Page 153 of Sugar

I wasn’t sure if he thought I was there as a rager attendee, Tripp’s companion, or for some other clandestine reason. None were true, so I didn’t care what leverage he thought he had. “I seriously doubt that.”

“So you’re cool with your parents losing everything?”

I did, however, care about that.

I whipped around. “What does that mean?”

Holding my gaze, he lifted his bag and gave it a meaningful shake.

Rattling the pills.

“Where do you think I get my supply?” he asked quietly.

I rolled my eyes. “My dad wouldnever?—”

“But for money and influence, Doug sure would. You know it. I know it. And my hidden away insurance policy knows it. So who is going to believe that your dad didn’t know what his close friend and partner was up to?”

I staggered back.

“Exactly. Unless you want your parents to go down with him, you’ll keep your mouth shut.” He raised a finger. “No, actually, you’ll do the opposite of that. You’ll help me get Greer back. She listens to you.”

“No.”

“No?”

“You can’t use this against my dad without implicating yourself.”

“Are you willing to take that risk?”

He might as well have declared checkmate because he knew he had me. The cocky swagger as he walked away said it, too.

I wanted to snatch the pool cue from Tripp and beat both Josh and Chase with it, but I couldn’t. I was rooted to the spot, my brain a jumble of thoughts as my stomach churned.

Everything my parents worked for.

What they’ve built.

And poor Greer.

What a fucking mess.

“What’re you doing awake, guppy?”Easton rumbled as he turned on the kitchen light.

I hadn’t even noticed it was still off.

“I couldn’t sleep and came down for some water.”

He scanned the empty island in front of me.

I also hadn’t even noticed I never got any.

I was preoccupied and devastated and conflicted and scared out of my mind, but I still noticed how good he looked in his basketball shorts, mussed hair, and nothing else.

Nothing could distract me from that.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist before burying his face in my neck. His touch was soft, but his voice was firm. Unyielding. “Tell me what’s going on. You’ve barely said a word since Tripp’s.”

After my distressing conversation with Josh, I’d gone downstairs just as Easton came in from the backyard. It was a good thing he’d been there since a run-in between him and Chase would’ve taken the night from horrific to complete hell. I’d helped Tripp secure cardboard over the missing front door while Easton did a sweep to ensure everyone was actually gone.