Page 80 of Mustang Summer

And then she’d helped him get the car and as soon as she’d left town, the Shelby had disappeared.Who else knew he wasn’t going to be home all afternoon?Her.

She rubbed her face.What a mess.

Josie had coasted through life, letting other people dictate her path.Now she’d finally chosen her own, and those same people were blocking it.

She brainstormed through her options.She had to do something fast.Bill would finalize the deal in Detroit and move the car at any moment.Even if she didn’t know where it was exactly, the car was still in town, still untouched as far as she knew.It looked like she’d have to sneak out after all and call Brock now.She squared her shoulders and clenched her jaw.Call the police.

A spike of guilt threatened to overwhelm her, but she’d been here forthree days.Bill had allowed it.He’d trusted Gage over her.

Gage’s phone rang and yanked her out of her dour thoughts.Bill.And this time, Gage was smug enough to let his voice carry.

By the time he hung up, she’d determined that her dad had found a buyer who’d purchase the car up front, at a cost that’d pay for most of their debt toward Milton.Gage just had to get it to Detroit as soon as possible.

Gage shoved his phone in a pocket of his grease-stained pants.“Finally, we can get out of here.”

“What’s going on?”she asked, stalling for time.Good news, he was letting her leave the house.Better news, he’d take her right to the Shelby.Really bad news, they were sneaking it out of town.How to turn this to her advantage?

“You don’t need to worry about that.Just do as you’re told.”

Like hell she would.She wassogoing with them, but when they stopped to take a leak, she and the Shelby would drive off into the sunset.She’d been coddled and protected her whole life, they’d never expect her to go so far as stealing back the car they’d stolen.It’d take a little planning and whole lotta luck, but maybe she’d nab one of their phones at the same time.She had to make this look convincing.“I don’t think so.”

“Bill’s orders.”

“Bill doesn’t order me around.I’m not going to be strong-armed into anything.”

“What else are you going to do?Stay here where Milton canwatchyou until he gets his loan paid in full, plus interest?You have no money, no food, and no car.”

She crossed her arms and tried to look defeated.“Where are we going?”

“Detroit.”

She’d heard correctly, then.That meant the car was loaded on a trailer somewhere.Their business was obvious.Where would they stash it?God, if she could keep it from leaving town, somehow get to it first…

“Is Bill bringing it here before we go to Detroit and ruin a piece of history?”

Gage rolled his eyes with exaggeration.“An old man drives his wife around a few times and you think we should throw tens of thousands away because he hasfond memories?Grow up, Jo.This is why I told Uncle Don you couldn’t run Alvarez Automotive, that he had to step in and do something before Bill signed it all over to you instead of me.”

A chill rippled down her spine.“Uncle Don?”

Gage snapped his mouth shut.

She stood and circled him, all thoughts of grand theft auto fleeing in the face of his betrayal.“Youdidn’t.”Her voice rose to a shout.“This ‘we’re meant to be together’ garbage was all because you wanted the garage, wasn’t it?You kiss Bill’s ass and we get serious, then he boots Jesse.But Jesse snaps and you cheat on me, so Bill decides I’m the one who gets the garage andyousnap?Uncle Don?That wouldn’t happen to be Don Milton, would it?”

She anchored her hands on her hips; otherwise she’d rip his face off.“Explains how you knew Bill would take the bait.You probably knew he’d borrowed money years ago.I betUncle Donsharedallthe information with you.”

Gage rose and towered above her.“It doesn’t matter.Bill owes Uncle Don a hundred thousand dollars.And if Bill had signed the business over to you, thenyouwould have owed him a hundred grand.Your dad almost handed it all over.Did you know that?Before we broke up, he dipped into financial trouble, and selling to me would have taken care of it all.”A muscle leapt in his jaw.“But Camilla couldn’t keep her fucking mouth shut.”

Josie snorted.“In so many ways.”

That earned her another glare.So satisfying.

She’d be indebted to Gage and he’d rule her worse than her dad.Would Bill just retire and move, thinking she was taken care of?Would he have ever realized how royally he’d screwed his own daughter’s life?

A sharp knock on the door ceased their argument.Both of their heads spun to gawk at the front door.

Chapter18

When Brock had approached the door to Josie’s small, worn-down house with peeling paint, he heard arguing inside.Heard every word.Didn’t understand it all, but it sounded like Josie was in major financial trouble.

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