A Surreptitious Relationship

:A Surreptitious Relationship: Chapter Forty-Two

“How’s life been?”

“Fine.”

“School?”

“Fine.”

“How’s your love life?”

I glared at Shawn. Why was he acting so casual? Why was he acting like he hadn’t tried to kill me five months ago? “Fine.”

He leaned back in his chair, an amused smirk crossing his face. “So I’m going to guess that you’re going to ask the same questions your boyfriend did?”

“Yes,” I responded curtly. “And you will answer them.”

“Anything for you, Holly.”

“What do you want from us?”

Instead of responding, he abruptly pushed himself up from his chair. With wary eyes, I watched as he drew closer to me, deciding to take a seat in the spot next to me. “So we won’t be over heard,” he informed me before we could ask. “You never know if they’re recording this stuff. I don’t want to admit anything accidentally.”

“I see,” I responded through gritted teeth. The proximity between us was making me uncomfortable. Hopefully this would go quickly.

“You can ask me anything now.”

“What do you want from us?” I repeated.

He tilted his head to the side. “Didn’t I tell Aaron what I want?”

“You want me to lie to the police and say we made everything up? That you didn’t try to kill me and Chris?”

“I see Aaron did indeed tell you that,” he responded, shaking his head. “What a shame. I told him to keep it a secret.”

I scowled. “Why did you use Aaron?”

“Why not? He was more than willing to do my bidding for me.”

“So why are you trying to kill him now?”

 “Those who know too much and aren’t useful are just in the way,” Shawn explained simply. “Since he’s befriended you, obviously I can’t use him anymore. Now he knows too much and could easily ruin me by going to the police.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “But you know he won’t do that.”

He grinned. “Bingo. It pays off to be nice to people sometimes. They might fall in love and be willing to do anything for you.”

“You’re a bastard,” I stated, clenching my fists. “Don’t you care about him at all? How could you just use him and then throw him away?”

“What kind of person do you think I am?” he responded with a snort. “After everything that has happened, do you really think for one stupid little boy I’d be any different? No.”

With his words, my chest tightened. Poor Aaron. He was wasting his time with Shawn. Especially when Shawn cared for him about as much as I cared for seafood— not at all. Keeping myself composed, I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “How do you give orders to Mikey?”

“Some secrets can’t be told.”

“Is there anyone else you communicate with outside of the jail?”

He pursed his lips, squinting as if he was thinking hard about it. “Hmm, I don’t think so. The only person I talk to aside from Shawn was just put in prison the other day.”

I kept my face straight. It was difficult trying to decide if he was lying or not. If I wanted to be on the safe side, I wouldn’t believe him, but a part of me also believed he was telling the truth. That part would be more helpful. It meant if we could just get Mikey thrown in jail this would be over.