Page 24 of Enslaved

“Whatever happened, Boots, I’m asking you to stay because you’re my friend. You’re gonna upset everyone. And you’re too emotional to drive.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m an adult. I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can take care of yourself, but that doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you. I want you to stay.”

“I can’t.”

“I couldmakeyou stay,” I threatened, feeling out of options.

She glared at me, her eyes spitting like an angry cat’s. I almost expected her to start hissing.

“Try it!” she snarled. “I think I’d enjoy that fight more than you would!”

As much as I wanted to prove her wrong, I knew I couldn’t win this game because I wasn’t even one of the players. I was only standing in for the idiot who shoulda been there.

“Where are you gonna go?”

“The Sanctuary. Gigi gave me directions.”

I didn’t like it, not at all, but I stepped out of the way and let her dive into the elevator car.

“If you get in trouble along the way, call me and I’ll come.” I held up my hand before she could interrupt. “Just me, I promise.”

“Thanks.”

The door closed with a ping.

I don’t know how I held on to my temper as I stalked to Chance and Rome’s room. Hammering a fist on the door, I saw the blue on my skin and told myself to slow my roll before I set something—or someone—on fire.

Rome opened the door wearing his mean face.

“What’s wrong with you? Can’t you knock like a normal person?”

“What did you do to Mira?” I demanded.

“I didn’t do anything to her. Why?”

“Well, whatever it was youdidn’tdo, you better go fix it! She’s leaving!”

“WHAT?”

“I told you she’d be fragile for a long time, but you didn’t listen.” I pushed into his space, balling up my fists. “Now she’s got her bag and her keys and she’s taking off. Go stop her!”

He shouldered past me in a cloud of blue and sprinted down the hallway. I argued with myself whether or not to follow, but, in the end, decided it was his mess and he could clean it up himself.

#

Rome

What is she thinking? Is she insane? She can’t leave!

My brain raced in time with my power-fueled feet. I couldn’t fathom what had happened to drive her away.

Finally reaching the parking garage, I leapt over roofs and slid across hoods, setting off alarms and shooting off jolts of power to shut them up. I calmed a little to see her car stillwhere she’d parked it last night. Getting closer, I could see she sat behind the wheel, her forehead plunked down on it and her face in her hands.

So worked up I could hardly see, I ripped her door off its hinges—and my heart stopped.

She was crying.

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