Page 78 of Wasted Lust

“Just walk me through it, OK? There has to be a logical explanation, but right now it all points to you.” Her face turns red with anger and I put up a hand. “I don’t think it was you, OK? But he’s clever. He has ways of making people do his dirty work. So just tell me what happened before he showed up.”

“I was checking my email. And I got a message from my mentor at school saying I wasn’t kicked out and she wanted to talk to me. And then I found a message from Nick—”

“Wait,” I say, stopping her. “You never told me that part.”

“I never had a chance! You showed up here and my world was falling apart!”

“What did the email say?”

She takes a deep breath and then points to the door. “I’ll show you.” And then she quickly dresses and says, “Follow me.”

I get out of bed and tug on my pants, then follow her out the door and downstairs. We end up in the family room behind the kitchen where she opens a laptop and brings up her email account.

“Here,” she says, thrusting it at me. “See for yourself.”

I look at the video of Nick and press the play button. Got you, he says. “What am I looking at?”

“Wow. You’re not all that bright for a guy who works for a secret black ops department of the FBI. Listen carefully, Agent Jax. There’s a shutter click just before he starts talking.”

I play it again. And again. And again. “Holy fuck.” I look at her. “He hacked your webcam?”

She nods.

“From where?”

“I don’t know, Jax. I swear to God. We never even talked about the email. He said, I have rats too. And I think he was talking about how your dad thinks he’s infiltrated Matias’ gang.”

“Matias.”

“Nick said Matias and Madeline were working together.”

“No.”

“I’m just the messenger, Jax. I have no idea. But Nick came here to ask me to help him and then he left without telling me how to do that. So I’m in the dark just as much as you. But here’s something you need to understand. Nothing is ever what it seems with these people, OK? Nothing. So I’m sorry you fell for Madeline’s bullshit, but I believe Nick. I know in my heart that what he said was true. And if you think I will let her take me down from beyond the grave, you’re insane. I will not go down because of that bitch.”

I look at the video again and try to make sense of things. And then I hit the forward button and send it to Adam.

“What are you doing?” Sasha asks, trying to grab the laptop away from me.

I yank it back and hold it up high, out of her reach. “I’m sending this to Adam. He’s not just a driver or a pilot. He’s my security, remember?”

“How do you know you can trust him?”

“I don’t, OK? But we’ve been working together for a long time. If he’s a traitor, it’s better to find that out now.” I hand her laptop back. “He can at least find out where that message came from. It’s a place to start. And there’s nothing incriminating in that video. If anything, it shows Nick was playing you.”

“He’s not playing me, OK? He’s my partner. He wouldn’t do that. Whatever he’s doing, he won’t hurt me.”

“He’s your partner? Really?”

She nods. “Really.”

Fuck, that stings. “You’re wrong about him, Sasha. But I truly hope you’re right. Because if you’re not, he’s gonna take you down with the rest of us.”

“Where are you going?” I yell as Jax walks out of the room.

“I gotta go head up this investigation.” He turns around when he gets to the stairs and points to me. “You stay here. No matter what, you stay here until I get back. I’ll tell Madrid you’re driving home and you have no clue what’s going on. That will buy me a day as she waits for you to show up. But you do not move. Do you understand me?”

I want to scream at him. I want to tell him to fuck off so bad. But I don’t. I just nod. “Fine.” Because that’s the easiest way to get him out of here so I can try to piece together what’s happening.