Page 54 of Bastard

“Who do you work for, Jace Malone?” Georgia whispered.

How far are you willing to go? I smiled at Sam as she stared at me. “All the way, baby.” Then I turned to Georgia. “I have my own story about childhood friends to tell.”

22

Telling my story while sitting in a luxurious apartment, sitting between two filthy rich women, was the perfect opposite of how this all started. “I always knew I wouldn’t have a choice when the time came. It was fun to indulge in the fantasy of going off to college with Samantha, but I knew it was a dream and nothing more.”

I felt Sam shrinking away so I pulled her closer. No getting away from me. “The time came. High school was over. Sam and I had a huge fight. She didn’t understand, but I knew she didn’t understand, and that was okay.”

“Nice as all this exposition is, can we hurry along to the relevant parts?” Georgia waved her hand.

“This is a relevant part and I’ll tell you why. Sam asked me a question that day. How far are you willing to go? She didn’t want me mixed up with guns and drugs. She didn’t want me arrested or killed—all valid concerns. Her question became my mantra. My…my, I don’t know, goal? Every day, every step, every choice I’ve made, I’ve had Sam’s voice in my head asking me how far I was willing to go. My answer has always been exactly the same. All the way, baby. At first it was just Devil’s Wrath. If that was my life, I was going to be powerful, not just Todd’s pawn. And then…a man introduced himself to me.”

I still remembered that day. I’d been sent out for beer. I stopped for ice cream because I was still a fucking kid and it was hot and I wanted ice cream. “He came straight out and told me he was with the FBI and he knew exactly who I was.”

Georgia slammed her first down on the chair and swore. “You’re helping the fucking FBI?”

“I’m not done.” I put up my hand. “It’s far more interesting than that.”

She frowned, her eyes pinching with one her signature glares. “Fine. Continue.”

“He offered to get me a college degree, teach me to fight and take care of myself. He offered up all the things I wanted but couldn’t have. Suddenly it was right there on a silver platter. But I didn’t trust this man any more than I trusted anyone else. As far as I could tell, just about everyone in my life was only out for themselves. I also knew if Todd found out what I was doing, I’d be dead. So I wasn’t willing to put my life on the line without some major insurance.”

It was the first time I’d ever asked for something big. I bet that Steel was so desperate for insider information on Devil’s Wrath that he’d at least think about my request. “I told him I’d do it if he also put me through the Academy and got me a job. I didn’t give him one piece of evidence until the day I became an agent. I’ve been undercover this whole time.”

“Bullshit,” Georgia spat. “I don’t believe it.”

“Jace?” Sam whispered, twisting to face me, her eyes darting between mine.

“You almost had it all figured out.”

“Prove it,” Georgia demanded.

So I cupped Sam’s cheek and stood up. Hopefully my badge would be enough proof, but knowing Georgia she’d accuse me of making a fake. Georgia fumed when I returned, probably mad at Sam for keeping her suspicions to herself.

“Here.” I gave it to her so she could look it over, feel it, hell she could lick it for all I cared. Not like I ever used it.

“Jesus Fucking Christ, Jace. Is this real?”

“Of course it’s real. You think I could make this up?” Never mind why I would make something like this up. My real life was weird enough I didn’t need to invent fiction as wild as the books I liked to read.

Georgia handed it to Sam. She went pale as she examined it. “What does this mean now?” Her big brown eyes held so much worry I felt it physically.

“With my mentor, this same man who approached me over ice cream, I’ve been systematically building a case against Devil’s Wrath. We were close to ready—my life free and clear of Todd and the Chubbies—when Sam’s parents died.”

“So wait,” Sam shook her head and blinked. “What does a life free and clear of Todd look like?”

“For years I’ve been using my business to build a new Devil’s Wrath. Riddick, Storm, Home Run, and I have essentially been running our own club within the club. When Todd and the Chubbies go to prison we’ll step into the void with our legal businesses. We won’t be outlaws anymore. My brothers will run the new Devil’s Wrath as a true brotherhood.”

Sam stared off at the wall. Georgia stared at me. Her eagle eyes probing me for lies and exaggerations. “And then this agent discovered you had ties to me, I’m guessing.”

“Yes. When he realized I had a close connection to Sam, he expanded the scope of my assignment. Specifically the Feyereisens.”

Her eyebrows rose and she slowly nodded once. “That’s why you’re so interested in them. Your mentor wants it all.”

“He does. You have to admit, it’s a fucking unique situation to be in. I don’t blame him for wanting to use my insider status.” I just blamed him for being an asshole.

“You sure he doesn’t want to bring the whole thing down? Burn Roark to the ground while he’s at it?”

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