Jarod kept rubbing his stubble. “Feather, what do youthink?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. But perhaps, I should’ve hesitated . . . I should’ve waited to see if he would’ve helped Sasha without me cashing in myjoker.
I took in Jarod’s profile, the strong, even lines of his face, his lips that parted to say, “Today’s your lucky day,Sasha.”
For the first time since he’d stepped into the room, Sasha straightened his head and stared at Jarod with such shock I didn’t care if I’d used up my joker for nothing. The medley of gratitude, hope, and joy that washed over the man made everything which had come to pass in the last few days suddenly worthit.
“I-I don’t know how to thank you.” Gratitude glimmered in his eyes. “Both of you.” He looked at me, then back atJarod.
Jarod lowered his hand from his face and looked toward me. “Around what time do these men dropby?”
“Ten. Every night atten.”
“Give my guard the address of your restaurant before leaving. My advisor and I will stop by around nine thirty so we’re there to greet thesevigils.” The way Jarod pronounced the word made me realize these men mustn’t be in his employ, which reassured me more thananything.
Sasha performed spasmodic bows before spinning around and grappling for the door handle. He pumped it jerkily, then stepped out, but stuck his head back in to proclaim his gratitude a secondtime.
As soon he was gone, Jarod muttered, “You’re not about to cry, are you now,Feather?”
A tear had curved down my cheek. I palmed it away. “Thankyou.”
“Forwhat?”
“For volunteering to fix his problem yourself . . . And inperson.”
His eyebrows arched. “You make it sound like it’s the first time in my life I’ve done somethingnice.”
“Isn’tit?”
His palm connected with the arm of his chair—noiseless, yet I felt the impact. “My reputation is trulyabysmal.”
I blinked, stunned he was trying to make himself pass as a benevolent person. Sure, he conducted these monthly open houses, but if he gave away favors for nothing in return, then his score would’ve dropped. The fact that it hadn’t wavered since he’d been ranked a Triple told me he must either demand compensation in return for his generosity or send emissaries tohelp.
Unless he did handle these situations himself, but in that case, it would mean he committed such heinous crimes the rest of the month that they steamrolled all the good hedid.
I glanced over my shoulder at Celeste. My friend was outspoken and rarely kept quiet, so the fact that she hadn’t made a peep confounded me alittle.
“Will you hold Sasha to an IOU?” Celeste finally asked, her mind operating on the same wavelength asmine.
He frowned. “AnIOU?”
“Will you call in a favor at a laterdate?”
“I never expect anything in return from thesepeople.”
“Because they have nothing tooffer?”
“Because that isn’t the reason I helpthem.”
“Whydoyou help them?” Celeste continued. “To better yourconscience?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I help them because Ican.”
I stroked the armrest, leaving dark tracks in the velvet before brushing the fibers back. “Jarod?”
“Yes?”
“Would you have helped him if I hadn’t cashed in myjoker?”
