Though Wolfe doesn’t seem inclined to wait.
“Here’s how this is going to work,” he says, settling into an overstuffed armchair across from us, bracketed on either side by his armed goons. “Tell me what you took, and your boyfriend lives.”
The gun closest to me is cocked, and I have to bite my lip to muffle a giggle. My mother never had much tolerance for theatrics when it came to bad guys.It’s an alpha male thing, she said.They want to remind you they’re smarter than you, even if you’ll be dead before you have a chance to tell anyone.
But I must not be quiet enough, because Wolfe’s eyes narrow.
“Something funny?”
Another lesson from my mother.Less is more. Don’t speak unless it’s literally the only way to save yourself. Keep your mouth shut and wait for your opportunity.
I shake my head but get interrupted midway through the gesture when a clenched fist collides with my skull. I’d fall over, but the man behind me tightens his grip on my shoulders.
“Hey!” Jasper says. “Stop. He doesn’t know anything.”
“Oh, I’m sure he doesn’t,” Wolfe sneers. I bristle and have to force myself to relax when Jasper softly clears his throat in warning. “He wouldn’t be out with someone like you if he could do better.”
Well, fuck you very much. I keep my face neutral as I strain against the zip ties behind my back because I’m going to need to defend myself in very short order, but they hold fast. I close my eyes for a second, hoping they’ll assume it’s because of the punch to the face and not because I’m trying to centre my power. Even if it basically has the oomph of a Zippo lighter, it’s better than nothing—enough to melt the plastic.
“So, Jasper, this is your last chance,” Wolfe says. “And you know I’ve given you more chances than I would normally, because your skill set has been useful to date. So I’m going to make you an offer.”
The gun barrel pressed against my forehead is cold. It’s so hard to concentrate on the binding around my wrists. I keep tugging, but they won’t break.
Never take the first offer.That one I didn’t learn from my mother; I learned it from Ezekiel, who has turned down so many offers to buy his research and technology. But I have no way of telling Jasper that, so I jump in before he can answer.
“We were pulling records on the drug trial. My niece has the same thing Jasper’s sister does. I wanted to see the results.”
Jasper nods, picking up my train of thought. “I knew you’d notice if I tried to hack my way in again, but I figured if we did it from your office, I could wipe the trail.”
As lies go, that one’s better than most. Definitely better than me being an electrician or someone with a kink for making out in a crime lord’s office. The man with the gun retreats until he’s standing with his hench buddy by the door. I hold my breath as Jasper and Wolfe glare at each other and count the seconds.
Finally, Wolfe says, “You’ve got a soft heart. Jasper, these things are going to get you into trouble.”
Jasper hangs his head in apparent shame. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Wolfe puts a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve taken care of your family, haven’t I?”
“Of course, sir. Lexi’s doing great.” Jasper nods quickly. Watching him grovel makes my stomach turn, and I pull at the zip ties. Do they feel warmer? Or is it only friction where my skin rubs against them?
Wolfe’s eyes slide to me. “And I’ll look after your friends too. We’re all family here, aren’t we?”
I give him a tight smile I hope looks grateful. Just what I’ve always wanted. My very own godfather, only more of the “I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse” variety than the “make sure you’re home by midnight” fairy kind.
When Clarissa said she had someone she wanted me to meet, I did not expect to get adopted into a crime family as a result.
“I’m sorry,” Jasper says. “It won’t happen again. You can trust me.”
Wolfe frowns. “Can I, though?”
My chest tightens, and Jasper sits up straighter. “Of course. You’ve always been able to trust me.”
But Wolfe strolls over to the open sliding door at the balcony. “Jasper, I think you overestimate my generosity.”
“What?” He shifts, pulling at his ties, and my heart squeezes in echoing anxiety.
“I said we’d let your friend live. I didn’t say anything about you. You broke into my office. Broke into my files. Him”—he glances over his shoulder at me—“I have a use for him. But you? No, I’m sorry, Jasper. Your time in my family is done.”
A use for me? Is it Walter Wolfe who’s been slingshotting me through time since the beginning? Somehow, I didn’t think it was. It’s too high tech for his usual MO. But he’s got the plans, and he even told Ezekiel he had a time machine.
