Gotham

Behind the veil

The next morning, I found myself at Jason's bar. I hadn't planned on coming, but there was something pulling me toward him–maybe it was the need for a sounding board, or maybe I was just seeking clarity where Aleksey had left nothing but a haze of confusion.

"Hey, Jason," I said, sliding onto a stool, the cool wood grounding me.

Jason turned with his usual easy smile, wiping down the counter. "Oh, hi, Rose. Long time no see, huh? How're you holding up?" There was a warmth in his tone, but it didn't reach me.

"Oh, you mean after Aleksey ran me over with his car, or because he used me?" My words were blunt, barbed, and they seemed to land with a heavy thud between us.

Jason blinked, his smile faltering. "What do you mean he used you?" His face was all confusion now, the relaxed bartender replaced by a man trying to piece together a puzzle he hadn't seen coming.

I took a breath, my voice flat. "He fucked me."

Jason straightened, visibly uncomfortable. "Wow. Okay. Didn't need to phrase it like that." He hesitated, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Can I tell you something about that?"

I shrugged, more interested than I wanted to admit. He glanced around the room, then back at me, his expression softer now.

"Look, he didn't use you. That much I can guarantee. If Eagle slept with you, that's a good sign." He caught the skeptical look in my eyes and sighed. "Let's just say... he hasn't been, uh, active for a long time. He said he'd only sleep with someone if he genuinely liked her. I don't want to air his dirty laundry–that's between you two–but trust me on this. He didn't use you."

I let that hang in the air for a moment, the truth too heavy to just brush away. "He doesn't want to talk to me about his life, though. But he did say he liked me. What the hell is wrong with that man?"

Jason chuckled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, plenty's wrong with him, don't get me started. But that's his story to tell. You say he told you he liked you? When?"

"After we had sex," I said, rolling my eyes, feeling ridiculous even as I said it aloud.

Jason raised his brows. "So... he does like you. He wouldn't say that after if he didn't mean it. If he didn't care, he would've said it before. Listen, I'm no therapist, but maybe talk to him again. Ask him what you need to know."

I shook my head, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I tried that. He shuts down every time I bring up anything remotely personal. Where is he, anyway? I need to ask him about this guy who stopped by my house last night."

Just then, as if summoned by my words, Aleksey burst into the bar, his voice booming over the quiet morning patrons. "Good morning, Mystic! How are we doing today?" He shouted like a man at ease with the world, but it felt like a facade.

Jason's lips twitched into a smirk. "Look who it is, Eagle," he said, pointing toward me.

Aleksey's gaze slid over, briefly locking with mine before he ignored Jason's remark and sat next to me without a word, his energy contained but palpable.

"Jasper Colt," I said, cutting straight to the point. "Tell me what you know about him."

Aleksey stilled, his expression unreadable. He blinked once.
Twice.

Then, his eyes shifted, scanning the room with sudden intensity, as if he expected Jasper himself to materialize out of thin air. "How do you know about him?" His voice was low now, a thread of tension running through it, his calm exterior cracking ever so slightly.