Chapter Eight
Inside Area Fifty-Two
Conversation Time
Wednesday Noon
B efore his wife could walk away, and while Elizabeth had left the upstairs to do whatever it was she needed to do to Tommy, Jagger wanted to have a conversation with his wife regarding the situation.
Clearly, she wasn’t telling him everything, and now, he really needed to know if she was in danger. Truth be told, he didn’t want to go back to that rodeo.
Because someone did a one eighty pretty goddamn fast, and that told him everything he needed to know about where her head was in the game.
And he didn’t like it.
“What is going on?” he asked his wife, as she was taking a turn cuddling Tulip.
Zayn was hovering nearby in case someone tried to steal his child. It was absurd, but that was just Zayn being the lunatic they all loved.
The man had impulse control, and most of the time, that worked in their favor.
“Nothing is going on, J,” she admitted. “When Elizabeth heard about a few of the military operations that the man had his fingers in, she was alarmed. We came to a conclusion, after she was vetted in, that I needed to do this.”
Jagger needed more.
“Mar, you said you were staying in. We had a whole conversation about more kids because I felt secure you would make LOGICAL choices to be safe so I could not have a stroke. This feels illogical to me. I know you. We’ve done this dance a long time.”
“I’m aware, Jagger. I can’t vet you in. Even between us, as Major and Captain, I have a higher clearance.”
He wasn’t buying that.
“Maura, I’m your goddamn husband,” he muttered, trying to stay calm in from of the baby.
And Zayn.
She told him what she could.
“Von Donore has been a pain in the ass for years, and Gabe wanted him handled. The man is wanted for so many things, that you have no clue how dirty he is. He supposedly stole from the US government, caused soldier’s deaths, and he’s been accused of rape.”
That hung there.
“Maura, if you tell me he hurt you, I’m going to find him and disembowel him in front of you.”
She kissed his cheek.
“Not me, J. I’m good. I told you. I had a date with him, we had sex, and boy, do I regret that. He sexually assaulted some dignitary’s daughter. That’s all I know. Gabe didn’t give me more—and even if he did, I couldn’t give you more either.”
He sighed and rubbed his temples.
Maura continued.
“ BlackStone has been getting too big for its britches, and those are Elizabeth’s words. Not mine. It’s going to take all of us, and we’ll get it done. We just have to find them.”
He wasn’t sure if he believed that they’d get it done. They’d tangled with the likes of him before.
It was a nasty affair too.
“Why won’t you tell me what was said in that meeting?” he asked. “I know you’re still holding back.”
She sighed.
“J.”
Oh, he didn’t want to hear it. They were married, and they had allegiances.
To.
Each.
Other.
“It’s classified, and you know that,” she said. “If I could tell you, I would.”
“Again, I’m your husband.”
Zayn snorted from nearby. Eagle ears was up in this conversation.
“It’s not fun when you’re told ‘classified’ , now is it?” he asked.
Jagger stared at him.
“Seriously? Can you stop listening to our conversation?” he asked.
The man shook his head.
“Yeah, Spanky, that’s not happening. She’s holding Tulip, and that’s my baby. Give back the mini flower, and I’ll move away. Did you use hand sanitizer?” he asked Maura, and then whipped a bottle out of his cargo pants in case she hadn’t.
She stared at him like he was nuts.
“Uh, I washed my hands,” she said. “I do know how to hold and take care of a baby. I have kids, Zayn. This isn’t my first day seeing one.”
Zayn shrugged.
“Did he use sanitizer?” he asked, pointing at Jagger next.
Jagger flipped him off.
“Not in front of the baby!” Zayn said. “I heard the profanity before, and I let it slide because she’s asleep.”
Jagger rolled his eyes.
“The baby is going to see her father shot in the ass if someone doesn’t back up and give me some space to have a discussion with my wife.”
Maura knew Zayn wouldn’t do that, so she handed him the baby, and waited until he moved away. Then, she focused on Jagger.
“Babe,” she began.
He stopped her.
“Whenever you call me ‘babe’ , that means I’m going to be hella pissed. Normally, it’s Jagger or J. So that tells me my irrational thoughts are well founded.”
She sighed.
“Tell me,” Jagger said. “You want me to follow you into a war against The BlackStone Group as your captain, but you don’t want me to know why. That’s a problem for me. You’ve shared with me countless times, and I’ve never betrayed that information.”
Okay, so he had a point.
She was honest.
“If I tell you why, you’re going to get angry and get bitchy.”
He lifted a brow.
“I’m already angry, Maura. So…?”
Okay, he had a point.
She lowered her voice.
“Remember that mission into the southern city of Helmand in Afghanistan?”
Did he?
Absolutely.
It had been a logistic nightmare, and beyond dangerous. Maura and her team had been sent in to save a platoon of Marines that were trapped and pinned down.
They’d been ambushed and were being held hostage by the Taliban.
“Yes. I vividly recall it. I was shot, you were shot, and Lewis was shot. People died.”
She stared into his eyes.
“ BlackStone funded the Taliban and gave up the coordinates of that platoon to the enemy,” she whispered. “They wanted something in Helmand, and they played both sides as a military contractor. When he heard I was going in, by some leak in the Pentagon that was likely in his pocket, he wanted me offed.”
What?
The?
Fuck?
He put a hit out on Maura?
His eyes went huge.
He couldn’t believe this.
“Why did he want you…?”
And then it hit him.
“Was this after you had sex with him and never saw him again?”
She nodded.
“He made my life hell for a long time,” she said. “All of the missions that went sideways…he had some influence in them. The BlackStone Group is everywhere, and I was suspicious. When I reported it in to my superior, the General, they plugged the leak, but Von Donore did his damage.”
Oh, he was pissed.
He gunned for his Maura.
HIS.
MAURA.
“The three of us were shot, and twenty-three Marines were killed and tortured when they were ambushed. When we went in, we only saved two. We barely got out of there alive, Maura.”
She was aware.
“Lewis was the worst of us. He got shot, and nearly bled out,” he said, talking about the man who was currently transporting Tommy into the building.
“When Gabe cleared her to be vetted in, and Elizabeth heard that, she was pissed. She takes a personal offense to people hurting Marines, being traitors, and attacking her friends. We’re her family, and she told Gabe that he needed to be handled. Gabe was good with it, and gave her carte blanche, as long as we seal the deal.”
As in his demise.
Jagger stared into her eyes.
Well, this changed everything.
Well, except the part where she was going out. That didn’t make him happy at all. Only, this piece of shit military contractor traitor was in the wrong place now. Jagger didn’t like people like him.
Maura was honest.
“ BlackStone is going to get bitchy,” she said. “That’s why we have to do this like a Marine operation. Until we figure out what all of this is about, and confirm it’s about the fifty million dollars in cryptocurrency, Von Donore is at the top of our list. We’ll find out who killed the Marines here in NOLA, and we’ll find the money, but the most important part is to take the head off of the monster running that organization. They are deemed terrorists by the president of the United States—off the official record.”
Jagger stared at her.
“Getting close to him isn’t going to be easy,” Jagger admitted. “He’s got a few bodyguards, and he’s transported around.”
She was aware.
Here’s where he really lost it.
“I can get close to him. What if I called him up, and I told him I’m not dead, but instead a mercenary? What if I meet with him…?”
Jagger nearly lost his goddamn mind.
He went so red that his hair wasn’t even close to that shade anymore.
He moved closer, and he lowered his voice. It was menacingly dark, deeply angry, and full of rage.
“Let me get this straight. You want me to sit back and let you meet up with a piece of shit Marine killer, who tried to take you out because you wouldn’t keep dating him, and not fucking go apeshit on the world?” he asked. “While you’re pregnant with my child?”
Okay, that was definitely going to be a no.
She pretty much expected that.
“J.”
He moved closer, and he was not amused in the least. His freckles were disappearing against the heat in his cheeks.
“Absolutely fucking no goddamn way that is happening, Maura Armstrong. If you even try that, like the ‘getting blown up in the Hummer’ stunt, we’re getting divorced. Do you hear me? I’ve never said that to you, but I’ll put that out there right now. If you play bait, our marriage is over, and I’ll never trust you again.”
The tears in his eyes showed how much he was hurting by that suggestion alone.
“And do you see why I have to help then? This is vital, Jagger. I need you to know I won’t do any of that. I won’t risk me or our child. I won’t risk our marriage. I need your help in ending him. I need Mikey O’s tenacity, and Captain Jagger Armstrong’s abilities.”
He calmed down.
She touched his cheek, and he didn’t break his gaze from her.
“If I lose you, I’m done,” he said. “Please don’t make me end our relationship so I’m forced to walk alone without you. I need you, Maura. You and our kids are all I have.”
She found his mouth, and he held onto her. He kissed his wife, and held her against his body so she couldn’t slip away through his fingers.
It pissed him off that she slept with Von Donore, but he could get over that.
It enraged him that he tried to have her killed because he couldn’t have her. In the process, it cost so many people their lives.
Now, he’d be rabid to keep her safe.
When he broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers, and she held his hands as they stood toe-to-toe.
“We’re good, my sweet mob man,” she promised. “That’s one more reason we need the Snakes too. We have a scumbag to catch.”
He closed his eyes, and calmed down.
“You in?” she asked.
He nodded.
“I’m in, Major,” he stated.
God.
She asked him that so many times over the years, but this was the first time he didn’t want to be in.
And he lied.
“Okay, then, we have to backtrace the killings to him in hopes that it will lead us to wherever he is. He is operating here, and there’s a reason.”
Yeah, no doubt.
Maura continued.
“That a bunch of Marines were killed here, and who were all in the same platoon live in this city, I’m going to say it’s connected. We need to get to the next Marine before BlackStone ’s militia does.”
That was a little better.
“And you’re staying in.”
She shook her head.
“No. I’m not, because I was there that day when Lewis was shot, and we thought he was going to die. That was my operation, and he got hurt because some asshole was gunning for me. I’m going to help. I’m the reason he got hurt, and we were shot. I owe Von Donore one too.”
He held his breath and counted to twenty to calm down.
When he was a little less volatile, he wanted to know what the plan was.
“And how are we doing this?” he asked. “What’s your plan?”
She went there.
“We’re going to hit the two dead Marine’s homes. Maybe there’s something there. If nothing pops up there, we’re going to hit the last two Marines who were in the same platoon. They are going to be harder to find. By now, they’ve heard that the shit is hitting the fan. We’re also going to find Von’s hidey-hole. He has to be holed up in the city somewhere. He has offices EVERYWHERE .”
Jagger turned.
Then, they were going to get this done.
Now, they needed to hustle up.
“Do we have list of everyone who was in that joint mission between the US and UK?” he asked.
Merry was running it.
“I’m working on it right now. I’m into the Pentagon’s records, or should I say MATE is. Give me five,” she said. “Then, you’ll have it.”
That worked for him.
Only, Jagger had bad news.
“I don’t think we need to send Boone in to find out who the killers are, since it’s all going to tie back to BlackStone .”
Boone didn’t look happy.
“Uh, I was finally going to work something. You’re not going to cock block me on this, are you?”
He apologized.
“Sorry, my dude, and please stop saying ‘cock’ around me. It’s weird.”
The man laughed.
Jagger continued.
“You’ll still be working. We’re just going to change it up, and work it from an opposite angle. You’re going to be working it here, and getting us what we know. You and Rogue, along with Merry are command central.”
Maura agreed.
“If we beat them to the still living Marines on that list, then, we have Von Donore dead to rights. It’ll lead us right to him,” she admitted.
And hoped.
Boone saw that Jagger had been worked up, and he wasn’t going to push his buttons.
“I’m in,” he said, “but someone had better give me a murder to figure out for my birthday.”
They all laughed.
That they could do.
Von Donore’s, preferably.
Jagger wanted to get a jump on this.
“Merry, give me the names of the LIVING people still rolling around on this big, blue ball,” Jagger said.
Boone shook his head.
“I can’t say cock block, but you can say big, blue balls?” he asked.
Jagger stared at him.
“Who hurt you?”
The man was amused.
Jagger went back to working.
“As I was saying, Merry, just give me the living ones, not the dead ones that have died already. We’ll work them last. We can’t save them, but we can save the last ones and work them over to get Von Donore’s location.”
She could do that.
“On it,” she said.
Jagger kept his voice low.
“You are not to do anything stupid,” he warned his wife. “If I see you anywhere in the realm of danger, that isn’t our normal thing, I’m going to put on the Mikey O’ persona, and rip this goddamn town to pieces,” he threatened. “Don’t test me, Maura.”
She was pulled into his body, and held there. They were nose to nose.
“I mean it, WIFE . Don’t test me on this. I’m protective on a good day, but when we’re playing fucking games with The BlackStone Group , I’m going to be a monster if my wife and child are in danger.”
And that she understood.
“You just be careful yourself, and don’t let anything happen to you. I need my husband.”
Because Jagger was back in control, he set his wife free, but kept her hand in his.
Just in case.
“Here you go,” Merry said, heading their way. “There are two Marines who aren’t dead in that platoon where the Cryptocurrency was being housed in Afghanistan.”
Jagger took it.
“How many were killed?” he asked.
Merry rattled them off.
“A helicopter pilot from the UK, two soldiers from the UK, and three US Marines.”
So six people lost their lives over fifty million dollars and BlackStone ’s bullshit.
That was six people too many.
“Okay, get me the addresses of the two Marines who were living here and killed, and the two that are still alive. We’re going hunting.”
She went back to her computer and did what he asked.
As she did, Jagger had a bad feeling in the pit of his belly, and it had everything to do with one thing.
Von Donore.
The traitor.
* * * Hunters * * *
The Basement
The Concrete Lair
Area Fifty-Two
When they brought Captain Thomas Bernard in, he was bound and had a hood over his head.
Elizabeth wasn’t taking chances.
Honestly, it was the only way that she’d let him be transported here. Realistically, she trusted Tommy about as far as she could toss his annoying ass.
Seriously.
During the last few months, he’d caused more problems than she cared to deal with in NOLA. It made it difficult to do the job when you had a pissy homicide captain up your ass.
It had been so much easier with Gene when he’d been in that role, and that’s when he had no clue they were there working operations.
Now, they were walking on eggshells, and that didn’t bode well going into a new, deadly game with The BlackStone Group .
She needed this man off their asses, and for good reason.
Whenever a body showed up that was a homicide, this man was all over it, just looking for some way to pin it to The Hunters.
Like they did all the murders in this town.
Okay, they did a lot of the murders in this town.
Who was she kidding?
Most of them, as of late, were when they had been trying to clean out the last of the Chinese mafia, but they hadn’t been taking lives indiscriminately.
They weren’t psychopaths.
The Hunters had been protecting the citizens of the city.
Period.
Now, it was time to deal with Tommy, once and for all.
When she walked in, Wolf was there, he saluted her with two fingers, and said nothing.
She immediately paid him by tapping a phone to his, and transferring the money for bringing the guy in.
Once paid, he headed out of the room, waiting outside to transport back, or…eliminate the problem.
Elizabeth had paid him well, and he had follow up services to the big spenders.
What would be happening?
Well, that had yet to be seen. Not far away, there was a swamp, and there were gators there.
Hungry.
Gators.
As they stood there, Reaper backed up into the shadows, not letting Elizabeth out of his sight. Ethan Blackhawk had hired him to keep an eye on her when she was in town, and honestly, he didn’t need to be paid.
They were friends, and he loved her like a sister. She was one of the few people he considered family. Well, Elizabeth and Axelle.
As soon as they were alone, she undid the restraints and pulled off the hood.
When he blinked, trying to adjust to the light, that’s when he figured it all out.
“Really? Kidnapping too?” he asked. “I’m not shocked,” he said, disgustedly. “This is right up your alley.”
She shrugged.
He was pissed at her?
Was he out of his goddamn mind? If he hadn’t been Gene’s ex, she would have had Reaper handle it already.
The man was risking operations there.
“Why can’t you just stop being a pain in the ass?” she asked. “Tommy, we tried to give you a chance. Why do you have a death wish?”
He glared at her.
Oh, she wasn’t bullying him. What wouldn’t he do for love?
The answer was that he’d do anything to save the man he still loved. He’d do anything to save him from them.
“I told you. I want to talk to Gene. You’re holding him against his will. There is no possible way that he’s fallen out of love with me that quickly. We were together a year. He has to feel something.”
Jesus.
H.
Christ.
This was like a merry-go-round of crazy. The man just wouldn’t stop his insanity. It had come to this.
“You need to stop stalking Chartres, Tommy. It’s in your best interest to back off.”
Honestly, he didn’t believe she’d kill him. He had to believe that the government had the best interest of its citizens in mind, and that she was bluffing.
So, he rolled the dice.
“Then, I guess you need to do what I want,” he said. “I want to see my fiancé.”
Yeah, someone was smoking something, or he was incredibly delusional.
How did he think she was holding a grown-ass man hostage?
How was she making him appear on dates with Ethan, or working with her on a crime scene?
They were all over the news.
So, she corrected him.
“Yeah, he’s your ex-fiancé, and currently Ethan’s fiancé.”
He didn’t believe that either.
What kind of woman would share her husband? He couldn’t bear Ethan near Gene. How was she doing that?
The answer?
She wasn’t.
“He needs to tell me that to my face. He needs to tell me it’s over for real, and not being bullied by you. Then, I’ll believe him.”
She’d hoped to avoid this for Gene’s heart. The man was hurting over this, and the last thing she wanted was to make him ache more.
Tommy just wouldn’t put Gene’s best interests in front of his own at this point.
“Okay, Tommy.”
She whistled, and the door not far away opened. In walked Gene.
As he was approaching, he wasn’t looking at Tommy.
No.
He was watching her.
IN TRUST.
“Yeah, Honey?” he asked, stopping at her side.
She pointed at the man.
“I tried, Gene. He’s not going to listen to me. If you want him to survive here, you need to talk to him.”
Gene knew he had no choice.
“The only other option is unpleasant, Gene. I’m sorry, but see what you can do.”
He understood.
He’d been avoiding it, and now, it was affecting their jobs.
Well, her job.
When he focused on Tommy, there was nothing there. When he looked at Ethan, there was that kick to his chest, or butterflies. Then, he’d get incredibly warm, and he’d want to do nothing more than be with the man.
Seeing Tommy…
It was cold and dead.
Now, he realized, he had always felt cold and dead. He’d just been hoping to survive.
Life was about living.
Not waiting to die.
“You really have to stop,” he said. “Tommy, you’re going to get hurt.”
He stood up and moved toward him.
Immediately, he put space between them.
Still, Tommy didn’t give up. There was hope. Maybe it was Stockholm Syndrome, and if he got the man out of there, he could fix him.
Right?
“Baby,” he said. “Please come home. We’ll work it out. You were right. I’ll leave this city. We can go anywhere you want. You choose. Just come back to me. I love you.”
The whole time the man was talking, Elizabeth said nothing.
This had to be Gene’s call.
He had to decide what he wanted, and they would have to live with the fallout.
Did she think he’d leave Ethan?
She wasn’t sure.
Why?
He left once before and Ethan never expected it. The only thing that they had going for them was hope. They let him into their lives.
No.
She let him in.
If he chose to walk away, Ethan would NEVER get over this, or forgive her. She’d promised to protect him, and letting him get his heart ripped out was anything but protection.
Gene didn’t mince words.
“I can’t do that,” Gene said. “I don’t want to do that, Tommy. What we had was nice. It was sweet. Only, it wasn’t meant to be. You were a bridge back to where I wanted to go, and I’m here now. Please just let me have this. I’m so happy. I’ve moved on.”
Tommy’s heart hurt.
He couldn’t believe it.
So, he kept trying.
He’d given up everything for this man, and the only reason he wasn’t with him was because of Ethan Blackhawk.
“I haven’t moved on,” he said. “I thought we’d fight about it, but we’d meet in the middle. I thought we had something.”
He sighed.
“Tommy, we had fun. We had a good time. We weren’t meant to be married. We kept pushing it back, and…”
He stopped him.
“Because of Ethan. He’s always been the obstacle between us,” Tommy said.
Gene wasn’t having it.
The man he loved wasn’t going to be used as an excuse. If this was on anyone, it was on him.
And only him.
“No, he’s always been my soulmate, Tommy. Marrying you wouldn’t have lasted. My heart knew who it loved, and while I had love for you, I wasn’t in love with you. I can see that now. That’s why because I did have love for you, I’m going to beg you to stop your bullshit. It is going to get you killed.”
Tears filled Tommy’s eyes.
He couldn’t believe this.
The man was staring right in his eyes, and saying the most difficult words he’d ever heard.
“You didn’t love me? I loved you. I gave up everything for you.”
Gene was to the point.
“Love doesn’t keep score. When I left Ethan behind, it was the biggest mistake of my life. When I lost Preston, it was because I was on the wrong path. I was able to right the journey, Tommy. What we had was special, and fun, but it wasn’t forever. I can’t be what you need. I can’t be that man, and you have to let me go.”
A single tear dripped down his cheek.
“So you really don’t love me anymore?” he asked.
He shook his head.
“I’ve moved on. Ethan and I have a child together that we adopted. We are going to get married soon. I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but…”
At that admission, he didn’t get to finish.
Tommy punched him in the face.
HARD.
It rocked Gene back, caught off-guard.
“HEY!” Elizabeth said, and when he turned on her, and went to punch her, Gene got to him first and put him down on the ground so fast, that even Elizabeth was caught off-guard.
Normally, she could hold her own, but she didn’t even get to move.
Gene handled it.
From the look on Tommy’s face, it was clear that he didn’t see it coming, either.
The much bigger man kept him pressed to the concrete floor with his hand around his throat, and his knee on his chest.
That’s when his voice went cold and empty.
And he warned him.
“I don’t give a shit if you punch me, Tommy, but you will NOT touch Elizabeth. She’s my family, and I love her. This is exactly how I knew it wouldn’t work. You’re more than willing to hit me when I’ve never done that to you. You’re out of fucking control. First it was to control who I saw, where I went, and the job I held. You needed to be in charge of my life, and I am not anyone’s to control. I’m my own person, and I make my own choices.”
He pushed off of him, and stepped back.
“Here’s my warning, Tommy. If you come near my family, Elizabeth won’t be the one who handles you. I will be. Ethan is mine, and if anything comes between me and him, like you, I’ll eliminate the problem. If anything comes between me and her, I’ll handle it. I won’t hide and let her do the dirty work. I will protect my family from any threats, and now, you’re on my radar.”
He stared at him.
“You won’t see me coming. I’ll walk right up to you and end you, Tommy. I’m not fucking around. If you try to take Ethan away from me, I’m going to be the most rabid, dangerous animal you’ve ever encountered. I’ll be more lethal than any killer you’ve ever chased. I won’t play with my family, and I’m a Blackhawk now. When I marry Ethan, that will be my name, and that will be my home. Back the fuck off!”
He was definitely surprised.
And he should be.
Gene was rarely violent—unless his family was bothered. Then, it was all bets off. The last time he felt this kind of rage was in Philadelphia , and when Javier Hughes had tried to destroy his relationship.
“Do you understand, Tommy?” he asked.
The man said nothing, but he nodded.
“What we had is over. I should have faced you months ago, but I had hope you’d care enough about what we had that you wouldn’t make a mockery of it,” he said, wiping his bloody lip. “We could have parted as civil people. Had you come to me and said you were in love with someone else, I would have been happy for you. I wouldn’t have made your life hell.”
Elizabeth pulled a tissue from her pocket, and handed it to the man.
“Thank you, Honey.”
Tommy couldn’t leave well enough alone.
“You’re in love with someone married to her. He’ll never be yours,” he said. “Ever.”
Gene put his arm around Elizabeth, and softly kissed her on the mouth. It was clear that this man wasn’t getting the whole picture.
He wasn’t just marrying Ethan.
He was marrying her too.
When he broke the kiss, his arm stayed possessively around her waist.
“You assume that I’m not hers also, Tommy. That’s your first mistake. What you didn’t consider is that I can love more than one person, and be part of their lives too. Don’t come near Callen, Chris, Ethan, or Elizabeth. If you try to harm our children, you’re dead.”
Then, he glanced over at Elizabeth.
“I don’t want to deal with him anymore. If he tries to hurt the family, I’ll handle it. Just let me know. At this point, after assaulting me, he’s dead to me. I value me enough to not let someone physically abuse me because they ‘love me’ . I’m worth more than that.”
And with that, Gene turned around, and walked away, going to wait in the main part of Area Fifty-Two .
She whistled again, and in came Wolf, and Reaper came out of the shadows.
“Take Mr. Bernard home,” she said. “Make sure he sees nothing, and drive him around a while before you leave him at his house,” she said, handing Wolf the address.
He could do that.
Because he didn’t trust him, or anyone for that matter, Wolf pulled out a zip tie, and bound his hands behind his back.
Then, he pulled the hood over his head, and tightened it so he couldn’t peek.
“Got it, Director. Want me to knock him around a little bit?” he asked. “It’s on the house.”
She shook her head.
The man was crying.
Thomas Bernard had been shaken up enough. He’d come face to face with the reality of it all.
He lost love because of jealousy.
And now, he’d pay for that.
For the rest of his life.