All I can do is wait for Ben to get home. This is something we need to talk about in person. I’m angry, confused, and a little hurt about all of this. He’s got some explaining to do.
I get out of my car and head back to the apartment, content to sit on the couch and wait.
29 Ben
I gingerly walk to the front door and open it, almost dying from a heart attack when a body appears on the other side of it. I raise a hand to strike, but even in the dark, I recognize it’s Pepper.
“What the fuck, Pepper? I almost killed you.” I try not to growl at her as I step inside and close the door, fighting the urge to check and make sure no one is watching.
She snorts as if she doesn’t believe me. “I’m gonna kill you if you don’t tell me what is going on.” Her face is angry, arms crossed over her chest, and I see the paper from my dresser in her hand.
“You’ve been going through my things?”
“No, Ben, you don’t get to be mad at me. I had two men approach me at school today and tell me in no uncertain terms that you should make sure you have their money in two days—or else.”
Fuck.
“God, Pepper. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“I’m fine, and no. Just scared me a little, but I’ve gone on a wild goose chase to figure out what is going on. At first, I thought you were in trouble, and I almost called this number—”
“You called that number?” I point at the piece of paper in her hand. “Oh no. No, no, no.” I swipe a hand down my face. “I was supposed to call them when I had the money.”
“No. I said, I almost called the number. But now that we’re talking about it, please tell me about the money. What is going on?”
“Let me sit down first,” I say, walking in.
“Wait, where are your crutches?” she asks.
I hobble toward the couch, my ankle still tender. “I got rid of them today, doctor’s orders.”
“So, your ankle is better?”
“Yes, it’s a little iffy still, but I can put weight on it now.”
“I’m glad,” she says, reaching to grab my arm and walking with me.
“I can walk on my own,” I say with a smile.
She glares back at me. “I know. I just wanted to touch you. But now that you are sitting, please tell me what’s going on.”
“It’s not technically me who owes money. It’s Mark.”
Pepper is silent, just listening, and I stretch my neck, uncomfortable under her angry gaze.
“To who?”
“I don’t know really. He’s just involved with some bad people. He owes them money from his gambling. People who would set an apartment building on fire, trying to kill him. That’s the kind of people we are dealing with.”
“How do you know it’s those people? And why would they kill him if he owes money? Wouldn’t they want him alive, so they could get it from him?”
“I don’t have all the answers. I’m hoping that Mark will talk once we fix this problem.”
“Look, I don’t mean to be an awful person, but don’t you think Mark should take care of this himself?”
“They will kill him, Pepper. They already tried once.”
“Allegedly.”
I sigh. She’s firing back an answer for everything I say.
“Allegedly, yes. But all the same, these people won’t just let this go.”
“What about going to the police?” she asks, arms crossed and one toe tapping.
“They threatened me about going to the police. I’m not made for this life. I’m not like Liam Neeson, who lives to fuck shit up. I just want Mark safe and unharmed.”
“So, he can just go back out and endanger you again?”
“No. I will have to force him to get some sort of help to make sure that he’s safe and that we are safe.”
“Speaking of we, what happened there? Is this the reason you broke up with me? You didn’t want to tell me about this?”
“Yes. Partly. They threatened me about you too. I didn’t want to tell you, and I wanted to protect you, so I decided to be an idiot.”
She grunts, obviously in agreement. “So, what you are telling me is, Mark is involved with some sort of Mafia-type people, and his little gambling problem has landed you in a world of trouble. And by extension—I’m still not sure why—it has caused the demise of our relationship, which I’m not happy about. I’m not happy about any of this. You should have told me.”
“I know. I’ve regretted not telling you since the day you left. But I wanted this all to be over before I came to beg for you to come back.”
“Anyway, we will talk about that later.” She finally plops down on the other side of the couch. “I have a semi-solution.”
“You have a solution?” I say.
She looks ready to strangle me, and I don’t want to get any closer.
“I do. Maybe.” She reaches up to massage her temples. “I have the money my parents put in my account—”
“I’m not taking your money. I don’t want you involved in this.”
“I’m already involved. I met the two henchmen of the apocalypse, and they made me their little messenger. They know who I am. I’m helping. Anyway, I talked to my dad, and he said any withdrawal over ten thousand will get flagged by the IRS.”
“I know, Pepper.”
“Perfect. Here is my idea: I’ll take out the thirty thousand, and then it will get flagged. We write down some of the serial numbers, and then they get their money. When we get a little visit from the IRS, we give them the numbers,
