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I dial our family lawyer. “What are you doing? My family paid you to fix this, and they’re still coming for more!”
“You know I can’t fix what your parents destroyed,” our lawyer says. “They should’ve taken better care of their finances.”
Finances.
Like there were any.
It was always fraud and bribery, and now that it’s come out to the public, my family is done for. My parents are in jail, possibly forever, and my name is tarnished for eternity.
Panic rises in my body, filling my throat with screams. “But you were supposed to get them out of this mess! You have to do something! Anything!”
“My hands are tied, Nathan. The higher-ups want your parents to go down.”
“What?” My eyes widen.
They’re … using them as an example?
Fuck this. First, the police take our bribes, and now, all of a sudden, they’ve grown a conscience just because it’s gone public?
“This is wrong and you know it,” I growl into the phone. “We need money to survive.”
“Look, I’d love to help you, but you know as well as I do your parents’ money problems weren’t just in their official business,” our lawyer says. “This goes way beyond what I was paid to do, and I’m not going to take the fall with them. Risking my job is one thing, but this? This is way over my head.”
My hand trembles around the phone. “But they’re leaving us with nothing. Not a dime. Not even the house…”
“I know kid. I’m sorry. It’s only gonna get worse.”
I swallow but my throat is too dry and scratchy for it to matter.
“And if you’re smart, you’ll gather whatever cash you’ve got left, take your sister, and leave.” His voice darkens. “Leave that godforsaken city, Nathan, before it consumes you too.”
And he hangs up before I can even say another word.
* * *
Present
I wakeup drenched in sweat and with eyes wide open. My heart races a million miles an hour.
Fuck.
I get up and rub my forehead, trying to get the nightmare to dissipate, but nothing works. The memory will never leave me.
I check my phone and the texts I’ve received.
Romeo:Bring the cash to the parking lot at the base of Spine Ridge Mountain, nine PM. You know the date. And if you’re not there with the money… we know where to find you, boy.
My hand squeezesthe phone tight, and I throw it aside before I break it.
Fuck, how am I gonna get out of this mess I didn’t even fucking create?
I should’ve listened to our lawyer and ran with Rory.
God, I fucking hope she’s not too mad at me for leaving her with our aunt. But what else was I supposed to do?
I sigh out loud. I can’t sleep like this.
I get out of bed and look out the window, staring at the moon, like I always do when I’m on edge. But lately, nothing has calmed me down. It’s as if everywhere I look, everywhere I go, the jaws of fate are slowly catching up with me.
