“Fine,” he said, waving a hand in the air, no longer caring about his secrets as it was all becoming too heavy for him to bear alone. “Ada and I were together, even though I shouldn’t have let it happen. She wanted more. I told her no.”
Jonny took a sip of his drink again, staring in front of him, even though he could feel Tommy’s gaze boring into him,could practically hear all the questions that Tommy was likely only just containing.
“That it?” Jonny said.
“What else do you want?”
“I don’t know… a reason?”
Jonny finally turned to look at him. “What do you know of my past?”
“I know it had something to do with Blackwood,” Tommy said, shifting back and forth on his seat uncomfortably. “But I also know that you aren’t the same as the men who work for him.”
Jonny laughed wryly. “Am I not? You’re right, Tom. My family was in with Blackwood. Worked for him, actually. I thought I had gotten away from it all, but turns out, I was wrong. You can never get away from that life. It always returns to drag you back down.”
Tommy released a swift exhale. “That’s why you don’t want Ada near you. You’re worried that she’ll get involved or hurt.”
Jonny shrugged a shoulder, hoping that Tommy wouldn’t see how much he cared. It was so much easier for everyone just to think he was an ass. “Something like that.”
“Jonny.” Tommy put his hands on his shoulders, turning him. “You know that Minnie was also in danger.”
“Yes, and you saved her.”
“I did, but at one point, it would have been safer for her to leave me. But we didn’t let it happen. Because we were stronger together than we could ever be apart.”
“That was you and an entirely different situation,” Jonny argued. “You were married and you were perfect together.”
“And you and Ada don’t suit each other?” Tommy challenged him. “What if you gave it a chance?”
“And then what if she was hurt because of it?”
“Someone told me once that sometimes what you are mostafraid of could end up being the best thing that ever happened to you.” Tommy shrugged. “Tell me this, do you love her?”
“Love’s a strong word,” Jonny said, refusing to commit, even though his heart gave an odd tug at the thought.
“Fine, then. Do you care for her?”
“Yes.” He had already admitted as much to her.
“Then maybe take the chance.” Tommy shrugged again. “You’ll never know until you try. And when it comes to Sharpe, Jonny, we’ll help you with that.”
“How?”
“We almost took down the organization before. Maybe we can do it again.”
Jonny shook his head. “If only it were that easy.”
“Inspector Finch would help.”
Jonny snorted, not telling Tommy that he had stolen from the man not long before, and had recently been suspected of another robbery, one that he hadn’t actually committed.
“We tried that before, Tom. Now we’re right back where we were.”
Tommy’s gaze lifted, but his eyes drifted past Jonny and a smile broke out over his face. Jonny knew before he turned around just what would have caused it.
Minnie.
Likely accompanied by her friends.
