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I inhale a sharp breath, my pulse increasing as my brain works on overdrive.
He wouldn’t know the exact curve of that scar unless he’s seen this man himself.
“Exactly like that,” I finally respond.
He briefly closes his eyes, expelling a long sigh, as if wishing I hadn’t said that.
“Callie mentioned seeing a guy matching that description in the week or so before she ended things.Claimed he’d been following her.”
“She did?”My gaze widens, mind reeling with this revelation.I’m not sure what I thought Jameson was going to tell me, but it wasn’t this.“Do you think this man with a scar is responsible for what happened to her?”
“It’s a damn good possibility.”
“But who is he?And why?”
“I believe he might somehow be connected to Silas Archer.”
“Silas Archer?I thought you two were close.”I take another sip of my tea, hoping this is my chance to get more information out of him.He seems to be in quite a sharing mood.“From what I’ve seen since I’ve been back, you spend quite a bit of time with him.”
“You know what they say, don’t you?”
“What’s that?”
“Keep your friends close…” He arches a single brow.
“And your enemies closer,” I finish.
“Precisely.”
“So that’s what you’ve been doing?Keeping your enemy close?”
He gives a small shrug of his shoulders.“Archer’s my father’s friend.After Callie disappeared, and you were nearly killed when Adam was taking you somewhere other than the King’s Day gala where I was to propose, I don’t know…” He narrows his gaze on me.“It’s a bit suspicious, don’t you think?Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he had something to do with Gianna’s death, too.If I remember correctly, you were suspicious about it yourself.”
I square my shoulders.“I was.”
Although, I’d initially been suspicious of Jameson.
All because of his strange behavior during that last meeting before I left for Paris.
Hell, most of my distrust of Jameson Gates is because of that last meeting and his supposed friendship with Silas Archer.
Maybe I’d been wrong about all of it.There’s only one way to know for certain, though.
“You looked at her during that meeting.”
He tilts his head.“What meeting?”
“When I essentially broke up with you.”
“I’m not sure I’d call it that, considering we were only together by force to begin with.A breaking implies some sort of connectedness.We never had that.It was more of a…contract termination.”
I laugh slightly.“I suppose you’re right.”
He takes a sip of tea before returning it to its saucer, resting his forearms on his thighs.“So I looked at Gianna?”
“It struck me as odd.I didn’t think you spoke to her much, but that day, when I all but threatened Archer I’d publicly accuse him of Callie’s disappearance if they forced us to continue with that sham of a relationship, you looked at Gianna, almost as if for her approval.Why?”
“I wish I could tell you, Esme.”He exhales deeply.“Unfortunately, it was so long ago.After the scare of you almost dying, and Adamactuallydying, I can’t remember much.Or attempt to rationalize any of my behavior.Those weeks are a blur.I’m not saying Ididn’tlook at her.Just that I don’t know why.After growing up in a world where I never really got to make a decision of my own, it wouldn’t surprise me if I looked toward someone for approval.”He narrows his gaze.“You know how that can be.”
