Page 21 of Under His Control

“Unbelievable. Their priorities are something else. They’ll put innocent people through hell, but give the bad guy extorting others a pass?”

Penelope nods, her expression anxious.

“Cedric also found out I went to the police too. He came to my job and told me he has friends everywhere. He said I’d regret it if I talked to the police again.”

My jaw clenches as an urge comes over me to find Cedric Rourke. The asshole thinks it’s easy to intimidate a young woman. How would he fare with someone his own size?

You want to fight some guy you don’t know to protect a woman you don’t trust?

I turn away from Penelope and look out the windshield. My plan was to drop her off and leave, chalking up her visit as a brief blip of inconvenience while I went on with my life. Yet, I’m still here, ten minutes late for work.

My error was following her into the tow yard. I felt a shift the moment I saw her badly dented car. Not only was she telling the truth about the accident, she was lucky as hell she survived it with only a few bruises.

And now that I’ve heard the rest of her plight, my resolve to walk away and forget about her is even weaker. She’s in some deep shit and I’m probably the only one who can help her out of it.

Give her the money.

“You shaved off ten in six months,” I say to drown out my conscience. “Seems like you can get that thirty paid off in no time.”

“The interest is horrible. The ten wasn’t easy to do at all. I sold everything of value that belonged to me and Mom, except the car. I got lucky and sold one of my paintings for enough money to make a little dent too. I’ve been working two jobs, but I lost one, and my hours at the hotel—”

She cuts herself off and lets out a long breath.

“I’m sorry I called you an asshole. I didn’t mean it.” She bites her lips together, a remorseful look on her face. “I’d be really grateful if you could drop me off at the bus station.”

“You meant it. You’re just sorry you said it out loud with conviction.”

I start the car and pull out of the tow yard’s parking lot, lingering at the mouth of the driveway. Making a right turn should be my next move. Wenora’s only bus station is in that direction and my right indicator is clicking in the silence.

Penelope and her mother almost sent me to prison because spiteful Alyssa couldn’t get money out of me. Giving in to Penelope after the fact feels like succumbing to a long con.

But I don’t think she’s lying about Cedric Rourke. I also don’t have faith she’ll escape her debt to him, or the worse situation waiting for her when she can’t pay.

Can I live with myself if that happened?

Goddammit.

I turn left.

Penelope doesn’t notice the change of plans until I’m heading up the hill. She glances over at me in confusion then speaks up when I pull into my driveway.

“Did you forget something?”

I turn off the car and open my door.

“Let’s go.”

“Go where?”

I ignore her question and exit the car. She follows me at a slower pace. I’ve already unlocked the front door by the time she joins me on the porch, a wary look on her face.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll let you know whether or not I’ll lend you the money when I return from work.”

“I thought you already did and your answer was basically, ‘Fuck no and fuck off.’”

Amusement catches me off-guard and I fight a smile.