Page 45 of The Devil We Know

“Not a fucking chance,” he answers without hesitation.

“That’s what I thought,” I respond. “What do you think they’ll do next?”

“I think you know the answer to that.”

“I do. But I’m sure that will be a story for another day.”

I walk around Carolina, snagging her hand and pulling her along with me as I say over my shoulder, “Come along, kids. We got fuckin’ work to do.”

19

A Friendly Explanation

Jessica

I’m startled by asoft knock on my door.

For a brief moment, excitement rushes through me, thinking it might be Matt, but I quickly squash any type of excitement at the thought because there’s no way in hell he’d be knocking on my door right now. It’s too risky, and this is not the point in the game where it would be okay for his connection to me to be known.

I also find it amusing that anyone would knock, so I know it must be someone who doesn’t typically come down here.

I wait, and then the knock sounds again, and I say, “Hello?”

A small feminine voice replies, “May I come in?”

I snort, shrug, and then laugh at the fact that they can’t see me. “Sure.”

The door cracks open and then swings inward barely a foot, and a small figure squeezes in, quickly closing the door behind.

She turns to face me, and I cock my head, trying to place why she seems familiar, and then it occurs to me where I’ve seen her before.

Sneaking out a doorway when I was waiting outside what turned out to be Matteo’s door.

This must be her.

Matt’s betrothed.

I grind my teeth together, incredibly annoyed at the rush of jealousy that eats at me.

She gives me a tentative smile that I don’t return. I squint at her, having no idea why she would bother coming to see me, of all people. Finally, I ask, “What do you want?”

The smile falls from her face, and she looks at the floor as she says, “I need to speak with you.”

“I can’t imagine why,” I respond rather pissily.

I know whatever has gone on with her and Matt isn’t anything personal against me. I’m sure this woman knew nothing about me, and most likely, she still knows nothing about me. But that doesn’t make me feel any better about it.

She moves to walk toward me, and I put my hand up. “Stay over there.”

She nods and then swallows, watching me thoughtfully. “You have nothing to fear from me.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

She laughs softly, her eyebrows lift slightly. “I get that.”

She’s quiet, so after a brief pause, I say, “Well, you may as well spit it out, then.”

“I just want you to know that this thing between Matt and me is nothing.”

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