“I had to fix a few things, read it,” he says.
I narrow my eyes at him before focusing on the words. Everything's the same except the last line. I snap my head up to him and he grins.
“No fucking way!”
“She’s a genius,” he says.
I throw the papers and shake my head. “Exactly! She’s not going to fucking help you! That wasn’t part of the deal. She’s protected and I handle your dirty work. I’m not getting her involved. Fuck. No!” I yell.
“The other documents have been destroyed. The only way to protect her now is to get her to help. I need her to hack into this site for me, and I know damn well she can do it. You get her to do this and I’ll sign these new documents. You don’t and she’s in cuffs. Your choice,” he says, lifting his shoulders.
Fuck!
Chapter 6
Riley
* * *
I’ve been pacing my living room for hours now. I’m up against a fucking wall here. Every time I do something for this asshole, he throws something worse at me. Protecting her is the only reason I’ve done any of this and it’s all been fucking pointless. She’s still very much in danger. If I ask her to do it, I think she might. She’s been wanting me to tell her what’s been happening and if she does this I will have to tell her. But I can’t be sure this piece of shit isn’t lying again. If she does do it and he never signs the papers, she fucked in the end.
I pull at my hair and turn around letting out an animalistic sound as my fist meets the wall. “Fuck.”
I fall to my knees and cover my face. What the fuck am I going to do?
My phone rings and I pull it out of my pocket. I don’t know the number, but I have a good idea who it is.
“What?”
“Have my answer?” he asks.
“You need to give me some fucking time,” I growl.
He laughs and I squeeze my phone. “Time is something we don’t have.”
“Fuck you.”
“You have three hours and I want you at the warehouse.”
He hangs up and I throw my phone. I stand up and grab my keys, leaving the shattered phone on the floor. He’s waiting to see me go to her place, so I need to play the fucking game. When I climb on my bike, I realize I’m shaking. At this point I don’t know if it’s anger or nerves.
As I drive to her place, I try to think of something to talk about. Something that will give me reason to be there after she told me last night that I need to handle my shit.
When I get there, I blow out a breath as I walk to her door. I’ve got nothing. My mind’s racing with all the ways this could destroy us both. I can’t think straight enough to come up with anything else.
She opens the door and her eyes search my face. “What happened?”
“I can’t even think straight anymore, baby girl. If I talk, too much is going to come out. I just need to come in,” I say.
She opens the door wider for me and I step inside. “Sit down,” she demands. Any other time I’d laugh at her trying to be in control, but right now I’m a fucking defeated man. I have nothing left. I’m letting her down at every fucking turn. Pulling her down with me.
“Talk to me. I’m tired of this shit. You have no one else. I’m it! You’re obviously here for a reason and if you don’t talk to me, I’ll call the cops myself and tell them a dirty federal agent is at my door,” she says, sitting down next to me. “How am I supposed to get over you when you keep coming to me?”
I close my eyes and shake my head. “He’s fucked up, baby girl. He has me doing shit that I’ll probably end up in jail for and I’d be fine with that. I’d do the time if I knew you were safe. But he’s changing the rules for himself and now he wants your help, too.”
“What the fuck?” she whispers.
I risk peeking at her and she doesn’t look scared, she looks pissed. “I’m trying to come up with a plan, but my head is fucked up right now. I need more time,” I say.