"Red?" Her sob slices straight through me.
I turn my head before I can stop myself.
Her bright, fearful gaze locks on my wrists. The color drains from her face so fast, it's like watching something die. She screams. "No. No, no, no!"
My chest tightens.
Blue moves toward me, fast, reckless, hands already reaching. Someone steps in front of her, and she collides with the barrier of a uniformed chest.
"What's going on?" she shouts, spinning, wild now. "Why are there cops here? Why is he—" Her gaze snaps back to the cuffs. Her breath fractures. "Take those off him. Take them off right now."
"Ma'am, step back," the younger officer orders.
She doesn't hear him. She never does when she's locked onto something. Her eyes stay on me, pleading, demanding, searching my face for the explanation I'm not allowed to give.
"Red! Tell them to let you go!"
My insides shake. "I can't. Go home. Please."
Her expression twists, disbelief flashing hot and fast. "What?"
"Go home," I repeat, sharper this time, because if I don't anchor it, she'll drown us both.
She laughs, high and fractured, tears already spilling. "I baked for you. I came here for you. You said tonight." She ducks under the cop's arm and reaches for me.
The older officer turns on her, holding her back.
Her voice pitches upward, spiraling. "Let me go! You don't get to take him away from me!"
"Ma'am, you need to calm down."
"Blue, go home!" I try again.
She lunges at the cop, her arms wildly flailing against his chest.
The younger officer grabs her arms, putting her in a choke hold.
"Let her go," I roar, moving toward them.
She fights them instantly, feral, nails scraping, heels digging into the pavement. "Let go of me! That's my—he's mine!"
The older cop kicks the back of my knee, and I fall to the ground on my side, unable to use my hands to stop the crash and trying to avoid my face being broken. I crash hard on my shoulder and hip, crying out in pain.
"Red!" she screeches.
The officer pins me. "Stay down." He draws his gun over me.
My heart races faster. I snap, "Let her go!"
They tighten their grip on her, voices overlapping, commands stacking. She screams my name like it's a weapon, like it might break whatever invisible wall they've put between us.
"Red! Look at me!"
I do. God help me, I do from the corner of my eye.
And then the cuffs go on her.
She freezes for half a second, staring at her wrists as if they belong to someone else. Then she loses it completely.
