Page 3 of Cash

I had other responsibilities now—big ones—and life-changing decisions needed to be made.

Yet, I was still there torturing myself.

Or was I procrastinating because going home meant leaving Lore behind, maybe even Stella? I’d need to morph into someone else, someone worthy, and that scared the holy hell out of me.

For the first time in my whole adult life, I didn’t have a plan.

Take care of her.

Four words had forever altered my life.

One promise changed everything.

I needed a stiff drink and a corner to rock in.

I turned to do just that and jolted to a stop.

Penny Fucking Cox was leaning against the doorjamb.

Goddamn Cash. I hated that fucking guy.

See? My misstep—allowing a sexy smile to distract me—could’ve gotten me killed.

“Is there a reason you’re creeping around spying on me?” I snapped.

“I’m not creeping, nor was I spying. I was getting a soda.” She held up a can.

“Getting a soda and listening to a private conversation,” I pointed out.

She shrugged.

This bitch.

I was done with the doe-eyed, stuttering bullshit routine she put on in front of everyone, especially Cash.

“Just so you know, Penny, I know who you are.”

I felt no remorse when her face paled.

“It’s not⁠—”

“I don’t give the first fuck what it is or isn’t. But it won’t be long until all this other shit is over, and the rest of them find out the truth. I don’t know what game you think you’re playing, but I do know the longer you sit on this, the hotter that blaze is gonna burn. Let’s just hope it’s you who burns to ash and not him.”

“I’d never hurt him.”

Her protest was weak, both in conviction and volume.

“That’s a fucking lie, and you know it.”

Penny looked at her feet because she knew I was right.

“POTUS is going live!” Zane shouted from the basement. “Get your asses down here.”

Right. President Graham’s address-the-nation speech.

Shit was about to get real.

It was almost done.