Chapter 647

Of course. A guy like him—a leech who targets women—would have a knack for spotting wealthy, attractive targets. If Jorian recognized me, he’d already done his homework. He might’ve even targeted me before.

“What do you think I’m here for?” I asked, letting the sarcasm drip.

Jorian didn’t flinch. “It’s about Demi, right?”

So, he knew. No point playing dumb. “Yeah,” I said. “What did you do to her? And don’t give me the ‘I want the truth’ cop version.”

“I’m not obligated to tell you anything,” he replied smoothly, like he thought he still had some leverage.

I raised a brow. “Then what’ll it take for you to talk?”

Honestly, he was in no position to negotiate. Even if I offered him cash, he wouldn’t be able to spend it from behind bars. But he held up two fingers.

I let out a sharp laugh. “Seriously? Aren’t you worried about adding extortion to your rap sheet? And even if I gave you the cash, you can’t spend it behind bars.”

“It’s not for me,” he said, serious now. “It’s for my parents.”

That caught me off guard. As much as I despised him, his loyalty to his family was…something.

“I’m afraid if I showed up at your parents’ doorstep with money, they’d be too scared to take it,” I said bluntly. That shut him up.

After a pause, he admitted, “I didn’t hurt Demi. I just tricked her into giving me some money.”

Yeah, right. “If that’s all you did, why would she try to kill herself?”

He looked away, silent. Guilty.

“If you really want someone to help your parents, you’d better start talking,” I warned. “The mess you’ve made? It’s wrecked their lives. They’ve probably lost every friend they had, thanks to you.”

That got a reaction. His head shot up, eyes blazing. “You’ve met my parents? Are they being bullied? Damn it, if I ever get out of here, I’ll kill those bastards who—”

He nearly jumped out of his seat, stopping only when an officer nearby barked at him to sit down.

“I haven’t met your parents,” I clarified. “But use your brain, Jorian. This is on you.”

Wayne had already filled me in—Jorian’s debts and scams had burned every bridge. His parents were left to pick up the pieces.

“Ms. Kay,” he pleaded, “you’re rich. Help me pay them back. I’ll be your servant, your lackey—anything!”

I didn’t bother responding. I wouldn’t even want you as a lackey. My silence was rejection enough.

His devotion to his parents was almost admirable, but they weren’t entirely innocent. If they’d raised him with a shred of discipline, maybe he wouldn’t have ended up this way—dragging everyone down with him.

My money wasn’t meant for people like Jorian.

When he realized I wasn’t going to budge, his demeanor shifted. “If you’re not going to help me, why should I tell you anything? Get out!” he snapped. Then, he stormed off.

“Did you ever force Demi to do anything?” I called after him.

Jorian froze. For a second, I thought he might actually answer. But without turning around, he resumed walking.

I left the detention center and caught a flight to Lindale that same night. The address I had led me to a crumbling apartment complex in a cheap rental area. The pathway to the building was a mess of cracks and weeds, and I carefully made my way down, checking the door numbers. Before I could find Demi’s unit, a loud commotion up ahead stopped me cold.

Three burly men stood pounding on a rusted door, their voices loud and aggressive.

“Hey, you worthless bitch! Get out here now! If you don’t pay up today, we’ll break the damn door down!”

My stomach twisted, and a cold chill ran down my spine. Demi.

Without thinking, I broke into a run toward the scene.