I’ll get out of this, but she won’t.
She sidesteps like she hasn’t found her legs yet, but then she runs, her hair flying against her back as she disappears into the night.
You’re welcome! But I don’t say it out loud. No idea if she has a chance, but at least she has tonight.
Reeves starts to go after her, but I swing around the back of his car and shove him to the ground.
“You little shit!” he spits out.
I put my hands up, surrendering, but he climbs to his feet and grabs my head, pulling me to the ground.
We tumble, rolling over the side of the incline, falling over the rocks, and I separate myself, scrambling backward to get away from him.
“Just like your fucking father,” he says, advancing on me. “Always in the way.”
I flex my jaw as he comes at me with his hands, but then his foot shoots out, taking me off guard. He kicks me, and I plummet into the pond. I gasp, going under, but it’s only a few feet deep. I find my footing and rise back up.
I just open my eyes, but he’s there, his hand fisting my hair and pushing me back down. What the fuck?
I open my mouth, bubbles rising in front of me, but all I hear is my own muffled yell under the water. I grapple at his hand, trying to free myself, but just as I’m about to pull him in with me, he’s gone. My head is free, and I pop up, drawing in a deep breath, sputtering.
What the hell?
Wiping my eyes, I look up and see the Rebel standing over me. To her side, Reeves is on the ground, holding his bleeding ear and shuffling away from her.
She holds a rock in her fist, and for a second, I’m frozen. She didn’t run.
Stupid girl.
“You’re dead,” he tells her, almost a whisper.
I climb out of the pond, she looks up at me, and I look at her.
And we move. Slowly away from each other. She drops the rock, running right, and I gaze down at Reeves one last time before I take off to the left.
“Stop!” he bellows after us.
But we’re gone, each going our own way, and I know we’re both in a shitload of trouble right now, but I just need a second to figure out what to do.
I leap down some more rocks, racing through the park and out the front entrance, going the only place I know I’m safe right now. I just need to catch my breath. I need to think.
Fuck! What the hell happened? What did I do? It went so fast.
I hit a cop. I destroyed his property, and even if my family can protect me from him, they can’t protect me from Green Street.
And she’ll be dead no matter what.
I whip off my wet T-shirt, slipping it into my back pocket, and keep my eyes peeled as I cross High Street.
Reaching up, I pull the ladder down and climb up the fire escape, hopping up onto the roof. I go to the door in the ceiling that sits between Quinn’s bakery and Rivertown. It’s only been an hour since I was here last.
I take a moment, trying to calm down. I’m safe up here. The entire roof of this strip of businesses is shielded by the trees on High Street, and I breathe in and out, thoughts racing through my head.
It’s okay. I had to do it.
Or maybe I didn’t. Maybe there was another way.
Either way, I’ll be fine. I can handle this. I’ll get out of it. I’ll figure it out. When I tell them about Reeves, he’ll roll over on his lackeys. They’ll get arrested and Green Street will be gone. I won’t need to watch my back.
I can buy myself time and get this handled.
Blue and red lights flash in the night, and I head over to the edge of the roof, looking down. Cop cars race down High Street, Reeves probably realizing he had no choice but to report this. He’ll need to control the narrative now.
And then, I see her. Running down the sidewalk and more cop cars down the street, about to be on her tail.
She stumbles into the alley, and I follow her around the roof, looking down as she struggles. I hear her breaths from here.
I raise my eyes, seeing the patrol cars close in, slowing as they approach the side street she disappeared onto.
They saw her.
She’s about to give out. She can’t run anymore.
They’ll have her soon.
Aro
“I’m not dead yet,” I gasp. “Not yet.”
I pull at every door in the alleyway, knowing I’m wasting my time. It’s late. Everywhere is closed.
But one gives way, and I don’t bother to wonder why. Slipping quickly inside, I search for a lock to keep the police out, but it’s dark and all I feel is a deadbolt as my fingers graze the keyhole.