I give her the address and ask her to hurry. She doesn’t ask questions, but I know they’ll come in time.
Drawing in a steeling breath, I force myself to leave the room, and make a beeline for the exit. Ransom and Rebel are facing off in the living room, and I bypass them, hoping to go unnoticed. I get caught up fumbling with the multitude of locks, cursing and on the verge of tears, when Ransom’s hand stops me. The heat of his skin on mine is a comfort I can’t afford to fall into.
“Don’t try to stop me,” I snarl, yanking my hand away.
His expression is pained. “I wasn’t going to. But if you wait a minute, I’ll call you a cab.”
I stay stuck in his haunted gaze long enough to drown before self-preservation kicks in and I force myself to break away. “Annie is on her way.”
He nods solemnly and then reaches past me to turn one of the locks. The door creaks as it swings open and the fresh slice of air that leaks in makes my lungs inflate as if they’re starving for oxygen.
“We’ll talk soon,” he promises me. My nod is automatic and before any more words can be exchanged, I escape through the door.
This time, I’m the one walking away.
It should make me feel strong, empowered. But the only thing I feel is the heavy weight of sadness that has settled on my shoulders.
Annie is waiting in her car, parked along the curb outside the building. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and I know I must look like shit. She doesn’t comment as I climb into the passenger seat, only pausing long enough to ask if I’m okay.
My answer is simple, my voice dead, even to my ears. “No, but I will be.”
Whatever happens tomorrow or the next day, I will be okay…because I have to be. I am Josephine Hart, and I was built to stand on my own.