Scott rolled off Rachel after they made intoxicating love for the second time. “Wow.” He lay naked on his back, numbing bliss roaming his body. “I guess I won.”

Rachel laughed, her sweaty breasts swaying. “What did we do?”

“I can’t speak for you.” He scratched behind his right thigh, touching his balls. “But, I just had the best sex of my life.”

“I’m serious.” She leaned up on her elbow, facing him. “Do you know what you’re getting into?”

“I know.” He kissed her. “And, I don’t care. You make me feel alive.”

“I’ve never, ever slept with a man so fast. I don’t even kiss until the third date but with you I get so excited I can’t control myself.”

“Do you believe in fate?”

“I’m not sure. It’s scary to have feelings for you and we haven’t even spent an entire day together.”

He sat up, caressing the side of her leg. “I wanna be with you.” He held her chin and delivered a kiss that made her wobble.

“You’re a remarkable kisser.”

“Like you, this is a new experience for me.” He hooked his fingers in hers. “Whatever I have to do to make sure you’re safe, I’ll do it.”

“I don’t deserve your kindness.”

“I’m invested now. I’ve let you in so you need to do the same.” He touched her cheek. “What’s going on? Why are you in trouble?”

She sighed, sitting up on her butt. “Remember my brother?”

“Mm-hm.”

“His name’s Stone.”

“Stone?” Scott grinned. “Sounds like something out of a soap opera.”

“You heard of Dario Fusco?”

He shook his head.

“Well, he’s a big time gangster in Miami. Made millions selling drugs from here to overseas. Stone worked for him.” She scratched her arm. “Dario trusted him very much.”

“I take it Stone broke that trust?” Scott hung his arms over his knees.

“He stole Dario’s stash of coke that was worth a lot of money. You don’t steal from a man like Fusco and live to regret it. He hates people who betray him.”

Scott made a fist, wishing Stone were there so he could beat the shit out of him. “Fusco’s bothering you because of your brother’s debt. Why?”

“He can’t find Stone. He ran off.”

“Leaving you holding the bag?”

“He didn’t know Fusco would come after me.”

“He should’ve known.”

“Don’t judge him.”

“How can I not? You could end up dead because of your brother. Maybe you can forgive him for that but I can’t.”

“Fusco wants seven hundred thousand.” Rachel breathed into her hands. “Or he’ll kill Stone and if he can’t find him, it’ll be me.”

“Why don’t you run?”

“This is the only home I’ve known. Where would I go? No.” She smacked her lips. “I don’t run from my problems.”

“Too bad your brother’s balls aren’t as big as yours. He doesn’t deserve your loyalty.”

“I owe my life to Stone.”

“That doesn’t excuse him dragging you into this.” He kicked his shoe out the way. “I’m telling my brother.”

“No.” She sat on her knees, grabbing him. “Scott, please don’t.”

“I can’t sit back now I know what’s going. It’s even worse than I thought.”

“You said I could trust you.” She let him go. “Fusco warned me not to go to the police.”

“Your brother’s ass should be here, and he needs to fight his own battles.”

“Scott, please don’t tell anyone about this.” She sniffled. “Fusco will kill me if you go to the police. Is that what you want?”

He forced away his disgust. “No.”

“Then you have to do things my way.” She hugged him. “Promise me I can trust you.”

He pulled his arms around her naked body. “I promise.”

* * *

“Hey, Gorgeous.” Stone hugged Rachel from the doorway of his motel room the next morning. “Mm.” He gave her a long kiss on the cheek. “You all right?”

“Yeah.” She pulled away. “What’s so important that I had to rush over here before work?” She sat on the chair by the window.

He closed the door and pressed his palms together. “I don’t know how you’re gonna take this.”

She crossed her legs, straightening her black, pleaded skirt. “Take what?”

“I got good news.” He fidgeted. “I might have a way to get us out this Fusco mess.”

She blew out her cheeks. “How?”

“See, that’s the part I’m not sure you’ll agree with.” He sat on the corner of the bed, rubbing his frizzy, low cut hair. “You remember Greer?”

“Your partner in crime?” She sighed, straightening herself in the chair. “How could I forget?”

“We hooked up last night.” He rubbed his hands. “He’d been looking for me.”

“For what? I thought he was in prison for robbery.”

“He got paroled last week.” Stone leaned forward, clasping his hands.

“With all the mess you’re in you take time to talk to that thug?”

“That thug is like a brother. He saved my life more than I can count. Yeah, he got me in some shit sometimes but he was always there when I needed him.”

“What does this have to do with Fusco?”

Stone reached for the cigarettes on the end table. “Funny how things just fall in your lap, right?” He lit a cigarette, the smoke tickling Rachel’s nose. “Greer and I got to talking, and it turns out he’s got a score lined up.”

“A score?”

“He’s fucking this chick that works as a housekeeper for this old guy. She cleans his house once a week. The man has a coin collection that’s worth at least five hundred thousand dollars in a safe.”

Rachel held her breath. “So?”

“Greer wants to make a move on the old man.” Stone blew smoke out his nostrils. “Asked me to help, and I—”

“Are you talking about robbing this man?”

He stared at her, flinching.

“Oh, god.” Rachel stood, gripping her head. “Please, tell me you’re not serious.”

“We don’t have a choice, Rachel.”

“Bullshit you don’t have a choice!” She leaned over him. “You can’t rob someone to pay your debt.”

“Then how the fuck you expect me to get the money? You think some genie is gonna pop up and give it to me?”

Rachel turned away from him.

“This is a matter of life and death, girl. Fusco will kill both of our asses if we don’t come through. This is the only option.”

“No.” She pointed at him. “You said you didn’t want innocent people getting hurt.”

He grabbed her. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You can’t do this, Stone.” She fought tears. “How can you even consider it?”

“No one has to get hurt. We’ll do it while the man’s gone.”

“No!”

“Greer’s girl says he’s always at the library or wherever old people go. He has the same routine. It’ll be easy as pie for Greer and I to get the coins and leave. The girl knows the combination to the safe and everything.”

“I don’t believe this.” Rachel leaned against the dresser. “When is enough gonna be enough?”

“I don’t want to do this, but I have no choice.”

She lowered her head, sobbing. “I can’t support this.”

He walked to her. “You want to live?”

“Please.” Tears soaked her cheek. “Don’t do this, Stone. Don’t bring anyone else into this.”

“We’re not gonna hurt anyone.” He rubbed her shoulders, the smoke from the cigarette heating her neck. “If we get caught or something, you won’t be dragged into this in any way. Promise me you won’t tell anyone about this.”

“Don’t do this, please.” She touched his face. “Let’s try to appeal to Fusco.”

“Appeal to Fusco?” He grinned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Why don’t you go see him and try to squash this once and for all?”

“Because if I went to see Fusco I won’t return. Is that what you want?”

“I can’t believe how far we’ve fallen.” She walked from the dresser. “I’ve never felt so desperate.”

He sucked the cigarette and exhaled. “Welcome to my world.”