Page 25 of Ready to Cash Out

Trev froze, slowly turning to see Jupiter walking around the corner at the far end of the hallway.

Well, fuck.

Jupiter smirked. “Hi, baby doll. Miss me?”

“Oh, terribly. I was just about to come see you because I missed you so much.” Trev forced a smile, letting the duffel bag drop from his hand. He needed to run, and the lockbox was the most important thing. He’d pay Juicy to mail him the rest of his stuff as soon as he was safely out of the country.

“Are you dating the rat?” Juicy asked from the side of his mouth, trying and failing to be covert.

“No, I am not,” Trev replied in the same dramatic whisper. “He says I’m the brother of some fucker named Boss Cold?—”

“Oh! I know that guy.” Juicy beamed. “He’s a?—”

“Come on now,” Jupiter cut in. “That was a cute little stunt you pulled at the club, but now?—”

Trev bolted, snatching Barkie’s leash from Juicy. “Sorry! Gotta go!”

Juicy gasped. “Barkie!”

Trev wiggled the leash as he ran down the hall toward the stairs. “There! He’s free! Free as a bird!”

“Oh, thank God.”

“Dammit! Get back here!” Jupiter shouted.

“Fuck you!” Trev shouted back as he dashed into the stairwell.

“Barkie! Attack!” Juicy screamed, launching into a fierce barking tirade.

Trev prayed Juicy would stay out of harm’s way as he slammed the door shut and looped the leash through the handle. He thanked everything that was holy that Juicy had a long leash and he was able to hook the other end to the railing of the stairs. He knew it wouldn’t hold long, but hopefully it would be enough time to give him a good head start.

Jupiter tried to open the door, and the leash prevented it from opening more than a few inches. “Trevanion. You really do not need to make this so difficult!”

“Bye, sweetie! Miss you already!” Trev shouted, already halfway down the first set of stairs. He flew as fast as he could, cringing as the door slammed open above him once he hit the ground floor. The leash must have given out, but it didn’t matter. He just had to make it out to his car.

He ran outside, clutching the lockbox to his chest. There was a black SUV parked out front that he didn’t recognize.

Had to be Jupiter’s.

Trev paused to grab the knife out of his boot, flipping it open and stabbing the tire as he hurried by. He twisted it and left it there. “Fuck you, Jupiter.”

His lungs felt like they were on fire, but he was almost to his car. The door of the apartment opened behind him, but it didn’t matter. He was getting in his car and pulling the key out of his pocket. He could see Jupiter in his rearview mirror, and the bastard must have been really out of shape because he wasn’t even running now.

Trev cranked his window down, sticking his hand out the window as he put the key in the ignition. He flipped Jupiter off as he turned the key, ready to burn rubber and…

Nothing.

Trev’s stomach twisted, and he tried to turn the key again.

There was no clicking, no clanking, no nothing.

Trev pulled out the key and stared at it to make sure he’d grabbed the right one. It was definitely his spare car key, and he didn’t understand why it wasn’t working.

What the fuck?

“Car trouble?” Jupiter asked as he approached the open window, smiling smugly. “Don’t you hate when that happens?”

Trev glared furiously. “What the fuck did you do to my car?”

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