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I walk back through the house, and as I near the lounge, I hear laughter. Rounding the corner, I find Seb and Jamie fighting over the TV remote.
Seeing me, they stop instantly. I don’t talk, don’t stop, just keep walking, hoping to escape to…somewhere, anywhere, but realising I don’t even know which room is mine.
“Hold up, Jess. I’ll show you to your room,” Seb says, jogging to catch up to me.
“You don’t need to, just tell where it is, and I’ll find it.”
“It’s no problem. I was losing the remote battle anyway,” he jokes with an easy smile. I find my lips kick up in a half smile.
We walk in an easy silence to the last room on the left. “This is you. You should have everything you need already inside.” I frown as Seb reaches round me, pushing the door open.
I step into a room decorated in a light and airy cream with basic furnishings, but that’s not what has me confused. Laid across the bed are several stacks of neatly folded clothes from underwear to jeans and joggers to t-shirts and pyjamas.
“Rick had to step out for a minute, but he’ll be back soon.” I snap round, looking at Seb. He holds a hand up. “Nothing to worry about.” Leaning against the door frame, arms folded across his chest. “Look, Jess—”
“I don’t need another lecture. Thanks, but no thanks. If you’re expecting me to walk away, then you’re in for a shock. I’ve only ever walked away from two things in my life. One of which was the best decision I ever made, and the other, the worst.” I brush my hand over the top of the pile of underwear. “I’m guessing you already know this, but Rick was the last person to see my brother alive. And I’ve wanted answers for so long. Stuck my neck on the line, so it seems, trying to get them. But I never expected to be responsible for the death of an innocent girl or put others in danger.”
“I don’t think you listened very carefully just now when Rick told you it was on him. Not that I agree with that assessment, but it’s what Rick believes. When you’ve cleaned up, come and join us. You’ll get your answers. I can’t promise you’ll be happy with them, but at least you’ll know the truth. Well, what we know anyway.” With that, Seb turns and walks away. Seems to be a common theme around me today.
Seb’s first words dawn on me, and I know he and Jamie heard what just went down with us, but I can’t worry about them hearing me having an earth-shattering orgasm from a man that seems to be owning more and more of me. A man who thinks he’s to blame for everything bad past and present.
When I step into the open plan lounge an hour later, Rick is sitting on the sofa with a half dozen files surrounding him. He looks up as I enter, then goes straight back to his paperwork. Seb and Jamie are in the kitchen cooking something delicious smelling.
I walk over to the chair beside Rick and take a seat, looking over the folders and scattered papers. They are army files, each labelled with an op name, and some have CLASSIFIED stamped across them in big red capital letters.
“Rick, about earlier—”
Jamie and Seb walk in with dinner, cutting off what I was going to say.
Seb hands me cutlery and a plate laden with chili and rice, and I offer him a quiet thanks. Jamie gives Rick his before joining Seb on the other sofa.
“Let’s eat, then we’ll talk,” Rick states before tucking into his food without so much of a glance in my direction.
Okay, fine. I can play the ‘I don’t give a fuck’ game too. I might be lying through my damn teeth, but I can put my game face on and bluff just as well as the next person.
I see Jamie eyeing me, and I look right at her, daring her to say something, but she doesn’t. I can see how much it hurts her to keep quiet, and I respect that she’s not afraid to speak out.
Seb and Rick chat about work while Jamie and I sit and throw surreptitious glances at each other. When Rick mentions the name of an escort agency, my ears prick up. It’s the same one that I signed up to after following Alicia. I listen as they talk about their guy, Jay, and how the job is going. Seb mentions there are several of these agencies dotted around the country, which seems a little strange. Unless they are a reputable and well-established high-class agency you rarely get a franchise. I decide to keep quiet for now and see what information Rick shares before I show my hand. Admittedly, it’s not a winning hand, but I’ll keep it in the bag as something to look at later.
Conversation turns more casual as we eat, that is until Seb mentions my father.
“So, your father and my father ruling the courts, huh, Jess?”
“Your father is an arsehole, much like my own,” I deadpan, shoving in another mouthful of food.
Jamie snorts, almost choking on her own mouthful. Getting herself back under control, she says, “Finally, something we can agree on.”
I feel Rick watching our exchange, and I have a feeling he doesn’t know about Jamie’s little warning to me at the hospital.
“Yeah, well, if my father gets his way, the whole judicial system is well and truly screwed from the top down.” I place my fork on my empty plate and go to get up, but Jamie leans across, taking my plate before collecting everyone else’s and heading to the kitchen.
When Jamie returns, she’s carrying a bottle of whiskey and four rock glasses.
“Thought we might need a drink for this conversation,” she states matter-of-factly, placing the glasses down on the small coffee table and pouring a good measure into each.
Rick is the first to pick up his glass, knocking it back in one. I have a feeling this is not going to be a pleasant conversation for either of us, so I do the same, savouring the burn as it slides down my throat.
Rick picks up one of the files, passing it to me. “This is the file from the last op your brother and I did.”
