Troy hangs his head, shakes it, grins. “Oh, if it were all thatsimple. No, higher level than that. His little business,” he says, using rabbit ears, “is a front. Those high-end pieces of furniture? Sure, he makes them, sells them. But they’re just a way to get into people’s houses.Richpeople. Like stealing jewels out of the panty drawer.”
Everything Troy says tracks for Jackson. Ethan’s charm, their need to move from town to town.
Holy shit.
“Wanna know the worst part? The vilest part? At least, to me, anyway?” Troy asks, leaning in, lowering his voice.
Jackson nods, not knowing if hedoes, in fact, want to hear the worst part.
“He’d come in here, seduce some of our wealthiest clientele—andour most closeted—gain access to their homes under the guise of making custom pieces, rob ’em blind, like I said, jewelry, that sort of thing. Then, if they caught on, he’d threaten to out them. Or worse.”
Or worse.
He threatened to kill Jackson. He knows just what Troy means.
“You seem so nice, I’m sorry he got his hooks in you.” Troy folds his arms across his chest, leans back against the bar. “And I understand how he did it.Believeme. He was the hottest thing that ever walked through here.Andthe most manipulative. I woulda hooked up with him myself, but the whole Bible thing? Freaked me out, honestly.” He shakes as head as if he’s swallowed something distasteful.
This makes Jackson chuckle, but all he really wants to do is die. And cry. He can’t believe he was such a fool. “Did anyone ever report him to the police?”
“No! How could they? And outthemselves? This man is a bona fide hustler, a grifter, and as soon as enough people put it together, started whispering, he hit the road.”
Jackson’s mind spins, the beer fizzing in his gut. He downs the rest of his glass. He’ll need to stop after this one to safely make it back to the hotel, but whew, this isa lot. He wonders if Ethan’s been brazen enough to steal from the Chambers yet. Or from Charleigh’s house during the party. All those connections he made that night… The whole town is ripe for the picking.
Anger spears through Jackson as he relives Ethan shoving him down, threatening him, like he’s disposable. Like he’s nothing.
Well, Jackson will show him just whom he’s fucking with.
74
Jane
It’s dusk. The sun is hovering behind the pines, casting jagged shadows on the ground. I’m up at the vineyard, waiting for Luke.
We agreed earlier today to meet up here at sunset so we could be together. We can’t risk making out in his shed, getting caught; it’s too close to our cabin. To prying eyes.
We all just finished dinner, and I told everyone that I needed to get some space, do something with myself other than worry about Blair.
Iamworried about Blair. Sick over it. But staying cooped up in the cabin with everyone won’t help a thing.
I drag my basket to a fresh row, twist berries off the vine. The cicadas have started their nightly chorus, buzzing so loudly that I don’t hear Luke until he’s standing at the end of the row.
“Anybody see you?” I ask.
“I don’t think so. I acted like I was going to the woodshed, then snuck around back. Walked behind the trees by the fence.”
Luke walks over to me, pulls me up. He kisses my neck, his lips moving down my arm until he’s reached my wrist. I shiver. It’s been a little while since we’ve been together; it feels so good.
I bring his hand up to my mouth, nibble on his fingers.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he moans.
Now my mouth is on his, kissing him, his hands fumbling with my dress.
He breaks apart, drags a hand down my face. “You, Jane Swift, are amazing.”
I grin up at him. My heart thumps against my rib cage.
“I have something to tell you. Some good news. No,” he adds, flipping his bangs out of his eyes, “somegreatnews. And, well, some bad news. What do you wanna hear first?”
