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“I mean, what? I was a kid. I had parents and went to school. For a while anyway… Life wasn’t…easy. I fell in with a pretty rough-and-tumble crowd when I was young. We’d pull stupid shit, shoplift for a thrill, or pass packages around for the Family. I didn’t really think about it at the time. But it kind of made my bed in the world.”
“Were your parents not around? Why would they have let you indulge in petty crimes?”
“Oof, well, crime seems strong for what I was doing as a kid, but no. They weren’t really present.”
My nerves burn, and my stomach churns as memories of the past threaten my composure. I’ve held onto this shit for ages, but actually speaking about it to Macy, dredging it up like a sunken ship covered in muck, is something much worse. Where’s that takeout?
“I’m sorry, Jett.” A glistening fills the corners of her eyes. “Not having your mom around, anybody there to support you… That’s awful.”
“Macy. I’m fine. Don’t—”
But then a flicker of realization spreads over my skin like a cold mist. I didn’t say my mom was gone. Macy’s smart, but that jump seems rather impossible without possessing inside information.
I’ve been careful to keep all traces of my personal life absent. In fact, my decor surpasses what even minimalist fans typically use. There are no pictures anywhere, no mementos, nothing.
A flaming lick of betrayal scrapes over my skin. Am I wrong? How’s that possible? No one knew I was doing this.
My stomach sours. Dearest Uncle can find anything out. Have I been played by one of my uncle’s snoops, falling for a honeypot sent to take me out?
“What do you know?”
My voice comes out harsher than it ever has with Macy, and I physically move between her and the easiest route to the door. Tension settles over the room like a heavy weight, and I struggle not to soften when I see her shrink back ever so slightly.
If this is a fucking trap, I’m going to find my uncle and kill him. Hiring some girl to seduce me into screwing up is a new low. That slimy bastard.
“I’m so sorry. When you were on your call, your computer was open, and I—”
“Wait.” I shake my head, dizzying confusion clouding my thoughts. “My computer?”
“I know. I snooped. I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t want to, really, but it dinged, and then I looked. And there was this picture that came up when I was trying to get rid of all the windows.”
Macy’s rambles are accompanied by subtle tears and vigorous headshakes.
I’ve studied people for decades, becoming an expert in deception, and from everything I can tell, she isn’t lying.
It was a slip-up on my part, paired with natural human curiosity. Fucking hell. Christ, I don’t want to have this conversation.
“Macy, calm down. I’m sorry.” I smooth my hands down her arms, pulling all my aggression back. “You’re okay. I didn’t mean to…” I sigh.
As her sniffles retreat and Macy stares me in the eyes, I hang my head for a moment. So, it wasn’t my uncle, but Macy knows about my mom. Stupid computer. Well, I guess we’re here now.
I still. Apparently, I’ll be discussing my mother tonight. At least a bit.
“I’m not mad, really. I understand the curiosity.”
“I just felt so bad when I saw the headstone, and I wanted to—”
“Please don’t. It’s, it’s fine. You caught me off guard, is all. I don’t divulge this type of information to anyone.”
The room hangs in silence for a few heartbeats, and I feel Macy’s hand on my shoulder. The smell of her hair wafts around me as she curls under my chin and delivers a hug I would never ask for but fucking need. My breath comes out in a shudder.
“Yes, I lost my mom. It was years ago when I was a kid. Things sort of crumbled from there. Classic downward spiral until my uncle pulled me into his business, and things…improved to a degree.”
I pull her up to look at me.
“I’m not mad, but try not to snoop. I do have private information that I want to keep that way, like this.”
Macy nods vigorously and sits back against the headboard again. “I get it. No more prying, I swear. I just want to get to know you.” She looks down at her hands as she plays with the wrinkles in the sheets. “And I can relate. At least a bit, anyway.”
