In Too Deep

Eighteen

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"How long are you going to stay here for?" Jess emerged from her bedroom, already dressed and ready to go to work.

Nova glanced over at her face, noting that Jess seemed to busy fixing Mal's hair. Holding a cup of coffee to her lips, she smiled and teased, "Wow, Jess, I had no idea that you wanted me gone." But the better question was: how long it would take for him to realise that she was here. She had already gotten away with four days, and by the time he realised she was hiding away at Jess' house, Nova would have already gotten the time she needed off.

The time to think—which she found she couldn't do without his presence suffocating her. Nova had to alienate herself with anything Vicious related despite knowing how mad he would be for choosing this decision. But she guessed he wasn't insane enough if he couldn't find her the very first moment she had disappeared. The thought of facing him made her grimace.

Jess looked stricken at her, followed by a glare when she noticed the teasing smile on Nova's lips. "That's not what I meant. I like having you here, and so does Mal. Maybe think about moving in with us?"

The idea was excellent, but having a roommate who ran around with a gang wasn't the safest for anyone, especially when Jess had a daughter. Even if Mario were pretending to date her, his presence in Jess' life wouldn't be dangerous as much as hers would be. And let her not get started with Vicious unannounced visits. She wouldn't do that to them.

She gave a watery chuckle. "I would be a terrible roommate."

"You've been here for four days. I think you would be a great roommate, right, Mal?" She looked at her little girl. "You want your Aunt Nova to stay with us?"

Would Jess feel the same if she ever learned about Nova's truth? The thought saddened her just as much as it frightened her. Jess left her home for a peaceful life, which Nova had lost months ago by fraternizing with a gang leader.

A glow suddenly lit Mal's face. "Yes!" She bounced over to Nova, yanking the edge of her shirt as she stared up with a pouty face. "Please, stay with us, Aunt Nova."

"Sorry, kid. Even those puppy eyes won't make me stay. And you—" Nova's gaze swung back to Jess. "if you don't want Mal to be late to school, you have to leave."

Jess sighed. "Fine. Can you at least turn on your phone?"

"No." She hugged Mal, then pushed Jess towards the door. With a wave, she closed the door and walked back to Jess' guest room to take a shower. Nova was confident that she would spend the rest of the day fearing for the worst.

Her phone was where she had left it when she came to Jess' sitting on the dresser. She remembered leaving the warehouse, going back home and packing a few clothes before running to hide here. How long did she think she was going to be here? There was no answer to that.

"This is where you've been hiding from me."

It was then that she saw him and her mind suddenly emptied, everything spinning right out of focus for a few seconds before it spun violently back into focus again on his tall, dark, very stance. He was standing less than six feet away. Bright white shirt and dark jeans. Her heart gave a wild leap against her ribs.

For the next few seconds, she tried to convince herself it was not really him standing in the bedroom. She made sure Jess told no one that she was staying here.

She tensed, lips parting then closing again because the real answer to that accusation was true. "I'm not hiding from you, Ghost." Vicious. But he didn't know that she knew his name.