Hard Money (Bad Money #3)

by Ali Parker

  Fear raced through her center at the idea of anyone hurting Jon. "You told me to bring him here, you asshole."

  Kate pushed against the glass, but couldn't get the proper traction to throw him off of her back. Zak wasn't going to help, but she understood why. If it were Marcus attacking someone she would most likely stand back and hope like hell that he got ahold of himself. To attack Victor on her behalf would be a great disrespect between the two of them.

  "And now I'm telling you to take him out. His time with us is over." Victor pressed himself against her and increased the force on her neck.

  "Victor. Cut that shit out, man. Get off of her." Zak's voice was deep, but full of worry.

  Kate watched him walk toward them as she started to lose consciousness.

  Victor was jerked back forcefully, and she spun and slid down the glass wall, watching as Marcus punched their new employer in the face three times in a quick fashion.

  Zak pulled Marcus off, and the two of them began yelling at each other as Victor hit the ground.

  Jon walked into the room, stopping short.

  Kate pressed her head to the wall and took in deep gulps of air, wondering how the fuck things got so out of control so fast.

  Simple. Victor wanted his way due to jealousy and he wasn't getting it.

  "What the fuck is going on?" He moved toward Kate, reaching down and pulling her up. "What happened?"

  "Just a tiff between business partners." Kate turned in Jon's arms and gave Marcus her attention. "We're leaving. Billy is the threat right now, and I want to take care of it before it gets worse. Pack up."

  Victor climbed to his feet and pointed to Marcus. "If you ever touch me again, I'll slit your throat and then kill Kate after she watches. Don't forget who you're dealing with, thug."

  Marcus nodded. "Right. Keep your melodramatics to yourself. I'm not interested in idle threats when there are real ones. You want Billy gone, right?"

  "Of course he does." Zak moved into the middle of the living room, turning his attention toward Kate. "You okay?"

  "Yes." She rubbed absently at her throat. The drama between her and Victor needed to die down. She was going to kill him either way. No reason to clue him in on that just yet. "Marcus is going into Billy's camp, but we all need to get involved around the edges of this thing. Billy's a wild card.” She turned her gaze to Victor. “Much like you."

  Victor turned around and laughed deep in his chest. "I thought you liked it rough. Was I wrong?"

  Jon stiffened beside her. "Did you touch her?"

  "I did, and I'll do it again." Victor moved toward Jon as if he were ready for round two with someone.

  Marcus got in his path. "Don't. This isn't the time or the place. You're just wasting energy with all of this shit. We'll figure things out after Billy's off the map."

  "Fine," Victor barked out. "Get it done and then report to me. I have plans to move one of you here to take care of the new contracts we're getting."

  "We're not splitting up." Kate moved out of Jon's grasp and approached Victor, her throat sore and pride hurt. "It's not happening."

  "That's yet to be seen, Katelyn." Victor turned and walked to the kitchen. "I'll see you later this week at the house."

  Zak ran his hands through his hair and growled, "I fucking hate drama."

  "Yeah, you need to tell him to slow his roll. He doesn't hold anything over us anymore. We'll fucking kill him the next time he roughs up Kate." Marcus turned to Jon. "Pack up. We're going home to take care of this crazy bitch that's bleeding out our city."

  Jon reached for Kate, pulling her back and glancing down at her. "You all right? What the hell happened?"

  "Nothing. Just me and Victor roughing each other up. It's all good." She lifted to her toes and kissed him.

  "I don't like it," Jon murmured, his gaze darkening significantly. He didn't even look like the man she'd fallen in love with.

  "Go get your stuff. We'll talk more about it later."

  Marcus and Jon disappeared down the hall and Kate turned to Zak.

  "I'm sorry," he spoke softly, moving toward her. "He didn't hurt you, right?"

  "No, not really." She shrugged. "I get it. You're loyal to him. Marcus is to me as well."

  "I'll step in next time. I don't believe in harming women, no matter the circumstances." Zak reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Do you guys need me in New Orleans?"

  "No, not right now. I think Marcus should be able to work on Billy enough to get back into his good graces. We need him planted firmly before we can really do anything about him. Gotta get close enough to not miss when you aim."

  "Exactly." Zak's eyes moved across her face. "Sometimes you only get one shot. Take it when it's available."

  "I will," she spoke softly, taking in his words and assigning her own meaning to them.

  Billy was at the top of Victor's list, but Victor was at the top of hers.

  Chapter 17

  Jon

  The helplessness he felt over Victor roughing up Kate was sickening. He held her hand on the flight home, and tried to sleep, but he couldn't get over how much he wanted to pull her from their current struggles. Marcus would want to stay in the middle of it all, but he didn't. He still held on to the small chance that Kate would just choose him, and be willing to leave when the time came.

  Until then, he would stand beside her as long as she let him.

  He parted ways with them at the airport, pulling her into a warm hug and kissing her a few times before doing so. Marcus finally tugged her away, but the parting was sweet, needed.

  Jon drove home with the wind in his hair and the road empty in front of him. There were few things in life that truly afforded him peace, but being on his bike was one of them. Having Kate wrapped around him from behind would have made it even better, but those days were soon to be part of his future.

  He parked beside his quaint house, called his mother to let her know he was back in town and walked inside. Stripping down, he walked through the quiet house and locked the bathroom door before getting into the shower. The hot spray felt good, and even though he'd taken a quick shower back at the penthouse, he needed to spend a while letting his muscles relax.

  Peace washed over him as he dried himself off. Whether he and Kate remained a part of Victor's syndicate, hers or Marcus's, he needed to wrap up his old life for the new one starting. It was a step that he wanted to take to prove to her, and himself, that he was in it for the long haul.

  Wrapping a thick blue towel around his waist, he stopped to check himself in the mirror and growled at the dark circles forming under his eyes. Weariness sat heavy on him, but it had since Adam's death.

  Jon picked up his phone and called the station, smiling at the sound of Karen's voice.

  "New Orleans Police Department. How might I direct your call?"

  "Karen, it's Jon. Is Mike in?"

  Her voice softened, like it always did. "He is. We miss you up here."

  "It's only been a few days, silly woman." Jon chuckled.

  "Yeah, but you bring a comfort with you. You know it's true."

  "It's the bad boy appeal. Helps in the middle of all of you goody-goodies."

  "On that note... Let me get the big guy for you. We call him head goody-goody around here." She laughed and put him on hold.

  Sinking down into the couch, he rehearsed his mini-speech, but decided to just let the conversation go where it did. He'd been friends with Mike for ten years. There wasn't much he couldn't tell the other man.

  "Peterson. What's going on, son?"

  "Mike. I wanted to touch base with you even though I'm sure you're going to give me hell for calling."

  "Well, that was on the list." Mike chuckled. "You're supposed to be relaxing."

  "I don't relax well."

  "I gather that." Mike let out a long sigh. "Look, I might need your help with something. We had another shooting in front of Expulsion the other night. The guy's missing his hand, and where this is very much a Bil
ly Turner event, I can't help but wonder if you were right about Miss Jarrett."

  "I wasn't." Jon sat up and moved to the edge of his seat. Billy was working overtime to pull Kate into a dark light, but hopefully they wouldn't have to worry about that much longer. Marcus was a smart guy. He could undermine all that Billy was up to if he could just get close enough.

  "Well, I'd be willing to let you come back and help us figure this shit out. I'll talk to the mayor's office this afternoon about the situation with Adam's case. What do you think?"

  "I'm calling to turn in my resignation, Mike. It's been a great run, but I need to explore some other options."

  "What? Fuck no. I don't accept that at all." Mike's voice rose. "Why would you quit? You're one of the best damn detectives we have here. No."

  "I understand you're upset, but it's not something I'm willing to discuss. I'll be by soon to fill out the paperwork, but have Karen start the process, please."

  "Jon. Why?"

  "Because. My heart's not in it anymore, Mike. Sometimes the good guys aren't really good at all. The same can be said of those we label criminals." Jon stood and ran his hand through his wet hair. "I'll see you around."

  "Jon."

  "Bye, Mike." Jon dropped the call and tugged his towel from his hips. He should have quit the minute he got involved with Kate, but he had the hope that he could pull her to his side. The one thing he was learning more and more was that maybe there was no such thing as a side.

  The lines were blurred, but somehow it was comforting.

  Jon rode out to the church, hoping like hell that no one would be out and about that late in the afternoon. He needed a few minutes at Adam's grave to just think. It was peaceful there, and even though it was ridiculous, it almost felt like his brother's spirit lingered around the place.

  He parked the bike beside the cemetery, tugged off his helmet and walked to the spot where his brother's body lay beneath the ground. The memory of how beautiful Kate looked the day of Adam's funeral washed over him, and he lamented in comparing it to the woman who was getting fucked in the middle of a club, bent over and lost to the drugs in her system.

  He would take her either way, but damn if he didn't want the pure version, the one that exuded peace and rightness.

  "I wish you were here, sorry bastard." Jon sat down on a bench near Adam's grave and let his eyes move across the tombstone. "You loved her, didn't you? You got to see the side of her that I want to see every day. The soft and sensitive Kate that I find just underneath her hard external shell. I love that girl with all of me, Adam. I want that version, but how do I tell her that without losing her?"

  The wind blew hard, ruffling his hair. Closing his eyes, Jon took in a deep breath and steadied himself. He would take any version of Kate, but maybe a conversation with her over things wouldn't be so bad. He could make demands without having them sound like he was emotionally manhandling her.

  The shuffling of leaves behind him caused him to stand and turn around. His gun was at the house, because he hadn't thought it would be necessary in the middle of a graveyard.

  "Looks like I was wrong," he mumbled and eyed the two rough-looking thugs that walked his way. Both seemed like they could use a bath and a hot meal, but he kept his opinions to himself.

  "We figured we might find you here." The taller of the two smiled, his front teeth missing.

  "Not sure I know you guys. Old friends of Adam's?" He lifted his eyebrow.

  "We're new friends of Billy's. Reni tells us that you used to play ball with our syndicate." The smaller one moved in front of Jon, stopping a comfortable distance. "What happened?"

  "I grew up and realized that dying young wasn't as glamorous as it sounded." Jon shrugged, his mind moving through the possibilities of getting out of his current situation alive. "How did you know I was here? You guys tracking me?"

  "Yeah. Billy's looking for Kate. Word on the street is that you're tapping the boss man’s old lady."

  "Is that so?" Jon took a few steps towards the guys. He was at a huge disadvantage without his gun. He needed to gain the upper hand with close proximity.

  "Yep. We're thinking it might be time for you to join up with us again, or you could join Adam's syndicate instead." The tall greaser laughed loudly.

  "Naw... I think it's time to teach old Billy a lesson. He's just a second-rate serial killer. I'd tell you to tell him for me, but you're not going to make it back to him in time for that." Jon picked up a hand-sized rock and chucked it hard at the tall thug as he reached for his gun, smacking him in the hand, which gave Jon the time he needed to race toward him.

  He tackled the big guy and rolled with him, reaching out and grabbing the ankle of the other. Why the idiots hadn't pulled their guns before they approached him was beyond him. Huge mistake.

  There was just enough time to wrestle the large guy's gun away from him before the smaller guy moved to stand over them both, his gun pointed at Jon's head.

  "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you, pig?" He grinned.

  Jon didn't hesitate, but instead shifted and put a bullet in the boy's head. He rolled the big guy off and shot him twice while they were still on the ground.

  "Idiots." Jon pressed his head to the cold ground beneath him, not quite sure he was ready to process what the fuck just happened. He pulled out his phone and dialed Marcus's number.

  "Cop?"

  "I just killed two of Billy's thugs. I'm at the cemetery beside St. Paul's Baptist Church." He let out a short exhale and sat up, glancing around to see if anyone had witnessed the travesty.

  "Fuck. Hang tight. I'll be there in ten minutes."

  Jon nodded and dropped the call, lying back down and letting his eyes close as the breeze blew by him again. His heart was beating so hard that it felt as if it were trying to tear from his chest. It had been more than ten years since he'd killed someone for a reason other than his police work.

  There was power in taking a life, but it wasn't a clean feeling, a good experience. It was tainted and hardened him almost immediately. His thoughts of asking Kate to consider a different life for him began to fade a little. Maybe he would just go with the punches and see where things led to. He could protect her and Marcus. He wasn't going to deal drugs to anyone, and he wasn't ever going to strip in a club or ingest anything anyone was selling, but he could watch over his woman and her man while they did all of the above. Minutes passed as he let his thoughts cycle back over and over again, the conversation growing old.

  "Hey. You all right?" Marcus's voice was tense, but loud.

  Jon jerked up and moved to stand. "Yeah. Just honestly a little out of it."

  Marcus moved toward the two bodies. "Fuck. We need to get rid of these. I'll do it. You just get out of here. You don't want this shit tied to you at all. It will be your walking papers on the force."

  "I resigned a couple of hours ago." Jon shrugged and moved to grab the larger guy's feet. "We going to your car or what?"

  Marcus jerked him back up with a handful of his shirt. "What the fuck are you talking about? You can't resign."

  "What? Why?" Jon tugged from him.

  "Because, dude. That's what you are, what you do. You're the cop. The good guy. You're the one that's eventually going to finish the job I started. Fuck, Jon. You're dicking it all up." Marcus's face was turning red, his veins bulging from the sides of his neck as he yelled.

  Confusion burned through Jon. "I don't understand, but lower your fucking voice. I don't like being yelled at. What job am I supposed to finish?"

  Marcus ran his hands down his face. "I got Kate out of this life once, Jon, but it was me that pulled her back in. It's your turn."

  "What? I thought you wanted this for her."

  "Fuck no. I want her to leave all of this shit. This is my life, and I choose it. She wants what you want, man. A white picket fence with kids and Sunday dinners," Marcus growled loudly. "Get your job back."

  "No, Marcus. I'm not that man anymore." Jon pushed at Marcus as he s
watted him from the guy on the ground. "Help me get these guys in your car. We'll take them to the swamp late tonight."

  "No. I got this. Get out of here and go get your job back." Marcus pushed at him again.

  Jon jerked up and got in the big guy's face, tired of the games and his subtle hints about Kate. "Back the fuck off of me. I'm lost as to what to do with all of this shit and I'm trying to figure it all out on little to no sleep. You don't know me, Marcus. I was second to Benton before Billy came along. He was my replacement when I left. My life was your life, and now that I'm standing on the precipice of all of it again, I'm lost."

  Marcus pressed his hands to Jon's shoulders, pushing him back softly. "I know who you are. I've known from the beginning. It was part of the hope that you would pull through, not cycle back like we have."

  "Fuck you for this." Jon turned and ran his fingers through his hair. "I lost touch with everyone over ten years ago, turned in my bad boy card and joined the police force. I went back to my real life, tired of the blood being on my hands every night. Tired of killing and fucking for sport. I just wanted to feel clean."

  "I understand that, Jon." Marcus's voice offered comfort, but Jon rejected it.

  "I want to come clean with Kate. To tell her everything and see if she's still willing to accept me."

  "She will be Jon. She's got our same story. I just want her to have a new chapter in her book."

  "I want that too, but I'm scared as hell that she won't be able to move on."

  "She hates this life. Offer her an out, and she'll take it. She'll move on from this shit in a heartbeat."

  "No, she won't, Marcus."

  "Once we take out Billy and Victor... go. Both of you go."

  "I wish it were that easy." Jon turned and crossed his arms over his chest.

  "What's holding her back?" Marcus threw his hands out to the side as if questioning everything.

  "You."

  Chapter 18

  Marcus

  It was a hard pill to swallow, but Jon was right. Kate would forever stay connected to their current life even though she wanted out of it, and it was his fault. Marcus knew without a doubt that if he pushed her away into Jon's arms, that he would crush her, but only for a time. It would destroy him forever, but maybe that was an okay answer.