FATAL TROUBLE | JAY

26 - Where's My Love?

JAY'S POV

Opening up to Y/N wasn't part of the plan. I wasn't supposed to reveal anything that could give her leverage over me, but there I was, sharing pieces of myself I'd buried deep. The car felt impossibly small, the air thick with everything unsaid.

I could see the gears turning in her mind as she processed my confession. It made me want to take it back, to retreat into the safety of my silence. But there was something about the way she looked at me—like she saw through the facade I wore, the layers of sarcasm and bravado I wrapped myself in. It scared me. 

Even now as I work out, I can't stop thinking about her. I can't bring myself to shake the memory of her voice, the way it wrapped around me like a familiar song, tugging at the edges of my resolve. The training room is filled with my grunts as I push through the last set of bench presses, but all I can hear is the soft cadence of her words replaying in my mind.

"You look like you're struggling," Jake's voice makes me pause mid-lift, my muscles protesting as I set the bar back down. I glance over to see him leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Not struggling," I retort, wiping sweat from my brow. "But bench pressing 350 pounds tends to be a bit demanding."

He chuckles, clearly not buying my bravado but I'm not selling shit. That's why he doesn't press further. "Casually flexing your muscles, are we? Trying to impress someone?" Jake's smirk widens, his eyes scanning my body with an apparent indifference. I can't help but shift under his scrutiny. 

"Maybe," I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or maybe I just like to feel strong."

"Whatever you say, tough guy," He chuckles, a low, rumbling sound that makes me raise an eyebrow. "Wraith said Y/N met Ghost." There it is. That's why he's here, not for some casual workout banter but to probe deeper into the mess I'm trying to get through.

"Apparently," I shrug as if it's just another detail in a long list of unfortunate events. As if I'm not Ghost himself. "And apparently, Wraith runs her mouth a little too much." I roll my eyes, trying to brush off the irritation clawing at my insides.

"Why? Am I not supposed to know what's going on? She's a pain because I fucked up, remember?" I press my tongue against the inside of my cheek and drag my fingers through my hair while watching him with narrowed eyes, the tension thickening like smoke in the air. "I should be aware of what's happening, and if Ghost himself came for her, then we're fucking doomed. But you don't sound too concerned about it." 

"I can't just waltz up to Ghost and demand he back off. He's not some low-level thug; he's dangerous. He plays the long game," I narrow my eyes at him, my arms resting against my knees as I wipe the sweat off my hair. "I'm playing the longer one. I know what he wants: control. The more we show we're not afraid, the less power he holds over us. Y/N doesn't need to be in the dark about that."

"Do you even know what he's told her? It doesn't sit right with me," If I could describe Jake in one word, it would be stupid intelligent. He knows how to pick up the subtle hints but his emotions always end up clouding his judgment. He has a way of diving headfirst into a situation, but sometimes he forgets that not every battle can be fought with sheer force.

"I know what I'm doing, Jake," Frustration creeps into my tone. "But this isn't just about Y/N. It's about strategy. If I let Ghost think he's got the upper hand, he'll make a move I can't predict. I need to stay one step ahead." It's hilarious, how I'm keeping up with Jake while being the same guy he's so afraid of. But to him, my words sound like a desperate justification.

"Or you might lose her before you even get a chance to fight back," He shoots back, his eyes flashing with concern. "You're playing with fire, man. You might get burned."