Hush (Black Lotus #3)(27)
“Everyone is traceable. Even you, my dear.”
“What do you want?” I snap irritably.
“That’s no way to greet an old friend.”
“Cut the shit, Matt.”
“Fine. I need your help.”
“Forget it.”
“Do I need to remind you of your place in this equation? You owe me.”
He’s right. I very well could be sitting in prison if he hadn’t covered up Pike’s murder for me, so I swallow back my hatred for his slimy ways. “What do you need?”
“Well, it seems I’m in a bit of a bad situation with a loan shark.”
“What the hell are you doing business with a loan shark for?”
“Pike’s murder being the face of my business wasn’t a good look, kitty. No one wanted to be associated with me with the threat of cops watching. I needed money.”
“What happened to it?”
“It’s gone. I gambled it away in hopes of increasing my profits.”
“You’re an idiot, you know that?”
“The idiot who saved you from a life behind bars,” he reminds with growing pique, and then drops the bomb. “They’re gonna kill me.” He pauses. “I can’t buy any more time from them.”
I brace my hand on the edge of the sink and drop my head. I could bail him out, sure, but he’ll never leave me alone. The threat of this guy will continue to hang over my head, and how do I have a shot in hell of moving forward in this life if my past is forever following me? Matt is nothing but corrosive—he always has been. Unwilling to allow him the opportunity to one day pull me down with him or to risk him turning me in to the cops for all the crimes I’ve hidden under my belt, I take back the control.
“You want me to bankroll you?”
“I need you to wire the money. My time is up.” Panic seeps through his words the more he speaks. “Pretty soon, there’s gonna be a bounty on my head.”
“If I do this, will you leave me alone?”
“Yes.”
I take a moment to let him sweat a little, enjoying the upper hand and listening to him squirm for my help.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Elizabeth, what the f*ck? Come on!”
“Don’t call me again.”
“You f*cking cunt!”
“Let me tell you who the cunt is,” I seethe through my teeth, injecting each word with the poison of my rusted heart. “You don’t get to f*ck with me anymore. I’m not a toy you get to play with. So this cunt is done with you, you little shit. Let them kill you; it’ll do me the favor of dispelling you from my life.”
Before I give him an opportunity to respond, I disconnect the call and shut my phone off. With both of my hands clutching the countertop, I look at myself in the mirror and greet the monster that stares back at me, but no sooner say goodbye. I take in a few deep breaths and rein in the beast I’ve been trying to tame—for Declan—for us.
Minutes pass, and my heart settles into a healthy rhythm. I apply a little more gloss before taking the phone and shoving it down in my purse that’s in the closet. I turn to the mirror and give myself a lookover, paranoid that Declan will see right through me.
Walking out of the bedroom, I watch Declan for a few seconds. He’s barking at someone on his phone while pots are steaming and boiling. He surprised me with the announcement earlier today that Davina, his childhood friend, is joining us for dinner. I’m not exactly happy about it but refuse to let Declan notice my displeasure. He says that he wants me to give her a chance, that it’s time I stop secluding myself from people and put myself out there to make friends. The thought doesn’t sit well with me though. I’ve never had friends. The women I socialized with back in Chicago were merely a charade I put on to appease Bennett and play my part in the whole con. Those women weren’t my friends though.
The only two people I’ve ever truly welcomed into my life are Pike and Declan. I never saw the point in having friends; I still don’t. But Davina is part of Declan’s life and it’s important to him that I get to know her. So with my fake smile, I’ll do my best to stifle any jealousy that might arise to placate him.
“Is someone in trouble?” I ask when I walk into the room after Declan ends his call, shaking off the residue of Matt’s phone call.
“I think I’m going to have to make a trip back to Chicago to deal with some business concerning Lotus.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything is fine. Forbes is going to be doing a feature on me for an upcoming issue and they want to get photos of me at the Lotus property.”
“You’re kidding. Declan, that’s amazing!” I exclaim. “Congratulations!”
He laughs at my reaction, but I can’t help myself. Declan’s spent his life trying to measure up to his father’s success, so to have a feature in Forbes is incredible validation.
I take his face in my hands and look up at him with a huge smile. “I am so proud of you.”
“You are?” he flirts, hoisting me onto the counter.
“Yes. And you should be more excited.”
“I am excited.” His voice is low and even, teasing me.
“I’m serious. This is amazing.”