Page 163 of The Obvious Check

“I didn't come here for a therapy session,” I say, cutting through the sentiment because I doubt my pain killers will last that long. “I want to know if you've got it.”

He rolls his eyes before pulling something small from his jacket pocket, holding the USB between his thumb and forefinger like it might explode.

I snatch it from him, barely believing he actually managed to pull this off. This tiny piece of plastic and metal might be the key to everything—to Savannah never having to look over her shoulder again, to building the life she's always deserved but never thought she could have.

“How'd you manage it?”

“When I went back into the bar after our little performance, Luke saw me stumbling around and I fed him some bullshit about feeling woozy. Dumb fuck bought it completely. Offered me his office to recover from the 'brutal beating' you gave me.” Jeremy's smirk is pure mockery.

“Hey, I landed some decent shots.”

Jeremy actually laughs. “Sure, tough guy. If that's the story you want to tell yourself, I'll play along.”

“What happened in his office?”

“Plugged in the USB, waited for the little light to stop blinking, then yanked it out. Felt like the longest five minutes of my fucking life, sitting there waiting for someone to walk in.” He shrugs like he didn't just risk his life for people he barely knows. “But nobody came.”

I nod, tucking the USB into my jacket's inside pocket where I can feel it against my chest. This little device is going to change everything, and I'm not letting it out of my sight until Luke's world is nothing but ashes. “Perfect. You did good.”

But he doesn't look relieved. If anything, he looks like he's about to puke.

“I don't know, man,” he says, dragging a hand through his hair. “What if they trace it back to me? What if they figure out I'm the one who fucked them? You know how Luke operates.” His voice drops. “He’s already told me I need to win another fight to make up for this loss. I can’t keep doing this shit and risk ending up in a cell again.”

“You won't have to,” I tell him, and I mean every word because the alternative isn't something I'm willing to consider. Not when Savannah would blame herself if something happened to him. “The guy who programmed this thing swore to me that as soon as someone tries to access anything from that drive, it'll launch malware that'll nuke Luke's entire system. Nothing will be left. They'll think it's a hardware failure or some random glitch. No way anyone traces it back to you.”

He nods slowly, but I don’t think he fully believes me. Can’t say I blame the guy.

Jeremy exhales like he's been holding his breath for hours, then looks at me with an expression that's way too serious for comfort.

“You take care of her,” he says, voice quiet but steady. “Savannah. She's… fuck, man. She's everything good that's left in this shitty world.”

My chest tightens because I know exactly what he means. Savannah is pure light wrapped up in soft skin and stubborn determination. She's every reason I've ever had to be better than the selfish asshole I used to be.

“I know,” I say, and those two words carry every promise I've ever made her, every vow I plan to keep until I'm six feet under.

“She deserves someone who'll burn the world down for her,” he continues. “Someone who sees what I see when I look at her.”

“She's got that.” The words come out rougher than I intended. “She's got everything I have to give and then some. Always will.”

He studies my face for a long moment.

“Good. Because if you ever hurt her, if you ever make her feel like she's not worth everything—”

“I won't.” The certainty in my voice surprises even me. “I'd rather rip my own heart out than cause her pain.”

Jeremy nods and pulls his hood up as he stands.

“Where are you going?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Gotta ghost for a while. Lie low until we know this thing worked. If everything goes to plan, maybe I can stick around. If not…” He doesn't finish, but he doesn't need to.

“Good luck. Make it count.”

“I'm not doing this for luck,” he says, looking back at me one last time. “I'm doing this for her. So she never has to be afraid again.”

I don't try to stop him from leaving. Jeremy's not the kind of guy who needs sentimental goodbyes or group hugs. He's a survivor, just like Savannah, and he'll figure out how to land on his feet.

I sit there for a while after he's gone, my thumb brushing against the USB through my jacket. Stanley eventually abandons his grass investigation and presses his head against my knee, like he knows some serious shit is about to go down.

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