Jared had asked him to get the books.
For her.
These books could keep her going for a long time. They could help her escape this shitty world she was living in.
Not that you’ll be here much longer.
There’s a plan, remember?
Right.
That thought made her feel better. She had an exit plan . . . she just had to hope it worked.
“He simply wanted you to have them.”
She blinked.
When was the last time someone had done something this nice for her?
She couldn’t remember.
And yet she couldn’t let herself trust in it, either. Because maybe this could be a way to reel her in. To set a trap.
“Tell him thank you.”
It was the best she could do. She stared at him, guarded and unsure.
“I do need one thing in return.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“You cannot tell anyone that Jared did this. I’m not sure why he did. He’s not a good man. Or a kind man. Understand?”
She didn’t really understand the warning. Why would Jared do something nice, then have this guy tell her that he wasn’t a good guy?
Ahh. That was what he was worried about? That Fergus might be angry? Why? Because someone else was giving his wife a gift?
No.
It was more likely that Fergus would view this as a weakness in his son.
As kindness.
Angie couldn’t afford kindness. She needed to be hard. To be all edges and barbed wire if she was going to get out of here.
So she shrugged. “Why would I tell anyone and risk them taking the books from me? No skin off my nose if he wants to spend his money on me.”
It kind of hurt to be this . . . hard. To sound selfish and uncaring.
She really wasn’t that person.
But sometimes life shaped you that way. Or you had to pretend to be someone you weren’t in order to keep your soft parts protected.
“Good. Because if you fuck Jared over for this, I will come back and I will hurt you.”
A shudder ran through her at those words. He might look and sound mild-mannered.
But that was the most honest thing he’d said to her.
