Lola makes a sympathetic murmur. “So what happens next?”
“I wait for him to get back in touch.”
“Hopefully he does soon, as now Shane’s been gone for, how long?” Lola sips her vodka and coke.
“Almost five weeks.” My stomach rolls. With each week that slips by, I lose confidence that I’ll ever be free of that man. He’s managing to control me without even being here.
“Don’t be mad,” Lola says, her cheeks turning pink. She waves at someone behind me.
“What?” I turn and swear under my breath. Speaking of fucking criminals. “You invited my brother?”
“Sorry, Callie.” Her face crumples as she realizes that I’m pissed.ObviouslyI’m pissed.
“You know I’m furious with him!”
“I know, I’m sorry, but he was texting me asking how you are, and I mentioned we were coming here… shit. I shouldn’t have told him. I’m sorry—hey, Jake.”
Jake stops at our table, dressed in jeans and a casual but expensive-looking t-shirt. He smiles at Lola and gives me an apologetic look before sliding into the booth next to her.
Lola has had a stupid crush on my brother ever since I introduced them years ago. In hindsight, knowing Lola’s preference for bad boys, this situation is not surprising. I’ve managed to keep them apart for all this time, but my currentsituation is giving them an excuse to have more contact with each other. I’m hoping he doesn’t notice how sweet and beautiful she is. Because I don’t approve. He might be my brother, but I know what it’s like to be in a relationship with a criminal.
Zero out of ten stars, do not recommend.
“Hey, Callie. You okay?” Jake has the common courtesy to act remorseful around me these days, which is how I know he knows more about Shane’s whereabouts than he’s telling me.
“I’m fine, Jake.” As the person who could potentially solve my problems but won’t, Jake is the last person I want to see right now. Fine, I know, I live with him, but I don’t need to see himmore.
Jake’s forehead crinkles, and Lola keeps staring at him longingly. Traitor! What happened to girl code? Honestly, she’d be better off finding some dude who rides a motorcycle or a rival book store owner or something instead.
The whole thing drives me nuts.
“We were just talking about how you won’t tell me where Shane is.”
Jake groans and leans his head back, his eyes shutting for a count of three.
“Did the Hawk person not work out?” Jake says once he opens his eyes.
“He’s working out fine.” I cross my arms and don’t offer him more information.
“Be careful with him, I haven’t worked with the guy personally?—”
“Really? Be careful? I wouldn’t have to work with him at all if you would help me.”
My chickenshit brother sighs, genuine concern etched onhis face. Fuck his concern. He’s scared of Shane because he’s crazy, and Jones because he’s now their boss and a scary asshole with no moral compass. The same way Jake was scared of our father right up until he passed away.
And now, he provided me Hawk’s information, but that doesn’t quite solve the problem.
As usual, I feel alone, ignored, and unsupported by those closest to me.
All my remaining hope is with Wes.
“Tell me, what do you think is going to happen here? That I’ll just stay married to Shane forever? What’s your endgame? Are you that afraid of him? Eventually, I’ll get the divorce. It’s just a matter of how long it takes. Now, as for Mom’s ring, who knows if I’ll ever get that back.” I gulp my wine.
Jake’s face falls, and he looks deeply unhappy. Good.
“Callie—”
“No.” I scoot out of the booth awkwardly and stand. “I don’t want to hear it. I gotta go.”
