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Cole comes in, unlocks my cell, and says, “Time to rejoin humanity.”
“Finally.”
He leads me upstairs, through hallways, and into the cafeteria, which is pitch black.
“Is there an outage or something?” I ask, scared to move forward.
Suddenly, the room fills with blinding light.
“Surprise!”
Clustered in front of me stands all the Kept women, their Keepers, and several others.
But who I care most about is standing at the center.
I rush forward, throwing myself into Alistair’s arms.
“Oh-my-God—remember when she used to say ‘Get a room’,” Brooke snarks.
“To be fair, ain’t no one wants to see you and your brother together,” Dane quips.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she sneers.
I have to hand it to them, the incest jokes never get old.
Amber comes over and puts her arm around me. “Looks like we’re part of the elite ranks that are former criminals. We should form a club.”
“Count me in,” Atticus adds.
Amber grimaces. “No offense, dude, but our transgressions are way more ballsy. You literally sat behind a keyboard and stole money. I was a damn spy and Britney managed to escape the Keep.”
I offer him an apologetic look. “Sorry, Attie, but Amber is right. You’d be better suited for Selina and her knitting circle.”
“Well, two ain’t much of a club,” Atticus snaps.
I smirk. “Who says it’s just us? The Poultry Necromancer is doing time for some hard shit. Perhaps I’ll slip him an application.”
“An application?” Atticus snickers. “Yeah, real hardcore.”
Maisy rushes over and gives me a hug. “Did you get a prison tat?”
I look over at Alistair. “No, but I wouldn’t mind getting one. Maybe around this finger.” I point to where a wedding ring would go.
“Baby, if you wanted a ring, you should have said something. There are all kinds of old fancy ragers near the high-rises I could have pulled one from.”
Everyone breaks into laughter, and for a moment, it’s like everything is normal and the world didn’t end.
On a table to the side, there’s cake, punch, and finger foods for the taking, which the Keep’s many pregnant women are hovering around.
To think that could be me soon.
I push the thought from my head because it’s too damn scary.
Music blares through the speakers, and we start dancing. Apparently, Alistair can cut a rug, giving even Brooke a run for her money, and she was a professional dancer.
Christine pops in without her lab coat, and I get to see her without her perpetual scowl as she talks with Remi.
It suddenly occurs to me that I get to be here. I don’t have to be, and I’m certainly not stuck. I’m here because I want to be.
