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I smile. My kids are perfect for each other. Rose gets into trouble, while Atlas tries to rescue her. I love them both for exactly who they are. As they grow older, they will continue to look out for one another, getting each other into and out of trouble.
“You did well, Atlas. What do I always tell you?”
“To help Rose. Are you sure I shouldn’t have ratted her out and told Mom what Rose was planning?” He gives Rose the evil eye, like she’s the reason for all his problems. It’s not true. He loves Rose and would do anything for her.
“No, your job is to rescue her when she needs your help.”
“I do not need rescuing, ever,” Rose pouts.
I bite my lip to hide my smile as I touch the tip of her nose. “I know you don’t, but sometimes it’s nice to have the help of someone who loves you. You can do great things on your own, Rose, but just imagine how much more you can do with the help of someone who loves you.”
She thinks about it, and my words sink in.
I pull them both tightly to my body, hugging them as hard as I can.
“Look out for one another. Love one another. Don’t rat each other out. Don’t turn on each other. Protect one another. Can you both promise me that?”
“Yes, Dad,” they both say at the same time with bright smiles.
“Good.”
“Do you have to leave again?” Atlas asks.
“Not until you two fall asleep. But yes, I have to go. This is for the last time, though. Someday soon, I won’t have to go anymore.”
“I’m never going to sleep then. That way, you won’t ever leave,” Rose says.
I kiss her forehead as she yawns. I’m sure the doctors have her on strong pain medication and she’ll be asleep very soon.
“I’m going to sleep just like you say. The sooner I go to sleep and you leave, the sooner you’ll return,” Atlas says.
I kiss his forehead as well.
“Tell us a story, Dad,” Rose says, yawning again.
So I do. I tell them the same story I always do about a prince and princess who save the world. It’s a true story. Maybe the prince and princess don’t actually save the whole world, and maybe technically they aren’t royalty in real life, but in my world, they are. And they saved me. Now it’s my turn to save them back.
6
Liesel
I watch as Langston drives away, leaving me with nothing but a gun and the clothes on my back.
The only thing I can think of that would make him leave me right now is something happening to Siren. He spoke her name. Does that mean she’s dying? Already dead? Did I finally succeed in killing someone?
It doesn’t matter. He’s gone, which means I have nothing to do but wait until he returns. He left me here because he knows I won’t run. I’ll stay and fight.
I put the gun into the pocket of the leather jacket, and then I walk down the dock to Langston’s yacht. This is the safest place to be, at least until Langston returns. Then anywhere Langston is is the least safe place to be.
I climb onto the yacht and then down to the bedrooms. There is a security system that requires facial, handprint, and a code to enter the bedrooms. The bedrooms are designed to be the most secure place on the yacht.
I frown, knowing I’m not going to be able to break in. I’m going to have to sleep on one of the lounge chairs on the upper deck instead of in one of the secure bedrooms.
The laser begins scanning my face, and I put my hand on the scanner. To my surprise, the light turns green. The only thing left is to enter a code.
I enter my old code that used to work, and the door unlocks. Langston never had my codes revoked. He never ended my access. He never stopped hoping that I would return to redeem myself.
He was wrong to wait for my return. He should have known that I would always betray him, just as he’s betrayed me.
