Page 135 of Jonas

He was fair game.

“Smart play, baby,” I told her.

“I needed to buy time, but I could’ve gone without watching.” She stopped and shook her head. “Just that it was gross and we’d have more if Jun De hadn’t killed Natalie.”

As far as I was concerned, he’d saved us the trouble of disposing of the bitch.

I made a mental note to keep a close watch for any signs of flashbacks or PTSD. That shit crept up on you, normally at the most unexpected times.

“Let me grab my bag of tricks,” Lore said and jogged out of the room.

“Cash,” Nebraska called.

I could see the look she was giving him, but whatever he saw, he understood.

“I got it.” He nodded.

Derrika patted my arm, and when she had my attention, she asked, “Do you want to go with them? I can stay here until you get back.”

“Nope. I’m with you.”

“But—”

“Dee Dee, I’m not leaving you. They don’t need me, but I need you.”

A ghost of a smile played on her lips and I was happy to see it.

“Okay.”

“Though we’re not staying here. I’m taking you back to our cabin.”

Another smile, this one more pronounced, and I liked it a fuckuva lot more.

“Okay.”

“Ready!” Penny announced, stopping at the front door. “You coming?”

Cash’s answer was to stand.

And right before he closed the door behind him and Lore, he shouted, “Cash is King.”

“I don’t know why that’s so amusing, but it is,” Derrika chuckled.

“Yeah, he’s amusing, all right,” I returned.

Amusing to hide all of the trauma he tries to forget.

“More like a ticking time bomb ready to explode,” Nebraska muttered. “One day, humor will no longer be enough to keep the devil at bay.”

She wasn’t wrong.

“What’s his story?” Penny asked.

Shit. I forgot the woman was in the room.

Nebraska’s startled gaze landed on me. She’d forgotten, too. Slowly, she peeled her eyes from me, and they moved to Penny.

With a soft smile and gentle voice to take the sting out, she said, “Sorry. It’s not mine to tell.”