Page 117 of Cash

“You mean the drugs.” Brick pulled back to look at Jules suspiciously. “You guys are getting the Finch family arrested, aren’t you? And then what? Replacing them with somebody else?”

“Have I ever told you how sexy your eyes are?” Jules asked sweetly.

“I’ve seen this damn movie before. Come on! You’re getting them out of the way, but the spice still has to flow—”

“Fuck, did you just make a Dune reference?” Junior laughed as he came out of the kitchen with a big bottle of wine and two coffee mugs. “He’s a fuckin’ keeper, Jules.”

There was a soft creak, and Brick looked up at the front door just in time to see it shut silently. He hadn’t seen anyone, and he jumped reflexively. “What the fuck was that?”

“Raz,” Junior replied. “He’s sneaky like that. He’s running over to Jules’s to get some vodka or somethin’.” He set the mugs on the coffee table, pulled the cork out of the bottle with his teeth, and then picked up each mug to fill them up. “Sorry, I couldn’t find the fuckin’ fancy glasses.”

Brick cringed, expecting Junior to not know how to properly pour wine. He didn’t usually care about that kind of thing, but that bottle was one of the vintage wines Brick’s parents had given to him. He was pleasantly surprised to see that Junior did in fact know how to pour, but the moment of admiration was ruined when Junior tipped the bottle up to chug some of it.

“Fuck, that’s nasty.” Junior made a face and set the bottle down. “Ugh. You guys can have it.”

“Thanks.” Brick grabbed the mugs and passed one to Jules. He clinked his mug against Jules’s. “Cheers or something.”

“To you,” Jules said. “The most badass babe a man could want.”

Brick laughed, and his cheeks heated up. “I don’t know about all that.”

“You shot somebody today,” Junior said cheerfully. “That’s pretty cool. I mean, you didn’t kill ’em, but you know. A for effort or whatever.”

Brick’s smile dropped.

Jules scowled at Junior.

“What?” Junior scoffed.

“It’s okay.” Brick sipped his wine, paused, and then took another big sip. “We’re still staying at your place tonight, right?”

“Is that where you wanna be?” Jules asked.

“I just wanna be somewhere that is not here.” Brick sighed in frustration. He kept drinking and laughed bitterly. “What I would love is to go down to the beach and get the hell out of Raleigh entirely.”

“Let’s go then.”

“What?”

“Let’s go. Pack your shit.”

“You’re serious.” Brick stared at Jules in shock.

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Is this like a you guys thing or can anybody come to the beach?” Junior asked.

Jules scowled.

“Fine, fine.” Junior turned up his nose. “I hope you get fuckin’ sunburn. Ass.”

“I can’t just leave. As much as I want to.” Brick frowned. “I can’t get off work on such short notice.”

“So, keep workin’?” Jules shrugged. “I’m sure they got internet down there.”

“But I need my computer—”

“I’ll buy you a fuckin’ laptop.” Jules grinned.

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