Page 15 of Crow
“You,” Jess said, levelling me with a flat look. “The fact that you’ve been completely MIA for the past week now, and even when you’re around you don’t look up from your phone. And I’ve been havin’ a hard time coverin’ for your ass when I don’t even know what I’m coverin’ for.”
“That’s fair,” I said quietly, no longer able to look her in the face. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I wanted to check to see if it was from Crow. But I also knew that if I did, Jess probably wouldn’t speak to me again for a month, and if that happened, who would make my life bearable?
“We’re here so you can be honest with me without anyone overhearin’,” she continued. “I gotta warn you, Jade, Cameron’s losin’ his patience and Ray—” She shuddered, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “The less I have to do with that man, the better, he gives me the heebie jeebies. I cannot understand why you and Breaker are so loyal to him.”
I winced. Loyal was maybe not the best descriptor of me lately. I tried to smooth the expression out, but Jess had already seen it. She cocked her head, a curious frown on her face.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“It was something.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jess frowned, her lips pursing. She jabbed my arm with her finger, the long yellow acrylic nail digging painfully into my skin as she said, “Jade Monica Prescott, you tell me what’s goin’ on right this minute.”
“Okay!” I pulled a face at her as I slumped back into my seat, rubbing at the aching spot on my arm.
“Good.” She settled back in her seat, looking smug. “I always win this kind of thing, I don’t know why you always insist on fightin’. Just seems like a waste of time if you ask me.”
“It’s a matter of principle,” I told her. “If I let you win too easily, you’d start getting a big head.”
“Oh, I get big head, honey,” she said, wiggling her thin eyebrows with a large smile on her face. “My Breaker isverygenerous.” I burst into laughter. A woman sat at the table next to us gave us a scandalized look, reaching over to cover her kid’s ears. I just laughed harder, Jess joining in.
“No, don’t you go thinkin’ you distracted me, Jade,” she warned, wagging her finger at me as she calmed down. “No changin’ the subject, you tell me what’s gotten you all out of sorts.”
I quickly raised my latte to my mouth, drinking for as long as possible to stall for time. How much could I tell her? I trusted her, of course I did; she was my best friend, but she was also sleeping with Breaker, one of Ray’s officers. I couldn’t be sure how much of what I told her would stay between us and how much would find its way to Ray through Breaker.
“I’ve made a friend,” I said cautiously. Her eyebrows climbed up her forehead.
“Bullshit,” she said. “Who? How’d you meet them? I thought I was your only friend.”
“Excuse me, could you watch your language please? There are children present,” the woman next to us said with a significant look at her son. We both ignored her.
“I can have other friends!” I pouted.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t,” Jess said, raising her hands placatingly. Then she smirked. “I said youdidn’t.”
“Fuck off.” I tossed a napkin at her. She snorted and flipped me off. The woman at the table next to us huffed and stormed away, dragging her little boy behind her.
“I’ve made a friend,” I repeated pointedly. “Of the male variety.”
“Bullshit.” Jess breathed. Her eyes were wide, her face pale beneath the tan.
“And we’ve been hanging out, that’s all.” I shrugged and finished off my latte. Jess was still staring at me like a goldfish that had jumped out of its bowl. I shifted in my seat.
“You have lost your fuckin’ mind,” she said finally.
“Hey!” I tried to argue but she held her perfectly manicured finger up, and I was so startled I just closed my mouth.
“You have to have lost your mind,” she insisted. “Because if you haven’t, then you have to be stupid, and that would mean I have wasted a huge goddamn part of my life arguin’ with the other girls when they called you stupid.”
“They what?” I asked, but Jess talked over me.
“Have you fuckin’ forgotten what happened to the last man Ray thought you were spendin’ too much time with? Have you fuckin’ forgotten what happened to yourface? Nuh-uh, I amnotfuckin’ watchin’ you go through that again, Jade!”
“You won’t, Jess—” I reached across the table to hold her hand, but she pulled away and crossed her arms, looking furious.
