“We’ll take the Jeep.I’ll drive you to the airport so you can get the first plane out of here, and then I’ll drive back before the B—Fenrirstarts his shift.”
“We can’t do that.You know I can’t leave.”She shakes her head.
“Why not?”
“I have a job to do?—”
“Fuck that.Fenrir is here.Do you think he’s going to let anything happen to me?You know what he’s like.A cold won’t get within an inch of me if he’s got anything to do with it.”
“But he can’t watch you all the time.”
“I don’t need watching all the time.We have a security system.We’ve been here for days, and fuck-all has happened.Besides, what’s more important right now?”
Willa doesn’t answer.She doesn’t have to.
“I’ll lose my job.”
“So what?You’ll lose your job.Jobs are two a penny.”I want to add that her job isn’t the only thing she’ll lose, but I’m not that cruel to point out the threat to her life when she’s upset over her wife and unborn child.“You’re an educated woman with a skill set to rival most employees.You’ll easily get another job.And do you really want to be working for my father when your son or daughter arrives?You’d never get their birthday off or their first football game or their first dance show, because if my father wants you to work, you’re working.Is that what you want for your family?For Marta?”
“I can’t just quit.We have bills.Marta will be on maternity pay.”
“Okay, then don’t quit.But if you don’t go be with your wife and child, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“Your father—” Willa begins to argue, but I cut her off.
“Doesn’t even have to know.Look, if you leave now, you can go be with her, support her, and be there for whatever happens.You could be back here within the week, and no one has to know.”
“But Fenrir will know.”
“And he won’t say shit.”
“Of course he will.He’ll report it straight away.”Her voice quivers.
“Not if I have anything to do with it,” I tell her.“I can be very persuasive.”
“Hayami,” Willa warns, but I bat her away.
“Come on.I’ll help you pack, and we can work out the details after you’ve seen your wife.”
I set off for the door, but she doesn’t budge.
My shoulders settle.“Do you love her?”I know it’s a cheap shot, a low blow when she’s looking so terrified, but sometimes you just have to go for the balls.I’ve read enough romance novels to know that this is the moment where the wordloveneeds to be used as ammunition.
She glares at me.“Of course I do.”
“Then you’d do anything for her, right?”
“Anything,” Willa confirms.
“Then what the fuck are you waiting for?”
* * *
It felt strange,driving Willa to the airport.I never drive myself anywhere and had only managed to convince my father to let me get my licence because it’d give me something to do over the summer break.
For the forty-minute journey, Willa is a jumble of nerves, constantly telling me to keep to the speed limit, keep my baseball cap down, and watch the rear mirror for anyone tailing us.We’d deliberated over leaving the Beast a note, telling him where we were if he were to come out of his room, but then the idea of leaving a paper trail seemed like a bad idea.Willa had argued that he might call my father if he found us gone, but I knew he wouldn’t.The Beast doesn’t follow protocol.So we’re chancing it, hoping I’ll return before he realises we left.
“No one knows where I am,” I tell her.“This is an impromptu journey, not planned, and no one knows where we’re going, so stop stressing.If there’d been a sniper waiting to ambush me, then they’d have shot me the minute I stepped foot out the door, not when I’m driving on a busy road.”
