Page 194 of More than Friends

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Declan

Igo back to my apartmentand find the first flight to somewhere far away. I literally don’t care where, so I’m going to Luxembourg. I don’t even know what language they speak, but I couldn’t care less.

My chest feels so heavy and somehow hollow at the same time. I’d go to the moon right now if I thought it would fill this void and dull this ache inside me, but I doubt the moon would be far enough.

I stand in the security line, my head pounding. I’ve thrown together a carry-on bag. I bought a one-way ticket. I have no idea how long I’m going. I have no fucking clue what the weather is going to be like. I just have to go. I’ll figure everything else out when I get there.

My phone is in my pocket. Silenced. I should probably check it before I leave, but I don’t want to. I’m sure if Maggie reaches out, it’s not going to be something I want to read.

When I get up to the TSA agent, I hand over my ticket and passport. He scans it and then frowns. He rescans it and then studies it for a minute.

“Will you just step over here?” he points.

“Is there a problem?” I hold out my hand for him to return my passport and ticket, but he just jerks his chin toward the corner. “Wait there.”

I pull my suitcase over to the corner and wait. A few minutes later two Homeland Security agents walk up to the TSA agent. They talk for a moment, looking at my passport and then over at me. God, what is going on?

After a minute, they walk up to me. The bigger one says, “Come with us.”

“I think there’s been a mix-up. I...” The other one just shakes his head and I stop talking. They lead me back to a room – empty other than a small table with chairs.

“Take a seat.”

“Am I in trouble? I’m sure there’s a simple explanation for whatever...” I sit down, expecting them to join me, but instead they just leave without acknowledging anything I’ve just said – locking the door as they go.

Just perfect. I’m going to miss my flight.

I put my head down on the table. It’s throbbing now. I stay motionless with the cool table against my forehead for what seems like an hour. When I hear a rattling at the door, I sit up.

I’m about to ask whether I need a lawyer but as soon as the door opens, I say, “You’ve got to be fucking with me.”

James and Will walk into the room. I stand up. “Did you have me detained by Homeland Security?”

James just sits down in a chair across from me and Will follows suit.

“Did you have my fucking passport confiscated?”

James holds it up. “Oh, I have it.”

I glower at him.

“Sit down,” he says in his I’m-the-President-don’t-fuck-with-me voice.

I hesitate. “This has to be illegal.”

“I’m sure it is,” Will responds. “Sit down.”

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