Be Mine (Jackson Boys 2)

A hollow breath rattles in her chest. “All these girls, though, Nick. All of them, and if I’d spoken up, how many of them wouldn’t have been hurt by him?”

“If you had come out and said that Chip drugged you, used you, and wanted you to get an abortion, he’d have had those pictures plastered everywhere. The other guys in that group would have made the same accusations. Everything you feared for Cassidy would’ve come true. You were nobody, and Chip was a pro football player with a lot of money. All the reasons that were right and just and important at the time don’t change today because you suddenly have new information. You’re the victim. You get to decide how you want to share this and when. Don’t let Chip affect your future any more than he already has. Don’t let him win.” I reach across and grab her cold fingers in mine. “Let me take care of this.”

Her eyes are unreadable for a long, silent moment. I hold my breath. I’d gotten the file last night from Tom Kellogg, a former Naval investigator, who did private work for big corporations and wealthy individuals. He was known as the Excavator, a guy who could dig up secrets buried under concrete.

And apparently, Chip’s secrets weren’t very deep at all, judging by the volumes of material Tom had dredged up in only a few days. Guy’s an idiot, Tom had said.

I knew what he meant after the first document. Tom had found eight girls, all between the ages of fifteen and nineteen, that Chip had violated using the same methods he had used on Lainey. They were vulnerable, impoverished girls from broken homes who were desperate for affection and a better life. He charmed them, plied them with drugs and alcohol, and then passed them around to his coterie of sick friends.

If they got pregnant, as Lainey did, he’d offer to pay for an abortion. Most agreed. Lainey was the only one who didn’t. At least, the only one Tom had found who didn’t.

“What will you do?” Lainey finally asks.

If you need help burying the body, let me know, Tom added as I was leaving. The world won’t hurt if he’s missing. Can’t imagine anyone would look too hard. Be a service.

I don’t think he was joking.

“I’m going to ruin him.” Killing Chip is too easy of an out. Plus, it puts Lainey and my family in danger. Taking away everything Chip values, however, is a punishment that keeps on giving. “I have the means to do this. All you have to do is trust me.”

She tugs her fingers free from mine and rubs her hands on her lap, finally coming to a decision. “All right. I’ll let you do this.”

“Thank you.”

Her eyes stay downcast, as if she’s ashamed of the decision she just made. My heart aches for her. I scramble for the right words to say, but while I can make poetry on the football field, off of it, I’m not much of an artist.

“It’s the right thing, Lainey.”

“I hope so.”

“It is.” I gather the file under my arm and get to my feet. “I’ve got a team meeting, and after, I’m going to take care of this thing, once and for all.”

We are both missing Cassidy who is with my parents, and until Chip is out of the picture, there’s no way for us to be a family. That’s unacceptable.

It’s hard to sit in the quarterback meeting, reviewing our plays for Sunday, and not launch myself over the table at Chip. But tipping my hand wouldn’t do any good. All the pieces have to be in place before I can bring this asshole down. If I don’t do it right, he’s going to pop up out of another hole, and then I might have to enlist Nate’s help, which I definitely don’t want to do.

I know Lainey wouldn’t appreciate me trading my Mustangs uniform for an orange jumpsuit. I can probably kiss conjugal visits and being a father to Cassidy goodbye as well.

I pause at the door and grab my center, Darnelle. “Is Coach around?”

My teammate nods and jerks his head down the hall toward the training rooms. “Meeting with the med staff for an injury round-up.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, you all right?” Darnelle asks. “You look tense and pissed off.”

“Just excited about killing my opponent,” I reply. If only. Swiftly, I make for the door. A certain reporter likes to hang around after team meetings, and I want to catch him before he makes the rounds.

I find Garrett Williams, the reporter, hovering by the locker room door. “Williams, what’s up?”

He jerks around in surprise. “Hey, Jackson. How’s it going?”

I don an aggrieved expression. “I’ve had better days.”

His jaw drops at my unusual response, but he’s a pro and recovers quickly enough. His eyes light up as he tucks his phone away. His reporter senses are tingling. “I’ve got some time if you want to grab a drink.”