Laiken

Kara, I think, rushing towards the house.

I remember our promise, and how someone broke it against her will.

Kara.

I think about the easy way she'd laugh as we raced through the forest.

Kara!

I imagine all of that vanishing forever.

“Kara!” I shout, unable to keep it in any longer. I'm afraid of warning anyone else about what's going on, because they all work for Annie, and she's my enemy. Everyone is my enemy except for my sister - and Dominic.

A figure darts out from the bushes, grabbing for me. I'm halfway to screaming before I recognize Kara. “Thank god,” I gasp, grabbing her in a hug.

“What's going on?” she asks, recognizing the panic in my pale face.

Quickly I glance behind me—I don't see Annie yet. “Kara, we need to get out of here. Annie, she's . . . she's gone crazy. She wants to hurt me by hurting you!”

My sister stares, her grip on me going slack. Pulling away, she scans the area. She's all business. “Then let's do it. I've wanted to get out of here for forever.”

Sucking in a bigger breath of air, I grasp her wrist and tug her towards the driveway. She digs her heels in, stopping me. “We can't waste time!” I hiss.

“I know that, but what the hell is your plan? Walk out the damn gates?”

Shaking my head, I tug on her desperately. “Dominic will help us.”

Her eyes narrow fiercely. “Excuse me?”

“Kara, don't do this. Not now. You have to trust him!”

“I can't!”

“Then trust me!” I cry, whirling on her, rattling her by her shoulders. “Please,” I whisper, my voice tight and tiny from my fear. “I can't let anything happen to you. I just can't.”

Straightening up, Kara holds my hand. “I get it. Let's go.”

My relief gives me strength. Together we sprint up the grass, keeping close to the side of the house. As long as Annie says nothing, warns no one, I don't expect any trouble from the guards or staff. All we have to do is find Dominic.

I'm sure if we do, everything will be okay.

He'll keep us safe.

He promised.

Jogging through the front door, I never once let go of my sister. My eyes search the room frantically. Where is he, where is he, where is he? Chanting in my head, I pull us towards the hall, praying the string between Dominic's heart and my own will lead us to him.

He's just exiting his father's study. As he shuts the door, his eyes track my way, locking on me. There are no words needed. He knows something is wrong.

On long legs he strides towards us, his voice low and hot. “What happened?” he asks.

“Your mother,” I say, my adrenaline starting to melt. It leaves my limbs heavy as sand bags. “She was in the preserve, drunk, and she threatened Kara. Dominic, she wasn't kidding around—she's going to hurt her!”

The depths in his ebony pupils expand. I could sink into them and swim, but I worry that all his anger would consume me, drowning me. He's not trying to disguise how upset he is. “She what?” he whispers. It's not a question. He’s not asking me to convince him. Looking us over, he moves his head as if he's confirming something to himself. “I have to get you both out of here.”

“But how?” Kara asks.

Sweeping past us, he marches towards the front of the house. “Follow me and do everything I say.”

Chasing after him, I keep my hold on Kara. She clings back, our fingers wrapped so tight that nothing can pry us apart. Before I second-guess myself I grab Dominic's hand with my free one. He doesn't look at me, he just squeezes.

All three of us exit into the night air. There's still no sign of his mother, but I shoot my eyes around nervously, expecting her to jump out of the shadows any second. The guards patrolling around give us cursory glances. Their attention doesn't focus until they see us heading towards Dominic's car.

“Hey!” Miles yells, hurrying over. His voice carries and several more men move our way. Theo is among them—I haven't spoken to him since what happened at Franklin's.

Dominic ignores them all, his keys jingling as he unlocks his driver-side door.

“What are you doing?” Miles asks, getting into our space. He waits a second, and when no one speaks, he scowls. “Dominic, sir, I haven't heard anything about you leaving with either of these girls. Didn't you only get back half an hour ago?” When Dominic opens the door, Miles makes a decision—he puts his palm out and slams it shut. “Okay, enough,” he says. “Back away from your car, Dominic.”

Theo and the other guards glance around; no one knows what to do. But the tension is growing, and my fear that someone will raise an alarm is turning my guts into water. “Do something,” I hiss under my breath. “Hurry!”

Dominic whirls on Miles, shrugging his hand out of mine. He curls his fingers, chest puffing up, his visage rippling with intimidation. “Stand down,” he growls. “This has nothing to do with you. Don't make me ask you a second time.”

Miles shakes his head, reaching for something in his pocket. I never find out if it's a gun or a walkie-talkie, because Dominic strikes so suddenly I don't see him wind up. The punch sends Miles flat to the pavement, eyes shut, mouth jutting at an odd angle—he's out cold.

The other security guards start to grab their weapons, but Theo lifts a hand. “No one do anything! Don't forget who you work for, we're supposed to obey Dominic. If he says to get out of his way, then fucking do it.”

A ripple of low voices spreads through the group. One by one, they move away from the car. There's nothing stopping us from getting inside now. Theo's eyes track towards me. I give him a grateful smile. The look he returns is strange—his mouth tightens, his chin tilting higher. His hand comes up, like he's scratching his right eyebrow. It's covert but I swear he just saluted me. What the hell?

Dominic crowds next to me, opening the car door and ducking in. First he taps something near the rear-view mirror. The gates at the end of the drive split open for us. “Here, Wyatt's address.” He types on the GPS screen. “He can keep you safe until I talk sense into my father.”

Wyatt? It's not a bad idea, but my issue is with the implication that he isn't coming with us. “Why do you need to talk to Silas? I thought—”

“I told you to do as I said!” he yells. “Get in the car and drive!”

“But I don't know how,” I say, my voice high pitched from panic.

Kara shoves around me, snatching the keys. “I do.”

“How do you know how to drive?” I ask her in amazement.

She revs the engine. “Bernard taught me.”

There's no time to ask her to elaborate; a firm hand snatches my wrist, Dominic forces me to follow him around to the passenger side. “In!” he demands, ripping the door open. “My parents could be out here any second, and the security won't hold back if they utter a word about not letting you two escape.”

“Leave with us,” I beg, gripping the top of the car so he can't push me inside. He shakes his head, pupils lost in how black his eyes are. “Please! You can do this! We can escape together! Start our whole lives over!”

“Laiken, no.”

“Nothing is stopping this but you!” I argue, unable to stay quiet. I know my sister, the guards . . . everyone is hearing my pleas. “You promised you'd protect me!”

He presses his lips to mine. It's a kiss worth savoring, and on the edge of it, I taste a sorrow that's bottomless. Tears slide down my cheeks when it's over with. I'm disarmed; it's easy for him to guide me into the car seat.

Shutting the door, he leans through the open window and cups my chin. “I am protecting you.” He's on the verge of breaking down and I don't know how he can manage a smile, even such a sad one. “Goodbye, Laiken. It's time for you to go home.”