Mr. Barone laughs and wags a finger at me. “That you will. I can tell you’re already well on your way in that department, young man.”
“Such a charming boy,” Mrs. Barone tells me with a fond smile.
Lucy and I are asked to wait outside the office, and I pace up and down, wondering if I made the right impression on them. Lucy stands back against the wall, watching me with worried eyes.
“I don’t think they want me, Damiano,” she says quietly. “I think they only want you.”
I stop pacing and crouch down in front of her, taking her hands in mine. “They want you,” I say fiercely. “Don’t you dare believe otherwise, even for a second. I won’t let them take me without you. I promise.”
A few minutes later—minutes that feel like hours—Mr. and Mrs. Barone emerge from the office, and they’re smiling.
“Welcome to the family,” Mr. Barone tells us.
“Both of us?” Lucy blurts out, hope and disbelief warring on her face.
“Both of you. Your brother was very persuasive,” he adds with a chuckle. “Mr. Lane tells us that there’s some paperwork that needs to be completed, but we can bring you home tomorrow morning. There will be a car waiting for you at nine o’clock.”
My heart does a victory lap around my chest. I did it. I actually did it.
As soon as we’re alone, I pick Lucy up and swing her around in my arms, laughing in joy and relief. “Tomorrow, Lucy. We’re getting out of here tomorrow. In less than sixteen hours, we’ll leave this place forever.”
Lucy doesn’t say anything as I set her back on her feet. She looks dazed, like she can’t quite believe it’s real.
“Are you pleased? Are you happy?” I ask, needing to see her smile.
She thinks carefully for a moment and then looks up at me. “You’re happy, so I’m happy.”
It’s not the wholehearted excitement that I was hoping for, but it’s enough for now. It’s understandable that she’s hesitant after all the disappointment she’s suffered. As I smooth her curls back, she smiles at me a little.
“Things are going to be much better for us from now on,” I promise her. “You’ll see.”
I take Lucy back to her room, press a kiss to her hair, and go for a walk around the facility. The two women workers call my name in greeting, but I walk past without a word or a smile.
Heavy chains have fallen from my shoulders. I’ve loathed feeling shackled into good behavior by this place, but I no longer have to pretend that I don’t hate every single person here but Lucy.
It only takes me a moment to find the boy I’m looking for, the sandy-haired piece of shit who’s been leaving bruises on Lucy’s body. I follow him into the boys’ bathroom, my footsteps quiet on the tile floor.
He doesn’t notice me until I’m right behind him.
I approach him slowly, letting cold fury fill my expression. “Good news, Mark. I’m getting out of here.”
“Mason,” he corrects me automatically, but his eyes flicker with fear as he realizes we’re alone.
“Good news for me. Not good news for you.”
Mason tries to get away from me, but I reach out and block his escape with my arm. I’m taller than him. Stronger. And I’ve been waiting for this moment for two weeks.
“Did you think I don’t know you hurt her? Did you believe I didn’t care?”
“Who are you, um, talking about?” His voice cracks.
As I drink in his fearful expression, a powerful new sensation expands inside me, from the top of my head right down tomy toes. It feels like black flames flickering in bright daylight, casting shadows instead of light.
It feels good.
I have to be strong to protect Lucy, now and always, and that means being willing to do dark things.
“Do you know the only thing I like about this hateful fucking place?” I ask, stepping closer. “There are no locks on the dorm doors. I’m not leaving until tomorrow morning, so I have all night to get to you while you sleep.”
