AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sam said nothing.
“So yes, I get it. I also get that my stupidity in leaving my weapon at your place—”
“Wrong.” Sam was adamant. “You are not to blame for the actions of your attacker. You are not required to wear your weapon at all times. Nor do we have reason to believe you’d have had a chance to pull your weapon if you had been carrying. No. There you are wrong.”
But only there? Jason mentally grimaced.
“Okay, but still. I understand that you’re worried about me and that you don’t want my photo or name to turn up in the papers or on social media.”
“There you’re correct.”
“And I’ll do my best to keep out of the limelight. But we both know there’s a good chance that at the end of these two weeks we won’t have an answer to the question of who’s gunning for me. Even if we know who, we may not have them in custody.”
He could see by the sudden stark lines of Sam’s features he was right.
“I’m not leaving my job. I’m not going into seclusion. At the end of two weeks, ready or not, I’m done with playing hide-and-seek. I’m going back to work.” Jason held Sam’s gaze with his own. “And if you try to stop me—I don’t know how you could, but if you try to call in favors, pull rank, pull strings, whatever, I’ll fight you every step of the way. It won’t end well. I’ve had to fight my family every step of the way to keep this job. I don’t want to fight you too. This is my decision. If you— There won’t be a Happy Ever After is what I’m trying to say.”
“I see.” Sam did not seem surprised. Nor impressed.
It took the wind out of Jason’s sails. He sat down at the table and shut up, watching Sam prepare their quick, impromptu meal: baked potatoes overstuffed with canned chili and topped with melted cheese and sour cream.
Sam set the plate before him. Jason ate his potato. It was probably delicious, but for all he could taste, it could have been stuffed with woodchips and ashes. He didn’t like feeling this distance between himself and Sam. He wanted to bridge it, and he was tired enough not to guard his words.
“To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t think of using me as bait to draw this guy out.” That was the truth. Sam was not the most patient personality in the world. It was much more his nature to kick the ball into play than wait on the sidelines for his opponent to make their next move.
A weird expression crossed Sam’s face. “I considered it.”
The admission gave Jason a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He kept his tone neutral. “I believe it. It would be your first instinct, I’d guess.”
“Not my first instinct, no.”
Jason acknowledged that with a nod. Sam was no liar. Even when it would be the easiest or kindest thing to do. “What changed your mind?”
“I told you. You’re too important.”
“To you.”
“Yes.”
Jason said nothing.
Sam was watching him steadily, unflinchingly. “If I could have guaranteed bringing this to a quick resolution, yes, maybe then I’d have opted for that. Time is not our friend.”
“I know. You should have run the idea by me. I’d have gone for it.”
“I couldn’t guarantee your safety.”
“Still—”
“No.” Sam shook his head with absolute certainty. “No, if I couldn’t guarantee your safety, the idea had to be scrapped.”
Jason made a sound of disbelief. “Back to Go. It’s my life.”
“Yes.”
“You could have at least—”
“No.”
