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I burst into the emergency room. Reece sat up in bed and Frankie hovered over him. Swelling and shining bruises marred my brother’s face. Fresh blood splattered his crisp white shirt. Reece reached for a cup of water and it shook in his hands, spilling over the top. Blood crusted his knuckles.
A faint wry smile graced his lips when he caught the look of horror that must have etched my face. “You should see the state of the other guy.”
“What happened?”
Reece sighed, his voice thin and tired. “I’m okay. It looks worse than it is. I can’t go through it all again. Frankie, can you fill her in? And can someone get me a sandwich or something?”
“We’ll be back in a minute.” Frankie took my elbow and guided me out of the room and past the bays full of patients toward the foyer.
“I found him like that on the front step. He got jumped by some guys.” Frankie shot me a sidelong glance and tongued at her lip ring. “Who the fuck is Deano?”
Noise and the greasy aroma of fries hit me as we entered the crowded canteen. My blood turned to ice. “What?”
“The guy said, ‘Tell Miri this is a message from Deano.’” We slid into hard-backed plastic chairs. “So, who the fuck is Deano? And what the hell is going on?”
My stomach dropped to my knees. Oh God. No. It couldn’t be. Deano had done this? This was my fault. My sensible, straitlaced brother had been beaten up because of me.
Frankie folded her arms and gave me a belligerent look. “Spit it out. You’re hiding something. You’ve been shifty for weeks.”
My throat ached with tears. I’d done this. I’d put my own brother in hospital. Reece was such a gentle soul. He’d never even been in a fight before. How terrifying it must have been for him. Heat pressed behind my eyes. I cradled my head in trembling hands. There was no point in lying. This had escalated beyond anything I could handle. Deano had come for my family and not me. Oh God. This couldn’t be happening.
Frankie’s hand on my elbow made me jump. Her voice was softer than I deserved. “What’s going on, Miri?”
I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. The words spilled out. “Deano is Jed’s cousin. When I needed money, Jed told me that his cousin would lend it to me. I thought he was just a guy that loaned money. I didn’t realize he was dodgy …”
She frowned and fiddled with the silver ring in her nose. “A guy that does loans? What are you talking about? You know Jed’s family is full of drug dealers and criminals. How much?”
I bit my lip until it throbbed like a pulse. “Ten grand … that’s without the interest.”
Frankie paled. She slapped her palms down on the table and shook her head in utter disbelief. “Ten grand?”
“I know. This is bad. I messed up. I couldn’t tell anyone.”
“I have some money from my student loan. Elliot will have some, too.”
Elliot? Oh God. I couldn’t drag my younger brother into this too. A choked, desperate laugh escaped me. “No, this is my mess—”
“Not anymore. Now it’s Reece’s problem, and my problem.” Frankie twisted a saltshaker frantically in her hand. “We need to get this paid off right now.”
My stomach dropped. No one could make this money in a week. Oh God. We were screwed. Now I’d dragged everyone else into this. I was supposed to be sorting it out.
I held my tears in check. “Deano told me I can work it off dancing.” It sounded ridiculous even as I spoke the words.
Frankie merely stared back at me.
“Deano owns a strip club. He wanted me to come in. I said no.”
Frankie sat still, her expression grim. “Oh my God, Miri. You can’t.”
I leaned back in the chair and folded my arms. Heaviness centered in my chest as the reality settled over me. I had to do this, whether I wanted to or not. “He’ll come back for us again. I’ve run out of time.”
Frankie leaned across the table toward me, a glint of steel in her eyes. “I’ll do it.”
My eyes filled with sudden tears. It was just like my younger sister to come to the rescue. I wouldn’t allow it. “No. This is my responsibility.”
“It could be dangerous. These places are seedy. They attract shitheads.”
“I can look after myself.”
