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Reliability. Loyalty. Obligation.
Safety.
Everything his presence has been driving out of me since I met him.
I sense Alice’s frustration. She wipes fresh tears from her eyes.
“I need time,” she says. “Whatever the situation is, I need time to get myself out of it. It can’t just happen overnight.”
“You’ve had two weeks already,” Jack says. “Don’t tell me you’ve been having the time of your life.”
“Stop it,” I say.
Both of them look at me.
The elation that carried me through the auction has vanished. In its place is the cold realisation of everything Jack has done since.
He exposed our alliance to Bill. Forced Alice into a confrontation she wasn’t prepared to have.
He assumes that because tonight ended the way he wanted, every decision leading to it has been justified.
Arrogant.
So arrogant that the realisation hits me in the guts.
“You’ve done enough already,” I tell him.
Jack’s brows drop.
“By helping Alice become an art circuit superstar?”
“Yes. You achieved what we came here to do. That was enough.”
I glance towards the doors.
Bill will be fuming at what he saw. What he heard.
Jack’s arm around my shoulders. My clear advice. Enjoy Miami. All the fuel Jack handed Bill because he wanted the satisfaction of making his defiance public.
“You do know you’ve probably cost me my job,” I say.
Jack shrugs. “Whatever. Boo hoo. Join The Gilded Table. We have the Elite Cheese subscription to keep you going.”
The casualness of it hits harder than anything Bill has ever said.
“Boo fucking hoo? Are you actually serious?”
“You hate Parker Capital. You’ve been as pissed off with this bollocks as I have.”
“That doesn’t mean I can afford to leave!”
Jack looks at me like I’m crazy.
“Oh, come on. I know you’ve got a fair chunk squirrelled away in your accounts, Bryce. You’re hardly reckless and living on credit cards.”
“You know nothing about what I can afford.”
“I know you’re amazing at your job. So get another. What’s the point in carrying on with this oppressive crap when you both have a way out of it?”
