Page 148 of Unforgettable

Clearly Josh and I were on the same page. All we needed was to make sure Amanda was too.

“I’ll fix it,” he whispered. His shoulders slumped in defeat like I hoped they would. Maybe if he’d taken the plethora of chances he’d been granted before, I would have had more sympathy for him. But he hadn’t, and I wasn’t prepared to put anyone else in danger because of him.

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Amanda asked, strolling back into the room and appearing slightly calmer. “Because last time I checked, you didn’t have nearly a hundred thousand dollars.” Adam opened his mouth like he actually had a response, but Amanda added, “And the plan shouldn’t consist of selling or doing anything fucking illegal. I think we’ve had enough of that, right, El Chapo?”

“I know, and it won’t.”

“But you don’t have a plan yet,” Josh said, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. I could feel the irritation rolling off of him in frustrated waves.

Adam couldn’t even say it, but he gulped and shook his head.

“This is what needs to happen.” I let unrestricted authority enter my voice. “You’re going to go to the cops and tell them fucking everything. If we have to follow you there, we will, but you’re going to handle this. I’ll pay for an attorney, but that’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to tell them what you know about your boss, and hopefully they’ll cut you a deal in exchange for more useful information. In the meantime, I recommend finding somewhere else to stay. With a friend or something, because this guy obviously knows where you live and could likely come back again when he realizes you have no intention of paying him. Sound good?” I turned toward Amanda, who was staring at me with her jaw slack.

She shook her head. “Reed, you don’t have to pay for an attorney. I can—”

“Let him help. And then move in with us.”

In the ten-plus years I’d known Josh, he’d never not had my back. That time was no different, except there was a pointedly different feeling stirring in my chest when I looked at him. The old feelings of friendship were still there, but they’d been overwhelmed by something that was so much more.

“Yes, you can stay with us until we get everything sorted out. Or forever,” I said with a shrug.

Josh cocked a half smile, one corner of his mouth pulling into a small grin easily as he glanced between me and Amanda. We’d briefly discussed moving out of our apartment, finding a house, and then asking Amanda to move in with us. Neither of us was too keen on taking things slow—we’d already wasted enough time.

Amanda’s tremendous sigh broke through my daydreaming as she cut her attention to Adam.

“I’ll give you a week, and then we can go from there. Forever is a long time to live with the two of you,” she said like the idea was unbelievable, but I caught a hint of a smile before she turned once again to survey the damage.

“I’m going to call the criminal defense attorney I know and give him the rundown. Cielo, pack a bag. I don’t want to be here longer than we have to.”

“Okay, but don’t you think—”

Again, Amanda cut off Adam’s words with one look over her shoulder. “You don’t get to think right now. You want out of this mess? Your best bet is to listen to them and me, by extension. So, shut the hell up, and go pack your own damn bag.”

FORTY-EIGHT

Amanda

Their soft,deep-gray couch felt tremendous under my aching body. Only a few seconds behind me, the guys lumbered into their apartment, carrying a few bags filled with items I’d need over the next week, at least. I’d strode into the apartment with my own bag, dropped it just inside the door, and flung myself on the couch without a glance backward.

They’d been my rocks all day—two stone pillars at my sides throughout the chaos.

Reed spoke to his attorney friend, who immediately agreed to represent Adam for what I expected was a tidy sum. We’d argued over his monetary contributions in hushed, heated voices on the patio while Josh waited in the living room with Adam.

He was not budging, and I had to face the facts—if I wanted my brother out of the mess he’d wound up in once again, I needed help. We both needed help. And I knew Reed’s intentions were pure. The pounding on my apartment door stopped us midconversation anyway.

Maybe after a full night’s sleep I’d bring it up again, but until then, I was letting it go.

One of the most beautiful men I’d ever seen appeared in the doorway to my apartment. The attorney Reed had hired was likely in his midthirties. His eyes were a startling blue, and his wide smile was contagious.

Reed greeted him with a handshake while Adam awaited his introduction. Josh and I watched the entire scene play out before us, and I hadn’t noticed I was staring until Josh brushed his fingers across the back of my exposed neck.

A slight shiver danced down my spine at the tender touch, and Josh’s chuckle was bright.

“You’re drooling,” he murmured into my ear. My attention bounced up to Josh only to find him also openly staring at the gorgeous man in the middle of my disaster zone.

“Oh, actually, I think you got a little something right about there,” I said, pressing up on my toes to swipe at the invisible drool on Josh’s chin. He caught my thumb between his teeth, eliciting an inappropriate giggle.

Reed finally introduced me to the attorney, Will, who was not only easy on the eyes but also had a résumé and a laundry list of credentials that would have made anyone gawk. He assured me he’d do his best by Adam, and whether it was the sincerity in his eyes or the fucking dimples, I believed him.

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