“We were waiting for you to say the code word,” Micah said, stroking my hair as Rhodes carried me away from the kitchen, the fumes, and Sue.
“But when I heard Sue shoutingdie, die,” Rhodes gruffed, “I had to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m... o-okay,” I croaked out. “But—”
I dissolved into a hacking, coughing fit. They were right. I spent too much time inhaling the fumes. I should’ve killed the bitch first and explained the rest to her corpse. “But you were r-right, Alex,” I wheezed. “Sue made a c-copy of the drive... and sent it to the police.”
The guys exchanged looks... and grinned.
Smirking away, Micah kissed me soundly on the lips and said, “Plan B it is, then.”
Final Chapter
The sun crested over the horizon, lighting the waves into an undulating blanket of shimmering sapphires. A stiff wind blew off the sea—cold and bracing like a bucket of chilled water over the head. I’d never been more awake, or more clear.
Beside me, Rhodes pounded the spokes—securing the tripod to the earth. It wouldn’t do for our final goodbye to blow into the sea.
Fingers slipped through mine, lacing up tight. I smiled wanly into Micah’s eyes.
“Are you ready?” he asked softly.
“I’m ready.” I peered over my shoulder at the manor freely burning to ash.
Flames greedily consumed the steepled roof and ornate gables. It climbed the towering turrets, blew out the stained glass windows, and ravaged the halls and rooms—secret or otherwise. The high ceilings crumpled. The delicately carved trim warped.
Before my eyes, my childhood home burned to the ground.
“There’s no turning back now,” I whispered. “By now, everyone can see the smoke in the air. I can already hear the sirens.”
It was true.
Sirens called faintly on the air—fire trucks certainly, but under their noise would most likely be police cars.
“Meaning we’re out of time,” Alex said, falling in on my other side. “Let’s do this.”
Nodding to us, Rhodes opened the video app, and pressed record.
The three of them wore the handsome, perfect white suits they wore the night of our anniversary—the last night we were all together, and happy.
For me, I wore a simple cotton gown and no shoes. I didn’t need them where I was going.
“Hello,” Micah began. “If you’re here and you’re watching this, then by now, you know what we’ve done. You know we stole the Thompsonnecklace—”
“—you know we funded GloryBoi with dirty money—” Rhodes continued, taking his place beside Micah. Together, we stood at the edge of the cliff.
“—and you know I’m Fritz Calloway,” Alex went on. “I killed my abuser when I was eleven years old, and the directors of the group home I lived in lied and covered for me, to save my chance at a future. A chance that’s over now.”
“For all of us,” I finished. “The police will be on their way to take my husbands from me, but no more. I’ve lost my parents, my sense of safety, and my hope in humanity. I won’t lose the men I love too. So, we’re leaving,” I rasped, my gaze falling down the long drop below. “Together.”
“We’ve already sent Lily on,” Micah gasped, choking on a sob. “Our sweet girl is truly among the angels now.”
“And now it’s time for us to go wherever we belong,” Alex announced as we all grasped hands.
“Goodbye.”
Launching off, we jumped.
I tried to hold it in, but broke in less than a second. I screamed.
