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He didn’t try to pick me up as soon as we left the house. Instead, he let me walk to the wall and think in silence.
“I’m worried all of this won’t be enough,” I said. “Part of me wants a plan B. Something to fall back on if the walls are breached or if the vaccine doesn’t work. But the logical part of me knows there will be nowhere to go that would be safe forever if we don’t find a solution.”
“Have faith, Andie. We will find a way. We did not come this far, and get this close to having a life we never dreamed possible, to lose it now.”
He swung me up into his arms and cleared the wall. This time, I buried my face in his chest and just let myself be held by him.
Someone called Molev’s name the moment we landed inside Tolerance’s wall.
“Go,” I said. “I wanted to check on Roni and the rest of the team anyway.”
He gave me a long look then nodded.
I found Steve and Brandon easily enough. They were staying with a group of human women we’d “trained.” Sid, Roland, and Katie were staying with Ben.
“Good,” Roland said when he answered the door and saw it was me. “You can talk to them.”
“Them?” I asked as I entered.
“Ben and Katie. Sid and I can’t do it anymore.”
I was about to ask for a better explanation when I heard Ben say, “Katie, would you like me to rub your breasts?”
Katie’s response was slightly muffled. “Please go away, Ben.”
“The awkwardness continues to escalate,” Roland said. “First, it was offers to make her something to eat. But when she said she wasn’t feeling well, it switched to him trying to physically comfort her. Hugs. Back rubs. Now, boob rubs.” He waved his hand. “Katie hasn’t come out of her room since breakfast.”
“I don’t know how to help her,” Ben said, appearing from the hallway to the right.
“Sometimes, people just need some space and some quiet time,” I said. “Molev had to figure that out too. Why don’t you go find him and ask him how he knows when I need quiet time?”
Ben nodded and left without another word.
“How?” Roland said. “I’ve been trying to get him to leave her alone since this morning.”
“That’s why it didn’t work. He doesn’t want to leave her alone. He wants her attention. He’s going to Molev to figure out how to give her what she needs while still getting what he needs.” I slipped off my jacket and headed down the hall.
“He’s gone, Katie,” I called.
The closed door swung open, and Katie peered out. A second later, she burst into tears and threw her arms around me.
“Whoa,” I said, hugging her in return. “This isn’t like you. What’s going on? Did he actually try to touch your boobs?”
She gave a warbly laugh. “No, he just keeps talking about them. I think this is my mental twig snapping. Ben’s been extremely sweet and kind. I’ve just never been so…”
“Pursued?” I guessed.
“Exactly. It’s non-stop, and I just need a minute to be alone and hear my own thoughts instead of ‘Katie, are you hungry?’ ‘Katie, do you want a drink?’ ‘Katie, can I rub your feet?’ ‘Katie, do you need another blanket?’ Katie. Katie. Katie.” She pulled back and looked at me, her eyes red and a little wild. “I feel like I’m going insane.”
“You look like it too,” I said. “Want to get out of here for a bit while he’s away and check on Roni with me?”
“Yes. God, yes.” She stepped around me and hurried for the door, waving to Roland and Sid, who were both in the kitchen.
“Thanks for trying, guys,” she called.
I hustled to get my jacket on and follow her out the door.
“Which way?” she asked, obviously on a mission to get off the streets as soon as possible.
