Page 52 of Follows with Intent

“Jadon Peregrin Reck—wait,? Like the falcon?”

“Yes, but also, way, way worse.”

Nico laughed in spite of himself. “Now you have to tell me.”

“They couldn’t agree on a middle name. They wanted something natural, you know. Something related to nature.”

“Like a peregrine falcon.”

“Uh huh,” Jadon said with a trace of amusement. “But one of my moms was into The Lord of the Rings, and one of the hobbits is named Peregrin Took.”

They walked another yard before Nico said, “You have got to be shitting me.”

“They tried calling me Pip and Pippin, but I put a stop to that in middle school.”

“Oh. My. God.” And after that, there was only one pertinent question: “Does Shaw know?”

Jadon burst out laughing. “No, thank goodness. I was going to lie if he ever asked; thank God it never came to that. I think I was going to tell him it was Michael.”

Nico leaned into him, smelling the wool of his suit, the heat of his body, the sweetness of the world washed clean by rain. “I like it. Jadon Peregrin Reck. My little hobbit.”

This time, Jadon laughed more quietly.

“He lied to everyone,” Nico said. “And everyone fell for it. Not you.”

“Not everyone was his partner.”

“But he’d killed those guys years before you were partners, Jay. You can’t blame yourself. And if anyone else blames you, they’re idiots.”

Jadon didn’t answer.

After another few yards, when he still hadn’t said anything, Nico said, “Emery thinks I should call North and Shaw.”

“What? Why?”

“Just, you know, for some help. Until he can pick me up tomorrow.”

Something flickered across Jadon’s face, and then his expression was as smooth as glass. “Do you want to call them?”

Nico opened his mouth to say no, but what came out was “I don’t know.”

They walked a few more paces. Jadon let go of Nico’s hand.

“If you want to call them,” Jadon said, “then you should.”

“It’s, you know, they’re good at what they do.”

Jadon nodded. “So, call them.”

“Emery suggested it. You know, like an option.”

“Right.”

Nico didn’t know what to say. The conversation’s rhythm felt off. Jadon’s face told him nothing. His hand felt cold, and he thought about reaching for Jadon’s. He had the strange sense he needed to apologize.

But before he could do anything, Jadon said, “Because it’s not like you’re with anybody who can, you know, make sure you’re safe.”

“Jay—”

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