“There’s another party next week, and...” Jensen swallows hard, resting both elbows on the tabletop, straightening his spine. “What I mean is that Hailey’s fair game, right?”
“Wrong.”
“Come on, you clearly don’t give a shit and I—”
“And you want to fuck her.”
I shepherd my flaring temper. It’s not like I care about who fucks Hailey. I only care about the memories hidden in her mind. The secrets. The truths.
Jensen doesn’t realize how fragile she is. He might threaten the integrity of those memories. Any fear, any traumatic moment could trigger a panic attack. According to the doctor’s notes, panic attacks, among other things, could threaten her recovery. It could jeopardize the progress she’s made, recalling small flashes of her forgotten past.
If that happens... those memories could be lost forever.
My father wouldn’t mind. After all, breaking Hailey is my task, but the nagging sense I’m being led by the nose grows stronger every day. The story Rhett fed me, like the story Hailey’s father fed her, doesn’t fucking add up.
There’s more there. Something out of my grasp. Something I’m not fucking seeing and that something might be hiding in Hailey’s mind. I need her safe, calm, and happy. It’s the fastest way to uncover the truth.
That’s it.That’s all this is. It’s the only reason I don’t want Jensen anywhere near her...
It’s also a blatant fucking lie.
I shouldn’t care, but I do. More than I should considering how easily I can access her memories. I don’t need to be close to her, just her diary.
Judging by the chaos inside my head whenever she’s close, and especially when she isn’t, Ishouldn’tbe anywhere near her. I should thank Jensen for offering me a way out, but the mere idea of him or any other man with her makes my skin break out in hives.
“Try your luck,” I say, pinning him down with a pointed stare, every word measured. “See what happens.”
Jensen threads his fingers together, lifting his chin higher to inject more confidence into his posture.
“Yeah, alright,” he drawls in a challenging tone. “I’ll do that. Let Hailey decide what andwhoshe wants.” He rises to his feet, a hint of mockery tainting his features.
That guy’s got a fucking death wish, I swear.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I’m not sure why he thinks I won’t make good on my promise. I don’t know how he’s missing the threat in my words or the unhinged look in my eyes, but he is. Either missing or ignoring.
I bet he thinks he’s calling my bluff... Well, he’s in for the surprise of a lifetime. I’ve not had an outlet for my all-consuming rage over Aalyiah’s death. Or the anger that intensifies and gains mass with every fucked-up memory Hailey recalls about Alex. Or my annoyance at the indignity of playing a fucking college student, doing my father’s dirty work.
All that rage needs an out. I’ve scrupulously bottled it up, but Jensen’s twisting the cork.
He’s a civilian,I remind myself. He’s not worth the trouble or the risk... I can dream, though.
The cafeteria doors swing open again and Jensen’s smile brightens as Hailey comes back in, her pretty face a canvas of frustration and sadness.
He stops mid-step, blocking her way. “Hailey, I—”
“Can we do this later?” She cuts him off quickly and doesn’t wait for an answer, walks round him like he’s not actively barricading her path.
As soon as she clears him, her gaze finds mine.
It’s almost a reflex by now, how our eyes find each other. Then she’s at my table, her hands knitting an invisible sweater. She’s cute when she’s this nervous, like she’s afraid what I’ll do, but wants to spend time with me regardless.
“Help,” she whispers, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Jensen can’t overhear, then back at me, her voice hushed. “Get me out of here. Please, I need to clear my head.”
“You want to go for a ride?” I subtly remind her about her father’s security measures. “You can’t leave without permission.”
If she sets foot off campus without following procedure, Vaughn will be here tomorrow to pack her bags.
