Page 32 of Between Secrets and Obsession

For the rest of the week, I play small blind games and break even, not winning a single penny. I meet up with JJ and give him the seventy-five thousand and promise to pay back the other half as quickly as I can. But it’ll be slow going since I don’t have anywhere near that amount saved up. It’s different playing poker for pleasure versus for necessity.

Before I leave town, I meet up with JJ one last time. He’s still more than pissed off with me, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Winning was never a guarantee, and I’m so angry, I want to kick his twerpy ass for not telling me the whole truth beforehand.

“You have until the end of next week. I’ll be in contact then,” he threatens before I get into my Uber.

The anxiety of all this weighs heavily on me as I walk through the airport. If I could take this all back and not get involved with him, I would, but it’s too late for that now.

It’s been two weeks since I made the biggest fucking mistake of my life. JJ has sent dozens of harassing texts, and I keep begging for more time. I’ve been working my ass off, picking up as many bounty jobs as I can, but it’s gonna take a while to come up with the full amount.

Against my better judgment, I return to Vegas and meet up with him. While he verbally threatens me, the little punk doesn’t dare touch me because he knows I’ll lay him down flat. I’m twice his size, and while he’s as dumb as fuck, he knows better. I join as many games as possible and win a measly ten thousand dollars. Before I fly out, I try to give JJ the money, knowing I still owe sixty-five, but he doesn’t take it.

“I have bad news,” he tells me, and that’s when I notice his face is bruised and his nose is broken. “Interest has been added. Another twenty-five grand. I don’t want it in chunks, Liam. I need the whole amount at once.”

“Fuck,” I say, running my fingers through my hair and pacing as I wait for my Uber to take me to the airport.

“They’re getting impatient with me. If you don’t pay it back soon, you’ll be dealing with my father. Trust me when I say you don’t want it brought to that level.”

I let out a frustrated groan. “Why?”

“You don’t want to find out, but I’ll say this. He doesn’t follow any laws, Liam. He creates his own. People you love andcare about—he starts there. And by the time he gets to you, you’ll wish you were already dead. A guy stole five thousand from him one time, and my father cut off all his fingers.” His serious tone has my entire body shaking. “When he realized what I did, his bodyguards beat me until I blacked out, and I’m his fucking son. No one’s off-limits to him, and you’re next.”

My car arrives, and JJ doesn’t say another word. I get inside and decide I won’t be returning to Vegas until I have every penny that’s owed. I’ve done some stupid shit in my life, but getting involved with the goddamn mob is at the top of my list.

It’s no longer a game.

It’s no longer fun.

And someone could get hurt.

That someone isme.

CHAPTER SIX

MADDIE

ONE MONTH LATER

“Front,side out, back…side out, front…” Gianna says, leading us into more barre exercises. While I’ve taken two semesters in a row of ballet, I still haven’t gotten used to rehearsing in the middle of the day between regular classes. For hours, I’m in a leotard and pointe shoes, then I go to jazz before rushing across campus with sore ankles for calculus. “And back into first. Arms not too wide, Maddie. Yes, good.”

Quickly inhaling a deep breath, I tighten my core and try to refocus. It’s been difficult lately with the stress of midterms and everything else in my life. Ballet has been my passion for years, and it’s always been an escape. I’ll never be perfect in it, but it comes naturally to me. I’ve enjoyed learning more about dance these past two years in school, but between doing homework and studying, and then the rehearsals and recitals, my life has been pure chaos.

Before I was evacuated from my apartment four months ago, I’d go back to my room between classes and rehearsals and grab food or rest. Now that I’m living at Mason and Liam’s housewith Sophie, I’m forced to stay on campus for eight hours before I go home. I even took a part-time job twice a week teaching a baby ballet class at a dance studio a few blocks away, and since it’s close, I can walk there. But with the spring recital coming up, I’ll be pulling back on my hours soon.

“Step, plié, brush, one, two, three. Brush. Keep your chin up. Extend your arms. Yes, yes, yes…” Gianna shouts over the music, clapping loudly as she walks around the studio, watching us. Though she gets overly excited during every class, it’s infectious, and I always leave with a smile on my face, feeling good about my progress.

Once warm-ups are over, I take a breather and inhale my bottle of water before we continue for another hour.

“Wanna study for exams tonight?” Joel asks as we pack up our things. My jazz class is in twenty minutes, which means I have just enough time to grab a snack and haul ass back to the dance hall.

For a moment, I contemplate it, knowing I need to squeeze in studying when I can. My GPA’s important to me, and I want to get good grades.

“Sure, but not too late. Maybe I can ice my ankles and study at the same time.” I groan.

I spend all day running around campus, doing my dance classes, and then sometimes teaching, so by the time Sophie or Liam pick me up, I’m ready to collapse.

Though, I’m a total catch. It’s a wonder I’m still single, honestly.

“Deal.” He smiles. I met him my freshman year, and he’s been a nice guy so far. Joel’s very talented and focused, which makes it easy to be his friend. We both know what it takes to make it in this cutthroat industry. College auditions have shown us an inkling of that already.