Blood Money (Bad Money #1) Read Online Free
Author: Ali Parker
smear blood on her face.
Marcus reached back and pulled at his shirt, the black cotton tee slipping over his head. He extended it to her. "Use this."
She took it and pressed the soft material to her face, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.
"Awwww fuck, Kate." He laughed and she chuckled, her tears slowing as he moved his hand from her back onto her arm.
"How likely are they to pin this on me? They wanted it to be me so bad. I could feel it in the air. They were digging and suggesting. I hate those fuckers."
"It would be easy if it were you." He shrugged, moving his hands to hold the steering wheel, his arms locked, thick muscles bunching up.
"I know. I just wish I could be normal. Have a normal life without being worried all the time about who's behind me waiting to slit my throat or bust me for something I didn't do."
Marcus glanced over at her, his hand reaching to brush the back of her hair. "You want to go home with me tonight? Stay with me and let me hold you?"
"No, that doesn't help. Just makes me think about things I can't have."
"Kate."
"I don't want to have this conversation. I just spent the night being interviewed for gunning down a teenage boy that was in love with me. I'm not talking about your commitment issues and my unwillingness to accept an open relationship. Not happening."
"Fair enough. You sure you want to go home?"
"More than sure." She turned to look back out the window, not wanting to cry in front of him again. They had enough hurt between the two of them that they didn't need to hurt each other again. They would never be anything and she was honestly good with that, but on a night like this one... how badly she wanted companionship, a man to hold her who loved her. Someone to protect her from the world, from the cops... from herself.
They pulled up to the club, Kate reaching back to grab her stuff. She dug her keys from her pants pocket and opened the door.
"You want to get dressed first?"
"No. I'm just going up to the apartment. No one will pay me much attention."
Marcus turned and looked out toward the street, tons of people moving about. "You're kidding me right? It's packed out here. There are people everywhere. The number of horny men outweighs the number of fish in the sea. You're not getting out like that."
"Good night, my friend. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. We can go over the numbers and make orders for the next two weeks. Don't let me forget Mardi Gras is upon us. Let's stock up for that."
"Kate. I'm serious. I'm as hard as a rock because you're in your fucking panties in my car. You're not shaking your ass in front of Bourbon Street."
She leaned over and kissed his cheek, her fingers brushing over his thigh and by his erection. A smile lifted her lips as sadness beckoned her to pale away from anything warm.
"You're not my daddy and you don't care enough to be more than an occasional lover, so you don't get a say in what I do." She kissed his cheek again and got out of the car, the growl following her of no concern at all. They would fuck when she needed him or he needed her. It was their arrangement, or his rather.
He made his bed with her and now he could lie in it - alone.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jon
The drizzle from the heavens was more than appropriate as he wrapped his arm around his mother's shoulders, walking toward the church with her. A large black umbrella hovered over them, the wind threatening to take it from him any minute.
"You don't have to go with me, Johnny. I know you're not really a church goer." She glanced over at him, her brown hair an odd tint, always had been.
"It's all right, mom. I've been so busy lately, that getting over to see you has been difficult. I'm barely sleeping thanks to the job."
"World's going to hell in a hand-basket. It's the devil. Plain and simple."
"I agree. Bastard."
"Watch your mouth." She glanced over at him, her lips pursing.
He released her and moved to hold the door for her, moving the umbrella to keep her
Marcus reached back and pulled at his shirt, the black cotton tee slipping over his head. He extended it to her. "Use this."
She took it and pressed the soft material to her face, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose.
"Awwww fuck, Kate." He laughed and she chuckled, her tears slowing as he moved his hand from her back onto her arm.
"How likely are they to pin this on me? They wanted it to be me so bad. I could feel it in the air. They were digging and suggesting. I hate those fuckers."
"It would be easy if it were you." He shrugged, moving his hands to hold the steering wheel, his arms locked, thick muscles bunching up.
"I know. I just wish I could be normal. Have a normal life without being worried all the time about who's behind me waiting to slit my throat or bust me for something I didn't do."
Marcus glanced over at her, his hand reaching to brush the back of her hair. "You want to go home with me tonight? Stay with me and let me hold you?"
"No, that doesn't help. Just makes me think about things I can't have."
"Kate."
"I don't want to have this conversation. I just spent the night being interviewed for gunning down a teenage boy that was in love with me. I'm not talking about your commitment issues and my unwillingness to accept an open relationship. Not happening."
"Fair enough. You sure you want to go home?"
"More than sure." She turned to look back out the window, not wanting to cry in front of him again. They had enough hurt between the two of them that they didn't need to hurt each other again. They would never be anything and she was honestly good with that, but on a night like this one... how badly she wanted companionship, a man to hold her who loved her. Someone to protect her from the world, from the cops... from herself.
They pulled up to the club, Kate reaching back to grab her stuff. She dug her keys from her pants pocket and opened the door.
"You want to get dressed first?"
"No. I'm just going up to the apartment. No one will pay me much attention."
Marcus turned and looked out toward the street, tons of people moving about. "You're kidding me right? It's packed out here. There are people everywhere. The number of horny men outweighs the number of fish in the sea. You're not getting out like that."
"Good night, my friend. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. We can go over the numbers and make orders for the next two weeks. Don't let me forget Mardi Gras is upon us. Let's stock up for that."
"Kate. I'm serious. I'm as hard as a rock because you're in your fucking panties in my car. You're not shaking your ass in front of Bourbon Street."
She leaned over and kissed his cheek, her fingers brushing over his thigh and by his erection. A smile lifted her lips as sadness beckoned her to pale away from anything warm.
"You're not my daddy and you don't care enough to be more than an occasional lover, so you don't get a say in what I do." She kissed his cheek again and got out of the car, the growl following her of no concern at all. They would fuck when she needed him or he needed her. It was their arrangement, or his rather.
He made his bed with her and now he could lie in it - alone.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jon
The drizzle from the heavens was more than appropriate as he wrapped his arm around his mother's shoulders, walking toward the church with her. A large black umbrella hovered over them, the wind threatening to take it from him any minute.
"You don't have to go with me, Johnny. I know you're not really a church goer." She glanced over at him, her brown hair an odd tint, always had been.
"It's all right, mom. I've been so busy lately, that getting over to see you has been difficult. I'm barely sleeping thanks to the job."
"World's going to hell in a hand-basket. It's the devil. Plain and simple."
"I agree. Bastard."
"Watch your mouth." She glanced over at him, her lips pursing.
He released her and moved to hold the door for her, moving the umbrella to keep her
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