Page 40 of Taming Liberty

“I’ve been an asshole,” I say, the word ‘sorry’ too bitter for me to get out.

He nods. “Little bit.” He blows out a breath. “But I really fucked-up with Shanghai. I’m sorry.”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to apologize. You’re my brother. You’re more important than money… Let’s just move on, all right?”

He looks over at Lib, his eyes lingering for a few moments before he turns back to me and nods. “Yeah, all right.”

He doesn’t say it out loud, but I can tell what he’s thinking. It’s written on his face.

He’s more important than money. But is he more important thanher?

10

Liberty

I’m staring at Angel, who’s off to the side talking to Sawyer, when I feel the first raindrop fall onto my nose.

I look up at the sky, and the clouds we saw earlier have gotten bigger. They cover the sun, making the slice of paradise Angel took me to look dreary.

Anna holds out her palms to catch the drops while Patrick walks to the ice chest. I look at Angel again. We convey in a silent exchange that it’s time to go, and I start toward him.

The rain gets heavier as we speed walk to the tree line, and by the time we’ve sought shelter in the trees, thunder crackles and the forest sounds like it has a tin roof.

“Shit,” Sawyer murmurs, taking the lead.

Angel takes my hand. He points down the path before picking up speed. “We need to hurry.”

I nod, but I don’t quite understand why they seem worried. It’s just rain. Surely, they’re familiar with it.

It’s several minutes before I start to understand.

We run down the mountain as fast as we can without sliding in the thick mud forming on the ground. I held onto Angel’s hand at first, but now I let go to steady my balance. My shoes sink into sludge with every step, the rain coming down so hard I can barely see what’s in front of me. I squint through soaked lashes while every breath I take carries water in with it.

“Ah!”

I slam to a stop at the sound of Anna’s shriek, causing Angel to collide with me. He grabs my shoulders before my body can propel forward, and we both turn around. Patrick and Aurora rush by us then disappear.

Sawyer started in front of us, but he fell behind with Anna a while ago. I can’t see far enough to make out either of them.

“Sawyer!” Angel yells.

When he doesn’t get a response, Angel heads in their direction. I try to follow, but my feet slip in the mud, and Angel barely catches me by my shoulders, my face mere inches from the ground.

“Sawyer!” Angel yells again.

He still doesn’t get a response, but Sawyer comes into view running with his hands positioned awkwardly behind him. It takes me a few seconds to realize it’s because he’s carrying Anna.

“She fell,” Sawyer says once he catches up to us.

Angel urges me to start back down the trail, and I take the lead, no idea where I’m headed except ‘down.’

“Is she okay?” I shout past the rain.

“I’m fine!” Anna replies, although I can hear the pain tainting her usually chipper voice.

Rain pelts my skin, each drop stinging despite the trees as a partial shield. It’s so much darker now than it was when we were in the clearing, but every so often there’s a flash of light from lightning striking. The thunderous roar that follows is louder than I’ve ever heard before, causing my heart to leap with panic.

I thought I knew storms, but this is something different.

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