Page 5 of Barbed Wire Hearts

The man grins, as if the thought of trouble excites him. “Our business isn’t with Josh, per se. Our business is with you, Kate Marie Meadows.”

Fuck. Fuck! How do they know my name? What the fuck is this?

“I have no business with you. Especially, if it has to do with Josh,” I reiterate. My phone is in my back pocket, but I’d have to put the pocket knife down to reach for it and I don’t want to do that.

Righty leans closer and I flinch back, letting the door open another inch.

“See, Josh owes us a lot of money,” Righty announces. “And we don’t like when we’re owed money.”

My heart stops. “And who is us?” I ask, already knowing this is going to be bad. I can feel it, like last night’s enchiladas gurgling in my stomach.

He raises his brow. “Let’s just say the devil himself rides on black wings.”

The blood drains from my face. Fuck! I’m in real trouble if this is who I think they are. There’s only one group of people that line could apply to here in the city. The Crows are a local gang turned mafia due to some suave motherfucker being great at marketing and exploitation. They’ve climbed in status quickly, about five years, and now there aren’t many places free of their influence. They have people in the government in their pockets, not to mention the cops, so there isn’t much you can do to get away from them if they set their sights on you. I’ve been good at avoiding any place rumored to associate with them, and now because of Josh, they’re at my fucking door! If Josh is tangled up with them, he’s in some real shit.

But that’s still not my business.

“Look, I’ve told you. Josh and I aren’t together. He lied to you. He’s not my boyfriend and he never will be again. I don’t know what kind of shit he’s got tangled up in with you, but it doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

Lefty laughs. “On the contrary, Katie girl, it has everything to do with you.”

Righty looks annoyed by the other one but he doesn’t react except to glance over at him briefly in annoyance before returning his attention back to me. “Josh says you can pay off his debts and the big boss is eager for those debts to be paid off. He won’t be happy to hear you won’t pay it and he expects payment in either cash. . . or flesh.”

I flinch and tighten my hand around the knife in my palm in case they plan on bursting in here. I should just tell them to take their pound of flesh out of Josh, but curiosity makes me ask. “How much?” I croak. “How much does that asshole owe you?”

Lefty grins. “A quarter mil.”

My eyes bug. “You let him rack up a quarter million dollars of debt with you? Jesus Christ! How the fuck would I have that? How the fuck would anyone have that?”

Righty shrugs. “Don’t care. That part isn’t our business. Our business is that you pay off the debt within a week.”

“A week?” I squeak, my good morals going out the window. I’m not throwing away my life for a deadbeat asshole who already stole from me. “Look, I don’t have anything to do with Josh. Just kill the fucker and be done with it.”

“That idiot showed the big boss a picture of you,” Lefty says. “Looking all sweet and pretty, that blue streak in your hair tempting and all. Big Boss has decided he wants his money, or he wants you. Your choice.”

My stomach plummets at his words.

Righty nods. “We’ll be back in a week, Kate. See you then.”

Lefty blows me a kiss before they both turn and head back down the staircase, leaving me to stare after them in horror.

A quarter million dollars.

The devil himself rides on black wings.

Holy fuck! I’m introubletrouble!

ChapterThree

Kate

Islam the door closed and turn all the extra deadbolts I’ve added this year but somehow, it still doesn’t feel safe. I lean my back against the door, my eyes wide with panic. William Shakespurr is sitting on the counter watching my panic attack with curiosity, but he doesn’t view it as something to inspect yet. I’d be lying if I said this was my first mental breakdown. Sometimes, a mental breakdown does the heart good, but right now, my heart is in my throat. My mind is screaming at me to do something, to tell someone, but the cops are in bed with The Crows. The news doesn’t report on it but the rumors around them are strong. I can’t trust that I’ll get a good cop. There’s no one to call! Even if I got ahold of someone not corrupt, they wouldn’t last long before they were taken out.

“Fuck,” I rasp, starting to hyperventilate. “Fuck!”

I fumble with my phone as I drag it from my pocket. I immediately go in and unblock the number Josh had called me from and hit dial. It rings twice before the line picks up.

“Kate—”

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