Jamie doesn’t smile. He’s never good at pretending when something’s bothering him. “You know she’s leaving.”
“Who?”
“Chloe.”
I blink. “Leaving?”
“Paris. But she has visa issues, apparently.”
I slump back. My brain’s still stuck on Victor’s voice, onkeep an eye on her.I rub a hand down my face. “When?”
“Soon. She’s packing.” He hesitates. “She came by the bar.”
That hits me harder than I expect. “The Crest?”
He nods. “Dropped off a box of my stuff. Said she didn’t want me to hate her.”
I let out a long breath and almost laugh. “Do you?”
“No.” He looks down at the table. “Do you?”
I don’t answer right away. The food arrives, steaming and smelling like garlic and oil. I pick at the pita, not tasting it. Finally, I say, “I just came from Victor’s.”
Jamie goes still.
“He brought her up again,” I say quietly. “Told me to watch her. Said she might be useful soon.”
“Useful?”
“Her father still owes him. Victor found out she’s got a trust fund. It’s not enough to clear the debt, but it’s something.”
Jamie mutters a curse under his breath. “Christ.”
“I told him she’s quiet, that I’d keep an eye on her. But if he really decides to—” I break off. “She’s leaving, so maybe that’s good. Maybe it buys her time.”
“Or maybe it pisses him off more,” Jamie says darkly. “He doesn’t like when people run.”
I stare at my plate. “What the fuck are we supposed to do, man?”
He leans forward. “First, you’re gonna breathe. Second, you’re not gonna tell her any of this.”
“She deserves to know.”
“She deserves to live,” he snaps. “You tell her, and she’ll go straight to the cops or her mom, and Victor will find out.”
He’s right. And then I go to prison for kidnapping and Victor will use me an inside man there. The train never ends.
Jamie drags a hand through his hair. “You’re in too deep, Miles. We both are. But at least this way, if she’s gone, she’s safe. You’re safe.”
I nod slowly, though the wordsafefeels foreign now. “So that’s it?”
He studies me. “You care about her.”
I snort. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t play dumb. I’ve known you since we were twelve. You don’t lose sleep over girls.”
“I’m not losing sleep.”
