Page 8 of Finn's Future

Reaper turned back towards me slowly. “If what you’re saying is true,” he said evenly, “we’ll handle it.”

“It’s not just debt collectors.”

The room stilled again.

“My stepfather borrowed from dangerous people.”

Reaper’s eyes narrowed. “What people?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I only heard one name. Volkov.”

Finn straightened slightly. “Shit,” he muttered as he rubbed a hand slowly over the back of his neck.

Lucy looked between them nervously. “What does that mean?”

Reaper didn’t answer immediately, but whatever passed between him and Finn told me enough—it was worse than I thought. Much worse.

Reaper looked back at me. “You stay here,” he said finally. “Finn stays with you.”

I swallowed hard. “Okay.”

“You don’t leave unless one of us is with you.”

“I won’t.”

Reaper nodded once before looking to Finn. “You answer your phone.”

Finn’s jaw tightened slightly. “Yeah.”

Lucy stepped to me one last time before they left, brushing her fingers gently over Noah’s head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Then they were gone.

The motel room fell quiet as the door shut behind them. I stared down at Noah, trying not to fall apart as tears dripped from my chin.

Finn stayed by the window for a long moment before finally speaking. “You should try to sleep.”

A hollow laugh escaped me. “How?”

Some of the hardness in his expression cracked slightly. “I don’t know,” he replied, “but you’re gonna need strength for what comes next.”

Chapter 4

Kate

It was our fourth night in the motel, and I’d had about two hours sleep before Noah started screaming.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled to Finn, who just shrugged and got up to look out the window.

An hour and a half later, I’d fed Noah, changed him, and bounced him until my arms ached, but the second I sat down, the crying started all over again.

“I don’t know what’s wrong,” I whispered helplessly, bouncing him against my chest.

The motel felt too small, too hot, and my exhaustion was beginning to crush me.

Finn looked up from the chair by the door, eyes narrowing slightly as Noah’s cries got louder. “You slept?” he asked.

I laughed weakly. “Does it look like I’ve slept?”