“Nah, Stella clearly sent this in herself. Arcadia’s just a PR stunt for her, but I’m not looking for clout. I didn’t do anything with her.”
“With who, then?”
Sharp, that’s the Jay I know. He’s got me boxed in, eyes searching for a twitch.
No one on earth knows my moves better than he does. But I’m not an amateur. We studied street survival at the same university, so I know how to lie with the truth.
“I left all the girls in that place alone.”
I don’t look away. He doesn’t either. For a long moment, neither of us blinks.
Finally, he drops his gaze and slaps his knees.
“Alright. You seem fine, and Joan already told me you were at a party and didn’t touch a drop. Calvin’s vouching for you too. Says you’ve become boring, so I believe you. Good job, Tom. Keep it up.”
I nod, it takes a second to sink in.
Am I out of the danger zone?
Maybe.
But the paranoid part of me isn’t convinced just yet.
“So, what’s the plan, Tommy? When can I open up your agenda? And I mean no festivals or clubs. You’ll stay away from the DJ booth for a while.”
“Understood. I’ll do bingo at the elderly home instead.”
I swear, if looks could kill.
“I’ve had about fifteen requests for collabs. Narrowed it down to three serious names. Let’s see…”
Sergei hands Jay his work phone. A suffocating heat grips my throat the second he opens the calendar app.
“When should I book your return flight? Did your therapist mention anything about aftercare in Amsterdam? Because if so, we’ll need to find you a specialist and schedule that too. Your health comes first.”
Jay must catch the panic in my face, because he closes the calendar.
“Anything you want to say, Tommy?”
“I, uh… I want to stay a little longer, if that’s okay?”
Why are you still asking for permission, you idiot?
“Why?” He leans back, unhurried, like he’s already decided the answer and just wants to watch me squirm.
It clicks. This is Erin pur sang.
The exact posture, that look. It’s why I think of the word manipulation every time I see her in action. And now, more than ever, I’m sure I did the right thing by getting Yosh out of there.
My gut told me something was off, and now I know why. I recognized the same kind of threat I’ve lived with my whole life.
Whatever I will say, Jay’s already calculated every move on the board. No matter how I move or defend, he’s already got me in check. It means I’m one move away from game over.
So I decide to reopen the game.
“I want to collaborate with Cal,” I say. “We’ve been talking about starting a new project. I’m telling you, Jay, inspirationcomes with the waves here. So if you want me to get back to work, this is how. No more club nights, no gigs, I promise.”
d4 d5 2. c4, the Queen’s Gambit. Let’s see how he takes it.
