Page 34 of Cain
I stare at them—two women I thought I knew, two women I trusted. My sister. My past.
“Where’s the money?”
Paula looks at Melody. “She has it. We’ll give it back, Cain. We were never going to keep it and….” She trails off as she sees Melody’s face go from bitchy to guilty.
“Melody? Where’s the money?” Paula asks, now afraid.
Her friend shrugs. “Look…I had credit card bills, okay?”
“You spent it!” Paula hisses, slamming the palm of a hand on the conference table. “How much?”
Melody looks only slightly chagrined when she says, “All of it.”
Paula is incredulous. “That was my brother’s money, Melody. You were only going to keep it safe.”
Then as if something snaps in her, Paula slaps Melodyhard. “You bought those shoes with the money, didn’t you? Your dad didn’t give you a cash gift.”
Melody starts talking and so does Paula. Within seconds, we have a screaming match.
“Stop,” Lo thunders.
Both women shut the fuck up.Thank God!
“Christ, you both make me want to use my service weapon in illegal ways,” Lo mutters. “Cain?”
I know what she’s asking. I shake my head. “I can’t, Lo.”
She nods.
“Cain, I’m so sorry. We were protecting you! I didn’t think she’d go spend all the money.” Paula is crying now, big fat tears rolling down her cheeks. In the past that would make me melt, now, I feel manipulated.
“What did you think would happen? You handed stolen money to a woman whose moral compass is more broken than a bargain bin compass in a hurricane.”
Melody glares at me. “This is on you, Cain Ripley. You’re the one who made me feel we had something, and then you started sleeping withher.”
“I don’t know what alternate world you and my sister are living in, Melody, but regardless, there isn’t a universe in which you and I would ever end up together. Ask me why?”
She doesn’t.
“Because I don’t like you.” I turn to Lo. “I won’t press charges. Paula’s family.”
Both women sigh in relief. Melody smirks. Paula hides her satisfaction. She knew I’d never let her get arrested.
“He’s lettin’ you off the hook, but you breathe wrong again, and I’ll bury you both,” Lo warns. “One foot out of line, and I’ll dismantle your lives the way you dismantled Faith’s.”
Their smiles falter.
Good!
14
YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN
CAIN
Ihaul Paula to my office at Ripley’s
I don’t want to talk to her because I’m angry and torn. All I want to do is howl my pain for hurting my woman. But, first, I have to close this down.
