“It’s not amisunderstanding,” Jag grated out. “Why are you messing with me, Jared?”
Jared stood, which was when he realised he was shaking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said as calmly as he could. He didn’t feel calm. Panic was setting in. “I don’t know you.” He looked to Kyrone, eyes wide and imploring. “I don’tknowhim.”
“I know,” Kyrone said softly. “Sorry, guys, I think we’re going to head out.”
He laced his fingers through Jared’s and led him past Jag and Michael, or he would have if Jag hadn’t grabbed hold of Jared’s arm.
“What game are you playing, Jared?” he demanded. “Did my parents put you up to this stunt?”
Jared tried to pull away, but Jag’s grip was fierce. “I’m not…” He shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
What was the point? This had to be someone he’d known before, someone who had reason to be angry with him. It was clear that everything he was saying was making Jag angrier. At the same time, he was getting more confused as he tried to work out what he could have done to cause anyone to have this strong a reaction to him. But of course he couldn’t figure it out, because his past was a void. His head was starting to ache from the stress of the situation, the pain swiftly travelling from his temples to his neck and shoulders.
“Back off, Jag,” Kyrone said. “He doesn’t know you.”
“Yes. He. Does.” Jag hissed.
“Leave it, Jag,” Michael said, tugging him back. He looked at Jared thoughtfully. “Why don’t we go to the club and talk there?” he said, repeating his earlier suggestion. “Try to sort this out?”
“There’s nothing to sort out,” Kyrone said. “Other than Jag giving Jared an apology for acting like an arse.”
Jag clenched his teeth, but his fierce stare didn’t leave Jared.
With his arm free of Jag’s grip, Jared pressed his hand to his forehead. He wished he felt some flash of recognition, but there wasnothing. Adrenaline coursed through him, and his flight response kicked in. He felt like he’d suffocate if he didn’t get out of there. He tore his hand free of Kyrone’s and ran.
18Kyrone
Kyrone was torn between going after Jared and giving Jag a piece of his mind. He made a split-second decision to stay, based on the knowledge that Jared wouldn’t get far—the weakness of his body and his unfamiliarity with Leeds wouldn’t allow it. That thought alone was enough to make Kyrone’s gut twist, but things were also starting to slot into place in his mind, adding queasiness on top of that. Between Jag’s reaction, the note Jared had shown him that had brought him to Leeds, and the seagull tattoo, Kyrone was pretty sure he’d constructed the edge of a jigsaw puzzle, but all the middle pieces were missing, and he was convinced Jag was hoarding at leastsomeof those pieces.
He glared at Jag, painfully aware that their friends at the table had been gawping at the whole exchange. Michael was right about one thing. This wasn’t the right place to talk, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t have some choice words for Jag. Once his friend calmed down, he’d realise how much of an idiot he’d been and be sorry about it. At least, Kyrone hoped that would be the case. This was a side of Jag he’d never seen before, and he didn’t like it.
“Could you have been any more of a jerk?” he hissed into Jag’s face. “Hetoldyou he didn’t know you, and you should have let it drop, not kept prodding.”
Jag’s jaw went slack for a second before anger returned to his fine features. “Hedoesknow me.”
“No, he doesn’t. There’re things going on that you don’t know about.” And there was obviously a lot more than Kyrone didn’t know about and, more importantly, thatJareddidn’t have any kind of clue about.
“We should talk about this at the club,” Michael said quietly and calmly. “Why don’t you find Jared and meet us there?”
“I doubt I could convince him to come, and I’m not sure I want to either.” Kyrone switched his attention back to Jag. “Especially if you’re going to keep behaving likethat.” He breathed in deeply. Getting into an argument was not going to help anything. “I’m going after him,” he announced.
“Come to the club,” Michael repeated.
Kyrone pointed at Jag, stopping short of prodding the smaller man in the chest. “Only if you calm him the fuck down first.”
Michael’s hands curled around Jag’s shoulders. “I will.”
Jag snapped his head round to direct his angry stare at his partner, but Michael seemed completely unruffled.
Kyrone moved towards the door but stopped. He needed to know one detail to make sure he’d put the limited puzzle pieces he had together correctly. “What’s your real name?” he asked because there was no way ‘Jag’ was a real name.
Jag pushed back against Michael, eyes wide. He looked scared and paranoid. Despite his anger, Kyrone felt a flash of sympathy for his friend.
“At least tell me what letter it begins with.”
“J,” Jag whispered.
If Kyrone’s theory was right, there was a high chance that the note Jared had shown him, the one that had brought him to Leeds in the first place, was linked to Jag. He nodded his thanks and then hurried outside.
