Page 48 of Bonking the Billionaire

“All right, Concussion Carl. That checks out.” She twisted her lips and narrowed her sharp blue eyes at me.

I took the opportunity to put a foot of space between us. “I do not intend Morgan any harm.”

She ripped the faux brows from my forehead. The adhesive left a cool burn on the affected skin. I had forgotten I was wearing the brows.

“That’s right you don’t,” she said.

“I never did.”

“You’re getting it.”

I pinched the stinging skin at the top of my nose and shook my head. I was happy for Morgan that her friend was so loyal, even if Layana was over the top about it.

“If you don’t mind.” I gestured to the end of the hall and didn’t wait for her to respond.

As I stepped inside the elevator, she did the same, placing herself beside me. I pressed the first-floor button and prayed the elevator didn’t break and trap us together.

“We didn’t meet in college,” Layana said. “We’ve been besties since seventh grade. We chose to go to the same college, then chose to move here together so we could pursue our dreams.”

That was a lot of decisions to make together. I couldn’t imagine wanting to spend so much time with anyone, ever.

“Sounds like you two are close,” I said.

“That’s right we are, which is why I’ve got her back. And which is why you have to look out for my knife and your balls and—”

“Swiss cheese,” I said with a nod. “I got it.”

“Good.”

The doors opened, and Layana strolled out with her chin up and a smug smirk on her face.

I waited a beat so we didn’t have to walk anywhere near each other, then headed through the lobby and outside into the oppressively hot sun. On the drive to the hotel from the Lacuna building, I’d spotted a pawn shop, so I started in that direction, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious in case I was being followed.

I needed to do something to balance the scales with Morgan. I didn’t have a choice but to accept her charity, but I refused to be a burden. It didn’t sit right with me.

Never owe anyone anything. If they have nothing to hold over you, they can’t use it against you.

Someone had told me that, long ago. It was a truth that I felt deep into my bones, one that I knew I had lived by, no matter what else my past life had been.

The buildings on this block didn’t appear to belong with the rest I’d encountered on my stroll. Instead of freestanding stone and brick structures with manicured flower beds and well-trimmed trees, the rows here were all squished together like they’d been compacted through immense pressure from their surroundings. Even the sidewalk in front of the building felt the effect, buckled and crumbling. The painted concrete front wall of the pawn shop was cracked, and a color that may have once been red had faded to a sad, washed-out pink.

I opened the door and stepped inside.

There was something familiar about the smell inside the shop. It was musty, with a mix of dust and moisture, aging wood and rusting metal. Perhaps I’d been here before, or perhaps somewhere like it.

I approached the man behind the counter and slapped down my cufflinks. “How much?”

Hunger sparkled in his eyes. He licked his lips.

They were worth a lot, apparently.

“Garbage,” he said. “Throw in them shoes, I’ll give you fifty for the lot.”

Apparently my shoes were expensive, too.

“Do I look like an idiot?” I turned and pretended I intended to leave.

“Wait.” He sidled his way down the counter, and to my side. He looked like Danny DeVito dressed in makeup as his character The Penguin, only with shorter hair and a plethora of piercings. “A hundred.”

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