The Cunning

92

It took Sam a few minutes to open Janine's bedroom door. He rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the hallway lights, his brows knitted together in confusion at Jase standing there fully clothed.

"You good?" Sam asked, stifling a yawn.

"Get dressed. I need your help with something." Jase didn't waste time explaining. "I'll meet you in the car."

The car was blowing out hot air when Sam slipped into the passenger seat, his eyes watering from the cold October winds. Jase remained silent until he had pulled off the drive, palming the steering wheel and straightening up in the road.

"So, are you going to tell me what you dragged me out of bed for or are you going to keep up with this mysterious, brooding thing you've got going on?" Sam questioned.

"In a minute. We're just going for a quick drive first," Jase replied, his mind clearly elsewhere. He needed more time to go over his plan and iron out the kinks. It was last minute, so there were a few.

Sam waited patiently, knowing that Jase would come out with it in his own time. They navigated their way through the pitch black back streets of London, eventually pulling into a small parking lot behind a block of flats. The heavens had opened shortly after they'd left and the window wipers interrupted the downpour every two seconds with an obnoxious rubbery squeak, stopping when Jase cut the engine.

"It's Madison's birthday today," Jase said as nuetrally as possible, his eyes fixed ahead on nothing in particular.

Sam nodded slowly. "So she goes to Peter today?" he questioned hesitantly. Jase looked at him with a blank expression. He pulled a cigarette out, holding it between his teeth and offering one to Sam. The men rolled down the windows an inch, droplets of rain splattered the doorpanel.

"She's been crying all day," Jase said, his face illuminated by the orange flame of his lighter. "I don't like seeing her like that."

"You won't have to after today," Sam replied, though he had a feeling he knew where this was going.

He'd watched Jase with Madison from the moment she'd arrived. He'd been different from the beginning, he'd never offered any of the other girls a glass of water and they'd only ever been untied when they got to the bedroom. At first, he'd put it down to her being requested, now he was unsure. What he couldn't put his finger on was why? What was it about Madison that had hooked Jase so intensely that he was genuinely about to have this conversation?

"I've been doing a lot of thinking," Jase said. Sam waited. "And I don't think I can let her go to Peter."

Sam shook his head. "Jase-"

"I know," Jase interjected, determined to get it out before he started having second thoughts about his second thoughts. "Believe me, I fucking know. We have a job to do and it's been a lot more complicated than normal. And I know one day, she'll have to start working, but I don't think she's ready."

"You mean you're not ready," Sam said daringly. Jase chewed the skin on the inside of his lip, running his hand over the rough stubble on his jawline. He tipped his head back and took a deep breath. There was no one present he had to deny it for.

"I guess I'm not." He closed his eyes, and as expected, Madison there, pleading with those big brown eyes. No matter what, she'd haunt him for the rest of his life.

"What are you saying?" Sam asked. Jase opened his eyes, Madison disappeared leaving the felt interior of the car roof. He let the silence sit between them before replying.

"I'm saying I think my plan, and her plan, may have worked a little too well."

"Jesus Christ," Sam sighed, bt he knew to take him seriously. They'd known each other for longer than half their lives, and this wasn't a side of Jase he'd seen before. "What about Peter?"