Page 129 of Purple Hearts

I stood. “You’re out of your mind!” Kaz was in my face in a second, chest to chest. “I couldn’t get that kind of money if I wanted to.”

“That’s what you say every time,” Johnno said, pointing to the pile. “And then there it be.”

I pointed to Johnno. “You can fuck off.” To Kaz, I said, “Please move.”

With a nod from Johnno, Kaz stepped aside.

“Fifty K, magic man!” he yelled after me, erupting into a cough. “Make it appear!”

“Not gonna happen, dude,” I called, and slammed the door.

Once outside, my breath caught in my lungs. My vision zeroed in and out. I C U. I leaned on my cane, hoping I wouldn’t pass out.

They could hurt me, but they wouldn’t kill me if they really thought I could produce fifty K. But they’d already staked out Cassie’s place, and I doubted they’d stop there. He knew where Jake lived, about my dad’s garage. He wanted that money, one way or another, and I didn’t have a prayer’s chance of raising it on my own.