Page 10 of Carter's Battle

“What the fuck?” Mia snarled.

Akela blinked and bit her lip. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Don’t even try to play me, Akela. I know you told Bobby that I knew about the second set of books. He kidnapped me from Ohana’s last night and then drove me home and threatened me.”

Akela’s face paled. “I’m so sorry.” Her whispered apology was barely audible. “I didn’t have a choice.” A single tear trickled down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away. “Someone at work told him you’d been by and that you’d gone in the back room by yourself. One of my staff is a spy for Bobby. I didn’t know. I swear it. I had no idea. I don’t even know who it is. Anyway, he was at my house when I got home from seeing you. He threatened Kai. What was I supposed to do?”

Mia stared at her friend. She really did understand and might have done the same thing if the situation had been reversed. But, honestly, she didn’t think she’d ever give up a friend that way. She blew out a breath. “He wants me to go back to my old life.He’s threatening to start a rumor that I’m cooking your books. It would ruin my reputation and kill my livelihood.”

“I’m so sorry, Mia. I truly am but what was I supposed to do?” Akela asked again.

“You should’ve known better from the beginning and then none of us would be in this mess,” Mia snapped. She rubbed her face. That wasn’t fair. She’d made mistakes with Bobby too. “Sorry.” Her shoulders slumped. “That was harsh. I know how persuasive Bobby can be and I know how much you love Kai.” She stared at her former teammate. “But Bobby wants me to start gambling again to make him money. I…I just don’t want to go down that road.”

Akela gripped her coffee mug as if she was freezing and the paper cup was the only thing that could keep herself warm. “I don’t see a way out. If there was one, I’d take it.” She met Mia’s gaze. “You know that, right? If there was any other way, I’d do it?”

Mia’s stomach sank. “Wait, you deliberately told him, didn’t you? You told him that I could earn his money back.”

Dull pink washed up Akela’s cheeks. “I didn’t have a choice. Bobby says the only way out for me is if I pay him one hundred thousand. That’s what I owe him.”

“Are you serious?” Mia swallowed hard. “A hundred thousand? He expects me to win him a hundred thousand dollars?”

Akela hesitated. “More. He needs money. A lot of it.”

Mia stared across the table. “Did he tell you that?” Why in the hell would Bobby confide in Akela?Shit.Were they dating? “Are you with Bobby?”

Akela’s mouth dropped open. “What? No way!” she said loudly and then immediately glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention. “No way,” she repeated in a quieter, but still vehement voice. “I heard him and Donny talking. Bobbyis laundering money for someone. I don’t know who. Knowing him, I think he’s even skimming some. He’s trying to set up again. He lost everything when he went to prison, and now he’s trying to rebuild. He said to Donny that he was tired of being told what to do. Now that he’s been out for two years, he claims he’s done taking orders. Whoever is running things right now doesn’t like him, or trust him, or something because they won’t let him in. He thinks if he gets more money he can branch out.”

It was Mia’s turn to stare. That was an awful lot of information for Akela to have if she wasn’t dating Bobby. “Are you sure you’re not together with Bobby, or maybe Donny?”

Akela shook her head. “Voices carry from the vent in my office to the one behind the counter. I overheard Bobby talking to Donny. He wants to take a run at whoever the boss is, but he needs more money to do it. He’s pissed off about being held down. Bobby has big plans to take over the whole gambling ring or whatever the hell he’s a part of. But he needs enough money to buy guns and whatever else he needs.”

Mia sat back in her chair. “Are you sure?”

Akela nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. Bobby is pissed that he’s not calling the shots like he used to be. He said he’s already paid his dues and now is his time. He wants back in the game. That’s why he wants the money so badly.”

Mia stared at her coffee. She had no interest in drinking it. Her stomach had already turned sour. “What did he tell you exactly?”

Akela tucked her hair behind an ear. “He said that I owe him one hundred thousand dollars. If I give him that we’ll be even.”

“But how is that going to stop the money laundering at the café? If he’s not in charge then how is he going to stop it?”

She shrugged. “He thinks that once he has the money that I owe him and whatever else he wants you to win for him, he can take over and be in charge again.”

Mia frowned. “Do you believe him?”

Akela paused and then shook her head. “No, but what choice do I have? At least if he gets his money, maybe he’d forget about me, and I can rebuild my business. Once he stops hanging out, then people will come back. I know they will.”

Mia wasn’t sure that was true but that was Akela’s problem, not Mia’s. Her problem was Bobby. He thought she was his ticket to making money. “Does Bobby think I’ll help you get the money because we’re friends? Is that it? And he’s just threatening me to ensure that I do it?”

“He’s desperate. He’s not gonna say anything about you to anyone because it would cause him problems if the boss finds out. But, Mia, if you don’t do it, hewillhurt Kai.”

Mia ground her teeth as frustration burst behind her eyeballs. She really wanted to walk out of there and go see Emery. Tell her the whole thing and let the chips fall where they may. But seeing the terror on Akela’s face, she knew she couldn’t do that. She’d been stupid before and managed to get out of it without too much damage. Or so she’d thought until her parents died. The cops still believed it was an accident, but Mia wasn’t so sure. Bobby had vowed revenge, and it probably wasn’t coincidence that her parents’ accident had happened so soon after he’d gotten out of prison. She’d tortured herself about being the root cause of the accident on and off for the last two years.

“Why has it taken Bobby two years to get fed up? He doesn’t seem like the patient sort. Why now? What’s going on that he wants to make his move now?”

Akela shrugged. “I’ve no idea and I don’t really care. I just want to be done with this.” She pushed her cup away. “Will you do it? Will you play again?”

Mia stared across the table. She wanted to say no but she couldn’t if it meant someone innocent, like Kai, could be hurt. “Let me think about it.” She stood up. “I’ll be in touch.”

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