“Shit. Tucker.”
That’s why this place is familiar. I’ve been here before. Technically, this is the house I lived in for almost four years, except the leather sofa I’m prying myself off of is in Tucker’s office. In the past, I wasn’t allowed in here.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.” The person speaking sounds the opposite of pleased.
“Jonas?”
When I turn toward the voice of Tucker’s longtime assistant, it’s too fast for the lingering effects of whatever Tucker gave me. Every cell in my body rebels. “Ugh.”
The neatly dressed man sighs. “You shouldn’t be back here. I told you to leave for a reason, Rowan.”
“I-I left. Tucker’s the one who brought me back.”
He looks disappointed. Or sad? “You shouldn’t be back here,” he repeats.
Now my stomach’s really rolling. “Why am I? Tucker came to see me. I think he did something to me. If he didn’t want me here, why didn’t he let me stay gone?”
“Because he’s running for Congress, and he can’t control what you do or say when you’re out there on your own. Can’t have people knowing you like fucking teenagers when you’re a married father of two running for office.”
Considering all the scandals I’ve heard about online that didn’t seem to ruin a person’s career, I’m still not sure I get it. “I signed an NDA.”
Jonas shrugs. “People can break NDAs. There would be legal consequences, of course, but one can’t simply shove the cat back into the bag.” He shakes his head. “Which is why I insisted that you go. You’re not the first young man in Tucker’s life who mysteriously disappeared. I should’ve realized he’d drag you back. I’m sorry.”
“Oh my God.” The dizzy sickness inside me gets worse. “H-how many?”
Jonas clutches his ever-present clipboard, giving me a rueful smile and a slight shrug. “Since I’ve worked for him? At least two. Before that? I don’t know. He seems to tire of them when they get too old.”
Gross. I’m thinking back to Milo asking me if Tucker could have wanted me dead. How quickly I dismissed the possibility.Maybe I didn’t think Tucker loved me anymore, maybe I wasn’t sure I’d ever truly loved him, but I trusted him.
Itrustedhim.
“Look, I promise not to say anything. I’ve been working on saving up enough money to get back to my family, and I want nothing else to do with him. Sure as hell don’t want to tell anyone about the time I fell for the oldest lie in the book when an older man told me he loved me. Jesus, he’s a fucking creep, isn’t he?”
Jonas takes a breath. “Unfortunately, yes. The reason I still work for him, the reason I keep his secrets, is that he knows my secrets too. I can’t expose him without blowing up my own life as well.”
More sloshing in my stomach. “Mutually assured destruction.”
“Exactly.”
It’s a long shot, but I have to ask. “Any chance you can help me get out of here? I promise not to tell anyone. I wouldn’t.”
Well, I told Milo, but I never used Tucker’s last name. He won’t know what happened to me.
That same searing pain strikes in the center of my chest. Now I really wish I’d said a better goodbye. Maybe it’s for the best that Milo left town, though. Contract killer or not, Tucker caught me completely off guard. What if he’d been able to catch Milo off guard as well?
Jonas looks genuinely guilty when he says, “If he realizes I helped you, I’ll be the next person to disappear. I’ve done as much as I can, Rowan. I need to worry about my own family.”
“Right. I get it.” Mutually assured destruction.
He takes another deep breath. “I have to leave soon. Tucker’s doing a press conference in DC this evening, and a campaign donor has offered to loan him their private plane. Most likely why Tucker wanted to get you back here. There’ll be no surprises if he’s got you under lock and key.”
“Sure. Makes sense.” Fucked up though it is.
Jonas starts for the door, already shifting into all-business mode. “Well, I need to get to the airport to ensure everything is ready with the plane. By the way, I wouldn’t suggest trying to leave. He’s got security on the premises today.”
“Great. Thanks for trying to help.” If we can call it that.
He gives me a grim smile as he leaves. It doesn’t do anything to help. I don’t think it’s supposed to.
