Page 116 of Into the Dark
Jake makes a small noise. “Looks like he’s back. How many guys has he got with him?”
The question unnerves me further, and I search his face for signs of worry or fear, but there’s absolutely nothing there. Or he’s just very good at masking it. I know he is. He sees something on my face and so pulls me into the warmth of his chest, kissing me on the top of my head. His scent is immense from here.
“Two,” I reply. “A huge man with a neck tattoo and a smaller one who looks sort of like an accountant,” I tell him. I feel his chest move with a soft laugh.
“An accountant? Staffy can’t count to ten without a fucking calculator,” he jokes.
I pull back to give him a worried frown. “What are we going to do?”
He drops his hands from me and turns back to the wardrobe. He pulls open the top drawer and yanks something out of it, which he then holds out to me. “You’re going to stop worrying for a start.” He gives me a look of warning. “And you’re going to put these on. Can’t believe those pricks saw you like this.” He glances down my body and back up, grunting in disapproval.
I reach out to take the sweatpants from him and pull them on. He looks me over once more before reaching out to button another button on the shirt I’m wearing, then another. When he grunts again it’s in approval this time. Then he takes hold of my hand and pulls me with him toward the stairs.
“What are you doing?”
“Introducing you to him properly. I’d have kept you away from him entirely if it were up to me, but here we fucking are,” he mutters darkly as we descend.
Freddy looks up and then stands up from the couch, coming toward us. The two men stay exactly where they are, but their gazes lock on us. The small one keeps his eyes on us, alert and focused, while the large one drops his eyes back to his phone almost immediately and begins to scroll, his breathing heavy and loud.
“Here he is, Sleeping fucking Beauty,” Freddy says as he comes toward us.
“Might have told me you were coming, Fred—would’ve baked a cake or something,” Jake sighs, scrubbing a hand through his ruffled hair.
“Nah. You know I’m trying to watch the old love handles, Jay.” Freddy pats his midriff. There isn’t much evidence of love handles that I can see. He actually looks in good shape for his age. “You look fucking tired, son. That have something to do with this lovely lady here?” He winks at me. “Hope you’re looking after him the rest of the time.”
“I’m trying to,” I offer lamely.
Jake wraps an arm around my body and pulls me into him. “Aren’t you supposed to be relaxing and recuperating?” he asks.
Fred’s gaze sharpens. “Not really my thing, as it turns out.”
Jake nods. “Fred, this is Alex.” He turns to me. His eyes look bright, sparkling pools of green fire as he squeezes my hip tenderly.
“Nice to finally meet you, sweetheart,” Freddy says, eyes lingering on my face and then Jake’s.
“That over there is Maryk,” Jake tells me. “And the accountant by the window is Staffy.” Staffy by the window looks in confusion at Jake for a moment but says nothing.
I pull my back straight and my chin up as all three men assess me with renewed curiosity. “It’s really nice to meet you all. So sorry about the mess.” I glance uncomfortably at the sofa. “We weren’t expecting visitors.”
Freddy smiles wider and waves a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry about it, darlin’. We’re not here for breakfast. Was actually starting to think Jay was makin’ you up if I’m honest, but you look real to me.”
“Definitely not made-up.” I smile, the tension easing off a little. I’m certain that’s to do with Jake’s presence by my side, or maybe it’s the fact no one has tried to kill him yet.
Freddy nods slowly and moves his eyes back to Jake. “So…” He lets out a loud, exaggerated exhale. “Sal said he ’ad a visitor the other night—someone looking for you.”
There’s something like concern swimming in Freddy’s gray eyes now, and it makes me check Jake’s reaction. He looks uncomfortable.
“Yeah,” Jake says with a curt nod. “Need to speak to him about that.”
“Told ’im you would,” Freddy says. “You doing all right, son?” The concern in Freddy’s voice is so genuine, so blatantly warm, it’s startling.
Jake gives a nonchalant shrug and pulls me a little closer. “Yeah, fine. No big deal. So what’s up? You didn’t come here for that.” He casts a look to Staffy by the window and then Maryk on the stool.
“No, I didn’t,” Freddy confirms. “Need your help with something that can’t wait.” He throws a look at me then. “That’s if you can spare him for a few hours, sweetheart?” His tone is playful, but there’s something else in it.
I want to say no, of course I can’t spare him, because the idea of Jake going off with these men makes me feel sick. I can’t say no though, can I? Jake do whatever you tell him to, does he? I hold my breath, hoping Jake will be the one to say no, he can’t go, I can’t spare him.
“What’s up, Fred?” Jake asks with a flick of his head.