Jersey Six - Jewel E Ann Page 0,89

the whole wide world, I fear you grossly underestimated the level at which this game of revenge needs to be played. We agreed to destroy him in every way. You have been trying to fuck him to death, while I’ve been doing real things to make his life miserable.”

Jersey’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“You sliced open a man’s torso and watched him bleed out. You don’t get to give me the doe-eyed look of shock for starting a little fire.”

“A-a little fire?” she stuttered, pointing toward the neighbor’s house. “You did this? Why did you blow up their house?”

Chris twisted his face, pulling his head back in disbelief. “Um … duh, I’m pretty sure setting Ian’s house on fire would have drawn negative attention and suspicion toward me. But…” he held up his finger like the best idea in the world just popped into his head “…Ian’s house being collateral damage and me saving his precious dogs—even if he’s too much of a dick to say thank you—was a brilliant idea. Don’t you think?”

“No! You—”

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck it all anyway! You love him, Jers.” He pressed his palms to the side of his head.

Her face wrinkled as she swallowed her anger and his bitter-tasting accusation.

“And you’re right, Jers, about what you said awhile back. Giving a life and taking a life for someone are two different things. I don’t know if I can go all the way and actually kill him. So this…” he nodded toward the rubble “…is as far as I can go. I double and triple checked that no one was home next door because I wasn’t willing to actually let someone die. Deep in my conscience, I carry this awful feeling that whatever happened to me…” he held out his scarred arms “…probably didn’t end well for someone else.”

Jersey watched as Ian, Shane, and Max crossed the tape and entered the house.

“Jers, I didn’t lose my future when Dena and Charles died. I wasn’t still living with them. I can grieve them and feel anger toward the man who killed them, but I lost my future in a fire. My anger is not motivated in the same way yours is. What happened to them is tragic in my mind, but it happened to them. And … it happened to you. Demand the truth and decide what you can live with. My part is done. I’m going to sit back and watch him suffer through all of this. How long he suffers and how his suffering ends is up to you.”

Jersey rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair.

“Are you going to tell them they shouldn’t be in there?” he asked.

She shook her head.

Chris pushed away from the car and started walking toward the house.

“Where are you going?”

He sighed. “To warn them. I have to. My conscience is full.”

A few minutes later, they funneled out from the front door. Jersey shared a nervous smile, like she would have gone in to warn them had Chris not already been headed that way. She reserved her I-don’t-give-a-fuck-about-anyone smile for another time. Ian set Foxy and Lola down and pulled his phone out of his pocket, reading something on the screen.

“You can stay with me,” Max said.

Ian shook his head. “Paul Blevins said they’re on their way to the airport. He’s sorry they missed seeing us and sorry about the fire. They’ll be in Italy for three months. He said we’re welcome to stay at his house. Apparently, he showed Chris everything about the security system.”

Jersey frowned at the way Ian said Chris’s name with such disgust. On the upside, his attitude fueled her anger toward him, and that was what she needed to carry out her plans.

Ian slipped his phone back into his pocket and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“Do you want me to take your bags over there?” Shane asked.

Ian nodded, letting his hands drop from his face on a big sigh.

“Want me to take your dogs back to the neighbor’s house?” Chris asked.

“I don’t want you to touch anything that’s mine.”

Everyone froze, eyes wide, lips parted. Ian didn’t even look at Chris when he said it, as if Chris wasn’t worthy of a single glance.

“This isn’t his fault.” Max broke the awkward silence.

Chris’s eyes flitted between Max and Ian. Jersey kept her attention on Ian and his awful side exposed for all to see.

“You’re tired, Ian,” Max continued. “We all are. I’ll send some food over to their house. You should grab a