“I left,” Connor continued, “on the way out, I met Aaron. I’d met him a few times since we moved here. I told him I needed to make money quick. He suggested I get a loan. Before I knew it, I was back in the room with the same guy and who’d just taken everything I had and I was agreeing to take a loan from him.”
Jake leaped to his feet. “Are you really that stupid? That insecure? I thought you knew better than this Connor. ThatIhad taught you better than this.” I had never seen Jake Dawson be anything other than utterly emotionless. It was kind of more intimidating than the coldness he usually displayed.
Connor hung his head.
Jake turned to his other son. “And how did your involvement in this make thisworse?” he demanded.
Colton looked at his dad. “He was in trouble. He got the loan, but he didn’t realise it meant interest payments. The rate was…” he trailed off. He shook his head and shrugged. “They weren’t manageable. I came back from Japan when they told me something was wrong,” he indicated to Matt and Theo, “I found out what he had done and we went to meet the brokers’ middleman. He took one look at us and a whole different payment plan was conceived.”
“Fighting?” Mary Ellen interjected.
“It draws a huge crowd, you can make fifty thousand easy in a good fight,” Colton replied a little defensively. Two hard stares cut off his attempt to reason.
“What?” Connor was confused. Jake was living fury. He leaned over his youngest son.
“Yes, you oblivious selfish little shit. Your brother and your friends have been competing in an illegal fighting circuit to pay back the interest onyourloan. They could have been hurt, good God, they could have been killed.” Jake ran his hand through his hair.
“No! Colton – you said it was fixed!” Connor demanded loudly. Colton turned to his brother and my heart hurt at how incredibly exhausted he looked.
“This was the only way we could make it go away. Without telling dad, without going to the police.”
Connor slumped back into the sofa. “I didn’t know,” He murmured.
“And you’ve been socialising with these criminals?” Mary Ellen pressed on.
“We needed to keep on top of the situation mom, it was the only move,” Matt countered.
“Theonlymove was to tell an adult,” she snapped. All three of them flinched. “And Arielle gets her drink spiked?” she continued. Again, Connor’s head came up in confusion.
“That wasn’t really anyone’s fault but my own,” I interrupted hurriedly.
“You wouldn’t have known these people if my children hadn’t dragged you into this,” Jake answered. “God Arielle, your father would be turning in his grave,” he shook his head in disbelief. “Well we can’t go to the police, then three of you would need to admit to committing a crime.” Jake exhaled loudly. He looked at Mary Ellen.
“We go pay the piper,” she confirmed, her demeanour was firm and her expression resolute.
He nodded in agreement.
“Dad…” Colton began. “I’m sorry. He threatened to expose who Connor was, what family he was from.”
Jake nodded. “I understandwhyyou thought it was the only answer, but you both acted stupidly.Allof you have acted stupidly. With the exception of Arielle.” His eyes flicked to me. “Thank you for telling Mary Ellen.”
I was mute.
“Your father will be here at eight,” Mary Ellen told Matt. “Jake will you need me too, or will David be enough?”
“We’ll be fine. I’ve dealt with these kinds of people before unfortunately. Never on behalf of my own children of course.” Both heads went lower down. I felt another pang of guilt.
“Theo, I expect you to call your parents, they need to hear this,” Jake commanded. He held his hand up before Theo could protest. “Don’t even try Theo, I spoke to them last night, they are waiting for your call.”
Theo stood and slipped out of the room silently to make the call.
Jake looked at us all. “Any chance of more coffee Arielle?” I nodded and leaped to my feet. “Arielle?” he called. I stopped and looked back. “Thank you, really, for being so brave.” I nodded again and left the room. I didn’t feel brave, I felt like a backstabbing snake.
I walked into the kitchen and met Mrs Green there already. “Morning.”
I moved over to the coffee pot to start making more. Mrs Green popped up beside me like a genie from the bottle.
“Can I help you dear?”