Page 118 of Hunt for You
TO: Asshole (Jeremy Haines)
SUBJECT: Re: (blank subject)
And you call me dramatic. Dear God. No. He didn’t get the chance. He just introduced me to his crazy before I got out of there. Seriously, J, I’m telling you, this one isn’t anything interesting. But if you want to go and find out for yourself, I’ll make it happen.
---
FROM: Asshole (Jeremy Haines)
TO: Bridget
SUBJECT: Re: (blank subject)
I’ll go check him out. But if he’s interesting, you’re coming with me when I go back.
---
My body washed in relief. I was pretty sure Jeremy wasn’t going to find what he was looking for in Ronald, but since it was Thursday and he had to wait for an invite, it was going to take him a few days to even get in there.
We went back and forth a few more times as I explained Ronald’sassessmentand that Jeremy needed to not be an asshole or he’d get nothing. That if Val was backing Ronald against the rich dudes, she wasdefinitelytaking his side against Jeremy.
But that was the thing with Jeremy. He was an asshole, but he wasn’t stupid. And even though I didn’t want to see him, the truth was, if I was ever going back toVigorí, short of having Cain there, Jeremy would have been my next choice.
He might look like an aging Ken doll, but the dude wasdeadly.
When I finally got him to accept that he couldn’t side-step the process, I immediately texted Val.
ME: Val, I need a favor.
VAL: You’re in luck. As you know, I run a charity.
ME: Ha ha. I need you to let Jeremy visit and see Ronald.
VAL: Sid? I thought you two weren’t getting along?
ME: That’s exactly why I need you to let Jeremy come in without me.
VAL: I hate him.
ME: So do I. But he won’t cause trouble you can’t handle. And it will put me in your debt.
VAL: You give me your word you won’t dodge out of helping me with recruitment next round, and I’ll let your little cherub come.
ME: Fine.
VAL: He knows he has to participate to get membership?
ME: I’ll make sure he knows.
By the time I’d sent Jeremy the details to tell him how to get in, which days and times Ronald was working, and how to get assessed, I felt like a wrung out rag. But at least Jeremy was going to be preoccupied for a few days.
I just prayed he didn’t want to take me back toVigorí. There was too much chance either Ronald or Cain would challenge him, and that wasnevergoing to end well.
When I could finally log everything off and shut the computer down, I was exhausted. And then I remembered I had to go see Gerald.
God, what was it with all the wrong men in my liferequiringthings of me?
The surprise though, was that when I got out of the shower, my phone had two notifications. My heart trilled, praying it was Cain. But of course, it wasn’t.