Reef’s brows shot up. “That I’d want to fuck over? Have you lost your mind?”
“So far all I have are these scrapes on my wrists from the zip ties when they tied us up at gunpoint.” I held out my hands, showingthe raw marks. The angry red welts stood out against my skin, proof of how close we’d come. Proof I couldn’t scrub away, no matter how hard I tried.Meeting Reef’s eyes, I added quietly, “I’d like to keep it that way.”
Reef’s face hardened as realization sank in. “Fuck. We should call Waylan.”
“Yeah, well…” I started.
At the same time, Jasmine asked, “Who’s Waylan?”
“Our dad’s best friend,” Reef explained. “He’s like an uncle. And also the Sheriff.”
“No, no cops! We promised,” Jasmine cut in, urgency sharpening her tone.
Her voice cracked on the word, her whole body shaking with the force of it. The idea of a uniform showing up clearly terrified her more than the smugglers did. Her panic pierced through me to my core.
“Of course,” Reef said quickly, though there was an edge of annoyance in his voice. “So what now?”
“We ask around and see if we can find anything out,” I said, sagging against the counter. “At least give the impression we’re trying. I don’t have much hope we’ll actually find it, but maybe it’ll buy us time.”
“Sounds like a shit plan,” Reef exhaled hard, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I don’t have a better one."
“Agreed.” My weight slumped into my palms on the countertop. Hope was draining out of me by the second. We were fucked.
The word echoed in my skull, pounding with every heartbeat: fucked. There was no map for this, no safe way forward, only choices that would all cost too much.
“I suppose we best try to find that coke then,” Reef said finally.
“Thanks, man.” I glanced at Jasmine, her face pale but set. “Keep this on the super down low.”
“What he means is, tell no one else,” Jasmine added, her tone sharp, commanding.
“You have my word,” Reef said carefully. Then he turned to me with a strained smile. “I’ll see you at the marina after my trip?”
“Yeah, see you there,” I said, trying for casual and missing it.
Reef shifted back to Jasmine, his tone softening. “Try to relax. No need to be so jumpy. We’ll take care of it.”
His words sounded like reassurance, but his eyes told another story—one of doubt and dread.
CHAPTER 10
JASMINE
Jumpy.
The word Reef had used annoyed me almost as much as his very existence did. It clung to me, needling under my skin the way a mosquito bite does—small, irritating, but impossible to ignore once you start scratching.
Hell yeah, I’m jumpy, I thought as I poured Glen’s first rum and Coke, the bottle of Bacardi trembling in my shaky hand. My nerves were frayed, stretched thin as a brush bristle. I wasn’t sure which was more traumatic—being held at gunpoint or discovering that I’d slept with Kai’s twin brother.
Jesus. I looked up at the dingy ceiling, hoping he might hear my thoughts. Could it get any worse? Sadly, the answer was yes. It could, and likelywouldget a hell of a lot worse. This stall technique left a lot to be desired, especially in that it was inherently temporary. Also in the trying to find large quantities of cocaine part. What the actual fuck?
I focused on my bartending tasks as best I could.Every pour felt like a test, every glass I set down another chance for someone to see how badly I was unraveling.
I set the glass on a coaster in front of Glen, forcing my hand not to shake.
“No new art today?” Glen asked cheerily, oblivious to my turmoil.
“Not yet. I have a couple in the works though.” Just looking at the unfinished canvases at home had made my stomach lurch earlier. My whole body felt shaky and uncertain. Any attempt at art would feel like painting with broken brushes. “Hopefully next week.”
