Page 102 of Diamond in the Rough

“I like it…”

Maddox snorted. “Really?”

“Yeah. Are you really here?”

“I’m here.”

“This isn’t some messed-up dream.”

“No dream.”

“Boss?”

Tom’s shaky voice cut through the moment, and Jake blinked back his tears. “Definitely not a dream, then…”

Maddox snorted and looked at Tom limping closer. He had his arm around Amber’s shoulder and was pressing a bandage to his side.

“They’re all dead,” Amber said with no emotion.

“Good. How bad is it?” Maddox asked.

Tom grimaced and pushed the bandage into his side harder. “I’ll be okay.”

“What do we do now, Boss?” Amber asked.

Maddox flashed a look back at Billy. He’d done what he’d set out to do. He’d killed Billy and gotten Jake back. “I don’t know. I don’t have a plan.”

“Yes, you do,” Jake whispered.

Maddox looked down and frowned at Jake’s smile. He brushed his thumb over Jake’s lips, then cupped his chin. “What plan’s that?”

“Plan X.”

“Plan X?” Maddox mumbled.

Jake rolled his eyes. “I despise repeating myself.”

Maddox narrowed his eyes and snorted. “Brat.”

“In a bag in the villa. I brought the folder with me. The passports, the bank’s stuff.”

“The fresh start,” Tom whispered.

“We’ll go get it,” Amber said, helping Tom back up the beach.

“In my pocket,” Jake murmured. He shuffled in Maddox’s arms, grunted in pain when he reached into his jeans, then grinned when he got hold of whatever he was after.

“What is it?” Maddox asked.

Jake pulled his closed fist to his chest, then peeled back his fingers. Maddox widened his eyes at the diamonds. Three blue diamonds glinting in Jake’s palm. He couldn’t speak, and his muteness killed the smile on Jake’s lips.

“I couldn’t let her get the last one,” Jake said in a rush. “I know how much they mean to you—”

“Stop.” Maddox gasped. “Please… Stop.”

Maddox grabbed the diamonds from Jake’s hand, curled his fist around them, then flung them into the sea.

“What the hell did you just do?!”

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