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“You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen,” I admire, coming to stand behind her so that we can see one another in the full-length mirror. I wrap my arms around her waist and gently rest my chin on her exposed shoulder. Her hands rise to grip me tightly.
“Thank you, Rose.” She squeezes once, and I kiss her cheek, giggling when she squirms in my hold because of her makeup.
Stepping back, I catch sight of the clock on the wall as I let her go. I have half an hour before I’m due to climb out of the bathroom window and get into my Uber. I spend the remaining time laughing and smiling with my sister instead of wallowing in sadness. I want to create happy memories, memories that will bring us both comfort in the dark times to come.
As the clock approaches the thirty-minute mark, I stand and use cramps as an excuse to use the bathroom. I give her another big hug, savoring the feel of her in my arms before I turn away and grab my bag. At the door, I glance back at Grace. She meets my eyes in the mirror and smiles. I return the gesture, hoping the guilt that overwhelms me doesn’t show on my face. As soon as I close the door, a sharp pain explodes in my chest. I press down hard over the area. It’s as if my heart is being torn to shreds with every heartbeat. But I can’t dwell. I’ll see her again. I have to trust in that.
I pass a guard stationed at the end of the hall. He eyes me as I approach, so I hold up a tampon, shaking it in the air. “Nature calls.”
That does the trick. The guard visibly swallows and looks away, embarrassed by my womanly matters.
The bathroom is at the end of the next hall. I slip inside and quickly flip the lock. Unzipping my bag, I pull out a battery-powered watch and check the time. So far, so good. I change out of the dress into leggings and a tunic shirt. I slip on a pair of Chucks, fold my dress, and place it and my heels on the small table in the corner. It really is a beautiful dress. I want to leave a note, but Evelyn convinced me against it last night. Leaving a note will point to only one story, and I need all the time I can get if they think I’ve been kidnapped.
Turning my attention to the sink and the window above, I get to work. The window is as old as the church itself, and who knows when it was last opened. The lock is a little stiff, but after a few seconds of jiggling it back and forth, it finally gives. I push the window up and peek outside. Once I ensure the coast is clear, I shove my bag through the small opening. We chose this window because it’s hidden behind a line of bushes, which is a good thing when I have trouble squeezing myself through the window, cursing my curvy hips as I do. I take a few extra seconds to close the window behind me. Anything to keep them off my trail.
Shouldering my bag, I poke my head around the bush. Farther down the path, I spy a pair of guards watching the area. I know the schedule by heart after listening carefully when Dad and Connor discussed the security details one night at dinner. Any minute now, they’ll split up. One will go around the corner, and the other will pass by the bushes I’m hiding behind before walking into the garden, leaving me in his blind spot.
It feels like forever before the guards finally split up. I crouch down and hold my breath as the guard walks past me, none the wiser of my presence. Dad should really think about hiring better security. I don’t breathe again until he enters the blind spot, and I take my chance. It’s now or never. I slip through a small opening in the bush, hiking my bag higher on my shoulder, and take off for the street as quickly and quietly as I can. I don’t stop until I see my Uber idling farther down the street. I wave him down and hurry to slide inside the car. After I confirm my destination as Miami International, I take my phone out and send Evelyn a coded text message to let her know I’m on the way to the airport. It will be our last communication before I land in London.
Before the car pulls away from the curb, I turn my phone off and roll the window down just enough to toss it out. The driver either doesn’t see or doesn’t care enough to comment. Settling back in my seat, I send up a silent prayer that the remaining steps go just as smoothly as the first because there’s no going back now.
It’s time to disappear.
10
Rose
Only after the plane takes off do I feel the tension in my chest ease enough to take a deep breath. Leaning back in my seat, I peer out the window and watch Miami fall away the higher the plane climbs. Every mile we travel is another mile farther away from my dad and another mile closer to freedom.
Placing a hand over my small baby bump, I rub the proof of life Michael and I created together with a content smile. Our escape isn’t over, but for the next eight hours, I can rest easy. Every day is going to be a battle to stay hidden from my dad and his reach, but for the life of my baby, I will gladly run and keep running for as long as it takes.
I search my private space and find a fleece blanket, a small pillow, and a set of headphones tucked away in a storage area beneath my seat. Lowering the shade over the window, I press the button that maneuvers my seat into a bed-like position. I slip the headphones on and grab the remote to surf through the available movie and TV show options. Selecting the latest Disney movie, I settle in for the next eight hours of peace because my next fight begins once I land.
All too soon, the pilot announces over the intercom that we’re starting our descent into London, and a sea of lights appears in the dark night below. A shiver of cold anxiety shoots down my spine. In the air, it’s easy to push all my problems and fears to the side, but now, as the ground approaches, they all rush back in one fell swoop. Cool air fills the cabin once the plane stops at the gate and the heavy door is pulled open.
I tie my hair back in a low ponytail, pull my hoodie up so that it covers most of my face, and grab my bag from the overhead bin. Picking a pair of tall men, I hurry to walk behind them, using them to hide me. As we approach the end of the jetway, the airport gate terminal grows more visible, along with a group of tall, tattooed men who are unmistakably part of the Irish mob.
They study the group of passengers exiting for me. Fear seizes my heart, and I stop in my tracks, taking a few steps backward until I’m flush against the wall, my heart racing. A few passengers mumble their annoyance at my behavior but do their best to avoid bumping into me. I just ignore them.
Amid the sea of faces at the gate, I finally spot Evelyn. Seeing her gorgeous self is like a breath of fresh air. Leaning forward, I watch as she zeros in on the group of men others are giving a wide berth, pushes her shoulders back, marches straight across the crowded space, right up to the biggest of the five men, and slaps him across the face. Hard. My mouth falls open in surprise as the sound echoes, instantly drawing the attention of dozens of travelers.
Each of the men turns toward Evie as she faces off with the man she just slapped. He towers over her smaller frame, but she’s not scared.
“So we share one hot, passionate night, and you don’t even say goodbye?” Evelyn cries, dramatically flailing her arms about in the air. I guess all those elective theater classes have finally come in handy. When she said she had the distraction handled in case Dad sent men to collect me, I should have known this was what she had in mind. It’s pretty badass.
The man raises his hands in front of him, like he’s trying to ward off a rabid animal. Which, to be fair, fits my friend to the letter. “Look, lass—”
“Don’t you dare lass me!” Evelyn interrupts. “I thought we had something special. How could you just leave me like that?”
She has the attention of the men. Now’s my chance. I slip out and keep to the wall, moving quickly and quietly, trying hard to remain inconspicuous. Keeping my eyes fixed ahead, I don’t dare risk looking at Evelyn.
A loud crash echoes through the terminal, and I freeze. A second later, Evelyn yells, “Don’t you dare try to walk away from me, you Irish wanker! Explain yourself. Tell me why I woke up alone in bed. I even let you do that little kinky shit you wanted. Was I not good enough for you? Is that it?”
“That’s enough now, lass,” the large man growls, reaching out to grab her arms.
Evelyn reels back and slaps him again before he can stop her. “Don’t you bloody dare touch me! You lost that right when you walked out after fucking me like some common whore.”
“Ye ’ave me confused with someone else, lass. I ’ave never seen ye before.”
