It’s not like they were going to tell me Mackenzie was dead. That’s not news you would deliver over the phone. No, she wasn’t dead. Couldn’t be.
I took a deep breath, and before the phone could go to voicemail, I swiped to accept the call.
“H-hello?”
“Now, don’t freak out,” Mackenzie said.
The sound of her voice washed away the fear. A wave of anger crested and smashed into me, consuming every ounce of my being. “Don’t freak out? You’ve been missing for three days, and now you’re calling me from the county jail! Are you fucking kidding me? Are you?”
“I knew I shouldn’t have called you.”
Before I could utter another word, the line went dead. “Hello?” I said, but was met with silence. “Mackenzie Elizabeth!”
It was pointless. She hung up on me. If she were in jail, she got one freaking phone call, and she chose to hang up on me. She was un-fuckin-believable!
I stood up and paced her room, debating if I should leave her in there to rot, or go and bail her bratty ass out. It took less than a minute before I grabbed my bag and was in my Jeep driving to the county jail.
God only knew what she did, and why she was in there. I was hoping it was something stupid, but honestly, I just didn’t know with her anymore.
I pulled into the parking lot and hurried inside. A few months ago, I had to bail out one of the girls after a night gone wrong, so I knew exactly where I had to go.
The woman at the window looked like she had a permanent scowl on her face, but I met her with a smile.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
“Yes, I received a call from my sister, though we got cut off, and I’m not exactly sure why she’s here.”
“Name?” she asked.
“Mackenzie Greene.”
She typed a few things into her computer then looked up. “She’s in for trespassing, indecent exposure, and resisting arrest.”
“Indecent exposure!” I exclaimed unable to control the shock running through me. My mind immediately went to prostitution. The coffee I drank this morning, turned in my stomach.
“Looks like they picked her up before daybreak for skinny dipping at The Palms.”
I pushed my lips together, afraid if I parted them, a slew of curse words would spill out. I didn’t need to get thrown behind bars with Mackenzie because I couldn’t control mouth. I was the adult and I needed to remain calm. I took a step back, inhaled deeply then went back to the window.
“How much is her bail?” I asked.
“Fifteen hundred.”
“Fifteen hundred!” My voice reached an all-time high. “I don’t have that kind of money.”
“There’s a bail bond next door. They should be able to help you out.”
I didn’t have words. I uttered a few noises and walked away with my head down in defeat. A bail bondsman would give me the money, but I’d have to pay it back within a timeframe with interest. I couldn’t afford any extra costs. I could barely afford groceries some weeks. Maybe I could pick up a few extra shifts, or go to a different club. One where I made at least a minimum salary and didn’t have to rely solely on tips.
Who was I fooling? I tried it before, but once you work for Sal, there was no leaving. You either stayed with him, or got out of the business.
I stumbled out into the daylight and collapsed on a bench.
What the hell was I going to do?
Chapter 11
Knox
I’d spent the morning with Coach and Mike. That kid with the ridiculous name Coach had been talking about the other day had just won another fight. They said he was gunning for my belt. I needed to decide if I was willing to go up against a rookie with a lucky streak or blow him off.
It didn’t matter to me either way. I wasn’t fucking scared of some kid. I would wipe the ring with his ass, so I gave the only response that mattered, “Show me the money.” If this kid was supposedly what everyone said he was, then people would want to see him go against me, and the payout would be huge. I was in the market for a new Bentley anyway.
I headed home and rolled the windows down of my Hummer, enjoying the beautiful day. The light turned red, and I came to a stop. I glanced over and spotted a brunette on a bench in short jean shorts, revealing muscular legs and a tight tank top showcasing a beautiful set of tits that I would know anywhere.
I cut the wheel and pulled over to the side of the road. Mila didn’t even look up as I slammed the door shut and headed over to her. She rested her chin on her palms, green eyes staring off into the distance.
Guilt still ate at my gut from our last encounter. If I knew her agenda, I never would have let her suck my dick. Having a girl pay me in sexual acts was definitely not my style. Though, just thinking about Mila’s pretty mouth wrapped around my cock, tongue dragging along the underside, sent a rush of heated desire spiraling to my dick. She’d left me high and dry, and she was all I’d been able to think about for days. In my dreams, she didn’t disappoint and always let me get my turn.
to the urge to scoop her up from that bench, carry her to the back of my truck, and show her what she missed out on that night was strong. But her shoulders slumped forward, and the sexy confident stripper gave way to the defeated girl I met at the grocery store.
“Mila?”
She looked at me with unshed tears in her eyes and tension pulling tight at the bridge of her nose.
I knelt down beside her and took her face in my hands. “What’s the matter?” I asked, wanting so desperately to fix whatever was bothering her. I sure as hell hoped no one hurt her. I swore to God if they did, I would find them and beat the ever-living shit out of them.
She blinked up, her green eyes blood shot and filled with defeat. “I don’t know what to do. For the first time in my life, I don’t know what to do.” Her hands came up and then fell limply back into her lap. “I don’t know what to do,” she said again.
Every time I’d come in contact with Mila, she seemed so strong and self–assured. Seeing her like this, confused, lost and uncertain tugged at something deep inside of me. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced since Zoey.
“What’s wrong?” She didn’t say anything, and her gaze dropped. I lifted her chin, and urged her to look at me. “Please.”
Her lip quivered and she took a deep breath. “My baby sister got arrested and they want fifteen hundred dollars to bail her out. Who has that kind of money? I sure as hell don’t. I couldn’t even afford to give her fifty bucks for a new pair of shoes.” She shook her head, a tear slipping out, but she swiped it away angrily. “A part of me wants to leave her ass in there. Teach her a lesson. But the other part of me can’t stand to think of her sitting behind bars, waiting for me to figure out how to fix this. I fix everything. It’s what I do. I’m a fixer, and I can’t fix this.”
I pulled my wallet out of my pocket without a second thought. I counted out fifteen hundred-dollar bills, and handed them to her.
Her eyes widened and she clamped a hand over mine, shoving it out of sight. “Are you out of your goddamned mind? I can’t take this.”
I breathed in a sigh of relief. There was the Mila I knew making her way back. “No,” I said matter-of-factly. “I’m not out of my mind, and yes, you can take it. You don’t always have to be the fixer, you know. Sometimes, you can let other people take the reins.” She began to shake her head and I reached up, holding it in place. I brushed my thumb across the softness of her cheek. “Don’t argue with me.”