Page 70 of Claimed By Ruin

I chuckled. “Well, not too much. There’s the truck, but I’m afraid I haven’t seen Steven.”

“You gotta keep an eye out for him.”

“Of course. He knows where the farm is, so if he comes later today, he can stay over tonight and try to get back tomorrow.”

He nodded, looking satisfied for a split second. “You and your friend mind stepping out of the car?”

“Uh, why?” I asked, adding a smile to the end.

“Just protocol. New thing Christopher’s trying out. Figure it makes sense to try to keep an eye on security. Things being what they are.”

“I—”

Jack cut me off. “That’s smart. Can’t be too safe.”

He threw open his door and got out without looking at me. I smiled, then pushed my own open, almost hitting Ben, who jumped back quickly. I stood watching. In the distance, I heard another truck.

“Asia, run!”

I looked at Jack, torn. He was calm, insanely so given the squeak of brakes, the volley of shots. Someone grunted.

It wasn’t Jack.

It’s not Jack.

I told myself that as I ran off the road, ducking into the woods.

For once, I did what he said.

I didn’t look back.

TWENTY-FIVE

Asia

“Maybe today…” Miles said.

Lourdes cut him a sharp look. “Hermanito…”

“Maybe,” I responded.

The same conversation we’d had for the last three mornings, one that got more desperate, less believable, every time.

But I wasn’t a quitter. I’d keep up the facade, if only for Miles’s sake.

Not my own.

Definitely not my own.

The shock of those gunshots, the memory of Jack’s rough command, all of it bombarded me at once. This morning, I’d walked the fences. Not looking for Jack, certainly not expecting him. It was beautiful, peaceful, the kind of mornings I lived for.

And my chest was clenched so tight, I thought it might explode.

That was how Elliot found me, bent at the waist trying to force in one breath. Then force it out. I barely heard the pliers as they fell to the ground. Was only vaguely aware of Elliot at my side, smacking my back and commanding me to breathe.

Even now, my face burned with shame as I remembered looking at him, seeing the worry in his eyes.

I grabbed the pliers and walked away without a word, did the rest of my chores, met Miles and Lourdes for breakfast. Did what I did every other day. Because nothing changed.