Elliott suggests calling in a favor

Elliott pressed his hands to his head, agonizing. Then, hesitantly, he said, “There’s… one thing we could try.”

May looked at him. “What do you mean?”

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I know some people. They handle… situations like this. They’re not exactly the cleanest crowd. But they’ve handled stuff like this before—discreetly. It’s not pretty, but if you want to make sure Amelia doesn’t talk, this could be an option.”

May’s stomach dropped. She felt like he’d poured ice out over her head. “I just want to figure out how to fix this, not get her hurt.”

Elliott stepped closer. She didn’t know how to feel about the intense look he had. “Look, okay, you’re in deep. You said it yourself—if she tells your husband, you’re screwed. This might be your only way to keep her quiet.”

May hated the sound of that. Her stomach was churning. This was her best friend they were talking about. She shook her head. “I’m not that person. What if something happens to her?”

“They don’t hurt people,” he said quickly. “Not unless it’s necessary. This’d just be a warning, that’s all.”

May bit her lip. Her mind raced with everything that was on the line—her marriage, her home, her entire life. Could she really go down that road? Thinking of Roger, of their apartment. The rent in the city was astronomical. With barely any savings, she couldn’t even afford a studio on her own. She had no fallback, throwing everything into her life with Roger, assuming it would always be there. The walls felt like they were closing in. She hated herself for even considering it. “Are you sure?” she said. “They won’t hurt her?”

He didn’t look sure. “I’ll say not to. They’ll just talk to her. It’ll stay between you and her.”

May’s heart pounded in her chest, every fiber of her being screaming that this was wrong. But the thought of losing her home, of starting over with nothing, of Roger looking at her with disgust and walking away—it terrified her more. Her mouth felt dry as she looked up at Elliott, her voice barely a whisper.