Page 98 of Ready to Cash Out

“Sorry, I’m not.” Brick grinned.

“That is a crying shame.”

“Trev, right?”

“Yeah. But you can call me anything you want.”

“He’s with Jules,” Rowena chimed in. “I admire the effort, but good luck.”

“You mean Beefzilla?” Trev wrinkled his nose. “Okay, I’d still try to hit it. At least I’d die doing something I loved.”

Brick laughed. “Are you really related to Cold?”

“That’s what they tell me. Why?”

“Because you’re actually funny.”

“Come on!” Rowena waved for them to join them on the couch.

“What are we doing?” Jimmy laughed.

“We are going to day drink and watch Mean Girls.”

Trev scoffed. “What is this, a mafia wives club meeting?”

“What? No!” Rowena wrinkled her nose. “My sweetie is a good boy.” She swatted at Trev’s arm. “And Brick and Jules still live in sin, so, technically Brick would be a mafia girlfriend.”

“He’s not one of the Gentlemen?” Trev asked.

He would believe it as big as Brick was.

And his name was Brick.

Who the hell was named Brick?

“Nope. Translator.” Brick grinned as he took the other spot on the couch beside Trev. “I sit behind a desk all day, working on a computer.”

“Wow. That sounds boring as shit.” Trev snorted. “What about you, Jimmy?” He thought he remembered someone mentioning a case. “Are you a lawyer or something?”

“Or something.” Jimmy got settled in an oversized plush chair. “I used to work for a big firm here in Strassen, but then I started a nonprofit to help overturn wrongful convictions. Give innocent people who are imprisoned a chance at freedom.”

“That’s really awesome.” Trev smiled.

“What about you, Trev?” Brick asked politely. “What do you do?”

Oh.

Trev was grateful for the mimosa to drown the new feeling trying to crack his confidence.

Insecurity.

Ugh, gross.

Who cared if Brick was a fancy translator or Jimmy was some goody-two-shoes lawyer? He already knew that Rowena ran a club here in the city from their earlier conversation, and Trev was startled by how inadequate he suddenly felt.

“I’m a burlesque dancer,” Trev replied with a confident smile.

That sounded better than former escort on the run from the mob.

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