Page 29 of Waiting to Lose
“JAKE, PLEASE TALK to me. You’re scaring me.” Madi curled her arm around his as she sat next to him in the back of a darkened car, studying his face. Jake’s driver, Felix, was driving them home. Jake’s fingers intertwined with Madi’s as he stared at their hands.
“I know you’re scared and I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything when I get you home.” Jake’s mind raced as he pulled out his phone and checked it to see if he’d missed any calls. He could feel Madi’s eyes on him and he turned to face her. “Everything will be fine. You’re here with me, where you belong,” he said.
Jake could see her mind was fast at work, analyzing him, analyzing the night, analyzing everything. She reached down to her left and unbuckled her seatbelt, sliding onto his lap. Under any other circumstances, Jake would have insisted that she re-buckle herself. But tonight, he needed her as close to him as possible. She clenched her arms around his neck and he buried his face in hers. She smelled like home. He’d never been so happy to see anyone in his whole life.
Madi pulled back and cradled his face in her hands. “I know something’s wrong, and I know you said you’d tell me when we got home, but I want you to know, whatever it is, it’s going to be okay. We can handle anything as long as we’re together.”
His brows wrinkled as he studied her face. Would it really be okay? Would she ever forgive him for lying when he told her the truth? He loved her and he needed her. How had he functioned for so long without her in his life?
Jake searched her eyes with desperate hope. “Do you really mean that? Because I’m afraid you’re going to hate me in a few minutes.”
Madi pulled back and stared at his face. “Hate you? Jake, please. Please tell me this has nothing to do with Allison.”
Jake released a breath as he pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “This has absolutelynothingto do with that piece of trash.”
Madi’s shoulders slumped in relief, and Jake let a small curl of his lips form into a brief smile before he frowned again. “I love you. Please don’t forget that.”
Madi traced her fingers over the lines where stubble met soft skin on his face. “I love you, too, Jake. This is killing me. I hate not knowing what’s going on in your head.”
“Be glad you’re not in my head. It’s a fucked up mess in here.”
“Jake… Don’t say that. I love your head and all the thoughts going through it. We’re two sides of a coin, remember?”
The car slowed in front of Jake’s building. Madi looked up to see Dave and Greg, Jake’s security, waiting for them.
“Please stay in the car. Felix, lock the doors as soon as I exit.”
Felix nodded. Jake could see the fear suddenly flash across Madi’s face as he let go of her hand and slid out the door. The door locks clicked behind him.
“Did you check? Is he here?”
Dave shook his head as he spoke into a receiver. “It’s all clear. Rob’s in there now, making sure everything is secure.”
“How in the fuck did you lose him?” Jake asked with rage in his voice. He glanced back toward Madi in the car and smiled, trying his best to reassure her.
Dave peered around Jake to Madi in the car and smiled reassuringly as he stepped in closer to Jake, making sure to whisper. “He had a plan. It’s obvious now. He went into the men’s restroom at the mall. After twenty minutes, when we didn’t see him come out, our guy went in to check. His clothes were stuffed into the garbage. He must have been wearing clothes over another outfit. We think he had a mask. There were so many people with costumes coming in and out. We didn’t pay any attention to them.”
Jake nodded his head as he listened and stuffed his hands into his pockets. There was a definite chill in the air. Just then, Dave’s phone rang. Dave answered immediately and sighed in relief as he gave Jake the thumbs up. Jake immediately turned toward Madi and was able to give her a genuine smile. She didn’t seem very reassured. Jake mouthed “one more minute” to her through the glass and she nodded.
He turned his attention back toward Dave, who’d just ended his call. “He’s back at his apartment.”
“Are you sure it’s him?” Jake asked with genuine concern.
Dave nodded. “He knows he’s being followed. He stood in front of his window and stared out into the dark, like he was regarding my guys. Then he bent down and put on a mask and raised his hands like he was attacking. He tore it off and smiled briefly before his face turned cold and he pulled the curtains shut. He’s a sick mother fucker.”
“What was the mask?” Jake asked. He wasn’t sure why he even wanted to know.
“It was a wolf.”
***
