“We’re not twelve?—”
“Truth or dare, Mara.”
I sigh. “Truth.”
“If you could go back to the penthouse, before all this started, knowing what you know now, would you still choose them? Knowing it leads here?”
The answer comes without hesitation. “Yes.”
“Even though you’re sitting in a parking lot, waiting to find out if the men you love are alive or dead? Even though you’ll spend the rest of your life running?”
“Yes, even then. Because whatever time I get with them—even if it’s cut short tonight—is better than a lifetime in that penthouse. Better than being my father’s perfect daughter, marrying whoever he chose, and living someone else’s life.”
Rook nods slowly. “That’s… actually pretty profound.”
“I have my moments.”
The clock ticks to fifty-six minutes. I check it compulsively, like watching it will make them appear faster.
“Your turn. Truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
“Why are you helping us? Really. You could walk away, stay out of it. Why risk yourself for this?”
Rook’s quiet for a long moment. When he speaks, his voice is softer than before. “Because Dredyn saved my ass sophomoreyear. There was hazing shit—bad shit. The kind that crosses lines. I was going to drop out, maybe worse. But Dredyn found me in the basement at two a.m., talked me down, and got the brothers responsible kicked out. I owe him. And besides, what kind of brother would I be if I let him face this alone?”
“You’re a good man, Rook.”
He checks his phone again, and something in his expression shifts. “CJ just sent coordinates for the next checkpoint. That’s good. Means the plan’s still moving forward.”
“Or it means CJ’s operating on autopilot and doesn’t know they’re?—”
“Mara. Breathe.”
I try. It doesn’t help.
Fifty-nine minutes.
The scanner continues its steady stream of information.
“—fire under control, investigating suspicious origin?—”
“—campus lockdown lifted, students returning to dorms?—”
“—no confirmation on reported gunshots, likely fireworks or vehicle backfire?—”
One hour.
They should be back by now. Should have extracted, gotten clear, and made it to the rally point. Unless something went wrong. Unless they’re trapped in those tunnels. Unless they’re injured. Unless they’re?—
“Headlights. Two o’clock.”
I turn to find a vehicle approaching—dark sedan, headlights off until it’s close. It pulls into the lot, before parking three spaces away.
My hand goes to the gun in the center console. Rook’s already moved into position, weapon concealed but accessible.
The car door opens.
