From Darkness (Hearts & Arrows Book 3)(12)

The second Tori had gotten her accounting degree, she had been ready to move back. There’d been no talking her out of it, so they’d packed up a moving van like a macho version of Jenga, said goodbye to his family and home, and moved back to New York where all the things he couldn’t forget were waiting for him.



The first time he had seen Josie again was a few weeks after he made it back to Hell’s Kitchen. It was a blustery day in February, and Jon stopped into the Midtown South Precinct to check the bulletin board. The second he walked in the door, he saw Josie standing at the board with her back turned to him, her long red hair unmistakable.

He’d pictured the moment a thousand times and a hundred ways, but nothing compared to seeing her in the flesh, right there, close enough to speak her name and make her turn around so he could see her face.

For a long moment, he stood there, paralyzed, wondering where the roulette ball would land. The reality of his waiting was upon him, and his stomach ended up somewhere in his shoes as he walked toward her.

Jon stopped behind her and swallowed hard. “Hey, Jo.”

She spun around with disbelief written all over her face. “Jon?”

“Long time.” He smiled, hoping he looked cool as he watched her for a reaction with his heart clanging in his ears.

“Yes, long time,” she said softly, her doe eyes big and wide, like she was caught in a gun scope.

They stood in stunned silence. He didn’t know what to say, just looked over her for a moment before finally finding his wits.

“I—”

“What are you doing here?” It was more of an accusation than a question.

“We just moved back.” He shifted, feeling the anger roll off her.

Everything about her was wound tight—her voice, her face, her body.

“When?”

“Last week.”

“How’s Tori?” The words were bitter, her eyes taut in the corners and cheeks flushed.

“She’s fine,” he said quietly. He wondered if she could hear the apology underneath his words.

If she did, it didn’t seem to faze her.

“Well, that’s just swell.” Her voice climbed just a little, just enough. “And how about your kid? I hope you’re all happy. Super fucking happy.”

She brushed past him, and he stood there, shocked for a second, before trotting after her.

“Wait, Jo.” He caught up with her as she barreled away and almost reached out to touch her. He clenched his fist to stop himself. “Josie, wait.”

She never stopped walking and wouldn’t look at him as she wound her way through the station with him on her heels. Jon fought to keep up with her as she pushed open the station doors.

“Josie, talk to me, please.”

When she reached the bottom of the cement steps in front of the building, she spun around, her whole body tense. “Talk to you? And say what exactly?”

She laughed, though the sound held no joy, and when she put her hands on her hips, he knew he was in deep shit.

“I don’t owe you anything, not after what you did.”

And with that, he had his answer. She did hate him. It was the worst imagined outcome.

“I know you don’t owe me, Jo, but—”

“But what? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through over the last three years? Any idea? I mean, between you and me? Whatever. We dated for a few weeks, which apparently isn’t long enough for you to even break up with me. You just fucking left without a single word. Who does that?”

His brows dropped. “Wait, you didn’t get—”

“And not only did you dump me without having the decency to even tell me it was over, but then I also found out you’d left town with your ex. Your pregnant ex. Tell me, were you fucking her the entire time too?”

“I—”

She threw her hands up. “No, you know what? I don’t want to know. It was humiliating enough to find out from your fucking landlord, who told me the ‘cute couple’ in 4D was expecting and had moved to New Orleans. So, I swung by Tori’s parents’ place, and they confirmed that you had, in fact, knocked her up and split town.”

“Josie,” he said over her, brows drawn, “will you shut up for one second, please?”

Her eyes narrowed, and her cheeks flamed, her voice deadly soft when she said, “Oh, this better be good.”

“You really think I would have left without saying goodbye?” he asked with more bite than he’d meant, shocked and frustrated and confused. “I left you a letter—”

“I’m sorry. A what?” she asked through her teeth.

“A letter,” he huffed, “one that I figure you didn’t get.”

Her chest rose and fell as she stared at him. “A note?” It was almost a whisper. “You dumped me in a note?”

“Yeah, I left it on your—”

He was too shocked to react when she cocked her fist and hooked him in the jaw.

Jon’s ears rang, and he bent over and pressed a hand to his jaw. “Fuck, Josie!”

“Goddamn it, that hurt,” she growled as she shook her hand out. “You’re not even the worst thing to happen to me.” She dragged in a ragged breath. “Anne’s dead.”