Free The Redemption by Lauren Rowe

his eyes moist. “I’m so proud of you.”
    I swat at the air like it was nothing. “All I did was buy myself a little time. I’m just worried about what’s gonna happen when I don’t deliver the oodles of cash I’ve promised them.” I shake my head, thinking about all my big promises. “How long before they figure out I’m full of crap? How long before they decide to finish the job they started in the bathroom?” My stomach tightens.
    “Oh, don’t you worry, my pretty baby, we’re gonna figure them out long before they figure us out.” He puts his hand on my thigh and his palm is warm in the evening air. “You just keep making them think you’ve got me right where you want me, just like you did in that bathroom. Just like you did in your email to them. We’ll use their greed against them and fuck them up the ass six ways from Sunday.”
    “I’m sorry I threw you under the bus, Jonas,” I say. “I wish I could have figured out a way to save myself that didn’t drag you into this.”
    “Are you serious? You were brilliant. You said exactly the right thing.” He swallows hard, choking back emotion. “Whatever you had to do to stay alive, I’m glad you did it.”
    I put my wine glass down and move to his lap.
    He puts his beer bottle down and wraps his arms around my back, nuzzling his nose into mine. “So what were the other horrible things you wanted to tell me, my precious baby?” he asks. At the beginning of this conversation, I’d warned Jonas I had five things to tell him, some of them not so great. “Whatever they are, I guarantee you, I won’t be upset.”
    We’ll see about that. I’ve only told him two out of the five things on my list of horribles: One, I gave the bad guys Jonas’ two-hundred-fifty-thousand-dollar check. Two, I told the bad guys I’ve been scamming Jonas and can get them even more money. So far, so good—he seems to think I’ve handled things brilliantly. But now it’s time for items three, four, and five.
    “Item three,” I say. “I’ve got a list of twelve different Oksanas who rent post office boxes in the greater Las Vegas area—plus the physical addresses each Oksana used when she registered for her box.”
    His mouth hangs open. “Wow, that’s amazing. Why would I be upset about...” His face suddenly darkens. “Sarah, how’d you get that information?”
    I take a deep breath. “I asked Georgia to help me.”
    His face reddens and his body jerks beneath me like he’s trying to buck me off.
    I stand, my cheeks instantly burning.
    “How could you even think about getting Georgia involved in all this?” He runs his hand through his hair, trying to contain his anger. Oh man, he’s pissed. “That’s just...  I can’t believe you did that.” He looks like he’s restraining himself from saying more.
    I knew he wouldn’t like this particular item, but I thought he might just roll his eyes about it. I didn’t think he’d be genuinely angry with me.
    His jaw muscles are pulsing in and out. “I don’t want Georgia and Trey involved in all this—what were you thinking?” His voice is controlled rage.
    What was I thinking? Well, in a nutshell that I’m going to do whatever I have to do to track these motherfuckers down. That I’m not going to sit around waiting for them to come back and finish the job they started. That I really didn’t think I was putting Georgia and Trey in harm’s way or else I never would have asked for Georgia’s help, for Pete’s sake, give me some effing credit.
    I’m sure my indignation is written all over my face.
    He stands. “Well, Jesus. What did you tell her when you asked her?”
    I tell Jonas exactly what I said to Georgia, my voice tight and contained.
    He’s quiet for a solid minute, leaning over the balcony railing and looking out at the city.
    I cross my arms over my chest and wait for the supreme lord-god-master to grace me with his verdict. Does he want to get the bad guys or not? Because I