Page 50 of Property of Chaos

She sighs out her nose.

“What does he owe Manic?”

“One hundred.” She lifts a hand to her brow. “We’ve only got ninety in the house. I can work for the extra ten to clear Manic, but it’ll take me a hell of a lot longer to get yours.”

“It ain’t your issue.” I cross to the entrance and pull Matthias from Crow’s hold. He struggles against me but fails to get my fistout of his shirt. “Tell her you’re sorry.” I shove him toward his wife.

“What for?”

“For being a piece of shit,” I snap. “For disrespecting a good woman and failing your children.”

She lifts an eyebrow, watching her husband for his reaction.

His eyes harden, lips firm.

“Now!”

The asshole jerks, ducking slightly before he turns toward her. “Sorry.”

“Louder.”

“Sorry!”

“For...?”

“Being a fucking failure.” He tosses his hands in the air. “Happy?”

“Nope. What you gonna do about it?” I ask. “Tell her how you’ll make it right.”

“I don’t know!” He drags a hand over his face. “I’ve got both you assholes on me about debts, promising to fucking kill me if I don’t pay, and I’ve got no product to pedal. What the fuck am I supposed to do?”

“Get a job,” Amy answers. “Same as I’ve always done when shit’s got tight.”

“Where?” He scoffs. “Nobody will hire me. Everyone around here knows what I do, and they don’t want anything to do with that.”

“So, drive interstate,” I say. “I don’t care what you do to earn a buck, Matthias, but if you think I’ll clear a debt just ‘cause I feel sorry for your family, you got to be kidding yourself.” I step closer, crowding the fuck against the wall. “We’ve all had to do hard things to survive. At least do it with honor by setting right your wrongs.”

“Honor.” He rolls his lips, nodding. “Rich concept coming from you.”

“You want me to sort him out?” Crow utters.

As tempting as that’d be…“Naw. Amy will do a good job of that.” I turn for the door. “Two weeks, Matthias. You’ve got two weeks to get me five grand goodwill and evidence of a job.”

“Fuck you.”

“Great seeing you as always.”

“Get the fuck out of my house.”

“Ain’t gonna be yours much longer,” I taunt as I cross the threshold. “But sure. Whatever makes you feel like a man, buddy.”

I’ve got much better things to spend my time on anyway.

NINETEEN

VANESSA

“I’ve toldDoug he can’t come home for a few hours.” Marianna clears a stack of property pamphlets off the sofa, shifting them to a side table.

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