Our eyes meet and it feels like time freezes. The ball cap Cole’s wearing doesn’t hide his bloodshot, pained eyes as he motions for us to get in. My stomach drops. He’s leaving me. I know it now. My heart shatters within me and it takes all my strength to climb in and secure myself. I’ll never survive this… never breathe again without him.
As soon as we clear the guard checkpoint, he peels out into the streets. The sun’s falling behind the walls and the moon begins to show its full white face. The heavy moisture in the air is as thick here as in the hospital.
We travel in silence. Only Zeus’s subdued kisses distract me from my inner turmoil. I gave him my heart when I wrote that letter. I was such a fool to imagine we could’ve had anything… such an idiot for thinking he’d accept me for the battered girl I am.
Not once does he glance in his rearview to look or even speak to me. But I stare at him. His jaw clenches and his knuckles are white on the steering wheel. Oh God, he probably doesn’t want to tell me he caught Keegan. My hands ball into fists. Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.
Cole parks the Jeep in the garage and Bruno gives him a sympathetic look before leaving.
I dread the silence as he leads me to our building. The fence still leans into the street, looking warped from the pressure of the crowd this morning. The heavy metal tanks park along the curb, and the makeshift checkpoint is thriving as people go back to their quarters. A crude area has been set up to load bodies from the explosion and some of the citizens add more to the pile. A large lantern grossly lights them. The sun disappears, leaving darkness except for the lights the guards carry and the red burning of cigarettes.
Zeus nudges the back of my knee, pushing me along. The little energy I have left drags my corpse up the stairs and into his room, ready for Cole to say he’s done with me.
But he doesn’t.
Instead, he runs his hand down my face, wiping the tears as they pour down my cheeks. Looking into his face, I sense his anger, yet I see compassion in his eyes. The way he cradles my face with his hands and kisses the top of my head only confuses me.
“Did—did you find Keegan?” I ask. I can’t stand here until I know the truth.
“I did…”
“Oh God!” I pull his hand away from my face and looking down.
“I couldn’t do it.” His husky voice belies his feelings, and I glance up with hope.
“Wait, you found him and you didn’t arrest him?” I can’t let it go until I know Keegan’s safe, regardless of his offense.
He sighs, looking frustrated, and then puts his hands on his head. “I wasn’t strong enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“I knew where he was hiding, but all I could think about was how much I’d hurt you if I turned him in.”
Three knocks on the door cause us both to jump. I step back and wipe my eyes as Cole opens the door.
“Seriously, what the hell do you want?” Cole asks.
I peek around Cole and see Crazy Bill drunk as a skunk, leaning on the doorframe and staring at Cole.
“You’re definitely not Melinda,” Crazy Bill says. “I thought this place looked different.”
Cole shakes his head and grunts. “You’re something else, you know that? Let me show you to the exit.” He looks back at me and rolls his eyes. “Be right back.”
“Okay,” I say.
The suspense is killing me. I try to find my bearings as I wait for him to return and continue our conversation. I need to know what happened to Keegan. Did my stepfather make him leave or did he leave of his own accord? I need Cole to reassure me that everything will be okay, but I’m afraid he’ll reject me… even though he should. I shuffle backward until my back finds the wall for support, glancing at the ceiling as tears overflow from my eyes.
Cole returns, opening the door carefully, as if he’s afraid to disturb me. “Tell me. What do you need me to do?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know how to make it better. My stepfather—”
“I swear to God if I ever see that bastard, I’ll kill him.” Cole locks the door behind him and slams his fists into the door.
I start to sob. My lungs gasp for air as the room seems to strangle me.
“Come here,” he says. My legs won’t move so he rushes over and pulls me into his chest, securing me with his arms. “I’m so sorry. I’ll never let him hurt you again. Ever.”