Page 81 of Dare to Dance
Holding back tears, I pushed down all my emotions for the moment. This wasn’t the place to cry, scream, apologize, or anything else. “It’s not like that.”
“Then tell me what’s it’s like. Tell me that the girl I love isn’t here to sleep with this fuckwad. Tell me that the girl I love didn’t make a deal that involves our daughter.”
The room spun for so many reasons. I knew I should have pleaded my case. I knew we shouldn’t have been discussing any of this in front of Trent. Except I couldn’t help but ask, “You love me?”
Trent clapped, severing the fireworks that were shooting off in my chest. “Wonderful,” he mocked. “I want my money, and Kross, you’re the one to deliver.”
Kross set his attention on Trent who held a napkin to his nose. “I’m not fighting for you,” he said as though Trent had approached him already.
“You don’t need to fight for me. But you do need to lose that fight of yours tomorrow night.”
“Or what?” Every facial muscle on Kross looked ready to burst open.
I held my breath, knowing what was coming.
“Do you ever want to see your daughter again?” Trent asked.
Kross leapt across the room then grabbed the collar of Trent’s shirt. “You so much as touch her, you’re a dead man.”
I ran to Kross. “Stop. Trent has pictures of Raven. He’s been following her. He threatened to bury my paperwork with a judge.” I didn’t want Kross to agree to Trent’s deal, but I also didn’t want him to cause more trouble for us.
“Listen to your girl,” Trent said. “I can make it so you’ll never get custody of her.”
Kross shoved him. “Bullshit. No one has that much power over a judge.”
Trent’s back hit the fridge. “Do you want to test that theory? I can call Judge Carroll again. Right, Ruby?”
“Kross, he’s telling the truth about the judge. He called him in front of me.”
“I’ll pay you the ten Gs,” Kross said.
Trent barked out an evil laugh. “No. The deal changed when Ruby stabbed me and you stormed in here. You know I can file charges against Ruby.”
I didn’t have the energy to protest. If he did press charges, then that would add to my growing list of ways I’d screwed up my chances of getting my daughter out of foster care. More importantly, the cops could arrest me for prostitution since I was there to have sex with Trent. Then I would definitely lose custody.
The silence grew to a deafening height as Kross considered Trent then me. We could explain our predicament to Ms. Waters. Then she would know that I was illegally fighting, prostituting my body to pay back a debt, and that I stabbed Trent. Aside from that, she followed the laws of the system. She would never believe that someone could pay off a judge.
“So what’s it going to be, Maxwell?” Trent’s voice severed the brick wall of tension.
I couldn’t let Kross throw away his career. The entire time we’d dated in high school, he’d talked about boxing, and how he would be the one to beat someday. I just didn’t know what else I could do. Trent didn’t want me anymore. Trent didn’t want the ten thousand dollars. If he was planning to bet on Kross losing, then he stood to make more money.
“Don’t do it, Kross.” I grabbed his hand, then I glanced at Trent. “I’ll do whatever you want me to do to work off that money.”
Before Trent could respond, Kross blurted out, “You got yourself a deal.”
“You can’t do that,” I protested.
Trent smirked. “Glad to see you came to your senses.”
“Go get your clothes,” Kross demanded rather roughly.
I obeyed since I couldn’t do anything else. Once Kross and I were alone, then maybe we could come up with another plan that wouldn’t cause him to lose his fight. One that would help us get Raven back at the same time.
I piled my clothes in my arms then hurried out. The faster we got out of there, the less of a chance that Kross would beat the lights out of Trent. We couldn’t afford more trouble.
“Remember what’s at stake,” Trent said loudly as Kross and I walked out.
I swore I would find a way to get back at Trent.
