“Connected, how?”
“He’s in the Open Road Brothers. The cops wouldn’t help us with something like that, and anyway, he hasn’t done anything but threaten her so far.”
He tilts his head. “Little Kady was dating a motorcycle gangster in the ORB? Sounds like Little Kady is all grown up and takes after her sister.”
“Not funny. Can you help?”
“Depends. What’s he doing?”
I grind my jaw. This is the part I was dreading the most, but if Nolan’s going to do anything, he needs the full story.
“They made a sex tape. Please, don’t say anything, okay? It was a stupid mistake and she’s well aware.”
“Let me guess. The gentleman is threatening to upload that video onto every shady porn site on the internet unless she does something for him?”
“He wants her dancing. He says it’s better she shows her tits to toothless locals than her everything to the whole world.”
“Dancing isn’t so bad. Tell Kady to take the deal, she might even enjoy it.”
“Nolan, I’ve been back in your life for five minutes, don’t start being a dick already.”
He laughs and leans forward. “You haven’t changed a bit. You still got that temper.”
“Can you help or not?”
He steeples his fingers and studies me again. I shift from foot to foot, hating that stare, but we both know I need him much more than he needs me, and I don’t have much to put up for collateral. Nolan’s a smart guy and there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll notice the second-hand jeans, the old shirt I’ve had since even back when he knew me, the beat-up and dirty sneakers, and all the hand-me-down jewelry. I don’t have money and I don’t have any bargaining power.
“Fucking an ORB member on camera has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.”
“I told you not to be a dick.”
“She deserves a little tough love right now. What the hell was Kady thinking?”
“She thought she was in love.”
“Love.” His lips curl. “We both know that’s a joke.”
I stare back at him and say nothing. If he wants to get to me, it’s working. I’ve never loved him, and I never will love him, but there might’ve been a time when I was younger and stupid and maybe wanted to love him, or wanted to love someone like him that could take me away from this small hellish Southern town, but here I am and there he is, and there’s an entire universe between us.
“I can help your sister,” he says finally, putting his hands flat on the desk.
I take a step backwards. “Thank you. I know things are weird between us—”
“Weird isn’t the word I’d use.”
“—But this means a lot.”
“I’m not doing it for free.”
I stop backing away. “I don’t have any money.”
“I can see that.”
I clench my jaw. “What do you want then?”
“I won’t ask you to drive anywhere. We both know how that goes.”
I take a deep breath and slowly let it out. “So what then?”
“Have you ever wanted to dance?”
“Fuck you, Nolan.”
“I’m kidding. Cora Stone. Hasn’t changed a bit.” He slowly stands. I’ve forgotten just how big Nolan is. Packed with muscles and practically rippling with malice. He’s beautiful, but he’s terrifying. “I don’t know what I’m going to take from you yet, but I want you to agree to it right now. Blank slate, whatever I want, I can have. If I want you to serve me iced tea wearing nothing but a thong for ten weeks, you’ll do it. If I want to take that trailer you’ve been living in—”
“How’d you know I’m still in that trailer?”
He ignores my question. “Then I’ll do it. Do you understand? Do we have a deal?”
I gather my composure and stare into his eyes.
Nolan Vandello is capable of anything.
I know that boy from the woods is still in him, the fearless boy, the brave and battered and broken boy. He’s still hiding behind this ghastly facade, but that makes it almost worse.
Because I know that boy will go to any lengths to get what he wants, and if he wants me—then there’s no escaping it.
“All right. You have a deal. But I want it done soon.”
He sits back down. “Tomorrow. I’ll pick you up. Still in your mother’s trailer?”
“Seriously, have you been stalking me?”
He doesn’t smile as he says, “I’ve been keeping tabs.”
I let that one sit between us. A shiver runs down my spine. I don’t like the idea of Nolan keeping tabs on me over the years, especially considering what he’s become since we last spoke.
“Tomorrow morning.” I turn to go and as I reach the door, he calls out.
“Cora,” he says, and I look back at him. “I spent three years in prison. That’s three years I spent thinking about exactly what I’d do to you if a chance like this ever presented itself. Three years is a long time to do nothing but hate someone.”