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But my stomach sinks.
BILLY
I got a visit from Jonesy today.
There’s a picture attached, and I open it then place a hand over my mouth.
“What’s wrong, Marce?” Hannah asks. “Oh my God, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Angel?”
Billy’s right eye is swollen shut, and rimmed with red and purple. His eye itself is bloodshot, and his nose bears a bloody slash over the bridge.
What the hell??? Billy. Go to the hospital. You could have a concussion.
Not going to help. He said that I’ve got two months to get him the money or I’m done.
What does he look like? Tell me, please.
I dunno. I’m not good with faces. He’s got ginger hair. Marci, I need your help. Please…
I don’t have the money to offer to him.
Strong arms encircle me, and Jesse pulls me close, that smoky cologne filling my nostrils. I shut my eyes and hold back tears. Jesse takes my phone from me and checks the message.
“Shit,” he says.
“What do I do?” I ask. “What the fuck do I do? I can’t let anything happen to him.”
Jesse takes me by the arms, his thumbs stroking over my skin, and takes hold of me with that blue gaze. Blue as the sky on a summer’s day.
“Angel,” he says, “I’m going to take care of this.”
“How?” I ask. “You hate Billy.”
“I don’t like the guy, but that doesn’t change things between us,” he says. “You’re my wife, and I’ll do whatever I can to protect and help you. So, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to talk to Savage about keeping an eye on Billy.”
“Savage?” Hannah perks up nearby.
“For God’s sake, Han,” Jesse says. “Keep it in your pants for a second, would ya?”
“Dick,” Hannah mutters.
“I’ll pay him,” Jesse says, “to look out for Billy. Savage does self-defense, acts as a bodyguard, that kind of thing. I’ll makesure Billy stays safe while I find this guy. Ginger hair. Is that what we have to go on?”
I cast my mind back to the day that stranger came into the Heartstopper and acted so rude. I’d had the fleeting thought that he was suspicious, but I hadn’t mentioned it to Jesse because Jesse is a cop. And the cops…
Briefly, I tell him about the encounter.
“All right,” Jesse says. “Eyes close together. Do you remember what color they were?”
“No,” I say. “Sorry. But how does this help? It’s not like I’m sure that’s the guy.”
“It’s a lead. I’m going to find this Jonesy asshole and make sure he doesn’t come near you or your family again.”
My heart’s being pummeled by affection for a man I swore I hated. It’s making me dizzy.
“Jesse,” I say.
