I can’t hear his response, but he must agree because his footsteps retreat down the hall.
I climb down the fire escape as quietly as possible. The metal rungs are cold against my palms, and I’m grateful for the noise of evening traffic covering any sounds I make. When I reach the ground, I circle to the front of the house.
Theo’s Jeep pulls up just as I’m straightening my shirt.
Perfect timing. As always.
Chapter thirty-two
Chapter 32
Theo
Marco is standing in front of the house, looking like he just got caught robbing a bank.
I kill the engine and climb out of my Jeep. “You good?”
“Jake’s back.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Almost walked in on me and Rachel.”
“Almost?”
“Fire escape.” He jerks his thumb toward the side of the house. “In my own house, Theo. I climbed out the window of my own house.”
I try not to laugh. I really do. But the image of Marco Reyes—former military, arson investigator, the most controlled person I know—scrambling down a fire escape to avoid confrontation is too much.
“It’s not funny,” he says.
“It’s a little funny.”
“He’s inside with Rachel right now. Probably tearing into her.”
“Then let’s go mediate before someone says something they can’t take back.” I clap him on the shoulder. “Come on. Time to be the adults we pretend to be.”
We walk in together. The living room is exactly as tense as I expected. Jake’s on one end of the couch, arms crossed, jaw tight. Rachel’s in the armchair, knees pulled up, looking small and defensive. Neither of them is speaking.
The silence is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
“Hey.” I keep my voice light. “Didn’t know you were coming back today.”
Jake’s eyes flick to me, then to Marco. His expression hardens.
“You want to be angry? Be angry. But don’t take it out on her when you should be talking to us. You’re pissed at me, too, right? So, let’s talk. Just us. The way we used to.”
He stares at me for a long moment. Then he nods once, sharp and angry, and heads for the back door.
I follow him out to the deck while Marco remains with Rachel inside. The evening air is cooler now, the sun starting to set over the lake in the distance. Jake’s already pacing, hands shoved in his pockets.
“I trusted you,” he says without looking at me. “All of you. And you went behind my back.”
“We didn’t go behind your back. We didn’t tell you right away.”
“Same thing.”
“It’s not, actually.” I lean against the railing.
“Right, because it’s three of my best friends sleeping with my sister. That’s what it is.”
“It’s more than that.”
