Page 66 of Like You Know

“Real mature, Amaya!”

I held up both middle fingers at where I imagined him standing.

After a beat, he let out such a deep sigh I could easily hear it from inside my room. “I’ll be downstairs when you cool down.”

His footsteps retreated, and I glared at the door. I considered climbing out the window and making a run for it, but he’d hear my car and just follow me to the Meads’, so I decided to wait him out instead.

I cleaned my room until it was so tidy it looked as if no one lived there. Then I texted the girls to tell them I was taking more alone time and locked myself in the bathroom. I ran myself a bath and took my sweet time in there. I shaved my legs, washed my hair, did a hair and face mask. I even soaked off my nail extensions. I couldn’t stand looking at them, even though I’d gotten them as clean as new. All I could see when I glanced at my hands was the blood that wouldn’t come out from under my cuticles.

I ate the three granola bars I’d found in my desk and smoked several cigarettes, but by midafternoon I was starving.

It had been hours since I’d told Jet to fuck off through my door. Surely, he’d given up and left by now. Clean, dry, moisturized, and in comfortable sweats, I poked my head out the door. The house was silent. I made my way downstairs quietly, keeping an eye and ear out for him ... or anyone else.

He’d really left. I couldn’t believe that jerk had actually left! Yes, I’d told him to fuck off, but I didn’t want to be alone in this fucking house after the last twenty-four hours. Ugh!

But then, as I made my way to the kitchen, I spotted him. He’d fallen asleep on the living room couch. His shoes were off, one arm thrown over his eyes, his mouth slightly open.

A pang of some emotion shot through my chest. I simultaneously wanted to curl up with him and smother him with a pillow while he was vulnerable. Instead, I saw an opportunity to get away.

Deciding I’d eat at the Meads’, I turned to tiptoe back to the front door.

“Don’t even think about it.” His voice was firm and clear, if a little croaky.

I squeezed my eyes shut and huffed before turning around and heading to the kitchen. If he refused to leave, then I’d just pretend he wasn’t here.

As I pulled leftover pasta from the fridge, I could see him out of the corner of my eye—sitting up, rubbing his eyes, checking his phone. Dammit! He really had been asleep for a while, and I might’ve been able to sneak past him if I’d just come downstairs sooner.

I glared at the microwave as my food turned inside.

“Amaya,” Jet said gently, carefully, as he leaned on the counter. The microwave beeped. I grabbed my hot-ass bowl with the lukewarm food inside and made my way out to the patio table.

Not taking a hint, he followed me out after a few minutes with a sloppily constructed sandwich on a plate.

“Sure, help yourself to anything in the kitchen,” I deadpanned before shoveling pasta into my mouth.

“Thanks,” he said around a mouthful of sandwich. “I’m starving. I’ve barely eaten all day. I think I needed the sleep more though. I never made it to bed. Just had a shower after I left the station and headed here. Good thing I did too.”

I glared at him as he rambled. “Oh my god. I don’t give a shit.”

He just rolled his eyes, and for a while we ate in silence. The food calmed some of the rage deep in my belly—smothering it with carbs. I pushed the empty bowl away and closed my eyes, enjoying the warm afternoon sun on my face. Well, as much as anyone could enjoy anything after the kind of turmoil I’d had to deal with lately.

“Amaya. Look, I know you’re ...” He sighed. “A lot of things right now. Things I can’t even imagine. But I do need to speak with you.”

I kept my eyes closed. “As Detective Burns? Or as my ex-boyfriend?”

After a beat of silence, I opened my eyes just in time to see a hint of hurt and uncertainty in his expression. I got a sick kind of satisfaction from knowing that at least some aspect of this mess actually upset him.

“Both,” he finally said.

“OK, detective.” I sat up straight and folded my hands on the table in front of me—all business. “What’s the update on my mother’s kidnapping?”

“We ran the plates, but they were stolen. We managed to track the vehicle using CCTV but lost it, so that’s a dead end too.”

I nodded, pursing my lips. “So that’s it? She’s gone. Nothing you can do about it? Cool. Thanks for the completely fucking pointless update. Bye now.”

“We’re exploring other leads. This investigation isn’t over.”

“What other leads?” I threw my hands up. “We both know it was BestLyf. They’re behind this. Why aren’t you searching their properties? Why aren’t you arresting Raine Clayton?”

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