Possession (Club X #3)(43)
Author: K.M. Scott

“Do it,” I said, silently hoping that it wouldn’t be just another mistake I’d made.

While I watched Cash dial Mason’s number, Stefan said quietly, “Shay told me to say hi. She’s worried about you with this. I told her not to worry. If anyone can handle this kind of thing, it’s you. But when all this bullshit is over, she’d love it if you and Abbi would come over for dinner when she gets back and settled in.”

“I have no idea how you got that woman, Stef, but she’s done you a world of good. I can only hope Abbi can do that with me.”

“I’ll take that as a yes for dinner,” he said with a laugh. “And don’t worry about this.”

“Mason, do you mind if I put you on speaker? Kane and Stefan are here and I’d like them to hear what you have to say.” Cash put the conversation on speaker and put down the phone. “Okay, would you mind repeating what you just said?”

“Gentlemen, as I just told Cash, my brother is doing much better and has decided not to press charges. I’ve already set the wheels in motion so the D.A. won’t be pursuing this. You did beat him up pretty well, Kane, so I don’t think bumping up the monthly payments to twenty-five grand is out of line. If we’re all in agreement with this, I say we put this ugly business behind us and continue with what has been a very successful business relationship on both sides, don’t you agree?”

You could have heard a pin drop as we all sat there staring at the phone. Mason didn’t sound like he was joking, but charges dropped and no time whatsoever for me? It sounded too good to be true.

Stefan looked at me with big eyes, and Cash mouthed, “Take it.” How could I say no? I’d make up the difference in Mason’s monthly cost with my own money so my brothers wouldn’t be hurt by my mistake.

“Okay, Mason. It’s a deal.”

The phone stayed silent for a moment, but then he answered, “Great! Cash, I’ll call you later this week and we can iron out the money details. Have a good day, gentlemen.”

Cash quickly picked up the phone to express his concern for Jethro’s health, but in seconds he hung up and shook his head in disbelief. “I wish I could take credit for what happened there, but I don’t think it was me. I have no idea how that came about, though.”

“Always looking a gift horse in the mouth,” Stefan said. “Who cares how it happened? All that matters is Kane is in the clear and we only have to pay five grand more a month.”

“I’ll pay that myself,” I said, still not sure why Mason and his brother had decided not to do everything in their power to make sure I saw jail time. “You two shouldn’t suffer for my mistake. I’m sorry about all this. I thought I’d changed, but when I saw that fuck’s hands on Abbi, I lost it. I should have found another way to handle things, though. For that, I’m sorry.”

Cash nodded, but Stefan refused to agree. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Kane. If someone put their hands on Shay, I’d tear their fucking limbs off. I’m sure even Cash with his three-piece suits and business manners there wouldn’t be all about talking to some guy who was manhandling Olivia. This place can be rough, and we’re supposed to protect them.”

Once again, my younger brother had stunned me with his new attitude. “Thanks, Stefan.”

“I’m sure Abbi will be thrilled to hear the news. I don’t see any reason we can’t have the rest of our meeting tomorrow, so why don’t you go tell her?” Cash offered. “Samson can run the top floors for another night. Go celebrate.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that.”

“Good. Tell Abbi we said hi and we look forward to seeing her back here again too,” Cash said with a smile. “And at the wedding.”

In all the hassle of my beating Jethro and facing prison, I’d forgotten about Cash and Olivia’s wedding. “I’m sorry this all happened so close to your big day, Cash. I didn’t mean for any of this to end up causing so much trouble.”

“Don’t worry, Kane. Olivia and I are just happy you’re not going to be hearing about our wedding through prison bars.”

“Me too because if I have to get dressed up in a tux, so do you,” Stefan chimed in. “So if you need to put the beatdown on someone else, wait until after the wedding, if possible. Olivia will never forgive us if Cash doesn’t have all his groomsmen.”

“Got it.”

I turned to walk away and stopped, needing to say more than just thank you. “You guys have been really great through all this. I know we’ve all worked together here, but it wasn’t always that way outside the club. I know that was mostly because of me, but when I needed you both, you were there. I won’t forget that.”

Cash and Stefan nodded. “You know what Stefan always says. We’re brothers, Kane. Not by the same mother, but we all have our father’s blood. That means something. You stood by me, and when I couldn’t see the truth about Olivia, you could.”

“And you were right there to give me advice when I was screwing things up royally with Shay. This is what brothers do. We bust balls, but when push comes to shove, we back each other up.”

“Well, thanks. I won’t forget this.”

I thought back to all those years growing up when my mother worked every day to poison me against Cash and Stefan. All that time I could have had brothers instead of fake enemies. That was all in the past now. For the first time in my life, I felt like I finally had family and love around me.

I could get used to it.

STANDING AT the kitchen sink, I felt Kane press up against my back and whisper, “I have good news.”

I turned around with wet hands and looked up into his blue eyes to see all the worry from the past few days gone from them. “What? Tell me!”

He leaned around me to shut off the water and nuzzled my neck. “I have the night off from work and so do you. And Mason is making sure all the charges are dropped. I don’t know what happened, but I’m guessing I have a guardian angel watching over me.”

I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Oh, that’s wonderful, Kane! I knew it would work out.”

“You were right. I believed in what you said and it all turned out okay. He wants more money each month, but I’ll pay that so Cash and Stefan don’t have to suffer for what I did.”

“Is it a lot?” I wondered, curious to know how much he planned to make Kane suffer in that way.