Page 116 of Devious Corruption

“What about you? We went to your apartment; it doesn’t look like you’ve been there since we left. The cat’s gone, too.”

“Marion’s fine. She’s at Lev’s place. We both are.”

“You’re living with him?” Keith’s voice takes on that ugly tone he has.

“No, not living with him. Just staying at his place.” In his bed.

A cloud of shame forms over me. I’ve let things get too far. And now, knowing Lev was withholding information about my brother’s whereabouts, it’s become obvious that it’s time to come to my senses. He’s not a knight in shining armor, and I’m nobody’s damsel.

I’ve always gotten us out of jams in the past. I’d forgotten that in my time with Lev. Leaning on his strength has made me complacent. It needs to stop.

“Why are you staying there?” Joey steps toward me. He’s visibly exhausted. Thick bags hang under his eyes, and he’s lost weight.

“Because I just told you, some things happened. He was helping me out.” I shake my head, not wanting to get into the details. “I was worried about you guys. You took off, and you wouldn’t answer my calls or my texts.”

“So worried, you jumped into bed with a Russian mobster,” Keith sneers. “You fucking him?”

“Keith!” Joey slaps his hand across Keith’s shoulder. “Fucking hell, man. Don’t talk to her like that.”

“She is.” Keith shakes his head. “Look at her, it’s written all over her face. And look at those glasses. Those aren’t hers. He buy them for you? And those clothes?”

“Knock it off.” Joey nudges him again.

“Did he?” Keith persists, and I take a step back.

“It doesn’t matter.” I dodge the question, because what does it mean that I’ve accepted the glasses, and the clothes, and the luxurious bed and accommodations over the past weeks?

When I should have been out searching for them, trying to find a way to help them, I’ve been living in the lap of luxury. And the lap of an extremely sexy Russian mobster who would probably sooner see them served up to the Armenians on a platter than help them out of whatever trouble they’ve found themselves in.

“Oh, but it does.” Keith steps toward me, a sneer settling on his lips.

“Keith, you’re a real prick.” I snap. “I’m trying to help you. That’s all I’ve done. You brought all this into my life when you brought those guns into my apartment.”

I should ask them about the credit report. About the loan. But they’ve only just resurfaced. There’s time to work through that later. When things more are calm.

He takes a deep breath, his nostrils flaring a little with his exhale. A calm settles over his expression. His shoulders relax.

“You’re right. We brought that piece here. We shouldn’t have done that.” He rubs the back of his neck.

God, they look so tired. Like they’ve been stressed to the hilt and need time to rest, to heal, to get their heads on straight again.

“Look. Whatever’s going on, there has to be a way for you to get out of it, right? I mean you’ve always said, if there’s a way in, there’s a way out.” I hook my hands on my hips. “We just need to figure out what to do from here.”

“Here’s the thing, Max.” Keith takes measured steps to the couch and throws himself onto it, hooking his left foot over his left and laying back against the throw pillow. “We have a good thing going.”

“What does that mean?” The last time they had a ‘good thing going’, they were selling ripped off cellphones out of the trunk of their car senior year in high school.

They’d barely been able to avoid being arrested, thanks to the Dean at the school putting his neck out on their behalf. And he’d only done that because I’d gone to him begging for his help when I caught a glimpse of the patrol car rolling up to the parking lot.

“It means we’re in a position now to make serious money,” Keith shrugs.

“You were in Italy. Why?”

He narrows his eyes. “It seems like you already know. What happened, did your fucktoy have one of his guys tailing us?”

“Don’t talk about him like that. It’s gross the way yousay it. And he was trying to help me because I was afraid for you. Now what were you doing there?”

“It’s okay, Max.” Joey squeezes my shoulder. “I know you worry, but you don’t have to this time. We know what we’re doing, and it’s going to be good. For all of us.”