The layers of hurt don’t fade away, not completely, but they start to peel back.
We can fix this.
Finn loves me.
My brother loves me.
The rustling in my ears signals that Finn’s on the move. “Okay, this is what we’re going to do. Get to your apartment in Texas and grab that hard drive. I’ll send some backup to meet you there.”
Hope trickles into my bruised heart. If Finn still wants to be my brother after all the danger I’ve put our family in, I’ll thank my lucky stars and vow to make it up to them.
“Okay. But how do I get there? I have no idea where I am.”
“I had Rory trace the signal as soon as I confirmed it was you.” Someone mutters in the background. “You’re outside Victorville, California. About thirteen hundred miles from Austin.”
I choke on air. “Thirteen hundred miles?”
“I’d tell you to get to the nearest airport, but if Andrei’s tracking you, he’ll have all major transportation hubs in the Pacific Southwest guarded.”
Andrei’s tracking me…I shudder. I don’t want to think about that.
“Any idea how he found us at the safe house location?” I perform another scan of the gas station parking lot, paranoia crouching on my shoulder. “The Russians didn’t bug your phone, did they?”
“Rory’s checking now. If they did, we’re fucked and I need to break something.” He sighs, for a second reminding me of our dad. I blink rapidly to chase away more tears. “But we’ll figurethat out here. For now, keep using Dad’s number to contact me, okay?”
“Yeah.” I chew my bottom lip. “I could just drive there, but the BMW I’m in is pretty banged up.”
“Ditch it. Find a new set of wheels, preferably from the late nineties or early two-thousands, with less technology. Less conspicuous and more difficult to track. The drive will probably take you about twenty hours if you only stop for gas.”
I can handle a road trip. “Fine by me, but where and how do I get a new car?”
Finn’s chuckle warms my entire soul. “You’re going to steal one.” Then he pauses. “Hang on. What happened with Declan and the handler he assigned to nab you?”
Brody’s body floats to my mind once again. My chest aches. “The Russians fucked him up at the safe house… I escaped.”
I wonder if my brother can hear the guilt in my tone.
He heaves another breath. “Okay. You don’t have a lot of time. Get somewhere populated, like a shopping center or a parking deck. Abandon the BMW, steal a new car, and hit the road. You can do this.”
Finn’s talking about those long afternoons from my childhood where he taught me to pick locks and pockets.
For my sake and the sake of my family, I hope to God he’s right and Icando this.
“Okay.” I force strength I don’t feel anywhere else into my voice. “I’ll try.”
“Call me if you need to. Stay safe.”
“Finn?” I stop him before he hangs up. “I’m sorry that I didn’t let you come to my graduation.”
A pause. “Me too. Though we might joke about it one day.”
I swallow hard. “In case I don’t make it, I want you to know that I love you.”
Finn goes quiet. When he speaks again, his firm voice brooks no argument. “We’ll see each other in a few days, Trinity. You’re Shane fucking Gallagher’s daughter, and you can do this. Now go. And don’t stop for anything.”
We hang up, and I spin toward the vehicle. Before I can think better of it, I whirl back around, pick up the receiver, and press three numbers.
“This is 911, what’s your emergency?”
