I came to a halt outside the bars, grasping them and staring into the cell. Jared's dark blue t-shirt was torn at the neck, a smudge of dirt on one cheek as he finally looked up and met my eyes. I realized then as I took in the split skin on his right hand over his knuckles and the ashamed expression on his face I didn't have to give him a hard time over fighting.

He had been doing the job for me all along.

"Hey," I said, keeping it light despite my previous ...