Page 3 of Fallen Roses

“Fuck!”The urgency in his tone conjures up an image of my younger brother running his fingers through his unruly hair, and the furrow on his brow deepened with panic.

“Can you get it?”He replies quickly and I sigh heavily.

“I need more time. Twenty-thousand dollars isn’t pocket change for me. Questions will be asked and the banks won’t be happy if I tell them it’s because I’m bailing my fucking brother out again.”

“Okay.”His voice deepens to a whisper, and he says with an edge that doesn’t escape me.“I’ll hide out for another night, but I can’t guarantee they won’t find me. Please, James, I need you to deliver the money by tonight. These men are fucking psychopaths and unless you want to say a prayer at my grave, you had better think of something, and fast.”

“Leave it with me. Stay where you are and Dylan–”

The silence lies on the air crackling between us and I say gruffly, “Stay safe, brother.”

I cut the call and drive my fist down hard on the desk. “Fuck!”

I spin my chair to face the window as if the answer lies out there and curse the fact my brother is a fucking dumb shit who tried to get rich the easy way and screwed over the wrong kind of people.

A gentle tap at the door interrupts my meltdown and Miss Prendergast heads inside with a file clasped against her chest.

“Mr. Warner.”

“Miss Prendergast.” I am polite and reserved and show none of my earlier anger as I face her with a cool detachment.

“The new accountant has arrived, sir. She is currently settling in and filling in the induction forms.”

At first I stare at her blankly because why the fuck do I care about a new recruit and then she reminds me why she’s telling me this as she adds, “She will be working on the corporate accounts and may require some background information. Her predecessor uncovered a few anomalies before she left and the matter was never resolved.”

It reminds me of where my head should be right now and I nod. “Of course. Tell her to report here at two pm and bring the Candyland file. She can begin there.”

She sets the file on my desk and smiles. “Her details, sir, and if that is all, I’ll add the meeting to her electronic diary.”

“Yes, that will be all.”

She turns to leave and I give her no further consideration and turn my attention to the file in front of me.

If only this was all I had to worry about my life would be so much easier but Dylan has put paid to that and I’m still unsure how I’m going to raise twenty-thousand dollars in such a short space of time.

More as a distraction than anything, I slide the folder toward me and open it, staring at a name that makes me roll my eyes. Annabelle Starling. Kind of cute, but I’m guessing she’s the usual type who studies rather than parties and walks with a stick up her ass. Most of the women I’ve come across use it to break the glass ceiling they are aiming for, and Miss Prendergast herself is one example. Pleasant enough, but with zero personality. I happen to know she lives alone, and this job is her life. Most of the people here live and breathe this place and I am no exception.

And then there’s Dylan.

I push the file aside to check her out later and reach for the phone to deal with the more urgent matter pressing on my mind.

It takes me one hour to arrange a meeting with a man who runs a pawn shop nearby and as I replace the receiver, I finger the Rolex on my wrist with regret.

This should raise half of the money, if not more, but there is still the matter of ten thousand dollars to magic out of thin air.

Aside from my apartment, the only thing I have leftof value is my car and reluctantly, I make the call to raise the rest of the cash.

Within the hour,I am heading out onto the streets of LA to visit the pawn store, and every step I take is filled with deep regret.

I work hard. Bloody hard and any luxuries I enjoy are the result of honest hard work. Nobody has ever given me anything and I wouldn’t expect them to, but my brother obviously doesn’t share that same gene because from an early age he always sought the easy road to riches.

The road he chose is littered with dangerous obstacles and he has fallen in with a bad crowd who has the attention of the local mobsters. As the older brother, with no other family, he has always looked up to me as a father figure and I have done everything possible to keep him out of trouble, but even I may not be able to save him this time.

“James.”

Dirk glances up as I head in off the sidewalk, the watch heavy on my wrist almost clinging on for dear life.

“I understand you have something for me.” He says, peering over his glasses as he sits slumped behind the counter, surrounded by the treasures that have been sold to get their owners out of trouble.

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