Page 14 of My End (Iron Fiends #10)

Tilly

The dining room doors were always propped open when dinner was ready, and now all I had to do was show up, smile, and play the part Boone expected of me.

I adjusted the strap on my dress as I walked toward the open doors. It was a floaty rust-orange wrap dress I’d painted in earlier that week. A streak of ultramarine still stained the hem if you looked too closely. I doubted either of them would notice.

Boone and Gibbs were already seated, with half-glasses of red wine in front of them. Their heads were tipped close together, and their voices were low and confidential.

I paused just before the threshold, smoothed my hand over my hip, and took a breath.

Jake stood in the far corner, by the fireplace tonight. Still as a statue, with his arms crossed and that unreadable expression plastered across his face. I didn’t know how he managed to look both bored and dangerous at the same time.

He looked up, and our eyes caught.

For a split second, the air between us felt… different.

Then he looked away.

“Ah, Tilly,” Boone said and stood as I entered. He buttoned his suit coat with a practiced motion. “You’re right on time.”

I nodded and offered a small smile. “I do try.”

Gibbs didn’t rise. He gave me a flick of his fingers and a nod. “Evening.” It seemed that he was still a little ticked I hadn’t given him a tour last night.

I took my usual seat next to Boone and tried not to glance toward the fireplace again. Jake hadn’t moved an inch, but I could feel his gaze on me.

“Rough day?” I asked lightly and reached for the linen napkin beside my plate.

Boone arched an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

Oh. Wrong tone. Maybe I read the room wrong.

I tucked the napkin across my lap. “I meant… you both looked deep in conversation. Long day?”

Boone relaxed back into his chair. “Ah. Yes. Just tying up loose ends before things ramp up again.”

Gibbs drained the rest of his wine. “The world never stops turning.”

Adam swept in. He set a fresh glass of wine before me and then refilled the one in front of Gibbs.

Boone waved him away when he went to refill his glass.

Adam left but then returned almost immediately with the first and main courses.

The first course was a watercress salad, and the main course was a delicate stack of lamb medallions with something creamy and root-based underneath.

Parsnip, maybe. It looked beautiful, like always.

I picked up my fork and forced myself to eat, even though my stomach wasn’t exactly on board tonight.

Boone and Gibbs murmured between bites. Their conversation was too low to make out, though I tried. Mostly I caught phrases like ”leverage” , ”not yet” , and ”waiting for confirmation.” Business. Always business.

I let my eyes drift for just a second to where they really wanted to look.

Jake.

He was facing the table, not the door, but it was clear he wasn’t looking at us. Not really. His eyes were pinned somewhere over Boone’s head, like he was watching a scene only he could see.

Until mine met his again.

He blinked slowly. Just once.

It was nothing.

And yet… it wasn’t.

My fork hovered over the plate. I forced myself to look away.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Boone observed, not unkindly.

“I suppose I am,” I said and sipped my wine. “Just tired.”

“She was up painting last night,” he told Gibbs like I wasn’t in the room. “Probably got lost in her colors again.”

Gibbs chuckled, low and dismissive. “Must be nice to live with that kind of freedom.”

Boone smiled thinly. “Yes. Well. Not everyone is built for pressure.”

My jaw clenched. I smiled anyway. “I like what I do.”

“That’s good,” Boone said. “We all have our roles.”

Jake shifted, a subtle adjustment of weight from one boot to the other.

I noticed.

Dinner continued in awkward silence. Every so often, Boone would murmur something to Gibbs, and Gibbs would grunt in agreement. It was clear I was only here for appearances.

When dessert was brought out, a raspberry tart so perfect it could’ve come from a Paris bakery, I saw Jake’s eyes flicker to the tray.

His jaw tightened. Hungry? Maybe. I remembered Adam mentioning the guards didn’t eat until after Boone and Gibbs were done.

“Would you like something?” I asked before I could stop myself and looked at Jake.

Both Boone and Gibbs turned their heads toward me like I’d suggested setting the place on fire.

Jake’s expression didn’t change. “No, ma’am.”

Ma’am.

My cheeks burned.

“He’s fine,” Boone said firmly. “Our team knows their place.”

I shut my mouth.

The rest of the meal passed in silence. I pushed the tart around my plate and avoided Jake’s eyes after that. What had I been thinking? Offering dessert like we were friends?

Finally, Boone glanced at his watch and stood. “We have a call in fifteen minutes. Tilly, you’ll excuse us.”

I nodded and rose. “Of course.”

I stepped away from the table and moved to the doorway. I felt Jake move behind me before I heard him. A wall of heat and tension.

I paused and turned slightly. “Jake,” I said, quietly.

He didn’t look at me. “Yes, ma’am.”

I swallowed. “Are you okay?”

He blinked once. Slowly. “Just doing my job.”

There was something in his tone. Something just beneath the surface.

I nodded, but I didn’t move.

He did.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Be careful.”

“What?”

His eyes finally met mine. “Just… watch yourself.”

And then he was gone to trail Boone and Gibbs down the hall like a shadow.

I stood frozen for a full minute.

Something was off.

I didn’t know what. Or why.

But whatever was going on in this house… I wasn’t as far outside of it as I’d thought.