Page 101 of Game of Love
Or, fuck… if I should…
That was logic coming back to me, reminding me of responsibility.
She cupped my face too with her warm fingers and another tear ran down her cheek.
“Where is Frankie?” I thought I’d lessen the tension of our angst-filled conversation.
“He’s at my place. Pa thinks I’m there too. He’ll be there for the night and most of tomorrow morning until I go to work.”
“Then sleep, sleep baby.” She needed to.
I thanked my lucky stars that Frankie seemed like he was on my side for the most part.
“Sleep…”
I leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead. It lulled her to sleep.
I watched her sleep for another hour. Then Wes called. I was half expecting to hear from him, once he got going he usually sailed through his ideas until he came up with a plan.
I slipped off the bed and stood in the passage between the kitchen and my bedroom.
I answered and glanced back to Jia to make sure she was still asleep.
“Hey,” I said to Wes.
“Hey dude, I found the tunnels. Can you come back quickly just to run through some ideas with me? I think I have an idea.”
I glanced back to Jia. There was classic me, being torn between emotion and responsibility.
“Sure, I’ll come back,” I answered. That was the correct answer. What I didn’t have was time. Without knowing what was really going on we didn’t have the luxury of time. I had to move fast with the time I had. If Wes had come up with ideas then that was where I needed to be. So the right answer was to go back. Jia would be safe here for a few minutes.
“Bro… is she okay?” Wes asked.
“No.”
“Youokay?” That was probably the better question.
“No,” I replied. “I hate this. I just… need to get everything over and done with. I hate playing double agent. Pretending to be someone I’m not. This is the first time it’s really affected me.”
“I get it. I can see that it’s affecting you. But please tread softly. We won’t be here forever. I can’t see that you’ll be able to be with her the way you want. So… please Xander, be sensible.”
“I’m trying. Maybe leaving is best. Leave like I was never here, just like a shadow.”
“See you in a bit bro.” Wes hung up and I glanced back to Jia, asleep on my bed.
Leaving was indeed best. How could I though? Not even an hour ago I’d told her I couldn’t stand by and watch Armand take her.
So what were my options?
Get the prints and take her?
The mafia princess.
Take her and have the mob on my ass. Me the secret agent or whatever it was I was trying to be.
Take her with me wherever I went? I couldn’t see that going down well. Fuck, I may be able to avoid Giovanni to some extent but it wouldn’t work.
Then there were my secrets.
