Page 49 of Shameless

“What the fuck?” Jules covers his face with his hands. “I should have known. I should have fucking known that this whole thing couldn’t be kosher. That man, our fucking father, didn’t have an honest bone in his body.”

For once, Crew agrees with him. “You’re right. I was suspicious at first when I found out that Trevor was Eddie’s right hand man. I mean fuck, we’ve all bought pot or the occasional pill from him.”

Jules exhales. “I haven’t touched anything since Jenna was born, but I knew where the good stuff came from at parties. My ex bought from him too. I just thought he was a small time dealer though. Not a fucking drug lord kingpin.”

I know what Jules means. I’ve always considered Trevor harmless enough. A little thuggish maybe but I never thoughthe was really dangerous. “Yeah, I guess at some point he started dealing for the Morelli family and he hit the big time.” I reason.

“So do you think this is where all Eddie’s money comes from?” Crew asks.

Jules pinches the bridge of his nose, exasperated. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around our father’s company covering up a huge drug smuggling operation for the mafia. I don’t know if Eddie had any legit source of income. I mean, there are other sponsors aside from Morelli.”

Crew explains his train of thought. “I meant because your grandfather paid him off to leave.”

I shrug, overwhelmed by the whole situation. “I don’t think it matters, guys. Eddie didn’t just leave us his company and a potentially valuable boat. He left us a deal with the mafia. If we decide to take over and keep running Star Thunders, there are gonna be expectations that we continue to help.”

Crew understands my concern. “Fuck. Drug smuggling and money laundering are no joke. If we got caught, we would do serious time.”

Jules turns, sitting sideways like I am, to glare at Crew in the backseat. “No shit, Sherlock. But what are we supposed to do? Are you suggesting we don’t accept the inheritance? It isn’t just the company and the patent. Did you hear how much money there is in our father’s bank account? You might have no problem with taking the high road, but I have a daughter to think about. I fought tooth and nail to convince my ex to accept a payment plan and I need Star Thunders, or my share of Eddie’s cash, to keep my end of the deal. If I stop paying her, Jasmine will fight me for custody. I haven’t seen Jenna in weeks and mydaughter needs me. I wish I could take that money from my trust fund, but I have to thank Eddie’s gold digging for the airtight clause Grandpa put on it. I have no fucking choice.”

Crew doesn’t look impressed or moved by Jules’s reasoning. “Give me a fucking break, Cutler! Do you think you’re the only one who desperately needs Eddie’s money? I was on a yacht with this girl and when she crashed it, I got blamed for it. Ironically, it belonged to that creep, Evan. He’s suing for damages and he threatened to press charges. Before the shit hit the fan at Twinberry Cove, he agreed to let me off the hook if I let him drive the electric boat.”

Jules blows a gasket at the news. “Are you insane? That boat is worth millions. What if Evan damages it? No fucking way.”

Crew flips him off again. “I thought about it. If we accept the inheritance, I can either let him drive the boat or pay off the damages. Either way, I need that fucking money just as much as you do.”

Jules rolls his eyes. “Then I suppose we’ve got our answer. We can’t afford to refuse.”

Crew shakes his head. “It’s not that easy. Stefan is right that if we take the money and the company, we’re in the same boat as Eddie.”

It isn’t funny, but a snort escapes my lips. “Ha, good pun.”

There’s no mirth in Crew’s grin. “Thanks. But I mean it. Either way, we’re fucked.”

I know what he means. “You’re right. If only there was a way to terminate the whole deal with Morelli, we’d be ok.”

“Not to burst your bubble, brother,” Jules says darkly. “But I bet the only way to walk away from a deal with the mafia is in a pair of concrete boots.”

Crew sighs. “I hate to say it, but Cutler is right. The mafia won’t let us go easily. Not unless we get some leverage or we can find something they want more than to continue with the status quo at Star Thunders.”

They’re both right, it’s an impossible situation. “It doesn’t help that Mason Morelli is taking over Trevor’s business. He obviously has a problem with us. He used us to threaten Lula when he thought she betrayed him.”

Jules frowns. “But you said they settled that and Morelli knows that Lula had nothing to do with his arrest and with his drugs going missing.”

“Yeah, but he likes her. Mason wants Lula, especially now that he knows that she was always loyal to him. It isn’t just about her selling his drugs in return for his protection. The way he was looking at her… man, I was about to kick his ass.”

Crew slams his fist on the palm of his hand. “That motherfucker! He’s the one who got Lula addicted. I can’t believe he blackmailed her.”

I share his same anger. “If I think about the trouble Lula could have gotten into if she got caught stealing…”

“Stealing?” Crew asks.

“What do you think she was doing in the club’s parking lot the night of the gala, when we saw her by Eddie’s limo? I overheard their conversation and I think she was stealing cash and other valuables to try and repay Mason.”

Crew runs a hand through his hair. “Fuck. You just ruined one of my hottest memories, man. Thank you.”

“Hottest memories? What the fuck are you talking about, James?”

Crew and I exchange a sheepish look.

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