Everybody looked at Phil who was now standing in the middle of the living room. He glared at Jake who was not looking away from him, as if they were battling a silent fight.
"I hardly see this should be our focus right now," Thomas trailed off.
"No Thomas, you don't get to sweep this under the rug like the last time, when you and Cleo, you know, tried to break into the basement of my bar," Phil said in a dangerously low tone. He was still looking at Jake.
"You did what?" Hannah turned her head towards a now visibly embarrassed Thomas.
"Long story..." he mumbled.
"Phil! I thought we talked about this..." Jessy pleaded, looking at her brother in shock.
Phil raised his hand, "I'm over that, and over everything else that has happened. What your friends did, doesn't matter anymore."
Dan coughed and avoided Phil's and Jessy's gaze.
"What I am not over is... that this guy has dragged Lia into this, this mess of his! She was crying her eyes out on my chest today. Yeah, you guys heard me right. I think she was also sad about none of you guys contacting her, which was, let's face it, a very stupid idea," Phil's words made Jessy sob again, and everyone else aside from Jake is looking away. "He on the other hand..." he pointed at Jake.
"We didn't mean to hurt Lia, it escalated out of proportions," Cleo was now hugging and comforting Jessy.
"Yeah, you are right, it wouldn't have been so hard for Lia... if this idiot hadn't played with Lia's feelings! If you had just not toyed with her-"
"I never toyed with Lia," Jake was now suddenly standing up, looking Phil straight into the eyes.
"Oh yeah? Then tell me what it was that attitude of yours? Feeding her with false hopes, telling her you will meet her in Duskwood-" Phil took a step towards Jake.
"I meant every word I told her. I was planning to meet her, I would have even gone to her apartment right after the FBI would have left Duskwood-" in comparison to Phil, Jake didn't raise his voice much, but his tone became serious with each passing second.
Dan was looking for something in his bag, Cleo grabbed his arm and glared at him, "Don't even think about it."
Dan raised his eyebrows, then his hand went into his bag while maintaining eye contact, he slowly took out cough drops from his bag.
"Itchy throat," he whispered.
"Which you didn't. Tell me, Jake, what did you say to Lia after we found Hannah? Tell us all Jake, I am sure we are all delighted to hear what wonderful things you said to Lia," Phil gestured to everyone who was sitting around the two brawlers. All eyes fell on Jake who was now looking very calm and serious.
"Nothing," Jake said without any hesitation.
"Eh, what?" Lilly asked promptly.
"I said nothing to Lia," Jake repeated his words.
"What?" Cleo blinked.
"Nothing as in... not a single word?" came Thomas' question.
Jake looked at him and then nodded slowly.
"Why Jake?" Jessy looked shocked. "Lia, she... she loved you, Jake. I mean, okay we didn't talk either to her, but we were having a surprise, it would have been solved if she saw it, she would have been still a bit upset, but it wasn't... harmful. But ignoring someone who confessed her feelings to you and given a promise to meet up... Jake that is going a bit too far," Jessy shook her head.
"I think I now understand her reaction in front of the Aurora," Hannah looked pale. "She thought you were lying to her. She felt like she was a tool, a mere means to an end... to help you find me," Hannah shook her head. "Why Jake? You are not a person who uses others, you mean what you say. Does Lia really mean nothing to you?"
"She means the world to me," Jake said, and his eyes got watery.
"Then why...?" Lilly asked softly.
"Because I had to protect her," Jake answered. "I had to protect her no matter what, it was just till the FBI left Duskwood, and when they did I..."
"What Jake?" Cleo asked, looking concerned.
"I got scared..." Jake a tear roll down his cheek. "I got scared about a lot of things. That when I see Lia I would not be able to let go of her. Got scared of her rejection when she sees me, and got scared that my pursuers would find out the true value of her. I let fear get the best of me, and now I'm paying the price. I'm sorry everyone. Lia's abduction is my fault, and my fault alone," he looked at each one of the groups in the eyes.
"Yeah you're right," Phil said. "It is truly your fault."
"Phil," Dan's voice had a dangerous tone and everyone looked at him. "Just fuck off already, there is the door," he pointed towards the end of Hannah's hallway.
Phil let out a scoff and laughed. "As you wish," Phil grabbed his jacket. "Don't mind me, as I am going to get Lia back myself while you all here sympathize with the hacker."
"Phil..." Jessy tried to stand up, but her brother was already walking towards the door.
"Let him, Jessy," Cleo pulled her back. "He doesn't even know where Lia is." She paused. "Eh, he doesn't, right?"
"Phil wait!" Jessy ran after him.
Phil swung the door open and was now face to face with Richy. Everybody froze as they watched Richy who was holding up a fist as if he was going to knock on the door. Then he laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"Okay, guys... what did I miss?" he asked with a confused look on his face.