Fever (Breathless #2)(82)

After leaving the clothing where he could find it, she went back into the kitchen.

She pulled out bacon, a carton of eggs and some ham and cheese. An omelet would be quick and it had lots of protein. She busied herself with the preparation and by the time Jack reappeared, dressed in Jace’s clothes, she had his plate ready.

“You want juice or milk?” she asked when he took a seat at the bar.

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll drink whatever.”

After pondering a moment, she pulled two glasses down and poured a glass of each. The extra nutrition certainly wouldn’t hurt.

“I can’t stay long,” Jack said. He was already digging into the omelet with gusto. Bethany cringed to imagine when his last good meal had been. “I have shit to see to. I just wanted to see you and leave my pack here, if that’s all right.”

“Of course it’s all right,” she said. “But why can’t you stay?”

“I’ll be back. Just some things I need to take care of and I didn’t want to have my pack. Could get stolen out there. You know how it is. Always someone wanting what someone else has.”

He was vague and it bothered her.

“What’s in the backpack?”

He ignored her question and then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pill bottle and her stomach clenched.

“I got these for you, Bethy. I know you need them sometimes.”

Her heart began to pound when he slid the bottle across the counter.

“No, Jack.” She shook her head adamantly. “I don’t do that anymore. You know that. I can’t go back to that. Ever.”

“Still, they’ll be here if you need them.”

“How did you get them?” she asked, dread crowding her chest. “How could you afford that? Tell me you didn’t borrow more money.”

He glanced up, swallowing the last bite of his omelet. “I didn’t borrow money. Someone owed me a favor. He hooked me up.”

She closed her eyes. “Jack, you can’t keep doing this. You know it’s no good. It’s no way to live. I don’t want you taking drugs either. You can beat this. It doesn’t have to be this way. Not now.”

His gaze hardened. “The way we’ve been living is no way to live. We survive, Bethy, we don’t live. You know that. And sometimes the pills make the surviving a little easier. Besides, you may have moved up in the world, but I haven’t.”

“That’s not true!” she protested. “What’s mine is yours. You know that.”

Jack shook his head. “Do you really think your new boyfriend is going to want me hanging around here? Think about it, Bethy. What man would want his girlfriend’s homeless brother as excess baggage? You can’t be that naïve.”

She sucked in her breath as pain exploded in her chest. “You know I won’t choose between you two. You know I’d never do that. I love you, Jack. I owe everything to you. I’m not going to forget that. If Jace can’t accept that, then he and I don’t have a future.”

Jack reached across the bar to put his hand over hers. “Don’t be stupid, babe. Don’t throw your chance away on me. You’ve got a chance to make something good. Don’t ruin it.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I won’t just forget about you. I’m not like that. Do you honestly think I could live here, make a new life, while you’re out there on the streets? If you do think that then you don’t know me.”

His gaze softened. “You’re the only person in this world I love and who loves me. And that’s why I want the best for you. Do this for me, okay? I just need to leave my stuff here for a few hours. I’ll come back. Maybe we can have dinner together. I always thought it would be cool if we had a place where you could cook and we could pretend we were normal people just like everyone else.”

She nodded, her pulse still hammering in her veins. She’d call Jace. He’d understand if she called off their evening. “I can cook something. Tell me what you’d like. I’ll make sure I have the stuff for it.”

“Whatever you want to cook. I’ll eat whatever. Surprise me.”

She turned her hand so she could squeeze Jack’s. “I’m just glad you’re here. Really. I’ve been so worried about you.”

“You shouldn’t worry about me, babe. You know I can take care of myself.”

He pulled his hand back and then drained both glasses before setting them back down. “I need to roll. Got shit to do. I’ll try to make it back by dark.”

“Please be careful,” she begged.

He gave her that cocky grin again. “Always do. Thanks for the food and the clothes. I left my pack in your bedroom. I’ll get it later, okay?”

She nodded and watched as he walked out of her apartment as fast as he’d come in. Then her gaze lighted on the bottle he’d left and she snatched it up to put it away in one of the cabinets.

Worry and anxiety ate at her until her stomach tossed and turned. What was Jack into?

She checked her watch and then went to the drawer where Jace had left money for her to use. She wasn’t sure where the nearest market was, but she could ask the doorman. Hopefully it wasn’t a long walk. The weather sucked and she didn’t want to waste money on a cab.