“So why haven’t you killed me, Mr. Soulless Killer?”
He doesn’t answer for a second. He rolls the key on his palm, his brow furrowing. “Right now, I’m the only person who can keep you safe. We need to work this out and it could take a while. Is there anywhere Sophie could stay for a few days?”
“Meghan might hold on to her tonight, but what am I supposed to tell her?”
“That something’s come up. Same with your work. Tell them you have to go to your dad’s funeral and it’s too far for you to travel with her. Anything you like.”
“Why are you doing this, Jack? Why are you helping me?”
He again goes quiet, setting the key on the coffee table. “Because I missed you,” he says. “I don’t even know why, but I did. I want to protect you both, but I can only do that if you let me in, let me help you think. Together, we can work this out.”
I hold my hands up. “All right. Say I agree to this. When Sophie wakes up, I take her to Meghan’s for the night. What happens then?”
“We don’t rest until we work out who wants you dead and why.”
“I already told you. I’ve no clue. I can’t give you any new information. I have got none.”
“There’ll be something in this paperwork. I’ve gone through it and there’s something I’m not seeing, but I can tell it’s there. Something I’m not getting.”
“I’m making a coffee.” I get to my feet and walk toward the kitchen. “You want one?”
I turn and he’s standing close to me, too close. “Did you miss me?” His eyes are dark and his smile has gone. I see that pain there that I saw only once before. I open my mouth to ask about it but before I can speak, he’s kissing me.
His hands snake around my back, stopping me from moving away. I fight him for a moment. But then his embrace deepens and I remember just how good he made me feel before he ghosted me.
I melt into his arms, my hands hanging loosely at my sides. As abruptly as it began, it’s over. He’s pulling away from me. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He shakes his head. “I apologise. It won’t happen again.”
“What? Worried you’ll run out on me again.”
His eyes flash with anger. “That was for your own good. I stayed, and you’d have been in danger.”
“As opposed to now, where I’m a hundred percent safe, right?”
“You’re safe as long as I’m around.”
“Let me get this straight. Last time, I was only safe if you left, but this time I’m only safe if you hang around. It’s almost like you’re making up the rules as you go along.”
“The people I work for don’t take kindly to men like me getting attached.”
“I hardly call a one-night stand getting attached.”
“That’s my point. I had to leave. Any longer and…” He falls silent.
“And what?”
“And I’d have kept you,” he snaps.
“You act like I’d have no say in that.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Newsflash, bud. It isn’t the 1950s. You can’t just stick your cock in me like a flag and claim me. I’m my own person. I get to decide what happens to me.”
“Did you decide to be part of a mafia family? Did you decide to piss someone off so much they want you dead?”
“That’s not the point I’m making.”
“It’s the only point that matters. Some things in life you get a choice in, some you don’t. I left, so you had choices to make. I’m glad I did.”