Hostile Takeover ❖ Jake Riley | ✓ [book 1]

21~ Sure to be More Springs

"He's getting better, right?" Jake said, "Just need to keep your wrist a little more loose,"

"Well, how about you guys have a break. We still have leftover pizza from last night," she said.

"I'll heat it up," Quentin ran back inside.

"Hey! Make sure you wear the the oven mits!" Jake called after him.

"I got it!" Jake chuckled as he watched him disappear.

"I can't believe he's already thirteen," he picked up the ball, "You want to shoot a basket or two?" he asked.

Jenna's smile went away, and Jake became concerned "What's the matter? Did something happen to your dad?"

"No, no Jake. He's fine. You might want to sit down, though," she said. They took a seat at the old porch table that was in desperate need of a new coat of varnish.

"Okay. What's going on?" he asked.

Jenna took a deep breath and stretched out her fingers nervously, "Jake, I just got a call from Vicki Reynolds. Max is dead,"

Her words rang in his ears like gonging church bells, he almost didn't believe her, "Run that past me again?"

"Max Ridley is dead. He hung himself in his cell early this morning. FBI got the notification an hour ago," she said.

"Why'd they call me? Shouldn't they be calling Slater? Or Lex?" he asked.

"Apparently, Max listed you as his emergency contact," she replied.

Jake felt a wave of nausea come over him and he slumped down in his seat. He could hardly believe it; he just went to see him a few months ago. And now, he was dead?

"I just saw him, though. I just saw him," he shook his head, going over every word they shared in that little room. Max looked so defeated, so lifeless, but he never could've possibly imagined he would take his own life.

"I'm so sorry, Jake," Jenna said, "Do you want to call somebody?"

"No," he shook his head, "I just need to think for a minute," but he couldn't think of a single thing. His mind just seemed to blank out.

"Like you said, Max was innocent," Jenna said, "He just wasn't given a fair chance at life. I guess he couldn't take it anymore,"

Like a movie, memories of the district flashed in and out of his head, from the moment they met at the marathon, to the car explosion, to the moment he talked him off the ledge. Max was just a lost soul, someone with too much anger and not enough time. But there was some good in him, though.

"Max did a lot of stupid things. But he did do one good thing with his life," he said.

"What was that?" Jenna asked.

Jake looked up at her, and he started to smile, "He thrusted you into my life," he said. Jenna started to smile too, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye.

"Listen to me. I know you're a smart guy, so you know that nothing is worth it. Nothing is worth taking your own life. If you're upset over something, if you're angry, than come talk to me. I'm here, I'll listen to you. But don't leave me, or that kid in there," she said.

Jake wiped his nose and blinked back his tears, "You too, okay? I'm not loosing you again," he said. Jenna smiled and stood up, sitting down in his lap and letting her head rest on his chest, hearing his beating heart.

"I love you, Jake,"

"I love you too, Jenna,"

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