Bad to Be Worthy (Bad to Be Good #2) - Andrew Grey Page 0,3
stomped out of the bar into the parking area, fists clenched.
Fuck it all, he needed to beat the shit out of someone. That would make him feel better and more like a man. All this past year, it had felt like someone had cut his balls off and he was too afraid to do shit about anything.
“Is this the Driftwood?” a vaguely familiar voice asked as a man approached. He was about five eight, maybe, and a hundred twenty pounds soaking wet. It took Gerome about thirty seconds to realize this was the guy from the beach. He recognized the voice.
“Yeah.” He decided to play it cool and see if he could get any information out of the guy. He didn’t seem too old and certainly wasn’t the type to be looking for illicit cash on the beach. There was no smoothness about him, and damn it all, there wasn’t a hint of larceny. And Gerome sure as hell knew what that smelled like. What he saw in the guy’s eyes was plenty of desperation. “You meeting someone?”
The guy shrugged. “Some guy asked me to try to find something on the beach and I couldn’t.” He walked to the door, pausing with his hand on it. “Just wanted to tell him.”
“It’s a big beach out there. Hard to find anything on it most of the time,” Gerome observed.
“That’s what I told the guy who asked me to look. But he said he’d pay me if I found it, and I could use the money.” He went inside, and Gerome followed him, returning to the table, where his food was waiting. He slid back into the booth, not meeting Daniel’s gaze. He ate his burger and followed the guy out of the corner of his eye to one of the more remote tables.
“What’s with you?” Terrance asked quietly. Coby had climbed into Terrance’s lap and was coloring the placemat, having eaten most of his food.
Daniel glared at him. “Are you drunk or something?”
Gerome sighed. “No. I’m fine.” He continued watching the dark-haired beauty as Andi approached and then left. The guy had great eyes and was kind of cute, in a lost-puppy sort of way. Dammit, Gerome needed to get his head out of the clouds and off of guys with cute dark eyes, full lips, and some of the most threadbare clothes he had ever seen. Gerome took a bite of his burger, chewing as Andi brought a glass of water and spoke to the guy for a few seconds before leaving the table.
“Daddy, I gotta go,” Coby said.
Daniel slid out of the booth and took Coby to the bathroom.
“Okay, what gives? What’s with the guy you can’t stop watching?” Terrance asked once they were out of earshot.
Daniel was aware of who they were. Richard had told him the year before after they had helped Daniel out of some trouble that wasn’t his fault. Hell, if they weren’t careful, they were going to turn into fucking Robin Hoods.
“That’s the guy who was combing the beach. I think he was looking for the package I found,” Gerome explained. “I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with him.”
Terrance smacked his shoulder. “The kid’s a mule, nothing more. Look at him. If he had money coming in, his clothes wouldn’t look like they’d fall right off him.” He chuckled. “Is that what you’d like to have happen?” The laughter grew deep and guttural. “Don’t look at me that way. I know your type, and that guy pushes all the right buttons.” He shook his head. “Come on. This isn’t the time for you to get all gooey-eyed over some kid who isn’t smart enough to figure out when he’s being used.” Terrance leaned closer. “Let it go.”
At that moment, Gerome wanted to beat the shit out of Terrance, but that wasn’t going to solve anything. “Just back off.”
A man came inside and went right to the guy from the beach’s table. He yanked out a chair, turned it, and sat in it backwards. What a lame move to try to display power. The first guy talked briefly and shrugged, motioning a few times with his hands, probably trying to explain that he had been all up and down the beach. Gerome made note of the newcomer’s husky build and too-long dirty-blond hair. But what he noticed most were the expensive slacks, Gucci shoes, and light silk shirt. This was someone who was used to money.