Page 44 of The Unravelings

I lick my lips and count to ten in my head. Mentally, I wish I had some Jack Daniel’s to take the edge off and get me through this encounter. I need to suck it up. Pull myself together and face this new task head-on. Shit. This is exactly what Jonathan wanted, right? To get close to them as Oliver or me, and find out everything I can about their organization.

Use this to your advantage. Jonathan’s words bounce around in my head as I stare at JJ like a deer caught in the headlights.

Once upon a time, JJ was home. A warmth in the blizzard, keeping me afloat when I was drowning in my home life and trying to find out who I truly was.

But that was a long time ago—five years to be exact. Since then, things have changed. I’ve changed. He’s changed. The entire world has moved on.

Well, everyone but me.

I can’t forget the heartbreak and pain while I knelt in my living room. I can’t erase the memories of my mother’s and sister’s faces when they met their fates first.

All because of Franco. And them.

I suck in a breath. My fight-or-flight kicks in, urging me to jump out the window and run away.

It’s only the first floor. I could get far. Maybe to another country before anyone tries to track me down. By then, I’ll be Noel, the identity Carter was going to cook up for me.

“I was popping in to see if you told Oliver here the good news?” JJ asks with a fake smile blooming across his face.

“Good news?” I mumble to myself, mocking JJ’s fake smile as Temperance pays no attention to me.

I glare in his direction, earning a victorious smirk from him. He thinks he’s won this round. Well, we’ll see about that. I won’t go down as easily as before.

Temperance smiles warmly at JJ. Looking at him like he hangs the damn moon, stars, and sun in the sky. Maybe these guys have more pull here than I thought. Franco practically funds this entire university, so why wouldn’t his boys have an in with every teacher and get their way?

“I was getting to that,” she says pleasantly, instantly sitting taller and pushing her glasses up her nose. “Oliver, this is Jasper Jones. He has kindly volunteered to offer his services for your tutoring, which is a rare treat.” She beams at him. “JJ doesn’t tutor anyone; you must be special.”

Special? Right. I’m the chosen one, apparently. JJ doesn’t even study criminal justice. He’s in a completely different program and doesn’t have any of my classes. So, how was this even okayed?

“Nice to meet you.” My teeth grit tightly, almost grinding to dust, when I stand and hold out my hand for him to take.

So not nice to see you again is what I want to say. But that would give me away, wouldn’t it?

“Good to meet you, too, Oliver,” he says smoothly, coming forward and locking his hand with mine.

He shakes my hand tightly several times before turning to Temperance.

“We’ll get his grades up and make sure his scholarship is secure,” he says, winking at her.

And dear God, she blushes a deep red, spreading down her neck and under her shirt.

“I have faith in you, Jasper. If anyone can get Oliver back into shape, it’s you!” She beams again, turning from the frumpy advisor to a completely different person.

So, the so-called kings of campus have the staff in their pockets, too? I make a mental note of that.

“Thank you, Tempie,” he basically coos at her while grinning.

What the actual fuck is happening right now? Am I in the Twilight Zone? Have I shifted to another reality? Because this JJ standing in front of me oozes a different brand of confidence than he used to.

“Wonderful. Oliver, your schedule is on this sheet of paper. JJ has offered to help you every evening in the library. He will keep track of whether you show up and report back to me. Don’t skip out on help like you’ve skipped out on classes.” She clicks her tongue at me again.

I grab the sheet of paper. There it is in writing. Everything she’s said. Monday through Friday at 6:00 p.m. for hour-long private torturing sessions.

Great.

This will either be amazing for my investigation. Or hell on my mental health. Nope. It’ll be both. I’m about to lose myself, my sanity, and my goddamn soul to the devil eagerly awaiting my submission.

I sigh, clearing my throat. “Thanks for the help.”