Page 61 of Yours on the Canvas

Finn’s whole body vibrates with anger. He knows what happened to my mother, and that I think my uncle killed her.

He also knows my uncle always follows through on his promises. He knows his life is in danger if I don’t stop them.

I press my hand to my mouth as tears spring to my eyes. Panic rises fast and sharp at the thought of Ray and my dad getting to Finn or Hale. Touching them. Hurting them.

“Jack?” Finn’s voice is quiet and careful. He leans a little closer. Neither of them touch me, but my body aches for something. I can’t tell if I need pain or kindness, as my fingers twist together, white-knuckled.

Eli moves his hand, hovering it over mine. “Can I?” he asks.

I hate that I am like this, that touch for me only means pain. Silas is the only one who touches me, and even he’s careful.

I nod.

Eli lowers his hand, slow and deliberate. I brace for the pain, for the punch that never comes. The pain from his touch is there, always there, but I breathe through it.

“You’re okay, Jack,” Eli murmurs. His hand stays still, just a gentle weight. It hurts like needles in my skin, and my fingers twitch, but I force them to stay still.

My throat tightens. “They found me. They want me back.”

Pain flickers across Finn’s face. “That is not happening, Jack. Over my dead body will that ever happen.”

I drag in a sharp breath. “He threatened to kill you, Finn.”

Finn grabs my hand and my breath stutters, coming out in short bursts. “They are not getting you back. Silas won’t let that happen. You are our family, Jack. They were never your family.”

“Silas wasn’t there, Finn, nobody was there. They still got to me, even with everything in place. They still got inside Silas’ home.” My voice drops to a whisper, “I was supposed to be safe there.”

I pull my hands out from under Eli’s; his hand falls to my knee as I drag my hand across my face. My head sinks back into the pillow.

“I thought I was done. I thought when we ran that I had escaped them. I thought running was the best idea, but they found their stray dog.”

Finn reaches for my hand, his grip firm. My fingers are cold as he wraps both of his hands around mine, turning his body toward me.

“He is not going to get Hale. Or me.” He wraps both my hands in his, “Or you, Jack. Fuck that, Silas won’t let that happen.”

I laugh, sharp and bitter. “Silas can’t be everywhere, Finn. If my uncle and my dad want to take me, they will. There is nothing I can do to stop them.”

“You can’t blame yourself for them getting to you. This is not on you, Jack,” Eli says quietly. His hand rests on my leg, a heavy pressure that burns through my jeans. I lift it off my skin screaming with needles, and I rub the spot where he touched me.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

Eli’s smile is warm, and I know he isn’t judging me. “Don’t apologise, Jack. I get it.”

My fingers wring tightly in my lap. My breathing turns sharp at what my uncle did to me, and to my mother, my chest hurting at the memories.

“I know what will happen if he gets Hale. I know what Ray does to boys,” I say quietly. “I know what he teaches, how he trains, and how they break him down before rebuilding him into a machine. Hale is not strong enough to survive that. His heart is too gentle.”

Eli moves his hand again, hovering it over mine. He doesn’t touch me, but I feel it like pressure anyway. “Jack, you’re safe.”

“I’m not worried about me,” I say. “I’m worried about Hale. He already went through hell when we found him. He doesn’t have family, and I know my uncle and my dad will exploit that.”

“Jack. He isn’t alone. He has Silas and you. He has us,” Eli says, his voice firm and certain. I want to believe him, I do, but he doesn’t know my uncle and my dad the way I do. My uncle always gets what he wants.

I shake my head. “I can’t let him do that to Hale. What he did to me…” I trail off with a sob.

Finn leans forward, pressing his forehead to my temple as he speaks softly into my ear. “You won’t, Jack, and I promise you Jack, we won’t either.”

“He has already started, Finn,” I whisper. “He is already threatening him. If he can get to me, he can get to Hale.”