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We left his cabin, and I was once more in his truck. Only this time I was clean, not as disoriented, and healing.
“You leaving town?”
The simple question caught me off guard. “Yes.” I opted for honesty.
Vance sniffed loudly. “Smart move. Where’s your cash?”
“Safe.” He gave me an indecipherable look, and unease stirred in my belly. “Unless you know something different.”
“Do you know what CCTV is?”
Blinking in confusion, I nodded slowly. “Surveillance cameras.”
“You think my barn doesn’t have them?” he asked quietly.
“I think you’d be stupid to have them since you run illegal fights.”
Vance grunted out a laugh. “I have them, Zia. I also watch them.” Looking down at my hands, I tried not to react. “So when I see a shady-looking fuck skirting around my property and digging, I investigate.”
Lifting my head, I looked over at him. “Did you take it all?”
He shook his head. “What the hell were you thinking? To bury it at the barn?”
“Obviously, I wasn’t thinking at all.” I’d thought it was safe there. After all, no one stayed later than they had to. The place was deserted most of the day, and I thought I was clever, putting it in a place where no one would think to look for it. So much for clever.
Pulling up at the barn, he jumped out of the truck. “Come on.”
I had no choice but to follow him inside. He’d watched me bury my winnings in a hole on his property, and he’d gone and dug it up. My feet slowed when I saw Bullet hanging from a beam, his arms over his head, tied with rope, as he dangled above the ring, beaten and bleeding. He looked like he’d passed out.
“Zia!” Vance barked at me and motioned for me to follow. In Vance’s office, he opened a safe and handed me a brown bag, heavy with cash. “You need to count it?” he asked, closing the safe door.
“No.”
Vance gave me a look of approval. “There’s a bus that passes this barn in twenty minutes. Flag it down.”
“Okay.”
He assessed me as I stood unsure in front of him. “You’re not going to do something stupid like go back to that apartment?”
Opening the bag, I took out a handful of dollars and shoved them in my pocket. I rolled up some more and put them in each sock. Vance watched me as I placed the money around my body. It didn’t take long, and without a bra or panties, I had limited opinions, but I managed. When I was finished, I met his watchful gaze.
“There’s nothing I need there.”
“Smart girl.” Vance turned at the sound of the barn door opening. “Walk out of here, don’t interfere, and forget what you saw or might hear.”
My mouth was dry, and I could almost taste the change in the air. The danger.
“Why?” I asked him and saw his confusion. “Why help me?” I clarified.
Vance gave me his usual smirk. Taking out his gun, he tucked it in the back of his jeans waistband.
“This has nothing to do with you. That stupid fucker out there disrespected me. The people who chased you think I cheated them out of cash.” Vance shook his head in disbelief. “If I don’t stop that shit from escalating, people will think I’m weak.”
“I…” The look he gave me stilled my tongue. “Thanks for the clothes.”
“Look after yourself,” Vance said when he heard voices in the barn. “I have work to do…go out the back door.”
“There’s a back door?” I asked in surprise, and when he grinned at me, it almost made me forget all the shady shit that was happening right now.
