Page 47 of Reckless

“What a little shit.”

“Couldn’t have put it better myself. It’s why he’s been working us to the goddamn bone. Booking all those shows. Because he was making a fortune off the extra prices.”

He bites off a huge piece of his candy bar and leans back in the seat.

Realization dawns. Not only has Cody stolen from them, he’s also responsible for the way Jude is feeling now, why the band is on an extended break. He was forcing them to tour incessantly so he could make more money off ticket sales.

I didn’t like the guy from the moment I met him, even less when we ran into him at the rest stop, and he was rude as hell. I never would have imagined something like this happening.

“Are you okay?” I reach over and touch the back of his hand where it rests on the tabletop.

“Not sure to be honest,” he says, blowing out a heavy sigh. “They’re still trying to figure out how much money he stole.”

“I don’t mean the money.”

His eyes come up to me. He made it clear he doesn’t particularly care for Cody, but he is in a position of trust, and he broke that. I’m not sure there are an awful lot of people around Jude and his band they can trust. Their manager shouldn’t be one they can’t.

“It’s a lot to take in.”

“What happens now?”

“The feds are investigating,” he shrugs. “I guess while that goes on, we wait and see.”

“Do you need to go back?” I ask cautiously, trying not to sound like it might bother me if he has to.

I’m not sure I succeed, especially when he gives me a look that says I didn’t. He moves his hand, turning it palm up and holding my fingers between his.

“Solene wants me to. She thinks we need to all be together, to work out what this means for us.”

“What do you want to do?” I ask.

It’s not that I fault his band mate and I understand where she is coming from wanting them all to be there. But if I know anything about police investigations, which I do, given how much research I do for my books, then it’s going to take a long time to figure out.

The likelihood of getting their money back is slim to none because they will have to pay the fans back out of pocket.

This is the reason they were worked into the ground. It isn’t up to me to help him make any choices about his mental wellbeing.

He’s quiet for so long, he’s got to be about to let me down. Instead, he picks up the bumper sticker and reads it again.

“I want to see this on the back of the RV.”

I huff out a laugh. “No chance.”

“Ah, come on, it’ll look great.”

“I don’t want it on my RV, Jude.”

“Why, are you an RV decor snob?”

“Put it on your car when you get home.”

“I’m gonna make it my mission for the rest of this trip to get a new bumper sticker wherever we go. Then convince you to put them all on the back of the RV.”

I’d argue, but he’s letting me know he’s staying. “And how do you plan on convincing me?”

“That gigantic box of condoms you bought might help.”

My face burns and Jude laughs.

---