Page 53 of Heartless
“Yeah,” he said in a clipped tone.
I touched my chest to soothe the sorrow lodged there.Then I blew out a long breath and steeled my back.He was willing to talk, and I had questions I was too scared to ask the man who’d taken a hatchet to my heart.
“All my things have been moved here.How long will you wait for Nigel to respond to the blackm...To your request?”
Jake’s much kinder friend’s tone was earnest.“I don’t know.But Sienna, I promise we won’t keep you here for long.And you have no reason to trust me, but I give you my word I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Scrutinizing his steadfast gaze, I tilted my chin up and exhaled a slow breath.The bare truth was, as a lifelong seeker and embracer of the silver lining, I was near-incapable of holding grudges in the face of heartfelt contrition.It was going to take time for me to forgive my own stupidity.But him, I could forgive.
“Thank you, Silas.”
“Least I can do.”
“Sia, lunch,” Camila called from the hallway.
I liked her nickname for me.No one had ever called me that.
As he got to his feet, my gaze tracked him.I had more questions, and I was also curious about Silas, who seemed to be observing the world with a perpetual smirk.
“Have you had lunch?”
His brows arched almost comically before the corner of his mouth hitched.“I could eat.”
“Would you like to stay for lunch if I promise not to bore you with my stuff?”
I was joking—kind of—but Silas’s lips were not even twitching as he sat back down beside me.
“People who call you boring are either fucktards, envious, just plain fucking assholes, or a mix of all of the above.I can’t say I understand what writing is about, and I’ve never met a writer.But if you want to talk about it, I’ll try to learn a thing or two.”He proffered his hand, palm up.“Deal?”
I curled my fingers around his.“Deal.”
When we entered the mouth-watering smelling kitchen, Camila, who was setting a dish on the table, smiled.
“I made my roast chicken.”
****
Jake
On my way home, my cell rang.Morrison was calling again.Third time this week.He’d also left several messages at my office, but Zook hadn’t gotten back to us yet.You’ll wait.Motherfucker.
Earlier this morning, my cell had alerted me that Sile had opened the gate.The last time he’d been at the house was the day we’d brought Sienna in, but should she be scared to be alone with one of the assholes who’d terrorized her, Cam would be there.
When I parked, Sile’s truck was still in the driveway, but Cam’s car was gone.I trusted my brother with my life, but I never wanted to see those silent tears full of pain again.
The TV was on in the family room.I stepped in to find Sienna curled up in the corner of the sectional, facing me, and giggling with Sile, who had his back to me.His feet were crossed on the coffee table, and a half empty beer bottle was dangling between his fingers.He was laughing, and his whole attention was on her.On the TV screen, a young woman covered in blood was screaming and running through some forest.
With her body still shaking with laughter, she said, “See?What did—?”
When she spotted me, her shoulders stiffened, and her laughter died.She sat up and dropped her gaze somewhere between my throat and my chest.
Sile glanced over his shoulder.“Jake.”
“Sile.”
Sienna touched his arm.“Maybe we can watch another one next time?”
“Sure, sweetie, but you’ve got to know, you’ve ruined horror movies for me.”
