Page 81 of His Dark Pact

“Court date?” She closed her eyes, wishing that she’d moved to take the call outside of Kyle’s study. What she wanted right then was for her and her son to have privacy, but as it was, Kyle was right there beside her. He could hear every word. “What happened?”

“I needed more money.” Jonah heaved in a breath. “And I know you don’t have it, Mum. You’ve done too much for me already.”

“For what, Jonah?” Confusion pounded in her head. If he needed cash, he came to her. He knew that. Both of her sons knew that. She’d struggled, but she made it work. She’d always made it work. “Why did you need the money?”

“For drugs.” His voice wavered.

“What?” She shook her head as she gazed into the fire.

“I started taking speed, Mum,” he explained. “To keep up with the coursework, the exams, and the two jobs I’m holding down, but I ran out of cash to pay for it.”

Suddenly, it all made grim sense. Jonah must have been under so much pressure, he’d resorted to amphetamine to keep going, and in her experience, drugs usually meant trouble.

“I stole a wad of cash from the shop where I worked to pay my dealer, and I got caught.” He sniffed. “My boss called the cops, who hauled my ass to the police station.”

“When?” she demanded. “When did this happen?”

He was talking in the past tense, and she knew he wasn’t calling from the police station. The concept that he’d been arrested and taken to jail while she’d been enjoying herself with Kyle appalled her.

What have I done?

Guilt resounded in her chest; the question of whether it was warranted or not was irrelevant.

“The day before yesterday.”

She’d never heard Jonah sound so low.

“I know I have no right to ask, but...” Jonah hesitated.

“You need me to bail you out.” She squeezed her eyes closed at the realization, the oxygen in the room thinning as though a large hand had closed around her throat.

More money.

Everything always came down to the same grubby equation.

“Yes.” Jonah sighed. “If you can.”

“When are you in court?” Her mind whirled, trying to recall what day it was and how far away she was from the local courthouse.

“Eleven o’clock tomorrow.” He sounded hopeful. “Do you think you can help?”

Amy’s gaze darted reflexively to the one person—theonlyperson—she knew could help them. Kyle’s eyes conveyed concern for her call but revealed little more about his intent to provide yet another cash injection into her life.

She couldn’t say she blamed him.

Having her totter around his house and satiating his whims was one thing, but handing out huge sums of cash for her children was quite another. She couldn’t ask that of him, but then... what other choice did she have?

“Don’t worry, Jay-Jay.” She tried to sound upbeat, but deep down, the truth was suffocating.

Even if Kyle consented to loan or give her more cash, only he knew what it would cost her, and while she’d ultimately enjoyed his demands so far, taking more from him would up the ante considerably. It would mean she owed him in a far more fundamental way than their original contract implied.

She’d be obliged to serve the man.

“Mum?” Jonah sounded rattled. “I don’t have long. Can you help?”

Pulling in a deep breath, her gaze settled on Kyle’s handsome face, and all she could do was be honest with her son.

“Jonah.” She wished that she could reach out and hold him, hug him, and tell him that everything was going to be okay, but she couldn’t. Not until she’d thrown herself at Kyle’s mercy, and maybe not even then. “Hang in there, Jay-Jay. I’ll do everything I can.”

The End

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