Page 7 of Proof

I didn’t answer him because Ihadknown what he’d been doing. I’d just figured I’d be able to talk him out of actually having me working for him. In truth, I’d liked all the exercise and practicing the skills that had been lost to me two years earlier. That didn’t mean I wanted to use them, especially to keep someone else safe. Hell, I couldn’t take care of myself, so how the fuck was I supposed to protect another person?

“I’m not ready,” I admitted. Saying the raw truth out loud had shame burning beneath my skin. Saying it to my brother, of all people, had my whole body going up in flames of humiliation.

Sully rejoined me at the table. He reached out to put his hand over mine, but I automatically pulled it back and tucked it into my lap. My other hand was clinging to my phone as if it were my only lifeline.

His eyes flashed with some brief emotion that I couldn’t name before his face turned grim again.

“Yes, you are,” Sully responded. “You’re a better shot than just about every guy who works for me and your body is back in fighting shape. Your instincts… you never lost those. You’ve got what you need to do this job.”

Sully paused before adding, “You don’t get to play the pity card anymore, JJ. The doctors have cleared you and you need to get back out there. It’s an easy case. Escort an actress to and from her movie premiere, take her shopping, and sit on her house when she’s not out doing whatever else it is that actresses do. She’s gotten a couple of explicit letters from a fan, and they’ve got her and her manager on edge. You’ll be working the job with Axel.”

I couldn’t respond because my body had gone from hot to cold just like that. Now I just felt numb.

“Look, JJ. I need this case to go well because word of mouth is what’s going to get Targes out of the red. Business is picking up but until I can get money coming in from cases, I can’t afford to hire more guys. And money won’t come in until I get more guys…skilledguys and not mercenary wannabes on board. So right now, I need you to step up…”

I nodded because I knew Sully was right. I’d been through hell and back, but Ihadcome back. Maybe itwastime to see how far. How hard could it be to babysit an actress?

Even if the case bored me to tears, at least I’d be able to get my mind off the man who’d tried to end my life with a bullet to the brain. Chances were that Cassius Ashby was once again enveloped in the comfort of his family’s money.

Besides, there was nothing saying I couldn’t keep going to Tank’s when I wasn’t on duty. I could hide myself away with lots of cheap drinks and anonymous sex. Nothing really had to change. I could play “back to his old self” JJ during the day and be anyoneotherthan myself at night.

“Okay,” I agreed.

“It’ll be okay, JJ. I just need you to trust me,” Sully responded as he rose to his feet. I saw him reach out to pat me on the shoulder, but he stopped himself before I was forced to pull away.

I managed a nod as he left the room and ignored the voice in my head that was trying to force me to speak the words that would undoubtedly break my brother’s heart.

There was no trust and there never would be. Not for him or anyone else.

Not ever again.

CHAPTER 3

Cass

“Good call, Cass,” I muttered as I tightened my fingers around the steering wheel of my 1969 Mustang Boss 429. I’d bought the car for dirt cheap when I’d been in my mid-teens and had spent years and thousands of dollars lovingly restoring it. Sully and JJ had been at my side throughout it all. Even their father, Sean, had helped us figure out some of the snags we’d run into. I could still remember the day we’d gotten the engine running for the first time. Sully, JJ, and I had packed into the vehicle and taken it for a celebratory drive.

JJ had been around eight or so at the time. His enthusiasm had been infectious, but what I’d most admired about the little boy had been his unwavering belief that we’d get the car restored. There’d been times where it had felt like JJ’s sole purpose had been to make sure I got my dream of having something that was all mine. Something I’d earned through hard work. Not a single penny of Ashby money had been used to pay for the car’s restoration.

I found myself smiling as I remembered his reaction when the car had started for the first time. JJ had been the one who’dturned the key and then he’d been high-fiving the rest of us over the roar of the engine.

The amusing memory quickly morphed into the last one I’d had of JJ. Even now I could taste the terror as I’d watched and felt the blood—his blood—slide down my bare forearm and hand as I’d cradled him against my chest.

“Fuck,” I snapped as I forced my eyes open.

I needed to remember when I’dneededto see JJ one more time before I’d been locked up. The time when hehadn’tbeen there.

I welcomed the sudden return of hatred along with the bitter sting of betrayal. It was enough to get my thoughts back on track and off the man who’d turned his back on me. I glanced at the interior of the car. It gleamed just like it had the last day I’d been behind the wheel.

When I’d gone to prison, I’d assumed I’d never see the car again. I’d figured my father would have had it in the crush pit at a junkyard before the ink on the official verdict documents had even dried. Thankfully, Sully had gotten to the car first. It was among the personal possessions he’d used to bribe me for five minutes of my time. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought Sully would save the car for me, let alone do what he’d done to get me out of prison. The whole thing was bittersweet because I couldn’t make sense of why he’d left me behind bars for so long if he’d believed all along that I hadn’t been the one who’d shot JJ.

During my original trial, on the few days Sullyhadbeen in court, he hadn’t been sitting on my side of the room. He’d never once looked at me, he hadn’t testified on my behalf, and he’d never spoken a single word to me from the moment I’d been arrested.

A little over a week ago, my future had been on hold as the attorney Sully had hired for my appeal had made his caseto a judge. Now I was sitting in my beloved car doing the one thing my friend had asked in return for everything he’d done for me. The second Sully had said the job was to shadow his younger brother, my most secret hope that things would somehow go back to the way they’d been beforethat nighthad been obliterated. Sully hadn’t mentioned any particular threat against JJ, but he’d also been stingy with the details as to why he’d wanted someone keeping an eye on his younger brother. He’d been even more secretive about why it had to be me.

I reminded myself that none of it mattered because I was repaying a debt and nothing more. After I did this job for Sully, I was gone. Los Angeles would be in my rearview mirror, and I’d disappear. Cassius Ashby IV would be nothing but dust under my tires.

Problem with my new debt was that I’d simply traded one prison for another.

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