Read Online The Debt 2 by Kelly Favor - Free Book Online Page B

expression was puzzled, brow furrowed as he started reading text messages.   Instantly, something dawned in his eyes, some sort of recognition.
    “Shit,” he said.
    “What happened?” she asked him.
    He shook his head.   “Nothing,” he replied.   He put the phone in his pocket and looked at her.   “What’s important right now is Skylar.”
    “But from what I saw on TV just now—“
    “I said some dumb stuff a few years back.   Apparently now they’re getting around to crucifying me for it.”   He smiled wryly.   “That’s life.”
    She wanted to really talk to him about it, because she sensed that there was a lot more to this then how he was portraying it.   Jake was acting like it was no big deal, but his eyes told a different story, and when Skylar came out of the bathroom, Raven could sense that Jake was distracted.
    He tried not to show it though, as he helped to console Skylar along with Raven.
    “My hands are shaking,” Skylar said, holding them up as proof.
    “Of course your hands are shaking,” Raven said.   “You’ve been through a lot, but it’s over for now.   You’ve done everything you need to do and now you can relax a little and wait to find out what’s next.”
    “The waiting isn’t the fun part,” Skylar said.
    “I’ve booked us three rooms in the Ritz Carlton,” Jake said, putting his hand on Skylar’s shoulder.   “That way we can stay over tonight and not have to worry about traveling again, and you can get some rest.”
    Skylar looked at him with gratitude, her eyes filling with tears.   Then she looked at Raven.   “You guys have been so amazing to me.   I can’t ever thank you enough.”   She started to cry and Jake enveloped her in a big hug.
    For a moment, Raven was afraid of feeling jealous.   But she was relieved to find that she wasn’t jealous at all of how Jake was treating Skylar.   She felt like he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart and not any ulterior motive.
    Skylar needed all the help she could get.
    Raven’s gaze strayed back to the television and found that there was a commercial on.   Whatever was going on with Jake and this scandal, she’d have to wait to find out.
     
    ***
     
    She’d been restraining herself from trying to look up information about the scandal on her phone, but hadn’t wanted to risk Jake seeing her do it.   He hadn’t taken any phone calls or texted anybody, seeming to prefer to focus on getting them all back to the hotel and comforting Skylar.
    And Sky was doing a little better, though clearly she was exhausted.
    They were all tired.   It was so late at night and they’d have to be up relatively early the next day for Jake to get back for his show in Boston.
    Not to mention whatever else he was going to be dealing with now that he had some sort of public relations crisis going on.   Raven found it fairly odd that he simply acted like nothing out of the ordinary was going on.
    She could even see it in the faces of the people in the hotel when he came inside—there wasn’t the same warmth in the way they were greeting him.   Whatever Jake had done, it was changing the way he was being treated.
    Jake had managed to get the three of them rooms all on the same floor.   Was Raven a little disappointed that he hadn’t put her in the same room as him?   She had to admit that she was.   It didn’t make any sense to feel that way, but she did.
    The truth was, she wanted to be close to him, to talk to him, hear his voice, thoughts and opinions.
    But it was better this way, Raven told herself, as the three of them got off the elevator and made their way to separate rooms.
    They went to Skylar’s room first, and Raven gave Sky a long hug.   “You want me to come in with you for a minute?” Raven asked her.
    Skylar shook her head no.   “I’m seriously going to crash the second my head hits the pillow.”
    “I love you, Sky.   Sleep well and call me or text me if you need