Page 53 of The Long Game

Jack chuckled, tossing his phone into the cup holder in his truck and heading for home via the dry cleaners and the grocery store for himself. He didn’t buy much since his schedule had been erratic,notbecause he was hoping to spend more time at Grady’s place.

Really.

He juggled a grocery sack and his phone, trying to read a text from Grady as he jogged toward his front steps.

“Hello, Jack.”

Jack missed a step, his foot landing on the sidewalk with a jarring thud. Rigid, he turned to face his unexpected visitor.

Years of practice kept his face a blank mask but he couldn’t control the surge of adrenaline and fear. Sweat trickled down his back and made his grip on his phone slick.

“Babs,” Jack said, voice flat.

“Surprised to see me?” Babs asked with a smile that appeared genuine. Like they were old friends or something.

Like Babs hadn’t…

Jack shoved that thought aside. Not the time to be thinking about that. He took a centering breath and acknowledged Babs with a tilt of his chin, then glanced at his phone like he’d just gotten a message and needed to give a quick reply.

Jack: Babs at my place. Need help.

He felt guilty, knowing he was going to freak Grady out, but he still hit send. Or worse, what if Grady couldn’t send help? What if he didn’t see the message? He didn’t want Grady to feelbad just because Jack’s past kept bobbing to the surface like a turd at the community pool.

Jack put his groceries on his front steps, then slid his phone into his pocket. It vibrated as a series of text messages came in, but he didn’t look.

He wanted to keep his hands free.

“What do you want?”

“I saw you run out the other night, you know,” Babs said with a smirk.

Jack just stared at Babs. When it became clear Jack didn’t intend to respond, a familiar rage flashed across Babs’ face before being smoothed away.

Babs’ next smile was forced, more a baring of teeth. “Anyway, I’m in the area now and I thought we could hang out.”

Jack arched an eyebrow, incredulous, because, honest-to-fucking god, the audacity was hard to wrap his head around. Not that Babs had ever shown any remorse, but Jack would have thought the time where he’d kicked Babs in the balls so hard Babs had vomited, then spent a couple days in the infirmary with an ice pack on his plums, would have been a strong indication they were not friends.

Anger mixed with the fear, but Jack choked it back. Despite it being a beautiful summer Saturday, not a single neighbor was outside and he saw no sign any were watching through their windows. There was no one to help. No one to call for help.

He needed to make Babs go away. That said, he wasn’t going to sacrifice his dignity and pretend. “No.”

Babs’ eyes narrowed. “You always thought you were better than the rest of us. Guess that hasn’t changed.”

Jack didn’t respond to the same old bullshit except to brace his feet farther apart. He cataloged the contents of his pockets, then scanned Babs for possible weapons. He didn’t see anything obvious. “What do you want?” he asked again, his voice frigid.

“Your sugar daddy cut me out in Quebec City.”

Jack didn’t so much as blink. “I don’t know anything about that.”

“You cut ties?” Babs asked dubiously.

Jack wasn’t touching that. “I can’t help you.”

“Yeah, you can. You want me out of your backyard? Out of your life?” Babs asked, running his eyes over Jack’s apartment and front door like he was taking their measure. “Call off your friend. I want to go back to Quebec City. Or, at least, Montreal. I can’t take another minute out here in the sticks and that asshole has me locked out of all the action.”

Jack bit back a nasty smile. “Sorry, can’t help you.”

Babs took a step forward and Jack braced for whatever came next, but the squeal of tires entering the parking lot drew Babs’ attention.

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