Twisted (Never After #4)(83)

Not as long as I get to keep her.

Spinning around, I leave the room before I do something I shouldn’t, my chest burning and my throat tight.

I walk back outside and around the front of the building, making my way down the sandy paths that lead to the small cottages, heading to where Jeannie stays. She never replied to my last email, and I’m done playing the waiting game. I put her in this position as the lead archaeologist, and I can take it away just as easily.

Walking up to the front door of the small house, I knock on the dark blue door, pulling out my staff and elongating it so I can flip it around in my hands.

The front window to the left is covered by dark drapes and I notice someone peeking through the edges, thinking I can’t see them peering out.

I slip my free hand in my pocket, waiting patiently, even though I’m counting down from thirty until I break down the door myself and force her to answer. I’m sure she was asleep, but I don’t care.

Right before I hit zero, the door swings open and Jeannie stands in front of me, her eyes wide awake and her bright-blue hair tangled in a messy bun on top of her head.

“Mr. Faraci,” she mumbles, her cheeks growing pink.

I smile and force my way past her until I’m standing in the small living room. “Jeannie, you disappoint me. I put you here”—I pause and wave my arm around the space— “yet you ignore me like you have no one to answer to.”

She shakes her head, her fists tightening at her sides. “No, Mr. Faraci, I swear…I just, there’s nothing to tell.”

I quirk a brow. “So you haven’t had any luck with the new dig site?”

She swallows, and I don’t miss the way her eyes dart around nervously. “No.”

“And Darryn Anders?”

“He’s an annoyance, but even he didn’t know about the new place I found. He’s just been around the other spots, making it hard for us to get any work done.”

She swallows again, nodding her head, her feet shuffling on the plain shaggy carpet.

“Why are you so fidgety?” I demand, annoyed at the way she can’t stand still for a second. “Do I make you nervous?”

Her forehead scrunches and her tongue peeks out to swipe along her chapped bottom lip. “I just haven’t been feeling so great. Nothing that a good night’s rest won’t fix.”

I tilt my head as I watch her. Something’s off. “Do you need to take a leave of absence?”

She snaps her head up to meet my gaze. “No. Everything’s fine. I promise, I just…I’m on my period. You know how it is.”

“No,” I drawl. “I can’t say that I do.”

I take a step closer, watching as her entire frame tightens like she’s waiting for me to strike. I bend down until she’s forced to crane her neck to look me in the eyes.

“Despite how disrespectful you’ve been by not replying to my emails, I do care about your well-being. If you have something to tell me, if there’s something going on, now is your chance.”

She’s quiet for a few moments before her movements cease and she stiffens her jaw. “No, Mr. Faraci, everything’s fine.”

I don’t believe her for a second, but I know a losing battle when I see one, and she isn’t planning to tell me anything that’s worthwhile.

“How has Ian been treating you?” I ask instead, pivoting the conversation.

She’s about to come apart at the seams, which makes me think that things are not going well.

Her entire body straightens, her jaw locking up tight. “I’d appreciate it if you’d remind Mr. Godard that I don’t work for him.”

My brows rise. “Technically, you do. You work for me, and Ian is here on my behalf. Is he the one causing you problems?”

She swallows audibly and shifts her head to the side, breaking our eye contact. “He just makes a mess of things is all. He doesn’t help.”

I sigh, nodding as I slip my hands in my pockets. I’m beginning to think that being here entirely is a bust. For everyone involved. Ian isn’t pulling his weight, and clearly my lead archaeologist needs some time off.

Originally, I was here to ensure things were still on track, but with every second I stand here, it sinks in that maybe I should just let everyone pack up and go home.

Maybe it isn’t worth it after all.

What’s the point of it anyway? I don’t care half as much for the lost lamp as I once did, and it’s becoming a headache that’s starting to cause too many issues for me to handle. I don’t want to meet with Darryn or search anymore. He can have the lamp. I have enough already.

“Pack up your things, Jeannie,” I say suddenly.

The words slip from my mouth before the decision has fully formed in my head, but once I say them, I don’t pull them back.

A shocked expression washes over her face. “Are you… firing me?”

I shake my head. “No. I’m closing down the compound entirely.”

Stepping closer to her, I place my hand on her shoulder. She flinches and my stomach jolts, not enjoying the way it feels to touch someone other than Yasmin.

Her eyes meet mine and I try to adopt an empathetic expression. “Go home. Get some rest. You’ve done good work for me, but it ends here.”

She licks her bottom lip and nods slowly.