Page 81 of Black Jack (Advantage Play 5)

I cover my mouth, fighting back another wave of tears. I was always so careful to avoid documentation of any kind during any encounter. It’s Prostitution 101. And apparently, I slipped up in a way that’s crippling. I don’t know what is in those photographs, but I can guess, especially when I consider Jack’s accusations involving cocaine and being bent over a desk. There are so many humiliating moments I wish I could erase in my life, and now, they’re going to be all over the media. Everywhere.

“You’ve ruined my life. You know that, right?” I choke out.

As if he’s been slapped, he shrinks back in the arm chair.. “If there was any other way, I’d do it.”

“Sure you would.”

“I like you, Bianca. My wife likes you. She’d probably kill me if she knew what I had to do today. But it’s the right thing. And sometimes doing the right thing, no matter how hard it is, is worth it.”

“Worth it for who?” I spit. “You? Getting to close a case without regards to who you have to run over in order to do so? Who you have to ruin? Because let’s forget about me for a second, shall we? You know this’ll ruin Jack. His new wife is connected to a despicable human being.”

Wallace shakes his head back and forth before reminding me, “You were already connected to despicable human beings. You’re a Castello, Bianca.”

“You think I don’t know that? That I wouldn’t erase my past, my heritage, if I could? Jack was the one thing that gave me hope to put my past to rest, and you ruined it.”

“I’m sorry, Bianca––”

“Ya know, you keep saying that, Mr. Embry, but I’m not sure you know what it means. You’re not here to apologize for the shitstorm you delivered onto my doorstep, despite how well you keep trying to sell it. Want to know how I can tell? Because you keep asking for things. Demanding things that I can’t give you––”

“You can, though,” he argues. “You have the power to fix this. To help us keep Reed behind bars and to help save Jack’s reputation.”

Jack.

His name is like a sucker punch to my gut. I chew on my lower lip until the salty tang of blood seeps across my tongue. “How would I do that?”

“You tell the world––and the jury when the time is right––that Jack gave you the hope you needed to leave your dark past behind you. To move on from the hellish upbringing you were forced to endure that led you down a path that happened to cross with Reed’s.”

If only he knew that Reed is the tip of the iceberg. That my path crossed with a hell of a lot more people than one scumbag who happened to work for the Bureau, and Burlone at the same time. That if my clients find out I’m testifying against one of them, even my faulty connection to Jack won’t be enough to save me.

But maybe I don’t deserve to be saved. And if my past can save Jack’s future while simultaneously putting an asshole like Reed behind bars…maybe it’ll be worth it. Maybe my life will mean something. Maybe Jack will forgive me.

Forcing myself to give Mr. Embry a jerky nod, I murmur, “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“You will?”

“Yes.”

His relief is palpable as the wrinkles around his eyes disappear and his mouth tilts up in a soft smile. “Thank you, Bianca. You have no idea the positive impact this will have. What do you know about Reed?”

I laugh dryly and roll my eyes that are still shining with unshed tears. “I know everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes.” I swallow thickly. “Burlone and Reed were close. They would talk business when I was in the room.”

“What kind of business?”

“Everything,” I repeat, dryly. “I probably know more than Dominic ever did.”

“You’re sure?”

“Without a doubt.”

Accepting my confidence, he says, “Thank you, Bianca.”

“If I do this, I’m going to need a few things.”

“Like what?” he asks.

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