Most of all, I hated the slump in her shoulders.
It niggled. Pricked like a goddamn needle under my skin.
Yes, I followed her. Because I was worried.
And when I came around the corner and saw that guy with his hands on her, my body went from zero to kill.
It’s not hard to piece it together.
She was counting her money and crying for a reason. She owes him. But for what?
He’s a super bad guy, yeah, I get that, but what Julia doesn’t know is that I’ve been in this predicament before with someone else, even though I didn’t know until it was too late.
It cost me everything.
I keep picturing his hands on Julia, and my own tighten into fists as I walk back to the alley we came from.
The place is empty except for a yellow cat with matted fur. It licks its paw and watches me warily as I check between the trash cans. Dude is gone. There’s a light coming from the door at the top of the stairs, but I’m not going up there.
I look around for anywhere else Tons-of-Fun could be.
I’m about to leave when I see something glinting in the moonlight in the puddle at my feet. I stoop and pick it up.
A ring.
I came into things late, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t interrupting a marriage proposal. Slipping it into my pocket, I turn and start when I see him in front of a store with a sign that reads Fresh Set Laundry. His nose is bleeding and he holds a paper towel to it.
“Ha, the tough boy comes back. Surprise, surprise.”
The door opens and another guy walks out. He’s got tattoos on his neck and is short, but definitely has a look of someone that can handle himself in a fight. The new guy pulls up both sleeves and smiles as he assesses me.
I raise my hands in a placating manner. “Look. I don’t want any trouble. I just want to straighten this out. Obviously, I lost my head. What can I do to make it right?”
The big guy smooths his hair back. “Okay, college boy, how much you got?”
The short guy has never stopped moving. He slowly circles me, never getting closer, but ready to jump in.
“First, what’s the deal with you and Julia?”
He smiles, his teeth damn near perfect. White. Shiny. He could be in a toothpaste commercial.
He looks me up and down, evaluating, then brushes gravel off his sleeve. “My business.”
I stiffen, my eyes narrowing. I have fifty pounds on the little guy, and I’ve already knocked around the other one. I’ve had my share of hockey scrapes on and off the ice. I even trained with some wrestlers at an MMA place. I’m not scared of throwing gloves, even if it is two on one.
The big guy cocks his head at me. “Do I know you?”
“Nope.”
He wags his finger. “Nah, you look familiar. I’ve seen you before.”
“Maybe around town,” I say. “What does she owe you?”
He rears back and laughs. “I get it. You’re that hockey player. Winger on the Hawthorne team. Everest.”
I think about denying it but . . . “Yeah.”
He holds his hand up at his friend, then points at me. “Bobby. He’s a celebrity.”
“I fucking hate hockey,” Bobby mutters, beady eyes on me.
“Fine by me,” I say.
“Yeah. She owes me money,” the big guy tells me with a smirk. “So, you gonna front her the cash?”
“How much?”
“It was five hundred she owed today. But now?” He wipes his nose with his hand and stares at the blood. “Consider it double. Pain and suffering for me.”
Jesus. “That’s a grand.”
He pulls out a pack of cigarettes and lights one up. “Yep.”
My teeth grit as I pull out my phone. “What’s your Venmo?”
He chuckles and looks over at Bobby. “This guy. Cash only.”
I let out a breath. “You think I carry that kind of money on me?”
He rakes his eyes over me, taking in my expensive sneakers, the designer clothes. He shrugs. “Do you?”
I reach for my wallet and pull out six hundred. I’d hit the bank earlier for cash for the first week of class. “This is all I’ve got. Take it and call it even. Plus, I know she gave you some already.”
He stares at me for a long time, then snatches the money. “Tell Julia that if she pulls this shit next month, she’s dead.”
My stomach pitches. She goes through this every month.
What the hell is going on?
He continues. “Keep out of it next time. Or you’ll regret it, feel me?”
I back away but can’t let it go. My hand rubs at my jaw. “How much to settle her debt for good?”