rrraksamam

He was awfully quiet. She'd expected him to warm up to her after breaking the ice like Eva had suggested. But he hadn't.

He stood by the window for hours, occasionally checking his laptop notifications, then he was back at the window again, deep in thought. In the end, she'd brought him a chair to sit on, by the window, which he'd politely declined. He seemed to be on edge. He seemed to be thinking about something. Or planning. But what? She desperately wanted to know.

He helped her make dinner, and set the table. And as they sat down for the meal, he'd casually reached out for her hand and said grace – something no one had done with her since she'd left her family. He ate quietly, his eyes on his plate the entire meal. “Roy, are you always quiet like this? Or do you not like me?” she'd finally managed to ask. He looked into her eyes, and said softly, “Jess, I'm going to need to look at that file.” “Why?” “Because I'm afraid that you may have mixed me up with someone else.” He grabbed his glass and took a sip, then continued, “I left a message for Mother, asking about you. She hasn't replied yet.”

“Perhaps she's busy,” she suggested. “No,” he shook his head, “She's not.” “What makes you say that?” she asked. “Because I think you officially just became someone's job.”

She stared at him with her mouth open, as her brain frantically tried to register what she'd just heard. Did he just mention job?! She was someone's job? “Roy, are you going to hurt me?” she asked, her voice faltering. “No,” he shook his head calmly, “I'm going to protect you.” “So you're saying I've been set up? By who?” He stared into her eyes, “I don't know. But whoever wants you out may or may not be aware that I'm here. Now I'm going to need to look at that file. And you're going to tell me everything you know about whoever sent you that file.” “Are you sure you're not just overreacting to this whole situation? You haven't rested a bit. Perhaps you need to lay down.”

He cracked a smile, “Do you know how many jobbers have been taken out in this business?” “Quite a few I suppose.” He nodded in agreement, “And do you know what they all had in common?” “What?” “They never saw it coming. The only way you stay alive in this line of work, is by being paranoid and proactive. You lose focus for one moment – you get comfortable, and someone will put you in a bag.”