Page 148 of Lush

“I just want to rest. With Reese.”

I looked back at my family and Daddy nodded.

“We’ll leave you two alone,” he said softly and made a movement with his head at my siblings.

Erik stepped up next, offering a fist bump. Gigi gave me a quick, nervous smile, Noelle gave me a thumbs-up, and Serena’s eyes softened before she turned to leave.

“No way I can go home. Erik, can I come stay with you?” Gigi asked.

Erik turned back around, looking at Gigi and then at her purse with Walter. “I told you your mutt ain’t welcome in my house.

“C’mon, let that go! I’ve almost paid you back.”

“You paid me ten dollars. That collection was worthfifteen thousand dollars.”

Gigi stomped her foot.“Pleeeaaase?”

Erik ignored her with her on his heels.

And just like that, they were all gone. It was just Reese and me.

Alone.

“How are you dealing with everything? With your father?”

Reese’s face tightened, and I could see the pain flicker in his eyes. And something darker crossed his expression, like a storm rolling in.

“The blackmailer contacted me again,” he said.

I swallowed. This was what I had been afraid of. “What do they want this time?”

He clenched his fists.

“Twenty million, in two days. Or we’ll be dead this time.”

CHAPTER 30

Reese

Conrad’s journalfelt like it was burning in my back pocket as I began pacing in Laurene’s hospital room. My pulse was a steady roar in my ears, my head pounding from too much—too much shit, too many lies, too many goddamn problems stacking on top of each other.

“T-twenty million?” Laurene echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

She exhaled sharply, gripping the sheets. “Reese, this is becoming too much.”

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “Tell me about it. And that’s not even the worst of it.”

Her eyes snapped to mine, a flicker of fear crossing her face, but she masked it quickly. “What do you mean?”

I stopped pacing. My hands felt cold, my chest tight, but I had to say it. I couldn’t hide from this anymore.

I pulled the crumpled note from my pocket and threw it onto the bed. The ultimatum. Laurene stared at it, disbelief written all over her.

“I should have told you. I—I never wanted you to get hurt. If I had told you sooner. Then I got the call about the accident?—”

Her eyes snapped back to mine. “Wait. You mean… You’re saying this isyourfault? That I got hurt because of you?”

“I didn’t think it was gonna escalate!” I rushed to her side, my voice desperate, raw. “I never meant for you to get hurt. I just…I thought I could handle it. I hired a PI. But now…now I can’t even think straight.”

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