Page 19 of Mr. Kelly

“Finally, you are here.”

I hold up the bag. “I told them Mario left me in the dark. I don’t know where he is or what he owes you, but here’s ten thousand dollars.”

He licks his lips again and scans his greenish brown eyes over my body. “The price went up. Too bad you don’t have enough money. Looks like I have to keep you. You can make me more than that.”

“No. I’m not part of your deal. I’m not related to Mario and he’s not coming for me. Take this money and lethimmake you money.”

I drop the bag on the table and turn away, but the little one steps in front of me. Two more come to my sides.

“Have you ever heard of big fish, little fish?” he asks when I turn around.

“Have you?” It’s amazing when a voice that used to scare me could provide so much comfort at a time like this.

Surly sits up straight, sputtering as he looks up at Andrea. His men step back because Andrea has more. I’m glad he saw my text.

His dark hair kinda falls in his face, enhancing the blue of his eyes. He’s impeccably dressed as usual; his clothes make him look like a high-powered businessman, but his eyes make him look like a killer.

“You didn’t answer my question, Surly. Have you heard of it?” The ice in his tone sends chills through me and I’m not the one he’s addressing. “How many times do you need to be warned to leave Trunk’s girl alone. Aren’t you missing enough men?”

Surly turns redder and slams his hand on the desk. “Your dad made your legacy. I’m a self-made man. You’re not shit without your crew.”

Andrea cracks his neck, and a hint of a smile plays at his lips. “If you think so, we can have both crews stand down and we can settle your beef man-to-man, but first thing's first. Get her out ofyour mind. Don't speak to her, look at her, talk to her, or about her again.” He moves closer and leans on the desk. “Or you will find out why I’m in charge.” The smile on his face is sickening if you’re the recipient. “Please try me, Surly. Please.”

He picks up the bag and looks inside. “What was the original amount Mario owed you? No markups, no bullshit. Give me the total.”

Surly gives him a hard look, but when Andrea tilts his head, he starts speaking. “Three thousand.”

Andrea whistles low. “A seven-thousand-dollar markupandyou make a play at the girl? Aren’t we overcompensating?” He reaches into the bag and drops some money on the desk. “I’ll leave you four thousand because I understand business and consider that debt settled.” He thrusts the bag back in my hands, but his eyes remain on Surly. “Let this be a lesson. You should have taken the bag from her and kept going but trying to be the big dick lost you money. I don’t give a fuck what you do to Mario when you see him, but you and her are square. She should have never been a part of your bullshit.” Andrea looks around, equally as unimpressed as I am. “Learn your place, Surly. If I have to stop what I’m doing to check your bullshit again, I’ll kill you and burn this fucking place down.” He fixes him with a cold look. “Do you understand?”

Looking at his men, he tells them to take me outside. He starts to walk behind us, then snaps and turns back to Surly. “You better hope she has the best luck in the world. If she so much as breaks a nail, I’m going to assume you had something to do with it and you will meet my wrath.” He smiles like he didn’t just deliver a threat. “Have a good day.”

He comes outside wearing shades like he just finished a business deal. If power made a woman horny, Andrea would be getting some right now if he’d saved anyone else. I finishtransferring the other half of the money to the original bag then turn to him.

“Am I allowed to hug you?”

He smirks but nods. I give his hard body the biggest hug I can muster with him towering over me. He releases a soft chuckle, but I know he’s ready for me to let him go.

“Thank you for responding to my text. I was afraid he wasn’t going to play fair.” I hold up the bag. “Can you give this back to the Kellys, please? It's ten thousand. I’m keeping a thousand for expenses. I’m going home now that it's over. Thank you again.”

He nods and holds the bag, and I know that he knows something isn’t quite right, but he gets a call. His expression tells me he’ll look into it later, but I plan on acting like Mario and ghosting. There is nothing else for me here.

The quick walk back to my apartment feels strange now. I’d gotten used to living in the penthouse; living in someone else’s life that isn’t mine. My door is broken with an eviction notice attached to it. I'm not surprised the apartment is ransacked. Anything that could be valuable is gone. Seeing it just makes me numb. I step over the broken furniture and go into my room. Looking through the piles, I collect my favorite clothing items and my luggage. The landlord can worry about the rest.

My day has been shitty, but it doesn’t stop me from buying an overpriced one-way flight out of town. Everything feels blurry as I move on autopilot. The tears don’t come until I’m thousands of feet in the air.

Chapter Ten

THEODORE

I’d wokenup this morning hating that I was an adulterer but not regretting a second I’d spent with River. It was a night of passion that I’d do over and over again. That was my problem. I wanted to do it again, but I’m still married. If anyone would’ve told me I’d cheat on my wife one day, I would have denied it vehemently. Yet that is how I woke up, as a cheater.

It’s not River’s fault, nor is it Helena’s. It’s mine. I should have been firmer with my wife so we could have split well before I was so done with the entire thing that I’d want another woman. I was supposed to dissolve my marriage, take some time for myself to heal, then date again. I was doing it all wrong and now I’ve placed River in the middle of my shitshow. How will she believe I truly want her? Or that this isn’t something I’ve done before? How would I prove she isn’t some rebound, or an ego boost I needed to separate from my wife?

I heard her enter, and I knew the moment our eyes connected that she saw my inner turmoil. I would explain that I need time to get divorced to do this the right way. That I don’t want her to go, but I also don’t want her to be a mistress. I know what it’s like to have a lie dangled in your face. I refuseto be the kind of man who said he’d leave his wife and never go. That’s why I want a clean break.

Her big eyes silently asked me to say something…anything. Just when I found what I hoped were the right words, Helena ruined another moment. Her arrival caused River’s retreat, and once Helena stormed in with her drama and tear-streaked cheeks, I knew I’d rather go wherever River went.

“Shouldn’t you be at ballet practice? I greeted her.

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