Page 52 of No Saint
“It’s what I made off Dickhead’s Challenger. So, it should have been yours to begin with.”
“We both know you never really owed me that money.” She frowned before placing the bills on the bed. “You were right. I would have torched the car.”
Sometimes, she could be the most stubborn person in the world.
“Just let me help before you end up in jail. No offense, but you’re a shitty excuse for a criminal.”
She huffed a laugh through her tears. “I’m aware.” Then she went back to pulling lint balls from the comforter. “I’m grateful, Wolf, really, but Dad isn’t getting any better. Long term, dropping out is my only real option.”
No, that was not an option. As far as I could see, she—we—only had one.
Fifteen
Jade
I stared at the wad of cash on the bed, then back at Wolf. His soft expression showed none of the hate or resentment I’d seen over the past week. He reminded me of the boy I’d fallen in love with. Kind, full of empathy, and willing to risk himself to help me. When I saw those flashing blue lights, my future had played out in front of me like a short, low-budget movie. It involved a lifetime of jail followed by minimum-wage employment and poverty. I could just imagine my sick father’s face, the disappointment at hearing that everything he’d tried to instill in me had been a waste. But Wolf had gotten rid of the police and filed a fake report…
It had been far too close, though, and now, I was left with the cold, hard truth that I couldn’t keep doing this.
“You know,” he said. “I’ve kind of missed the adrenaline hit that comes with stealing shit.”
“You miss the white-knuckle fear of possible jail time?”
A slight smirk caught the corner of his lips. I’d forgotten how handsome he was when he actually smiled. “Something like that.”
“You’re a drug dealer…”
The way he deadpanned me screamed, “No-shit, Sherlock.”
“What, that’s not thrill enough for you?”
“What I’m getting at is that I can help you.”
I felt bad enough dragging Cassie into this shit. Not to mention, this was one of the reasons my relationship with Wolf had fallen apart. I couldn’t let him risk the future he had a very real shot at, not for me. “It’s too risky.”
“You forget I’m Dayton.”
“So am I, so I wouldn’t say that argument holds much merit.” I sighed. “It’s too much to risk,for me,Wolf.”
He snorted, petting over the lump that was Dog beneath the blanket. “You act like I’m planning on getting caught.” Of course, he was arrogant. He’d never been caught. Arrested? Sure, but not charged. He’d certainly never left a car outside his target’s house. “I’m not planning on robbing First National Bank, Jade.”
I stared at him for a few seconds, trying to piece it all together. He’d blackmailed me, hated me—which I had probably deserved. Why would he give a damn about my crappy situation? Hell, why hadn’t he just handed me over to the cops and saved himself a headache? Instead, he’d filed a false report.
“Why?”
“Why what? Why am I not planning on robbing First National Bank? To start with, that’s a felony…”
“Why help me?” I needed to know.
“Because, like I said, if I don’t, youaregoing to end up in jail.” He studied me for a second, his brows creasing.
I knew Wolf, knew when he was lying. Or at least avoiding the truth because he pretty much never outright lied.
“And then what are your parents going to do?”
Lose their house. Their daughter. But if Wolf lost his scholarship, his shot at the NFL… He’d already given up the scholarship to the college he’d really wanted to go to for me. I had already screwed up his life plenty.
“You’re in your last year. After this, you can help them.Legally.” He tucked a stray chunk of hair behind my ear. “Don’t screw that shit up.”
