Page 101 of Ready to Cash Out

He knew he looked like an idiot.

But he didn’t care.

“Trev.” Jupiter breathed his name out like a prayer and held him tight.

“You’re okay,” Trev whispered, hating how his eyes burned. He buried his face in Jupiter’s shoulder. “Assholes wouldn’t let me leave. I wanted to come find you.”

“Wow, look at that,” Jupiter teased. “You really are sweet on me.”

“Shut up.”

“Hi!” another voice greeted cheerfully.

Trev lifted his head to see who was talking and he gasped. “Juicy?”

Juicy, his neighbor, was here.

“I had to board Barkie,” Juicy said with a sigh. “I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me.”

“Yes, he will! Oh my God!” Trev wiggled out of Jupiter’s arms to give Juicy a hug. “What in the world are you doing here?”

“Working on a case! I received a transmission through the fillings in my teeth.” Juicy replied with a grin. “You smell nice.”

“Thank you.” Trev glanced back at Jupiter, hoping he had answers grounded in reality.

“I went over to your place to see if you were there,” Jupiter said. “Ran into Juicy here, who was packing up a bunch of your stuff. He said he needed to bring it to you as soon as possible. Told me you were going to need it because you were on a dangerous mission.”

“How did you know where to find me?”

“Google.”

“Don’t worry!” Juicy laughed heartily, smacking a hand on Trev’s back. “I got us here in one piece.” He bowed his head to whisper in Trev’s ear, “It’s all right. I’m working a case.”

“Yeah, you just told me that.” Trev blinked. “Uh, okay.”

“Pssst. It’s for Boss Cold. Did I tell you that already?”

Trev tensed.

There was no way?—

“Oh!” Rowena had caught up and she squealed when she saw Jupiter. “That must be Jupiter.”

“It is.” Trev smirked.

“Been talking about me, huh?” Jupiter teased.

“Don’t let it go to your head.” Trev scoffed even as he gravitated back toward Jupiter. He really had missed him, and the fluttery feeling he got in his chest when Jupiter smiled at him was ridiculous.

But then he saw how Cold was looking at Jupiter—his eyes full of ice and ready to pierce Jupiter with every single jagged shard.

Trev immediately put himself in front of Jupiter, glaring right back at Cold. “Nope, nope, nope. You are not touching him.”

Mickey was suddenly there, standing at the doorway of the parlor with a creepy scowl, and Jules remained posed beside Cold with an equally unfriendly glare.

Jupiter put his hand on Trev’s shoulder. “It’s all right, baby doll.” He addressed Cold now, saying firmly, “Boss Cold, I’m sure by now you’ve heard that I renounced my family.”

“I did,” Cold replied calmly. “I’m still curious what makes you think I shouldn’t kill you right now?”

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