Page 86 of Cash

Real friend.

“I mean, what the hell, Stella? I’m not family?”

That stole what was left of my breath, leaving me unable to respond. Not that it mattered because Nebraska wasn’t done gutting me.

“For years you’ve had my back and never asked for anything in return. Hell, when I found out my mother was still alive and the man who’d raised me had lied about everything, you were the only person outside of Easton who understood how deep that betrayal burned.” Her lips tipped up into a smile. “But it was only you who offered to off them both.”

If it wasn’t for Cara and me only allowing myself one more felony, that offer would still be on the table. I knew she loved Charlie, but he did her dirty in a way I felt was unforgiveable. Same as her mother.

Nebraska still wasn’t done and went on to deliver the death blow. “Then I get my chance to give you a little of what you gave me and you stole my chance. You didn’t trust me. You snuck away and I know you well enough to know if Damion hadn’t forced your hand, you never would’ve come back. Our friendship meant so little to you, you scraped me off and disappeared.”

With Nebraska’s dagger still in my heart, I struggled with how to make this right or if I even should. I needed to pack up Cara and leave again. I needed to get her safe, and once and for all end my brother’s reign of terror. For months now, I’d had all the intel I needed. Concrete proof he’d killed Michael and Donna. Not him personally but he’d paid for the hit. With my father’s dirty money.

“You’re planning on running again,” she rightly guessed.

“I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice. But this time, when you try to bail I think you’re gonna find a six-foot-two obstacle standing between you and the door. And just in case I haven’t made myself clear I’ll be standing right beside him blocking your path.” Her face softened when she asked, “Do you remember when you called me to warn me not to get on Zane’s radar?”

I indeed remembered that conversation. I was scared out of my brain for my friend. Everyone knew not to tangle with Zane Lewis, and Nebraska waltzed in ready to play the gold medal player. It was a recipe for disaster.

“You mean the call where you jumped on me for taking out the Pussy King instead of thanking me for killing a poacher before his next big hunt. Yeah, I remember. You were in Miami. I was in Panama looking into flights, getting ready to burn one of my aliases to get to you before you got in too deep.”

“Right. See, two things with that—the first is there’s another example of you always having my back. You know, like family. The second is you were right about Zane, but very wrong. Once you light that fire, he burns bright, but only for those he cares about. You have his respect, Stella. Cash has his loyalty. And you giving him Cara, meaning that little girl has an uncle that will burn out of control to keep her safe.” She paused. “Wait. There’s a third part. You warned me that Garrett could find ninety-nine percent of the intel Zane needs and Kira can find the one percent that holds all your secrets. I guarantee if you run, she’ll find you.”

Nebraska wasn’t wrong.

Kira could find anyone.

But she hadn’t found me.

Which meant she hadn’t bothered to look.

No one had.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I watched Stella round the corner into the living room. Eyes curious but tired. Features guarded, but not fully masked. She was teetering between the unemotional woman I’d first met and the soft, carefree woman she was when Cara was around.

Lore and Stella were still warring.

I got that more than most. I lived and breathed her struggle. Two versions of yourself occupying one body. A daily battle. It was fucking exhausting.

“Is Cara asleep?”

Stella nodded like her eyes weren’t the only thing holding exhaustion, but her vocal cords were, too.

“We need to clean your back and re-dress it,” I reminded her.

Her jaw clenched and I understood that, too. The need to be self-contained. Never having to lean on anyone meant never being let down. Not relying on anyone for help meant independence. Independence meant there was never anyone close enough to let you down—no one to leave you in your time of need.

Fuck, yeah, I got that.

I pushed off the couch and skirted the coffee table. The closer I got to Stella the stiffer her shoulders became. By the time she was within reaching distance she looked like she was ready to snap.

I took her in knowing two things—she was not physically afraid of me, and today was harder on her than the beating her brother had given her.

We’d pored over her personal files. Read private thoughts on cases. Dug into a past she wanted hidden.