Page 81 of Under His Control

So why do I feel disappointed?

We move to the kitchen and unpack what he bought. When he receives a phone call, my ears are cocked while I pretend I’m focused on putting away the vegetables in the fridge.

“Thanks a lot,” Jacob says to the person on the other end. “It’s fucking ridiculous they want to rope me into this. I barely knew her.”

He pauses as he listens to the person’s response, confirms they should “go ahead and send it,” then ends the call.

I close the fridge, glancing at him as he scowls at his phone.

“What was that about?”

He jerks his head up.

“You’re a nosy girl.”

I shrug. “Yeah, I am. I’ve decided that when I’m old, I’ll be that lady spying on everyone in her neighbourhood with binoculars.”

He looks at me with amusement, then his expression turns colder.

“One of my co-workers was murdered last Friday. The police wanted to question me about it. Apparently, I’m one of the few people who last saw her alive.”

I’m rapt as he shares the story about his co-worker who was found dead by a hiker and his dog. When Jacob is done, I’m shaking my head in horror.

“She was beaten and buried in the snow in the woods?” I press my hand to my chest. “God. That’s awful. She sounded like a piece of work but she didn’t deserve that. What happened after your date?”

I ignore the jealousy zipping through me at the thought of him on a date with someone. It’s not like he’s mine.

“It wasn’t a date. I hung out with her at a bar for barely fifteen minutes before I left.”

“Why did you leave so soon?”

“She got handsy.”

I make a face. “Wow. In under fifteen minutes?”

He nods. “As I was leaving, she yelled at me, ‘You should’ve told me you were gay then I wouldn’t have wasted my time.’ But she used a slur for gay.”

“I know it’s bad to speak ill of the dead and victim blame, but if she was a heartbreaker and a homophobe, she probably had some other shady behaviour that pissed people off too. There will be several suspects.” I step closer to him and speak in a reassuring voice. “So you don’t have anything to worry about when you talk to the police.”

“I’m not going to talk to them. My lawyer will on my behalf. That’s who I was talking to on the phone.” He gives me a shrewd look. “You should know it’s your charter right and in your best interest to keep your mouth shut when the police wants to have a ‘talk’ with you for an investigation. Anything you say can be used against you.” He looks away, his jaw tight. “I learned that lesson the hard way.”

I touch his arm, wanting to comfort him the way he comforted me last night.

“Nobody is going to believe you had anything to do with it, Jake.” I almost correct myself. I let his nickname stay because I liked it when he used mine earlier too.

“That’s what I thought with Alyssa at first until I almost wound up in prison.”

My shoulders sink with guilt for the part I played in that injustice. Jacob is still carrying trauma from what happened to him. Of course I can’t ease his mind when I’m part of the reason for his pain. When I let my hand fall from his arm, he catches it.

“I’m sorry, Penny,” he says quietly, squeezing my forearm.

I look up at him. “Why are you sorry? I’m the one—”

“—who’s been trying to make me feel better about this shit situation, and I’m the asshole who made you feel bad by bringing up the past.” He moves his thumb back and forth just below my wrist in an idle caress. “It’s nice to have you in my corner.”

“I was in your corner back then too. Not when I was supposed to, but when it counted.”

“What do you mean?”