Page 64 of Demons and Debts
Vic's there alone with Paris, and I sit down in the chair.
‘Do you still want me to sign your contract?’ I ask, getting right to the point.
Vic sits back, steepling his fingers like a much hotter and not-quite-so-yellow Mr. Burns as he looks at me, not giving anything away. He shrugs like he doesn’t care either way, but I know this is just a ploy.
I roll my eyes at his games. Shar and the kids don’t have time for this. ‘I'll sign it,’ I say, ‘but I want you to do something for me.’
‘Demands, huh? What is it?’ Vic asks, seeming more curious than anything else.
‘My friend from the diner, Sharlene … she needs help. Whoever got your boy, Dreyson, killed Sarge, Gail’s cook, the other night too. She’s afraid.’
‘We heard about the cook,’ Paris says from behind me, and I wonder what else they've kept from me.
‘You didn't think I should know that Sarge was murdered?’ I ask.
Vic shakes his head. ‘Nope.’
‘But he was my friend,’ I say and Vic snorts.
‘Someone like you doesn't have friends.’
I don’t let him see how close that comment hits to the mark, but inside I flinch hard.
Fuck. How true that is.He hit the nail right on the head, Jane.
‘Sharlene and her kids are in hiding. She’s afraid she’ll be next. She thinks they're watching her.’
‘She's probably just being paranoid,’ Vic says condescendingly, and I narrow my eyes at him.
‘It doesn't actually matter whether you believe she’s in danger, or not,’ I reply. ‘I'll sign your contract, but I want Shar and her children taken care of. Right now they’re at the Lucky Eight Motel. I want you to send her and her kids somewhere where they'll be safe … like Hawaii,’ I say ‘Yes, Hawaii! I want you to set them up in a nice house … in a good neighborhood with great schools … by a beach.’
‘Anything else?’ Vic asks, and I can’t work out from his tone whether or not he’s entertaining this crazy plan of mine.
‘Money for her to live on until she can get a job,’ I say, ‘and I want weekly calls with her. Video calls. I want to know she and the kids are really okay.’
‘Done.’
The sound from Paris behind me indicates that I'm not the only one who's shocked that the leader of the Iron I’s just agreed to all this.
But I stand up, and I don't show the fact that I’m 100% floored and exuberant as hell. I can’t believe he just said yes!
‘Good,’ I say. ‘I'm not signing anything until it's done. I want it written into the contract that if you don't hold up your end this time, I get to rip the damn thing up and you have to let me go.’
He laughs in my face, and I can’t help but wince for real.
‘Do you really think that would matter? Why would we even care?’
I shrug. ‘I have no idea to be honest, but you want me here for something and I'm telling you I'll stay without a fuss if you keep my friend and her kids safe. It’s a small price because, trust me, I can be such apain in the assthat you will either have to let me leave your happy little motorcycle funhouse, or fucking kill me.’
Vic stares at me for a few seconds looking for something, but I don’t know what. Then he nods.
‘As soon as everything's ready, I'll have the contract for you, but you sign your name in blood this time and if you even think about trying to escape again, your stalkers will be the least of ‘Shar and her kids’ problems.’
I make an effort to look him right in the eye. I’m not going to show fear. I need this too much.
‘I won’t,’ I say, standing up and leaving his office without another word.
Neither of them tries to stop me and I wander around the house a little, wondering if I’ll be allowed to come up here to use the pool or the gym if I feel like it.
