Hard Money (Bad Money #3)

by Ali Parker

  "I like you greedy. Sometimes." She turned and kissed his cheek as he continued to press wet kisses to her neck.

  "You know that I love you, right? That I'm sorry about everything." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head.

  "I think I do." She pressed back against him and took her time drinking his coffee.

  "I don't need you to trust me yet, but I want you to know that you're the only woman for me, Kate. I can't see myself with anyone else."

  She turned in his arms and looked up at him, her warm brown eyes filled with a tenderness he needed to see so damn bad. "I'm in love with you too. It's the only reason I put up with your shit."

  "I realize that." He moved down, cupping her pretty face and kissing her several times. "I'm going to get us out of this so we can be together."

  Her expression shifted just a little, but the subtle change worried him.

  "What? You don't want anything to change?" he asked.

  "I do, but you know that I love Marcus too, Jon. He's a staple in my life. If I had to choose between the two of you, I would choose him. He's been my rock, and I will always be beside him."

  Jon nodded, understanding though it stung like a bitch. "I get that. I'm not sure how all of this is going to work out, but I think you being with Marcus is something I can live with. Anyone else? Fuck no."

  "Good." She lifted to her toes and kissed him softly as if sealing the promise. "If you hurt me again, you'll not wake up from it."

  "I'd not want to."

  Chapter 12

  Marcus

  "You're all done and ready to go, Mister." The masculine female doctor had grown on him throughout his stay, though he'd never tell her that.

  "About damn time," Marcus barked and turned from the window, feeling much like he'd been given his walking papers at the local prison.

  She chuckled and walked to the door. "Be careful. The world’s getting more and more dangerous by the minute."

  "Yeah, even more so now that you're letting me back into it." He walked to the door, grabbing the coat that Kate had brought him and slinging it over his shoulders. Jon and Kate were out of town with Victor, but it wasn't a big deal. After a quick call to Shorty, Marcus's best dealer, he was sitting in a tricked out Lincoln riding through the heart of the city.

  "What the fuck, man?" Shorty pushed gently at Marcus's shoulder.

  "What?" Marcus turned his attention to the short black man. "You got something you need to say? You missed me and shit?"

  "Naw, mother fucker. Glad to have you gone for a while." Shorty shrugged. "Just concerned. Where's the boss lady?"

  "She's in New York." Marcus pointed toward a burger joint they were approaching. "Pull in there and get me something to eat."

  "All right." Shorty jerked the car, pulling up into the drive-thru. "You hear about the latest killing on Bourbon Street?"

  "No. What happened?" Marcus turned his head to look at his old friend as his stomach burned from hunger.

  "Someone got shot in front of Expulsion. This is a new murder compared to those two guys that were killed last week." Shorty chuckled. "I'm thinking they want Kate framed for good. The name of that fucking club should be changed to Black Widow."

  "Have the cops found any evidence linking Kate to it?"

  "I don't know. We need to get a new rat seeing that our last one was out to kill most of us off." Shorty laughed and leaned out the window, ordering more food than the two of them could ever eat.

  Marcus smirked at the guy laughing over someone trying to take them out. Fucked up. Seth had almost done it too. Bastard.

  "Anything linking the death to Billy being back?"

  Shorty snapped his head around. "What? Billy Turner?"

  "Yeah, dude. That's who put me in the hospital." Marcus reached out and touched Shorty's shoulder as the guy visibly paled. "You all right?"

  "No. I hate that bastard. He killed my brother before he was taken away. I know you remember that shit."

  "Yeah, I do." Marcus let out a long sigh and pulled his phone to his face as it rang. It was an unknown number, which gave him no choice in answering it. Either Kate needed him or it was Billy. He needed to talk to both.

  "Marcus here."

  "Hey. It's Reni. We've been waiting to hear from you."

  "You didn't leave a number, and I just got out of the hospital, but something tells me that you already knew that."

  A dark chuckle left the man on the other end of the line. Billy had taken the phone. "You give us far too much credit, Marcus. Meet me at the old Barringon warehouse just a mile to the east of the swamps. You remember the place?"

  Marcus swallowed hard as his stomach turned. "How could I forget?"

  "Good. Thirty minutes."

  "Forty-five and don't shoot me this time. I'll kill all you bastards if you try." Heat rose up Marcus's neck and covered his face. He hated Billy almost more than he could bear. Even pretending to be a part of his operation seemed like a stretch as his emotions ran him ragged.

  "Fine, and stop threatening me. You know I hate that shit. We didn't shoot you, bitch."

  "See you shortly, old timer." Marcus dropped the call and turned to Shorty.

  "Oh, fuck no," Shorty spoke rapidly, lifting his hands. "I'm not going out there. Hear me clearly, Marcus. It ain't happening. No."

  "Drop me off at the nearest crossroad then. I don't have time to grab my car."

  "Like hell you don't. I'll speed through town. I'm not going near Billy. If he's taking over for Kate, then I'm out. Help me fake my death. I can't work for that sick mother fucker." Shorty turned as they pulled up to the window.

  Marcus sunk down in his seat, not nearly as intimidated as Shorty was, but maybe that was half the problem. The fact that Billy didn't scare him left Marcus acting a little more ballsy than his old employer would appreciate.

  It didn't matter. It wasn't changing.

  After grabbing his mustang, Marcus made his way toward the old Barringon warehouse as memories assaulted him. How many men had he gunned down in cold blood, being forced to take their hands off as Billy wanted? All in the name of keeping Kate safe. Billy knew what he had by allowing the trade. Marcus had become any and everything for the bastard.

  "Fuck me," Marcus groaned as he pulled up to the warehouse and parked. His stomach was killing him. "Maybe three cheeseburgers was too much."

  He got out of the car and walked languidly up to the thin metal door, banging twice and moving back. He was almost grateful that Jon and Kate were away. He had no doubt that Billy would have already tried to get to Kate by now. Jon would soon be on the list too. Billy hated competition of any sort.

  "Marcus. Good to see you up and moving." Reni moved back and gave him a crooked smile.

  "Don't touch me or move too fast. I don't trust any of you bastards." Marcus moved into the large warehouse and waited until Reni moved up beside him to walk to the center.

  A row of dirty couches sat lonely in the middle of the room, Billy on one and a slutty looking girl on the other. Her tank top and skirt barely covered her, but she didn't seem to notice. She was drooling and humming something, the poor thing lost to the drugs that pumped through her system.

  Billy chuckled, catching Marcus's attention. "This is Sarah. You seem interested."

  "Disgusted. Concerned, maybe, but not interested." Marcus crossed his arms over his chest. "Fuck you for busting into Kate's club the other day."

  "Fuck you for not holding the door open for me to return. You didn't even lift a goddamn finger when that blond-haired frat boy took over." Billy stood up, and Marcus had to work hard not to flinch. He might not be as scared as everyone else, but Billy was still the sickest mother fucker he'd ever met. Ever.

  "You know that wasn't possible. If you were just dealing, then fine, but killing people and mutilating them is fucked up." Marcus narrowed his eyes on his old mentor.

  "You'd know. You did that shit right alongside me." Billy chuckled and slippe
d his hands into his pockets. "What's your answer, old friend? You in, or am I going after your boss?"

  "I'm in. Don't fucking touch Kate. Our agreement goes back into place. She stays clear of everything we do. You got it?"

  "I do, but there's a problem." Billy ran his tongue over his darkened teeth.

  "And that is?" Marcus shifted a little to ensure that no one was behind him.

  "She's holding my position as the kingpin of our little drug ring. Get her out of my chair, or by default, I have no choice but to do it."

  "Seems like you're already trying." Marcus bit his lip and watched Billy closely.

  "You talking about the three dead bodies around her club? Fuck yeah that's me. I want them to connect her to me and tote her pretty ass off." He lifted his hands and ran them over his greasy hair. "Actually, I want to slip into her bedroom and-"

  Marcus moved toward him and grabbed his throat, not willing to let him say another word. Someone joined Reni and pulled their guns on him, pressing them into the back of his head.

  Billy smiled sardonically, and Marcus put him down.

  "Touch her and I'll kill you. I promise." Marcus turned and slapped the guns away from him. "Back the fuck off."

  Both men moved back at the deep roar of his voice. Everyone in the old crew knew who he was. Billy had helped raise him in New York, but somewhere along the way, Billy's mind cracked just enough to allow more darkness than the light was capable of burning away. The bastard turned sadistic and all was lost between them.

  "I think this murder should connect her good. We made sure to pay a guy at the force to go after her. He's going to wait a few days, of course." Billy shrugged.

  "Pull him off, or I walk, and the next time you see me will be the last time you open your eyes."

  "So many threats for a man not holding a gun." Billy chuckled. "I'll call him off if you prove your loyalty. Here. Now."

  "Fine. What do you want?" Marcus tried to relax, but couldn't seem to force the tight muscles in his shoulders to relent.

  "Reni here is going on a run for me. It's a bit of a rough crew over there, but I think you'll find it exciting. Grab Shorty. I know he's hiding from me. Take him with you and we'll talk about where he fits in things later. Give him ten grand to help out."

  "I don't have ten-"

  The new guy that Marcus wasn't familiar with moved around the side of him, opening a briefcase with lots of green in it.

  "I have plenty. It's just stashed away in various places. Go buy the drugs and come back by lunchtime." Billy nodded to Reni. "Take two cars in case anything goes wrong. Show Marcus how we deal with crackheads like Mark Lyman."

  Marcus had heard the guy's name before, but not much more about him. "Let's go. I just got out of the hospital, and I want to fucking go home."

  "Cry me a river, tit-baby." Billy pushed at Marcus playfully. "Get out of here and welcome back, you bastard. I'll be watching your every move."

  "Good. You should be." Marcus forced a tight smile and followed Reni out. "You lead and I'll have Shorty meet us there."

  "Sounds good, bro."

  "I'm not your bro." Marcus moved past the guy and got into his car, calling Shorty and giving him the details of the deal. Shorty would be there. There was too much cash involved not to be.

  Thirty minutes later, Marcus knelt behind his car as a gunfight started between Reni, a few other guys that had shown up and Mark Lyman's boys. There were no drugs to be dealt. It was a massacre that Billy wanted to occur. Marcus clenched his jaw, feeling foolish behind the car, but he didn't have his fucking gun with him.

  He needed to get in the car and drive away. It just wasn't possible. Something dropped to his left as another round of bullets flew by the car, peppering the door.

  Marcus glanced over and let out a soft grunt. Shorty.

  "I thought you said this shit was a deal." The thin black man who'd been by his side for the last eight years rolled over as blood poured from his mouth.

  "Oh fuck." Marcus crawled toward his friend, pulling him behind the car and pressing his hand to his chest. "It's going to be okay. I'll get you out of here."

  "It's not okay. You're the one that got me in here, bro." Shorty blinked slowly before his eyes closed for good.

  Marcus let out a silent scream, his heart hurting in the center of his chest. This was Billy's heritage. Death and destruction to all who got involved.

  Pulling his keys from his pocket, Marcus released his friend and snuck to his car door, getting in as fast as possible and driving off with his seat leaned all the way back. Reni could fend for himself. There was no fucking way Marcus was staying in the middle of the madness any longer.

  He sat up and flinched as bullets peppered the back window of his beautiful classic car. "Mother fuckers!"

  After making sure he was far enough away, he pulled over and grabbed his phone, dialing Zak's number. He needed to check in, and dealing with Victor was just too much at the moment.

  "Marcus. What's up, dude?" Zak's voice was gruff.

  "Billy Turner is what's up. I'm back in with him as a rat. I need to see you and Victor. When the fuck are you guys coming home?"

  "Tomorrow. You sound upset. What's going down?"

  "Fallout. I got out of there, but Shorty didn't." He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes tightly, wishing like hell he could make it all go away.

  "Park at gate E at the airport. I'll have one of the jets prepared. Join us. Get the fuck out of there so that we can provide alibis should anything come up."

  "All right. Tell Kate I'm headed that way. I don't want to surprise her."

  "Will do."

  Chapter 13

  Kate

  It felt so fucking good to be near Jon, to feel him wrapped around her. His neediness was bleeding through the edges of his tough persona, and she had to be careful not to dive off the cliff with him. She was supposed to be making things tough for him, and yet she couldn't help but beckon to anything he wanted. The night before had been magical - needed.

  She dressed quickly after their conversation as a new possibility sprouted deep inside of her. Could Jon, her and Marcus stay together? Forever? Just the three of them? Would she be okay if Jon found someone else that he wanted to leave her for?

  No.

  If Marcus did?

  Yes.

  Then maybe she only truly belonged to Jon. Something about the statement just didn't sit right on her though. She and Marcus had been through far too much not to consider forever beside him. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, needing a few minutes to get her bearings. Wanting them both was too much to ask of either of them, hell, of herself.

  Sitting down on the closed toilet seat, she pressed her face into her hands and let out a long shaky breath, trying to think through her next steps in their odd relationship. Victor would be taken out of the picture soon, or they would die trying. Billy was next on the list.

  Once they were free and clear to make their own decisions, what would those decisions be?

  Marcus would want her in partnership in some sort of business, no doubt. It would be the drug cartel or the club. She was fine with the latter, but the former?

  "Fuck..." she growled against her hands. She was too much like Jon in wanting a clean life, and yet not being quite able to hold onto it tightly enough.

  Jon would want a family, a house and a future. She hadn't had a period in the last ten years. Kids were a slim possibility due to simple genetics. Her mother had a horrible time getting pregnant with her, and she simply didn't cycle correctly like she should.

  Could she give either of them what they wanted?

  Standing, she moved toward the mirror and pressed her hands to the cold tile, studying herself. The glow about her had everything to do with the reconciliation of her and Jon, and knowing that Marcus was alive and well. They both meant far more than she could comprehend or express.

  "I want them both." She watched herself, not quite sure she felt the right
to the desires of her heart. Time would be the only truth teller.

  "Katelyn. Come here, baby." Victor motioned for her to join him as she walked out of the restroom. "I want to set everything up for tonight. Call Fredrick for us and make sure he's good with you three bringing the drugs over to his club."

  "Us three?" Kate walked toward him and took the phone, pressing it to her ear. Jon wasn't in the room, but she assumed he was one of the ones going. Zak must be the other.

  A feminine voice answered the phone, though if she had to guess, it was a man speaking.

  "Hello?"

  "Can I please speak with Fredrick Carrington?"

  "One moment please. Might I tell him who’s calling?"

  "Kate Jarrett. I work for Victor Parence."

  "Of course, Miss Jarrett."

  Kate pulled the phone from her mouth and covered it, glancing toward Zak. "Are you coming with us?"

  "No. Marcus should be here in a couple of hours. He got released early." Zak moved to the kitchen. "You want a sandwich?"

  Kate didn't get the chance to answer as a deep masculine voice filled up the line. "Miss Jarrett. I've been waiting to hear from you."

  "My apologies for your wait." She used her most sensual bedroom voice. "I was hoping to come by tonight and bring a few party favors for your friends to enjoy."

  He chuckled. "Victor said you were something to behold. Are you coming as well?"

  "I am."

  "Then accept my invitation. You and your friends are welcomed. Kadia is the newest club. I'll be there tonight. Come around ten and ask for me at the front. I'll have a room of willing subjects for you to introduce yourself to."

  "Excellent. I'll see you then." Kate hung up and set the phone on the kitchen table before joining Zak in his sandwich making. She worked on two, one for herself and one for Jon.

  Zak chuckled as he glanced over at her. "Something tells me that you pull out that sexy voice when you want something."

  "That's true. You should be concerned if you ever hear it." She winked and reached across him to get the cheese.