Page 94 of LOT 62

He was pissed; I got it. But the people of Garron Park were mostly good, and they were just as sick of Jim’s shit as we were. They didn’t fear him as much as they used to, and now they were ready to take our side.

“There’s only one reason he’d be back,” I said, bringing this conversation in a different direction.

“The contraband,” my dad filled in.

“Yeah, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it.” I rubbed the tender bruise under my jaw. Damn, Devon could throw a punch. And it turned me on. “Including fuck with any of us. He wants us rattled so we’re watching our backs instead of watching him.”

“We need eyes on Davis,” Xavi said. “If anyone can get that shit out of evidence lock up, it’s him.”

“Should we call Officer Hanes?” Nate asked. “He got Madd out, and he believed us enough to help us out. Can we trust him with this?”

“I vote yes,” Devon said. “He’s at the station and has the best lookout point. We need him.”

When a knock sounded at the front door, we all tensed, expecting it to be Jim. Xavi opened the door despite everyone telling him not to, and then my protective instincts kicked in because of who stood there. It wasn’t Jim. I rushed to Devon and brought him into the kitchen with me, trying to shove him behind my body.

“I’m not a fucking princess, Maddox,” he whisper-hissed at me, trying to push me behind him instead. We ended up behind the counter, jostling each other for the protection position. Good enough.

“The fuck do you want?” Nate barked at Patrick Harris.

“Ma’am,” Harris said to my mom respectfully. “Gentlemen,” he added to the rest of us.

“Why are you here?” Devon barked, all bite.

“I’m here in peace,” Harris said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He lifted his jacket to show us he was unarmed, and it struck me as weird that I lived a life that required that sort of bullshit. Jesus. Devon relaxed a fraction, but I didn’t. My thumb tried to spin the ring on my finger, but it was too swollen, so I just touched it for comfort. “Actually, I’m here with a business proposition.”

“I told you to forget I existed,” I snapped at him.

“And I did, until now,” he said. Dressed like a thrifty thug, baggy pants and all. He at least lacked the yellow aviators this time.

I kept my mouth shut, and so did my dad. While our mouths weren’t running, our eyes assessed the scene. Harris didn’t seem nervous or sketchy, well, any more than he usually did, but he had a subtle smile on his face that meant he knew something we didn’t. Information was gold right now, so I’d hear him out for that alone.

“Get on with it,” Nate said, on edge, but not enough to prevent him from sinking onto the couch like he couldn’t possibly stand up any longer.

“Jim Sawyer set me up, stole from me, and blackmailed me,” Harris started, and for some fucked up reason, Devon leaned back and rubbed his ass against my dick. I suppressed a groan and tried to focus on Harris. “I’d like to make him pay for that.”

Get in line, bud.

“Thought you and Gary were in on it together?” Dad asked.

“Gary used to be a part of my life, but he’s a spineless fool and had nothing to do with this other than trying to protect his daughter.” Harris smoothed his baggy pants.

“What’s the proposition?” Devon asked, still grinding on my dick like it wasn’t obvious. His harsh tone completely contradicted the sensual slow-rock of his hips.

Harris smiled one of those sinister, sick sorts of smiles, but instead of putting me off, it gave me some skewed sense of hope. This loan shark was almost as vengeful as we were. “I know where he is.”

Devon went rigid, his ass no longer grinding. I wrapped my arm around his waist and rubbed his hardening cock. He relaxed. I grinned.

“Where? Tell us.” Nate stood again.

“What for?” Harris asked Nate. “Are you going to help him disappear again?”

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Nate retorted.

Xavi shot Nate a stern look. Those old biddies were as protective of each other as Devon and I were.

“Where’s the business part come in?” my dad asked, apparently the only smart one here. My mom muttered something and refilled her wine glass. Drained it. Refilled it again.

“I want something in return for the information,” Harris said. Of course he did.

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