WORSE

THANE

My shoes echoed against the tiles as I marched through the parking lot. The whole place was packed with cars, making it difficult to spot anywhere someone could be hiding.

Just as I moved further in, my phone rang again. My hand shoved into my pocket instantly to grab it.

I didn’t even bother checking the screen before answering.

“Where the hell are you?” I demanded, my tone dropping rougher than before.

“Is that what’s been keeping you?” Pops’ voice came through the line, low and controlled. “You’ve been waiting for someone?”

I inhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. “Pops, this isn’t a good time. I’ll call you back.”

“Don’t give me that nonsense, Thane.” His tone hardened, though it still sounded controlled, like he was trying not to draw attention around his guests. “You missed the entire event, and now you’re still nowhere to be found. Where the hell are you?”

“Somewhere,” I replied calmly, moving toward a suspicious-looking jeep.

“You made your sister cover for you and that's the last thing I want from you. I don’t need you dragging her into your mess, so that better be the last time you make her do that.” He paused briefly. “Now I’m not repeating myself, Thane. Get over here. You need to meet someone.”

He doesn’t even know about Rachel yet, and he’s already blaming me. If he smells anything, he’ll lose his mind. And the strangest thing about this man is how sharp he is.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t,” I said calmly. “I have to go now.”

“Forget about Creg Santos if you do.”

What? He’s threatening something that big over a party?

“Pops, you know that seminar is important. You already paid for the trip. I can’t miss…”

“Well, you better get over here, or you can say goodbye to it.”

The line went dead before I could say anything else.

“Fuck!” I shouted, slamming my fist into the nearby wall.

I hadn’t even had the chance to breathe when the unknown number called again.

“Where the fuck are you hiding, Joe?” My voice came out ragged with the tension building inside my head.

It felt like my head might just explode.

Joe didn’t answer. Instead, a car horn sounded a few angles behind me.

I turned quickly, and there he was. Sitting inside a red junk Sienna. In the driver’s seat.

The headlights blasted white light straight at me. I recognized him instantly, and my fists balled at my sides.

“I told you we could settle this without getting her involved. Please let her go.”

“I ain’t the type to take a loss, man,” Joe said lazily. “Not my money… and damn sure not my respect. Your little muse took that from me. So what’s it gon’ be? How you finna pay for it?”

Yeah. Right. Noah’s mess was still hanging over my head.

“Look, I’ll pay you,” I said quickly. “Just give me the numbers and I’ll settle it, alright? It doesn’t have to…”

“Nah… better idea. So how ‘bout you pull up to my place… we finish what your muse started.”

I dragged a rough hand through my hair. “Noah can’t—”

“Nah, I want you, Thane. Not him.” His tone sharpened. “Tryna see if that tough front of yours real… or if it crack when I press it.”

I was right. He was aiming for me all along. He knew that life was over for me a decade ago.

Fuck. I shouldn’t do this.

“Alright,” I said finally. “I win. You let her go.”

My heart raced a hundred degrees. This wasn’t a normal gamble. It was a game of death and survival.

“Good,” Joe said with a dark chuckle. “Nice seein’ you actually give a damn ‘bout her. So… go on, prove it.”

The call ended before I could respond.

At the same time, his car engine roared to life as he slammed on the pedal.

I just stood there, watching. Unable to do anything. For the first time, I felt so damn small. And helpless.

But this time… it was worse than any other time I’d ever felt this way.