Disillusioned (Swept Away, #2)(48)

“Well, the first time she came, I remember them screaming and shouting right in front of the building.” He looked nervous. “I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help but hear them. And then she came back a second time. I remember it clear as day because I was so shocked when she came back. I didn’t understand why she would return after the first time was so bad.”

“What were they screaming?” I asked gently.

“All I remember hearing was ‘He’s mine.’?” George stared at both of us.

“And what else?” Jakob said softly.

“I heard someone say, ‘I’ll kill you.’?”

“What?” My jaw dropped. “Who said that?”

“I don’t know.” George looked apologetic. “I’m sorry. I don’t know who said what.” He gazed into my eyes. “I saw your face and it was like seeing into the past. You look just like her. So sweet, so innocent.” He bowed his head. “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, miss.”

“No, it’s fine.” I looked at Jakob. His eyes were somber. I felt ashamed of myself. Maybe he’d been right all along. Maybe my mother had been having an affair with Jeremiah Bradley. Maybe my mother had ruined his mother’s life after all. What did I really know about her? About anything? My heart dropped as I realized that maybe I wasn’t representing the side of good after all.



“Welcome home. Well, to my apartment.” Jakob opened his arms wide as we walked out of the private elevator and into his penthouse apartment.

“It’s big.” I laughed at my completely obvious comment. I stared around at the floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed out at the city lights. “What a view.”

“What a view indeed.” He turned to me. “Gorgeous.”

“I’m talking about outside the window.”

“I’m talking about you.” He stepped toward me.

“So you were right,” I said, unable to keep the sadness out of my voice. “My mom slept with your dad.”

“We don’t know what happened.” He shook his head.

“I’m pretty sure we do.”

“I don’t blame you. My dad was a pig. He was obviously sleeping with a lot of women.”

“Including my mom.” I sighed. “I wonder if my dad knew.”

“That would have been devastating for him.” Jakob took my hand and pulled me to the couch with him. “Are you okay?”

“Not really.” I closed my eyes. “The sky is closing in on me and I don’t even know which side is up anymore.”

“You’re okay, Chicken Little.” He rubbed my knee.

“How can you be so calm?” I glanced at him. “We basically just got confirmation that there was something going on with my mom and your dad.”

“We confirmed nothing.” He shook his head and paused. “Look at me, Bianca. All we’ve confirmed is that this whole thing is a lot more complicated than we both originally thought.”

“What are we going to do?” I suddenly felt really glad to be with Jakob.

Then I heard the beep beep of my phone receiving a text. “I have a message.” I pulled my phone out and frowned at the screen. “Actually, it’s a voice mail.” I frowned. “My phone didn’t even ring, though.”

“Listen to it.” He nodded at the phone.

“Okay.” I listened to the message and frowned. “Listen.”

I put the phone on speaker and pressed REPEAT. “Bianca, it’s Larry. I’m so sorry for everything. So, so sorry. Listen to me carefully. Look at the letters and the clues. The clues have the answers. Death wasn’t the end, but the beginning.” Then, after a scuffling noise, the message went dead.

“What was that?” Jakob frowned and rubbed his temple.

“I have no idea.” I shook my head. “I hope he’s okay,” I said softly. “Even if he was a dirtbag.”

“Hold on a second.” Jakob grabbed my hands. “Remember the note you received on the island?” He frowned. “Didn’t it say something about death?”

“Oh my God, it did!” I nodded, trying to think. “Hold on, let me think.” I closed my eyes tightly and tried to remember what it said. “It said, ‘Your life may be saved in death,’?” I said after about a minute. “?‘Your life may be saved in death.’?”

“Doesn’t that strike you as peculiar?” Jakob asked thoughtfully. “That the letter and Larry gave you such similar messages?”

“Definitely too similar to be coincidental.” I nodded, my brain hurting. “I don’t understand what it means.”

“Let’s think about it.” Jakob stared at me for a second. “I think we’ve been looking at the clues incorrectly.”

“What do you mean?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I think we’ve been reading the notes as personal clues, as if the meanings were intended for us—but what if the clues are more general? What if the clues have nothing to do with us? What if the clues are pointing to someone else altogether?”

“Someone else?”

“Someone else, something else.” He shrugged. “Just not us.”