Page 118 of The Originals

“Time to talk, darlin’.”

His tone said it all. Whatever Jack was going to say, she wasn’t going to like. He gestured to the envelope. She slowly closed the refrigerator door and inched to the table. She pickedit up, and peeked inside. Her stomach dropped, and a cold chill spread over her skin. A one-way bus ticket to Colorado.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered.

“It’s time for you to move on.” Jack’s tone was neutral, not cold or harsh. It was worse. It lacked any type of emotion.

“What?” she muttered, her voice trembling. This felt like an absolute blindside.

“This was only temporary, Coll.” Jack drew in a breath and stared down at the table as if he couldn’t look her in the eyes. “Never promised you anything.”

He hadn’t. It was her own mind that had conjured up something more. She looked down at the ticket. This should be happy news. She loved her brother and his family. They’d be ecstatic that she was coming. She repeated it over and over in her head, waiting for it to stick. But it had the opposite effect. Her stomach twisted, and her eyes welled.

“Hey.”

She glanced up, and he offered a soft smile.

“You got things you wanna do, darlin’. Said so yourself.”

She had. She’d opened up to Jack more than most people.

“Yeah, but…”

Jack held up his hand. “Not gonna let you give that up to stay here.”

It was as if he was taking her choice out of her hands.

“What if I want to stay more than I want those things?”

Jack grasped the edge of the counter. “Lot of changes happening here with me and the club. It’s gonna get dangerous. You need to be far away from that.”

“What changes?” Colleen had suspected, but this was the most she’d gotten. Was the club in trouble? Was Jack trying to protect her from it?

Jack shook his head. “You got a good life ahead of you, darlin’. But it ain’t here.”

She flattened her lips. Jack spoke with finality. This wasn’t up for discussion. He couldn’t make her leave Ghosttown, but what did she have if she didn’t have Jack.

“What about my stuff? I have clothes and things at Dunn’s.”

“I’ll have Meg or Maureen pack it up and send it to you.” He paused. “Clean break, Coll.”

She licked her lips, nodding. It seemed Jack had thought of everything.

“Did I do something, Jack?” she whispered.

She heard his footsteps as he got closer.

“It’s like I said last night. You did everything right.”

She glanced up, meeting his stare.

“And yet you’re sending me away.” She tried to hold back her tears but it was nearly impossible.

He cupped her jaw, sliding his thumbs over her cheeks. “I’m setting you free. This isn’t the place for you, Coll.”

“But—”

“You’re planted, but you ain’t growing in Ghosttown. ’Cause you’re not supposed to be here.” Jack grasped the back of her neck, pulling her closer and pressing his lips against the crown of her head. “Bus leaves in two hours.”

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