Page 7 of Diamond in the Rough

“Anything else?” Jake asked.

“He told me to be extra vigilant. Now put your belt on.”

Jake slotted the belt across his lap, then scrunched his face. “Suddenly the belt’s important?”

“Seatbelts are always important.”

“Except when you throw me in the back.”

“I told you, you were wasting time. All wide-eyed and panicked, you would’ve drawn attention to us in the front seat.”

“I’d just run miles with a gun in my hand after seeing Maddox blow someone’s brains out. Forgive me for being stressed out.”

“Stressed out? You were hysterical.”

“I’m—I’m not used to all this.”

“You wanted the Boss to take you shooting, right?”

“Yeah, but—”

“That’s the reality of it. It’s not pretty.”

“Have you killed anyone?”

Carl blew a breath through his teeth. “No, but if the Boss tells me to, I won’t hesitate.”

Jake thought back to Lewis, the sight and suddenness of him departing the world. He wondered whether he could do it: point the gun and snuff out someone’s life.

“If Maddox was in danger, I wouldn’t hesitate,” he whispered.

“You’d kill for him?”

Jake nodded. “To save his life.”

Carl smirked. “He’s saved yours enough times.”

“But that would be the only situation. He’d have to be in danger. I can’t imagine just killing someone. Even if Maddox told me to do it, I don’t think I could.”

“You’d hesitate and end up dead. And that, my friend, is why you’re his lover and not his employee.”

A smug smile spread Carl’s lips, and Jake studied his expression intently.

“What?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing…”

Jake continued to glare, and Carl’s smile turned into a smirk.

“Just…I told you so.”

“Told me so?”

“I said he would find a way, and he has.”

****

Jake stared out the window and licked his lips. “You sure he’s in there?”

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