Bare Hearts by Devon Youngblood Page A

it,” she says, jumping off the couch once the movie ends.
    We go to the kitchen and see what’s inside. That is definitely a hefty stack inside.
    “How much do you think is there?” Lily asks with wide eyes.
    “Probably more than either of us will ever make, together. It looks like it might be all hundreds. Whatever it is, it’s blood money and you need to just get rid of it and get him out of your life for good. Maybe he will leave us both alone,” I say, hoping that we can live in peace without looking over our shoulders.
    “Should I call him now so we can get rid of it?” She asks, looking up me as we stand staring at the stack.
    “Sure, have him meet you at that abandoned air strip just on the edge of town. I’ll go with you, because you aren’t going along. I don’t trust him.”
    I watch as she puts his number into the house phone. She puts it on speaker so I can hear.
    “Hello, my darling daughter,” Tony says before Lily can say anything. His voice makes me cringe.
    “I have your money; meet me at the abandon air strip on the other side of town. I’m sure you can manage to find it,” Lily says coldly.
    “No formal meeting?” He chuckles
    “Just meet me there at six this evening,” she says before hanging up on him. “That guy disgusts me,” she says sitting on the stool positioned at the island.
    “How ‘bout’ we get something to eat; I’m sure you’re starving after all that searching and you only had toast this morning,” I offer as I wrap my arm around her, nuzzling her neck. A smile appears as she nods in agreement, turning back to kiss me.
    *****
    Six O’ Clock comes quickly. “Are you ready?” I ask as we manage to get the money in a brown paper bag.
    “Yeah,” she says with a nod, strapping her bag over her shoulder. Then she pulls her hair into a ponytail and we head out the door.
    We arrive at the abandon air strip first. Looking around, the place has an eerie feeling to it; the hangars are old and decaying. The strip itself isn’t very long, but long enough for a small private plane to land.
    “Are you nervous?” I ask, placing my hand on her leg to keep it from bouncing up and down.
    “I’m not nervous. I just want him out of my life.”
    I know she is nervous. I know I would be. I mean. I am nervous. Carrying a huge stack of money like that would make any person nervous.
    Waiting in the car, we see a black SUV pulling up, positioning themselves in front of us. Tony gets out the back with sunglasses on and his signature dark suit. He looks every bit of a business man. Does this guy ever take a day off? He buttons his suit jacket and approaches us alone while others wait at the SUV.
    Lily digs around in the back seat, looking for the bag of money while I get out and stand next to the car, waiting for her.
    “Here, now leave me the hell alone,” she says with furrowed brows and a serious tone. She hands him the money and takes several steps back, keeping her distance. I watch his every move so nothing goes down. I have my gun tucked in the back of my jeans, just in case.
    “Thank you,” he hands the bag over to one of his men that had gotten out of the SUV and made their way over to us. “I see you haven’t dumped lover boy, yet.”
    Lily just shakes her head in disgust, and doesn’t bother giving a response. The evening sun is beating down on us and I wipe the sweat from my forehead; it feels like a hundred degrees out here.
    “Don’t you think you’ve done enough to the girl? Can’t you just let her be?” I growl.
    Tony looks around. “You believe this guy?” He says in his thick accent to his bodyguard and shakes his head.
     

Chapter Seventeen

LILY
    “You don’t have room to talk. I know you haven’t told her your little secret. If you did, she would have dumped you by now,” he continues.
    “You clearly don’t know what you’re talking about. Lily, get in the car,” Parker instructs, pointing to his Camaro. My heart is already beating so