Page 1 of Finn's Future

Chapter 1

Kate

The baby fussed against my chest, a sad sound that stabbed deeper than the bruises aching along my ribs. My arms trembled with exhaustion, my body numb from the cold, but I clutched him tighter as I stumbled up to the iron gates.

I’d taken a taxi with what little money I had left, but it dropped me off six blocks away.

A man in a leather vest blocked my path, his eyes flat and cold. He looked me over once, taking in my bloody lip, swollen eye, torn hoodie, and crying baby, and his mouth curled.

“Turn around,” he said. “This ain’t no shelter.”

“No.” My voice broke. “Please. I need Caleb Kane. He told me . . . he told me if I was ever in trouble and I couldn’t get hold of him, to come here, to Reaper.”

The man shook his head, already turning to walk away. “Ain’t no Caleb here.”

Panic surged, and my legs threatened to give out. “No, he’s here,” I insisted, my voice breaking. “He has to be. He told me?—”

“People say a lot of things,” he muttered.

“I have his child.”

The man stilled, then his grip on the gate tightened.

“What did you just say?” A female voice cut across the lot. A woman strode towards us, tan boots hitting concrete with purpose. Her dark, wavy hair swayed as she walked, and her eyes were glued to me.

“What did she say?” she asked.

“She says the kid’s Caleb’s,” the man replied, unimpressed. “Showed up outta nowhere?—”

“I’m not lying,” I cut in. “He told me to come here if I was in trouble. I tried calling, but I couldn’t?—”

The woman’s gaze snapped to mine.

“Tell me what you told him,” she demanded, nodding to the man at the gate.

“Caleb,” I whispered. “I need Caleb. He’s the father.”

Something flickered across her face, but it was gone almost instantly.

She stepped closer, close enough that I could see the tension in her jaw.

“You got proof?” she asked.

“No,” I admitted, my voice cracking. “Just him. Just . . . what Caleb said.”

The man at the gate snorted. “Yeah, that’s not enough.”

“Open the gate.”

He frowned. “Lucy?—”

“I said open it.”

For a moment, I thought he might argue, but he moved off to the side, mumbling something about the Pres killing him.

The gate groaned open, and relief hit so hard, my knees almost gave out. I stumbled forward, barely catching myself. Hands grabbed me, keeping me upright, and Lucy reached for the baby.

“No!” I tried to pull back.