Page 40 of Saving Cade
Cade’s heart raced as he calculated how much time it would take to jump over the desk and tackle Zane. No matter how he figured it, the gun was faster.
“You couldn’t let a few thousand dollars be.”
Maybe if he kept him talking, Cade could get a chance to surprise him. “It was three hundred thousand.”
“A pittance compared to your net worth.”
“That’s what this is about? I have more money than you?”
Zane’s gaze hardened. “No, stupid. This is about what I deserve. And after being your friend for all these years, I deserve more than to be treated like a dumb lackey.”
Cade balked. Is that how Zane thought he was treated? Cade had given him a job when jobs were few and far between. He had never treated Zane like he was beneath him. And then he saw it. The track marks on Zane’s arm. And then he noticed the subtle way Zane trembled and struggled to hold the gun steady. This wasn’t Zane talking.
He’d seen how his brother had acted when he was addicted. The drugs took over. Ruined him. And now Zane. How had that happened? Cade had to keep him talking. “I didn’t mean to treat you that way.”
Nicholas took a step forward. “Stop this, man.”
Zane reacted quickly, the gun moving a fraction, and then he pulled the trigger. Nicholas cried out and fell to the floor. Cade forgot about taking a chance to jump Zane and knelt beside his brother. “Nick!”
Blood spread over his shoulder as Nicholas writhed on the floor, one hand on his shoulder, the other still clutching his cell phone. “Why did you do that? He has nothing to do with this.”
Zane shook his head, a cruel smile on his face. “You really don’t believe that, do you? Now that he knows everything, did you think I was going to let him live?”
Rage bubbled up inside of Cade. Everything that had happened was Zane’s fault. Going to prison. The men attacking him. Him and Meg almost dying. His brother, now bleeding on the floor. He sucked in a breath, trying to calm himself and figure out how he was going to get the upper hand.
“You always had the perfect life.”
Cade hadn’t realized Zane had resumed talking until that statement filtered through the haze of his brain. “Perfect life? How? My mother died when I was a kid.”
“At least you had a mother. I don’t even know where mine is.”
“You grew up in a comfortable house. You were—”
“Shut up!” Zane waved the gun in Cade’s face. “You always had the upper hand. You were the one with a family that cared. A successful business. A ton of money. And now look at you. Shaking in fear. The mighty Cade McMillian, reduced to a trembling little man.”
Something outside the office moved, and Cade froze. Just beyond the glass stood Meg. She held the gun they’d taken from the intruder.
No. What was she doing here? She was going to get hurt. Cade slowly stood up, his hands raised. Maybe if he distracted Zane, he wouldn’t see Meg, and he could motion for her to leave. “Look, man. I don’t want any more trouble. You want money? I’ll give it to you. I won’t call the cops.” He took a step toward the windows. “I’ll give you cash. How much do you want?”
He could see the hungry look in Zane’s eyes as he thought about how much to ask for. Seconds ticked by as Cade moved farther away from the door. His gaze flickered to Meg, and he hoped she could see his silent pleading. Leave. Now.
As Zane was distracted, Cade made a motion with his hand for her to go away. Meg shook her head and stepped into the room.
