AllFreeNovel
Share Us
West snickered. “Okay, Lynch is a real piece of work, but guess what? We have to cooperate with these dirtbags to get what we want. Understand? He’s clearing the way with legislature to make sure we get our money out of this deal, and he’s got connections that Trout happens to want. Besides that, we want Lynch’s name on the deal, not Trout’s.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how investment companies work!’
Nash could think of one reason that Trout wouldn’t want to be associated with this deal directly, and it didn’t seem on the up and up.
“Don’t look at me like that,” West growled. “It’s a tax thing. I’d explain about tax shelters and all that, but then you’d check out. So yeah, we don’t get to pick who we work with every time. That’s the job. That’sanyjob, any transaction you’re going to make—someone somewhere did something questionable, so that every time you lay your money down, it’s dirty.”
West could twist everything as much as he wanted, but Nash wasn’t about to fall for it. There was no doubt that Nash wanted to make something of himself, but not like this. “You’re asking me to get my hands dirty?”
“No!I’mnot even doing that. I’m asking you to show me that you’re more than that unreliable punk that everyone thinks you are.” He shoved his other boot on, glancing up wryly to nod at Nash like an aggressive rooster. “Yeah, even Emily.”
Oh no, he didn’t! Nash’s own temper rose to match his brother’s, though some of his emotion was fueled by the helpless frustration that West was right about no one trusting him—but that’s what West did, he fought with weapons that hit the target. “You think you can bring Emily into this?”
“You bet I can. Why do you think she only agreed on a fake relationship with you, rather than a real one?” Lizardman attacked West’s boot again, causing him to roll his eyes. “Because you’re as unreliable as…”—he redirected the dog’s muzzle away from him—“Lizardman. It’s exhausting. You’d better listen to me. No one else is going to be real with you. Take some responsibility for once. I’m tired of babysitting you. There’s more riding on this than your millions.Millions, Nash! Understand? You could get a place like this of your own, not be reliant on anybody.”
“I don’t want to do it like this.”
“How else are you going to do it?” West finally trapped the dog in his arms. “You think our momma would’ve gotten on that donor list without one of us stepping up? It was because of my sacrifice, my hard work, and now yours… if you have it in you.”
“I don’t think that she would like to know how she got on that donor list.” West had made a deal with Trout’s men that basically made him their closest ally.
“Grow up!” West exploded.
Nash had hit a button, and he’d do it again if it meant winning this fight. West disappointing their momma was a sore spot. “I’m not selling my soul,” Nash said. “I’ve got more than my share of repenting to do. I’m not adding to my problems.”
A nerve seemed to tick in West’s cheek like he was grinding his retort into dust. He took a deep breath. “The job is clean,” he said in a steadier voice. “No one else will give that sweet little old lady the kind of money that we’ve got on hand. Any other buyer would just shake her down and check her pockets for loose change; not Trout. His own pockets are deep. The only reason we want you is because you’ve got a trustworthy face.”
“Why would I need one?”
“All I’m asking you to do, Nash, is to go in there, assess the place for what it’s worth, go a little higher to beat out what the competition is offering, and then we’ll be done.”
“That’s it?”
“Exactly. It’s not that hard.”
Nash was still suspicious. “For a cut in the millions?”
“Yes! Why are you looking a gift horse in the mouth? I worked hard to get you this gig… because I owe you one. Okay? And haven’t you wanted to get away from Nashville for weeks now?”
“Well… I mean, yeah.” He still couldn’t think about the possibilities of that kind of money. It all seemed too good to be legit, and yet the promise of wealth also called to him.
“Just go and have a good time.” West got out Lizardman’s leash and wrestled it onto the puppy’s collar. “Hey, you can even take Emily.”
“Take Emily?” First she didn’t want Nash because he was irresponsible, now she did? His brother was full of idiosyncrasies.
“Yeah, Millie Turner has a country home like ours. The widow definitely has rooms available. I’ll make the call and tell her you’ll be there in a few days.”
Nash shook his head. “No.” He was keeping Emily far away from that life. What would she think if she even got a sniff of what this putrid business entailed?
“It’ll be a good laugh,” West said. “She disappears with you for the weekend. You’ll have social media hopping at the intrigue.”
“With what? #LittleMissScandal? I’m trying to help her out, not ruin her.”
West chuckled. “You really think you can ruin her with a little old woman and her young grandson playing chaperone? I told you this is above board. Just go and have your fun. When did you turn into such a Puritan?”
Nash turned suspicious for different reasons. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on in that sneaky head of yours?”
