Stunned at his words, my feet grew into the floor and my jaw hung open. “W-what? Do you think I’m lying? About beingkidnapped?”I whisper-yelled, forcing my tears back.
“What were you really doing in Miami that weekend, Jade? You went clubbing. Drinking. Partying.” He listed it off as if each activity was a deadly sin. “That’s not you. You’ve always had a moral compass, but after your breakup with Xavier…” he trailed off, searching for the right words. “It’s like you’ve lost your way.”
I wasn't going to cry from the pain and anger. Iwasn’tgoing to give him the satisfaction.
I gulped instead and inhaled deeply, spitting the words at him. “Xavierbeatme. He almostkilledme. Did you ask him about his moral compass?”
But at that question, my father scoffed and shook his head, as if everything I said was an exaggeration. Ludicrous. A lie! I may have lied at the debrief, but I never lied about Xavier’s actions.
“Jade, I think you’re being a bit dramatic. So you guys had a few fights and disagreements, so what? What couple doesn’t? He loves you and cares about you. Breaking off a relationship over a few misunders—”
“Misunderstan—”
But the word died on my tongue. It was useless anyway; my father had his own version of reality where my words had noweight. Instead, I wanted to get confirmation of something else. “Have you been keeping in touch with him? Since we broke up?”
My heart pounded as I waited for my father’s answer, and, slowly, but so confidently, he nodded, breaking my heart for the last time. Without any guilt or regret, he confirmed it. “Yes. We have. I truly believe you should give it another shot.”
The plan was drawing itself in my mind—I’d fuck up this investigation for my father, but not only that, I’d embarrass him.Eviscerate himuntil he ran away with his tail tucked between his legs.
“Fuck Xavier,”I said, emphasizing every letter. My father reared back, his eyes wide at my statement. “Andfuck youfor choosing him…over me.”
“Jade, I didn’t choose him over you—hey! Come back here!”
But I was no longer listening. I marched out the door and ran down the steps to the reception desk. I was going to call a locksmith, change the locks on my apartment, and go back home.
I’d go to work. I’d work on the case. I’d bury my father, and then, I wanted Alex to lick champagne off my neck.
31
Maserati Grancabrio
Alex
Iclicked my lighter and lit the cigarette. Number ten today, and it was only noon. Ineededit. When Jade was around, I needed nothing except her. But now…
Jade was gone. The unknown was ahead and I was weeks away from prison.
What a fucking shit show.
"I’ll take care of Slater tonight. You called Moscow? They’ll locate Ilya?” I asked Andrei who pored over paperwork that was thrown all over my desk.
“Mm-hm,” he confirmed, engrossed in whatever caught his attention. “Are you sure you thought it through? Taking out both of them in the same week will raise a big red flag with Moretti.”
“Red flag?” I twisted toward Andrei, annoyed like never before. “Take a look around, man! We’refucked!”I exclaimed, pointing toward his little spreadsheets. “Moretti’s probably printing a fucking search warrant as we speak!”
Andrei sighed, dropping the paper. He was getting on my fucking nerves lately. Always the careful type, the logical one, the pragmatic, and yet, here we were, in deep shit.
The rain drenched every single millimeter of existence outside our office. My own reflection stared back at me from the window, the street dark and depressing, matching my mood.
My phone buzzed on the table somewhere, but I didn’t even turn toward it. “Iwill take out Slater,” I repeated, feeling lighter just from the thought. “I’ll give him a job, and I’ll meet him there, and then—”
The phone started buzzing again and I turned it over to see a random number on the screen. I pressed the little button to end the call and faced Andrei again. “Once Moretti is faced with two sudden execution—”
The unknown number cut in a third time, and I nearly exploded, my temper flirting with homicidal. I ripped the phone off the table and put it on speaker. "What?!"
But in response, there was a giggle. Angelic and a little sarcastic. So utterly familiar it made my chest ache.
"Forgot about me already, huh?"
