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“Should I let him starve?” Joey says, his back still to me. I notice he has Mickey-shaped pancakes cooking, and I smile.
“No. So thank you.”
He turns to me, his eyes falling to my chest, and his icy-blue eyes darken. I look down to see a purple mark, which is now healing.
“Sorry, I’ll cover up.” Then, handing me the spatula, he goes to leave. “Joey.” He stops but doesn’t look back.
“We can find somewhere else to live if this is too much.”
“I like it here,” Jerome pipes up, so I ruffle his hair as I wait for Joey to respond.
“You can stay. It’s half yours, isn’t it?”
“It’s not. We aren’t legally married.”
I watch as he takes a deep breath before he silently walks off.
“Time for some pancakes?” I ask Jerome.
“Yes, with Nutella.”
“Nutella?” I question him.
He claps his hands. “And strawberries.”
“Strawberries it is.”
“Any for me?” Abigail asks, walking in, looking like she hasn’t had a lick of sleep. She sits on the seat next to Jerome and takes his water, gulping it all down. I grab him a fresh glass. “Shit, you are bruised.”
“Language, Abigail,” I scold, nodding to Jerome.
“Well, you are. I’m sure he sees it… unless he’s blind.” Maybe I should wear something with a high neck and sleeves, at least until I’m healed. “I’m going to bed.”
“It’s morning.”
“Not for me.”
TEN
JOEY
She is covered in bruises.
Walking down the stairs, I spot Jake straight away. He’s sitting at his bar, a bottle of water in front of him, as he goes through his books. I have keys, so I let myself in. When I sit next to him, I place the bag on the bartop. He glances at it and goes back to his paperwork.
“Payment for your wife, I presume?”
“Yes. With interest.”
He smiles at my words, then slides the bag back to me. “Give it to your brother. Payment for a year. No need to have you boys back in here anytime soon.”
“You don’t like our company?” I joke with him.
“Oh, I do, but my clients are starting to recognize you all. It’s bad for business, which I’m sure you understand.”
“We own a percentage of the company,” I remind him.
“Correct, but it’s not yours. Let’s not get the two mixed up. You are protection, nothing more, nothing less.” He pauses, then searches my face before asking, “How is she?”
