Page 146 of Into the Dark
“Oh, don’t worry—we’re done.” I smile up at him. “Just paying the bill.”
“Robyn, hows it going?” he asks as he goes toward her. Rob stretches her cheek up for him to kiss, which he does.
“I’m fabulous, you? You’re looking devilishly handsome, as usual.” She casts an approving look over him.
Jake just gives a half-shrug at the compliment. “I give it a go.”
“You sure do. Come, pull up a pew and tell us about life, hot stuff.” Rob points at the seat next to me.
Jake turns to me, looking betrayed as he slides into the seat. “Did you tell her about that nickname? Thought we talked about that.”
“She didn’t hear it from me.” I grin. Across from us, Rob laughs as Jake squeezes my thigh beneath the table.
“Life? Fuck, seriously not much to tell. Just trying to stay out of trouble.” He shrugs, running a hand over his beard. “You know I’m really not that interesting, Robyn.” He actually manages to sound convincing.
“Alas, this I do know. You’re a lot more boring than the outward appearance suggests.”
Jake pretends to be hurt for a moment before his mouth softens into a smile.
“Let’s talk about something else then. You bought a ring yet?”
I groan and close my eyes. Beside me, Jake laughs softly.
“Ignore her.” I shoot Rob a look of warning. “She honestly can’t help herself. It’s like a sickness.”
“I just want to make sure you get the proposal you deserve, the ring you deserve, and the man you deserve. I know that this one right here won’t let me down. Will you?” She gives Jake an exaggerated wink that still manages to seem like a threat.
Jake just chuckles. “I’ll try my best for you, Robyn.”
I wait until we’re far enough away from London that it would take longer to go back there than it would to get home before telling him.
“Vicky came to see me today,” I say quietly.
His head snaps around to me, car swerving a little before he rights it quickly. I should have waited until we were home.
“What?” His voice is thin and incredulous.
“Vicky came to see me today.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Oh, trust me, I wish I were.”
“Why didn’t you phone me? What the fuck happened? What did she say to you?” When I don’t answer him, he prods. “Alex?”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, knotting my hands together. I really don’t want to have this conversation. “She came to warn me away from Caleb. She thinks this custody thing is my idea or something, I don’t—”
“That psychotic fucking bitch…” He scrubs a hand over his face. “What else did she say to you?”
Tell him I’ll bloody do it. Did he tell you the police questioned him about how Kev up and disappeared into thin air? “She said Kevin disappeared. That the police questioned you about it.” I turn to look at him. “Is that true?”
“Which part?”
“Jake…” I warn. “Don’t you dare.”
He lets out a loud breath. “She was dropping Cale off on Sunday and two cops showed up. They found his car. They asked when the last time I’d seen him was.” He shrugs. “That was it.”
My heart staggers a little, though he looks and sounds completely calm, as if it isn’t even remotely important or worth worrying about. Honestly, what bloody planet does he actually live on?
