Chapter 13
North knocked on Jared’s door.
Irritation was making him . . . antsy.
And he didn’t like feeling this way.
“Come in,” Jared called out.
A part of him thought he should have stayed with her. Should have forced her to eat and wash.
But why did he care? A few missed meals and showers wouldn’t actually harm her.
Would they?
She was looking pretty thin and worn out.
No. She’d be fine.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as soon as he saw Jared’s face.
Had he figured out what North had done? Was this finally the time where North pushed too far and Jared killed him?
“I was just on the phone to Gunnar. They keep running into dead ends in their hunt for Beltran.”
Oh, was that all?
Didn’t Jared know he had other things on his mind, right now?
Like what to do about the brat in the basement.
“That doesn’t mean they won’t find him,” he pointed out as he forced himself not to look at the app on his phone.
Was she eating?
This was ridiculous. She’d be fine.
“Are you all right?” Jared asked.
“Yes. Of course, why?”
“You seem . . . distracted,” Jared told him, leaning back in his chair and tapping his chin. “Are you ready to tell me what you’re keeping from me?”
Dangerous territory.
Pay attention.
He eyed Jared. “Not yet.”
Christ. She was right. Jared might care that she hadn’t eaten or bathed while in his care.
Jared wasn’t a good man, but he had a soft spot for women.
Especially her.
North didn’t get it.
He had no idea what he’d do if she didn’t start eating and bathing. Could he force-feed her?
Fuck.
Jared really was going to kill him after he found out what he’d done.
What he didn’t realize was that North was a dead man anyway.
“I will check with my contacts,” North told him. “See if they’ve heard anything about Beltran.”
“Good.” Jared said, leaning back in his chair.
“He’s going to know that it’s you and will likely come after you,” North warned.
“We knew that would happen. Are you having cold feet? Do you want me to put protection on you?”
North stared at him coldly. “Of course not. I can protect myself.”
But there was one person who couldn’t. The same person who Jared really wouldn’t want in the firing line.
Fuck.
Maybe he should have thought this through a bit more.