The hangman's first love

18 How lies become threats

"I really don't know why he is such a d..."

"Jay!" Cole gasped and his partner pouted.

"I was about to say douche-bag but I really like the way you think." She winked at him.

A deep growl left Cole's throat and he hid his face behind his hands. This issue was serious but Jay kept joking as if nothing was wrong. He felt a hard flashback to the times when they had those freaking problems with a certain mercenary. And even after two wonderful and peaceful years they had had since then, Cole was still anxious when he sensed some kind of danger towards Jay. But Jay thought, he was being ridiculous and that they were safe now.

"Jay, darling, I just want to make sure that you are safe and I don't feel that way when this horrible person is around."

Jay tilted her head and sighed deeply. "I know, but it's not like back then. He doesn't know anything and he doesn't have that weird obsession with me like Nardakhan had."

Cole shivered. This name was like a curse and he wished he would never hear it ever again. "But that guy was his companion. Maybe he knows that this idiot took a likening on you. Maybe he wants you to -"

"Stop it, Cole!" She growled and cupped his face with her hands. "Don't you dare imagining things like that! He is dead and his former colleague is here for other reasons. We are totally safe here. I am safe, okay?"

Probably that was true. Still, he wasn't completely convinced yet. Since Nardakahn's friend Flintlocke had appeared, he felt such a nauseating and lingering fear inside his chest, that wouldn't go away. "Nevertheless, I ask you to stay away from the forest or places you might be all alone"

Jay went silent and she stirred her tea a long time before she finally nodded. "I think I can do that."

"Thank you!"

She nodded again but he couldn't see her face since her long auburn hair blocked his view. "So, am I allowed to visit Nya and Kai tomorrow?"

The hidden sarcasm was so sharp, it almost stabbed him from behind. Cole knew it was his own fault. He curtailed Jay's autonomy and demanded her to be all happy, sitting in jail while he lived a perfect and independent life. It was't fair but he had no idea how to change that. The sole thought of what could have happened if he had been late home back then still haunted him . He knew how lucky they had actually been. Neither he, Jay, Zane, Nya or Kai had been caught or had been held accountable for Nardakhan's death. Therefore he hesitated to push their luck again. There was no way he would let something happen to Jay ever again.

"Look Cole, I know you're just trying to safe me, but I have a life, I have a lot of work to do and I want to see my friends whenever I want to and not only when you're around to guard me."

"I know, but –"

"No, there is no but! I'm an adult and I'm able to defend myself. You have been Nardakhan's companion before too, so is this Flintlocke dude. The sole fact that they worked together means nothing! We don't know anything about his intentions yet. You can't just go around and put everyone under general suspicion, you know? Why do you let Nardakhan dictate your life although he's not even here anymore?"

His first thought was, to brush it all off. Certainly he didn't let a dead man rule over his life! But after a quick second thought he realized that this might actually be the truth. He was so afraid of losing Jay, that he might have gotten a bit overwhelmed at times.

"Fine, do whatever you want, but at least be careful." It felt so wrong to say those words but on the other hand he knew she was right. Jay wasn't a child. She had learned about consequences the hard way and he had no right to patronize her now.