He was quiet for a moment. “I’m not convinced that was about work. I…I don’t know yet.”
I wanted to ask if I should be worried, but it seemed like a stupid question. Arealwife would worry, but I—his prisoner—should have been excited by the possibility that someone might come along and take him out of the equation. Free me. Get rid of all my troubles.
But I wasn’t.
At all.
The thought of him being killed actually made me ache.
“So I take it this whole cleaning thing is illegal.”
“Of course. But we got enough powerful people on the payroll to make sure it ain’t a problem.” He ate the last of his burger. “But now that my daddy’s gone, some shit might change. And not for the better.”
I didn’t bother to ask for details that I knew he’d never give. Instead, I said, “Is it something that’s fixable?”
“I hope so. I ain’t trying to stay in this town no longer than I have to.”
I waited a few beats before gathering up my courage. “Why did you leave?”
“A few reasons.” He answered too fast for me. I knew he was hiding something.
“Reasons like…?”
“It don’t matter.”
“It must matter if you won’t tell me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I told you this already, but I’m gonna repeat it. Just this once. Don’t ever let yourself forget that we’re only married on paper.”
I nodded. Duly noted.
I’d been thinking about letting him hit, too.
Too bad. He just killed it.