A spot of retail therapy can fix any bad situation. I'm browsing through the clothing racks with Trish by my side. It's one of the first times we're able to hang out as best friends without the thought of Trevor causing me dread. "This is cute," Trish says before holding up a pink cami shirt with spaghetti strap sleeves. She holds it against herself and I nod in agreement. "Super cute. It's perfect for you," I tell her. She grins at me before dropping the shirt into her basket. Her eyes rake through the rail before she glances up at me.

"How are things with you and Jake?" A smile spreads across my lips at the mention of him. A pink tint covers my cheeks and I shrug to act like it's no big deal. It's a huge deal. It's a massive deal. I'm in love with Jake Melvin and things are going better than I ever could have imagined. "Great," I tell her. Trish stops browsing before releasing a light laugh. "Just great? You're dating one of the hottest guys at school, and things are just great?"

"Okay, things are...exciting." I correct myself. Images of Jake's hands, lips and eyes roaming all over my body fill my mind. My cheeks burn brighter and I feel warmth settle between my legs. Trish's eyes linger on my face. "I know that look. You're thinking dirty thoughts," Trish grins knowingly. I bite down on my lip to suppress the laugh I want to release. "Yeah, maybe. Can you blame me?" I ask her with a playful tone. A lingering smile plays on Trish's face before she appears to fall into deep thought.

"I wish I could find that. Real love. I have no idea what loving someone feels like," she says quietly. I blink in surprise because Trish has never spoken about wanting to find love with someone. She always seemed content with hooking up and leaving with a great story to tell. "Do you want a relationship?" I question her. She chews on her pink glossy lips before nodding her head. "Yeah, I'd like to experience it. The closest I've gotten is a two week fling that ended with me kissing his best friend," Trish laughs before grimacing. Her eyes drop to the floor in shame.

"I haven't always made the best of decisions," she says quietly. My brows knit together at the sound of her beating herself up. "You never committed to anyone, Trish. You're allowed to have fun and you're allowed to make mistakes. There's nothing wrong with playing the field," I tell her before giving the top of her arm a gentle squeeze. My words appear to lift the weight resting on her shoulders and she smiles up at me. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks Em," she smiles. She gestures in the direction of the changing room before holding up her overflowing shopping basket. "I'm going to try things on. Are you coming?"

"Go ahead, I'll be right behind you." I tell her. She heads in the direction of the changing room and I continue to search through the racks for cute outfits. Most of my clothes were left behind at Mom's house, and the clothes I bought with me are beginning to grow snug around my body. I'm embracing the changes day by day and I feel a thrill at the thought of me finally getting healthy. My phone pings several times in my pocket so I pull it out to inspect the screen. I expect it to be Jake, but it's not. My breathing catches in the back of my throat as I read through the series of text messages.

Did you think you could scare me away? I'm not going anywhere.

Answer me when I message you, little girl. All I want is a friendly conversation.

It's DC Jones. My eyes squeeze shut and I feel pressure build in the centre of my chest. I thought things with him had come to an end. I thought Jake digging into his appearance in my life would scare him away. It seems like his absence was only temporary. My phone pings again with an incoming message.

Your Mother finally told you the truth about your father. She's kept so many lies from you, Emily. Are you ready to hear them?

When I don't respond, he sends another text almost instantly.

There's so much I need to tell you. Aren't you dying to know?

How does he know so much about my life? I feel my lungs tighten with force and I glance around the store in panic. Is he watching me right now? The thought causes chills to travel down my spine. I re-read his message before falling deep in thought. Is DC Jones linked to my mother? Is she feeding him this information to scare me? Is she behind all of the horrid texts, the phone calls and the followings? Maybe she's trying to scare me into going home. Would she really do that to me? I feel a wave of uneasy heat wash over me. I place my shopping basket on the floor before leaning back against the wall to catch my breath. A thousand questions fill my mind and I feel the desperate urge to get the answers for them. Mom lied to me about my father all my life. What else is she hiding from me? DC Jones seems to know. My fingers tremble as I type out a response.

Let's talk.

I know I shouldn't be throwing myself into the lion's den, but he's the only person who seems to have the answers I need. I send the text message and the whoosh fills the silence surrounding me. My throat runs dry and I stare down at the screen to wait for his response. He takes his time to respond, which isn't like him. Is he surprised at my request to talk with him? Did he expect me to cower away in fear? Moments later, my phone vibrates with his response. He messages me with a time, a place and firm instructions to leave Jake at home. My features crumple up with protest at his request. I don't want to lie to Jake, but I also need answers. Jake's attempt to dig into Jones' appearance in my life came up empty. Even Amil is unsure why the police officer is sniffing around me. The only person who can answer the question is the man himself, Jones.

*

Jones requested to meet me at a bar halfway across town. I say goodbye to Trish before hopping into an Uber. I haven't told a single soul about meeting Jones which I'm now beginning to regret. Jones is smart, which means I need to be smarter if I want to keep myself safe. My knees weaken and tremble as the car grows closer to the bar. Jones asked to keep Jake at home, but he didn't mention I couldn't bring anybody else. I pull out my phone before calling Tobias. I've never called him before, but he's the only other person I can trust to stop Jones if he tries to hurt me. The line rings for a long time and I'm almost ready to hang up when I hear Tobias' voice fill the line.

"What do you want?" Tobias says bluntly, avoiding the pleasantry greeting altogether. I roll my eyes at his tone. "Hello to you too," I mutter before getting back to business. "I need a favour," I ask him cautiously. "No." Tobias responds almost instantly. My features twist into a deep frown. Does he always have to act like such an asshole?

"You owe me, remember?" I hit back at him. There's a pause on the other end of the line before he exhales a deep breath. He makes me feel like an inconvenience for simply talking to him. "Fine. What is it?"

"I'm in an Uber and I'm about to meet Jones." I tell him. Saying the words out loud makes me question whether this is a good idea after all. I want answers but are they worth risking my life for? "Your stalker? Are you fucking insane? Jones is a dangerous man." Tobias scolds me down the line with disbelief. His voice is lined with frustration, and it's one of the only times I've heard him speak with emotion.

"I know, but he has all of the answers I need about my parents. I have to meet him," I respond."Does Jake know about this meeting?" Tobias asks me quietly. My chest restricts at the thought of lying to Jake. He's done so much for me, and here I am, betraying him. "No." I whisper with shame. "Why are you telling me about this?" Tobias asks me.

"I want you to come with me so I don't have to face him alone. He's asked to meet me in a bar so pretend to be a customer while I talk to him. Will you do that for me?"

"I can't. Jones knows who I am. He saw me the day he came round to question you about Trevor's attack, remember?" Tobias says quietly. My eyes flutter closed with realisation. I can't risk Jones knowing I bought someone with me in case he doesn't give me the answers I need. "Okay, I'll do it on my own." I tell him. Tobias begins to argue with me almost instantly. "This is a bad idea, Emily. Turn the Uber around and come home. You don't need answers from Jones, you can find them elsewhere."

I think about his words and I almost ask the driver to turn around. The thought of my father not being my biological father stops me in my tracks. If Mom kept a huge secret from me all my life, what else is she hiding from me? Besides, I'm meeting Jones in a public place. What could go wrong?

"I need answers," I whisper down the line before ending the call. I know Tobias is going to try and talk me out of going ahead with it. I glance down at my hands to find they're trembling in my lap. I exhale a deep breath before looking out of the window for a distraction. The car eventually rolls to a slow stop outside the bar and I peer up at the front of it. The building is old, the sign is hanging off on one side, and the orange and black paint is peeling away. The sign reads 'RUDY'S BAR' across the front. The frosted glass door opens as a customer leaves and I'm greeted with the scent of stale ale and the sound of aggressive male voices. The Uber driver glances at me with a slightly worried expression.

"Are you sure this is where you're supposed to be going?" He asks me before glancing at the bar. Are my nerves really that noticeable? "Yes, this is the right place." I whisper before inhaling a deep breath. I swallow hard to force away the fear building in the back of my throat. Despite looking confident, my hand trembles as I push open the car door to step out. I can do this.