Page 151 of Ever With Me

“How the hell did you get all this?”

“You were out of that rental house every weekend, Brooks. It wasn’t hard.”

Dammit, dammit, dammit.How in the hell had that never occurred to him?

Brooks’s chest was wound so tight he could hardly breathe. “How much?”

“One million, in cash. And that’s me being generous.”

He swallowed. “There isn’t a bank around that can get me that in cash today.”

“Well, we’re not going to a bank. We’re going to Vegas. Right now. They’ll give you a big line of credit, you’ll cash out, and then hand it over to me.”

Vegas?

Going there meant he wouldn’t be here to do the concert for Maddie.

Although, maybe that would worry her enough that she’d sound the alarm.

Stupid piece of shit. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you, asshole? I’m just going to turn around and sue you for extortion. Put your ass in jail.”

“No, you won’t. Because if you do this, I’ll also drop the custody case with Kayla.”

“You never would have won that anyway.”

“Really? You think I won’t tell the judge about Kayla leaving Audrey with her drunk uncle? Or the time a stalker tried to attack my daughter on a fishing trip with that uncle? Kayla was on a date, right? Audrey drove to the hospital without a car seat, too.”

How the fuck does he know all this?

How the fuck did he get so close?

His astonishment clearly showed. “You made this so much easier for me than I ever could have imagined, Brooks. I had a good source, and damn, you made it easy.”

A good source? What the hell did that mean?

Someone in town?

Mike checked his watch. “Your minute is up.”

He wanted so badly to punch him.

Brooks met his hard stare. “I need a guarantee in writing that footage will be destroyed.”

“I’m keeping a copy in a bank safe for five years. Once the statute of limitations for you pressing charges expires, you get the code.”

“That’s not good enough. What’s going to stop you from coming back when you run through your money? You always do, Mike.” Brooks glared at him. “No way in hell I’m giving you a cent without a written guarantee you will destroy that footage and stay away from Kayla, Audrey, and Madison for the rest of your sorry, miserable life.”

He was talking out of his ass at this point. He had no way of being sure he could make that happen. But maybe Christine could come up with an ironclad contract that Mike could sign online. “I’ll need one email to my lawyer.”

“You think I’m stupid enough to give you your phone?”

“Didn’t you say you’d release the footage if you get arrested?” Brooks raised a brow, a strange sense of calm coming over him.

Breathe, Brooks.Mike’s actions spoke of desperation. He couldn’t afford not to take anything Mike said seriously. Stupidity on his part could get him killed.“One email. You can point a gun at me and watch me type the whole time if it makes you feel better.”

A bead of sweat ran down Mike’s temple. “Fine. Once we get to my car. Let’s go. Out the back door.”

Brooks stood, his head spinning.

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