Page 129 of Ready to Cash Out

“Oh. Okay.” Trev blinked but headed that way.

In all of his time here, he’d yet to set foot inside Cold’s personal rooms. He’d caught a glimpse once or twice saying good night to Jimmy, but this was going to be a first. He wasn’t sure what to expect as he opened the doors.

First was a large foyer with a chic sitting area that didn’t look much different than the rest of the house.

Beyond that was a den, but it was a complete departure from the modern and luxurious decor. The ratty furniture ranged from a weird shade of orange to a murky brown, and part of the couch was actually being held together with duct tape. A big record player sat in the corner with a ton of vinyl and the walls were covered in personal photographs and posters, including one that was definitely of Suzanne because it looked like the one Trev had back at his apartment.

Cold was sitting on the couch, staring at the cluster of photographs on the wall beneath the poster. There were nine arranged in a circle around a tenth in the middle. There was also a manila envelope on the table.

Trev walked over to the pictures and he smiled when he saw they were the photographs of his mother and Cold’s. There was one in the middle that was only of Cold’s mother, an old Polaroid. “They turned out great. Look good in here.”

“Thank you.” Cold tapped the envelope. “These are your originals. What’s your price for ten photographs, hmm?”

“Can I take my prisoner and my crazy friend and leave?” Trev asked.

“No.”

“Well, then.” Trev clapped his hands. “Sorry, but that’s my final offer.”

“What if I told you that you’ll all be free by Saturday evening?”

“What?” Trev narrowed his eyes, stepping toward the couch. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch.” Cold shrugged. “Oh.” He smirked. “Except you will be attending the lunch with me.”

“Exsqueeze me?”

“You will be attending the lunch with me.”

“The one where someone is coming to kill you?”

“That would be the one.”

Trev’s mind spun. “What about Jupiter?”

Cold stared blankly.

Trev threw up his hands. “Hello! What about Jupiter? What are you doing with him?”

“He’ll be safe,” Cold replied calmly.

“I’m not going anywhere with you unless you tell me what you’re up to. Specifically with my prisoner.”

“The prisoner whose bed you’ve stayed in every night since you’ve been here?”

“Yeah. To make sure you don’t kill him.”

Cold smirked. “I think we both know that one, he’d already be dead if I wanted him to be, and two, he is more than a prisoner to you. You can’t claim to be using him as leverage because I’m already giving you everything you could possibly want. Ah, except for him, of course.”

“I really hate you.”

“Noted.”

“You swear he’ll be safe?” Trev scoffed at his own question, muttering, “Like I can even trust you.”

“Perhaps this will help.” Cold tapped the folder.

“What?” Trev picked it up and was surprised to find it was heavier than it should be if it only contained photographs. He sat at the far end of the couch away from Cold, opening it to first retrieve his photos.

---