Chapter 42 Cash
FORTY-TWO
CASH
SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD
Cash pushed out the doors at the back of the locker room with the rest of his team and headed for the bus that idled at the curb.
Anticipation filled the air, every one of his teammates vibrating with nerves. Confidence and circumspection. The state championship was a big fucking deal, and you could feel the weight of it woven with the thrill that buzzed through the group.
They all filtered toward the bus, wearing dress pants, button-downs, and ties, their duffel bags slung over their shoulders.
School didn’t let out for another hour, but he knew most of their classmates would show for tonight’s game to cheer them on to victory.
He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Daisy tucked into the mix, trying to hide when she was the brightest flower he’d ever seen.
He followed the line of his team as they gathered in front of the bus that was painted with a panther running down the side, which was their team logo.
He was about ten guys back from boarding when he felt the stir of a presence to his right, over close to where Cash had parked his truck near a chain-link fence.
Matthew.
He could feel the anxiety radiating from him. Could feel it in the way he paced back and forth and yanked at his hair.
Damn it.
Was this ever going to end? His brother getting himself into constant trouble. Making things difficult for their parents.
Cash felt bad for him, but this was getting ridiculous.
He glanced around, making sure his coach wasn’t paying attention, before he went jogging that way.
“Matthew, what are you doing here?” He kept his voice low and controlled.
Matthew spun toward him, his voice just as low. “Fuck, Cash. I’m in trouble.”
Dread sank like a stone to the pit of Cash’s stomach. “What’s going on?”
“I need your help.”
“Anything.”
He regretted the offer the second it left his mouth.
Because Matthew fisted both hands, taking two steps in one direction, then two in the other, before he was flying toward Cash and begging, “It was the only thing I could do.”
Agitation burned from his brother.
“Do what?”
Matthew kept pacing, ranting below his breath, “You guys are favored to win by negative ten. The most valuable bets are ones that go against you. It was the only thing I could do. Only way I could get out of this.”
Confusion whipped a storm through Cash’s brain. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You have to lose, Cash. You have to throw this game. Otherwise, I’m dead. I’m fuckin’ dead.”
A spear of shock tore through the middle of Cash. “What?”
Matthew’s face twisted in a pathetic plea. “I owe more than a hundred grand. I doubled or nothing against the Panthers, but I don’t have the funds to back it up.”
Anger surged through Cash. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“I didn’t have another choice. It was the only thing I could do.”
“Fuck you, Matthew.”
Matthew surged forward and gripped Cash’s shirt in his fists. “You have to do this for me, Cash. You don’t understand. I am literally dead if you don’t. They told me it’s my last chance.”
“Who? I’ll talk to them.”
Disjointed laughter toppled out of Matthew. “You’ll talk to them? You don’t talk to these guys, Cash. You just have to do it. For me. Please.”
Cash had found out where Matthew went to make his bets. Guy’s name was Jaimie. Cash was sure he could talk some sense into him.
“There’s no other way,” Matthew told him.
“How can you ask me to let my team down like that?”
Let himself down like that?
“I’m your brother. I’m the one who got you to this place, remember? It’s one game, Cash. One fucking game. Can’t you at least give me that?”
One game?
It was the game.
“Please.” A sob broke out of Matthew.
Fear and hate throbbed inside of Cash. Rage billowing high that his brother would do this to him.
How could he fucking ask this?
There had to be another way.
“Please, please, just this once, and I’ll fix it later. Pay back Mom and Dad everything I owe them. Get my shit together. But I’m not going to have a chance to do that if you don’t do this for me.”
Disgust burned in Cash’s chest. It clashed with the love and fear he had for his brother.
It couldn’t be as bad as he was making it out to be, could it? It seemed impossible.
Ridiculous and exaggerated.
Cash’s jaw clenched. “If it’s so bad, then go to the police.”
Matthew choked. “Are you joking? Then I’m really dead.” Matthew’s features pulled taut. “These people are monsters, Cash. You don’t understand what they’re capable of.”
Cash looked back at his team, who laughed and joked as they boarded the bus. Excitement blazing from their spirits.
Guilt constricted.
Making it difficult to breathe.
How could he do what Matthew was asking? Guilt nudged his conscience.
How could he not?
Reluctantly, he turned back to Matthew and gave him a tight nod. “Okay.”