Page 19 of Renegade Rift

A shiver wracks my body, my blood running cold.

I do.

Bile rises in my throat. Even if I’m fast enough to open the door and slide inside, there’s no way I’ll get it closed before Earl can stop me.Not that any of them have ever gotten physical with me. But the threat has been issued. A promise that there are plenty of ways I can pay back the debt that don’t involve cash.

My body.

My family.

Neither of which are an option.

My lips twist into a sneer and I look over my shoulder, making sure he sees the whites of my eyes. “Tell Saul if he goes after my family, he’ll never see a penny.”

Earl chuckles as if my threat is nothing more than a schoolyard promise. “That’s not what I heard. I heard your father’s restaurant is booming. They’re expanding to a second location, and some fancy magazine critic is featuring them next month.”

I spin around, my heart cracking in my chest. It’s the most I’ve heard about my family in the last year. I had to force myself to stop looking at their social media because it was too much to watch them mourn me, then slowly move on like I was just a blip in their history.

“They won’t help save me.”

Earl lifts his hand and pushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear in what I’m sure he thinks is an endearing way. It only makes my stomach heave as he twists his mouth into an ominous smile. “They will when they don’t have a choice.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask what the hell he means, but before the words can tumble free, I notice out of the corner of my eye a figure stepping onto the landing with us.

“Or maybe the boss will just take you instead. Lucky for me and the fellas, we get the leftovers.” Earl wraps his hand tightly around my bicep and leans in, whispering against my ear, “You have two days to get the money, or you won’t like the consequences.”

Two days.

I can do that.

If only to keep my family safe.

“What the fuck is going on here?” A voice echoes through the stairwell.

My heart revs against my ribcage. I know that voice.

What the hell is he doing here?

My head whips to where the stairs meet the landing. Ford looks like someone else. Someone different. Gone is his boy next door facade, replaced with a promise of destruction. His eyes are black, pupils completely blown out, brows drawn down. There’s an edge to him I didn’t think possible. He’s supposed to be the carefree brother. The peacekeeper. But that’s not the man in front of me.

Ford’s gaze zeros in on Earl’s hand, still tightly wrapped around my arm.

“We’re fine. Nothing to worry about,” I say, forcing a smile as I try to step back and create space between Earl and me.

But Earl meets my step with one of his own. And Ford doesn’t believe me. Not with the way he crosses the space with murder in his eyes.

“Let her go.” Voice low and menacing, Ford stops just short of us. Any closer and he’d be touching his chest to Earl’s shoulder.

Earl eyes him up and down, but doesn’t move. “You heard the lady. It’s nothing.”

A menacing growl rumbles from deep in Ford’s chest. “I said let her go.”

My head swivels as they continue their show of strength, but I’m not fully paying attention. I just pray neither of them notice or catch my hand wrapping around the key in the doorknob. All I need is for them to keep each other distracted so I can slip inside and end this pissing contest.

Of course, that’s not what happens.

I really should learn to stop wishing for things.

Earl huffs sarcastically. “This is none of your business, pretty boy.”

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