Page 2 of My Heart Still Beats
“Everybody knows Braden is the brains behind your success,” Dirk says. “And I’m sure your big brother—your goody-two-shoes big brother—wouldloveto know what you were up to that day.”
This time I let the scoff come out. “You don’t know my brother at all.”
Indeed, he doesn’t. Atilla the Hun is a bigger goody-two-shoes than Braden Black.
Still, though, I can’t let this dark secret come to light. There is no statute of limitations for what happened all those years ago, and quite frankly, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life behind bars.
I shrug, maintaining a casual demeanor. “There’s a flaw in your plan, Dirk. If you have any evidence at all, it will implicate you and the other two just as much as it may implicate me.”
He grins, only it’s not a grin so much as the look a snake gets before he sinks his fangs into your flesh. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?”
My heartbeat increases, but I stay composed. “You’re bluffing.”
“Am I?”
“Absolutely. Why now? Why not before, when we first started raking it in?”
“I don’t have to tell you nothing, Black. Just know I need three million. A million each for me, Carlos, and Jerry. And that’s the last you’ll ever hear from us.”
I walk from behind my desk to face Dirk straight on. “Money won’t do Jerry any good from inside the slammer.”
“It’ll take care of his mother.”
I shake my head, chuckling. Jerry’s mother passed away two years ago. I keep tabs. “Why don’t you tell the fucking truth, Dirk? It’s all for you. You and your gaggle of illegitimate kids down south.”
He says nothing, but I can read the redness creeping up his neck. I hit the nail on the head.
And I’m not giving this fucker a damned dime.
Paying off a blackmailer only makes him stronger.
He’ll consider me a cash cow after the first payment, and once it’s gone, he’ll be back for more.
And then I’ll never be rid of him.
Once you have money, you want more. Braden and I are constantly adding to our wealth, and it’s not because we need it.
It’s because we want it.
“You’re not getting anything from me.”
Dirk scratches the light brown stubble on his chin. “I see you’re going to have to take some convincing.”
“The answer is no. Whether you convince me or not.”
“Have it your way, Black.” He turns, heads toward the door, and then looks over his shoulder. “Expect something in the mail tomorrow.”
“Your so-called evidence?”
He turns and then looks over his shoulder. “You wait and see.”
Chapter One
Tessa
Three Months Later…
Sometimes I’d rather die than go through one more day of feeling like this.
