“Hey,” I say, and my voice cracks. It’s hitting me, what I’m doing. How I’m leaving Jaeger. I won’t ever see him again.
Or he’ll catch me, and I’ll be dead.
I force myself to ask Tommy for a favor, a ride. “I know it’s weird, but can you come pick me up?”
He seems surprised but says he can come. I thank him and give him the cross streets, hang up, and press myself against the brick wall to wait.
This is the start of my new life. No more Jaeger. No more late-night fucks or cuddles or confessions in the dark. No one to growl at me in their deep voice and call me “Bunny.”
No more rom-coms on the couch.
Just me, on the run, forever. Praying that my family will stay safe, and that I can stay one step ahead of the hunters.
It’s enough to make me want to crumple into a ball on the concrete.
The wind shifts, whistling between the buildings with enough force to steal my breath. It’s freezing, but I lean into it. If I’m lucky, it’ll numb me so I don’t feel the pain cracking open my chest anymore.
Eventually, Tommy comes. But he’s not alone.
15
Elodie
Tommy’stiny white beater pulls up to the alleyway. The cold has made my limbs stiff, but I shift to standing and greet him. He gets out, shading his face from the wind. “Elodie?”
Before I can swing on my crutches over to him, another car, one I don’t recognize, pulls up. It’s long, low, black, and expensive.
My heart stutters in my chest. Did Fraternitas find me so quickly?
The men who get out of the second car aren’t wearing skull rings, but they do look like thugs, though.
One of them holds the door open as a man in a suit climbs out and scowls at the wind, buttoning up his wool overcoat.
“I’m sorry,” Tommy mouths to me, and my heart sinks to my feet.
Oh, Tommy, what have you done?
“This her?” the suit asks Tommy.
“Yeah.” Tommy doesn’t look at me. He scuffs the pavement with his sneaker.
This was why Tommy texted me out of the blue. It’s a trap, and I’m the stupid bunny who hopped right into it.
I move to the middle of the alley, but the thugs are already closing in.
“Get outta here,” one of them orders Tommy, and my friend gets back in his car and does as he’s told. My heart sinks, watching Tommy drive away.
“Hello, Elodie. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” The suit smiles, and a gold tooth flashes at me. “Umberto sends his regards.”
Umberto, the loan shark, who’s been after Margot and me.
Adrenaline screams through me, telling me to run, but the thugs have me surrounded. “I have money,” I croak.
“That’s good. That’ll help. But I want something more. Tommy tells me you have an in with Fraternitas.”
I almost laugh out loud. My life is ending, and everything’s surreal.
I shake my head.
