I can’t figure out what I want, much less how Anton will react or how the hell I’m going to tell him.
My cheeks are bright pink when I look in the bathroom mirror.
I splash cold water on my face, and all it does is make them even more pink. Well, that didn’t work.
I doubt the guard will notice my pink cheeks.
I just want to go home now and wait for Anton.
I want to tell him.
It’s not a secret I want to deal with on my own.
My head is spinning, and I feel a wave of dizziness slam into me. I desperately need some air. The cold water didn’t help on my cheeks, but maybe a minute of fresh air will help.
Hurrying down the hall in the opposite direction of where my bodyguard is waiting, I push open the back exit door that leads to the roof parking.
Icy cold air fills my lungs as I take in a staggering breath.
Just a minute. Take a minute to calm yourself. Then go back inside with a smile on your face and ask him to take you home.
You’ve got this. It’s all going to be okay.
It takes me a little while to stop the panic attack, but when I’m calm again, my head is no longer spinning, and I feel much better.
I push the door open to go back inside and bump into a girl who is coming out.
“Sorry,” she says.
“Sorry,” I mutter as well.
But both of us freeze. Instantly, we know, before we look up, before we know…weknow.
“Kayla!” I blurt out at the same time as she says my name.
“What are you doing here?” we say at the same time again.
“I’ve been looking for you. Josiah and I have been secretly looking for you. We came to Detroit because, well, his biggest enemy is Anton, and we heard enough rumors to suggest he was the one who had you. So, we came here to find you ourselves. He didn’t want me to join him, but I couldn’t—I couldn’t sit there athome and just hope you’d be okay.” She is tearful as she pulls me into her arms and hugs me.
“I’m okay, I really am,” I say, hugging her back, genuinely happy to see my friend.
“He's in town today. I just came here to walk around the mall. I had no idea I’d get lucky enough to find you like this,” she blurts out, wiping tears from her face. “Izzy, I’ve been so worried.”
“Where is Josiah?” I ask, suddenly stressed, realizing that this whole situation could turn bad very quickly.
“He’s in town, not far from here. I was walking around the mall a little while he was in a meeting, trying to get leads. He’s actually fetching me in about fifteen minutes. It’s just enough time for us to meet him in the parking lot.” Kayla’s eyes grow wide with excitement. “Where is Anton? Where are the guards?”
“Actually, Kayla, I need to—”
"Come on! Let’s go!” she grabs my hand and starts trying to pull me away from the mall and further into the parking lot.
“No, Kayla, wait.”
I’ve already been gone too long, and my guard is sure to be worried. I have to get back to him. I can’t just disappear like this. I don’t want to.
“Izzy, there’s no time. We have to get you somewhere safe.” She is still dragging me along, bumping me as we move between parked cars. I almost trip over my shopping bags. She pulls me so roughly, I realize it’s pure worry she has for me.
But I can’t leave!
