Page 42 of Diamond in the Rough

“That’s all I ask.”

Chapter 8

Jake stared out the window, watching the world whizz by in a blur. He could feel the weight of Carl’s gaze but didn’t turn to him.

“Your eyes should be on the road,” he mumbled.

“They are…at times.”

Jake sighed. “Two weeks, and nothing’s happened.”

“Things are happening,” Carl assured.

“Maddox is still banged up.”

“You’ve been away from him longer than two weeks, Jake, and it’s not like he’s in a different country. He’s fifty miles away.”

“But I can’t visit him.”

“Absolutely not.”

Jake rolled his eyes, then huffed at the window. He drew lines in the mist but could still feel Carl’s gaze pressing into him. “What?”

“Don’t you dare do something stupid.”

“Like what?”

“Turn up at the prison.”

Jake kicked the can rolling in the footwell. “Give me some credit.”

“I mean it. On the surface, things aren’t happening, but underneath, plans have been set in motion.”

“What plans?”

“Just…plans. That’s what Tom’s told me.”

Carl pulled up to the curb outside Jake’s flat and craned his neck to see out the window.

“See you tomorrow,” Jake said.

“Wait, I’ll come up.”

“Why?”

“Check it’s safe.”

“I got the lock fixed days ago.”

“I know, but there’s no harm in me coming up, is there? We know this asshole knows who you are. What’s to say he’s not waiting for you?”

“Why wouldn’t he just kill me?”

“He’s made an agreement with the Boss.”

“What agreement?”

“Your life for his behind bars, and he’s fulfilling his side of the deal.”

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