head to Layne. “They’re good judges of character, like me.”
That didn’t sound good.
“They both threw down?” Layne asked.
“Not a word spoken but blind, deaf and dumb would know that to them it’s warm as the waters of the Caribbean with Rocky, frosty arctic with your Ma.” Dev’s eyes turned intense again before he went on. “You didn’t ask my advice but I’m givin’ it. I don’t know what went down when I wasn’t here but I know by the aftermath it wasn’t good so you better tell that woman to get her head outta her ass. They love her but they’re your boys. They see that soft spot Rocky’s got and, like you, they’re movin’ in to protect it. Not only that, she makes you happy in a way your Ma cleanin’ your house and makin’ cake ain’t ever gonna make you happy and they want that for you. It’s a fight she ain’t ever gonna win and she better get smart before she loses a lot more than she’d ever expect.”
“Roc’s stronger than you think, Dev,” Layne said quietly.
“You think that, you better look closer, Tanner, because she sure as f**k ain’t,” Dev returned, just as quietly and those muscles in Layne’s neck went tight again. “I can see you hangin’ back and lettin’ the women battle this out and normally I’d agree with that play but not here. You’re skatin’ on thin ice, boy, and you better be careful with every stroke of those blades because, you fall through, those waters are bitter cold and you know it ‘cause you been livin’ in ‘em a long time. You don’t want those waters to close over you again, Tanner, you have a word with your Ma.”
Layne sighed then he nodded, knowing after his mother’s behavior that day Dev spoke the truth but wanting to have a word with his mother about as much as he wanted to talk to Gabby yesterday.