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Zane grumbles. "I didn't know you were planning on bringing her to war. We talked escape--safety."
"There's no safety in Solstice Bay," Carson says. "You know that better than anyone, don't you Kendra?"
He looks in my eye, and I find that his gaze is a clear, breathtaking blue. I bite my lip and look between Carson and Zane, understanding in that moment that there's something going on here--that maybe Carson wasn't entirely honest with Zane before I came out to join the conversation.
But Carson is absolutely right.
"I'm not the only omega in Solstice Bay who needs help," I say quietly. "There are so many others...so many men and women who don't have a chance. I'm grateful to the Enclave for rescuing me, but I met dozens of others who were being sold off like animals."
"See, Zane?" Carson grins. "She gets it."
Zane sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. We'll bring her to the Raft. But we need to be careful. There's a lot of risks involved."
"Of course," Carson says. "We'll have to move quickly and quietly. Kendra, can you handle that?"
I nod, suddenly feeling a wave of excitement and fear wash over me. The thought of being reunited with Jade and Olivia is almost too much to bear. But at the same time, I know that getting to the Raft won't be easy. There are so many obstacles in our way--the ACB patrols, the Enclave's enemies, and the sheer unpredictability of Solstice Bay itself.
But I'm ready for this. I'm not going to let fear stop me.
"When do we leave?" I ask.
"Tonight," Carson says. "We'll have to start planning immediately. We can't waste a single moment."
Zane nods, his jaw set. "We'll need to pack light and move fast. Kendra, do you have everything you need?"
I shake my head. "I don't have anything other than the clothes on my back."
Zane nods and stands up, walking over to a cabinet and grabbing a backpack. He hands it to me. "Take this. We'll need to move quickly, so there's no time for anything else."
Carson stands up and pats Zane on the back. "Good work, man. We're gonna get her out of here."
Zane nods, but his expression is still grim. "We need to be careful. If anything goes wrong, it could be disastrous."
"I know," Carson says. "But we have to take these risks. The ACB has to be stopped."
I bite my lip and look over at Zane, and he meets my eyes with that steady, comforting gaze.
"You keep saying 'we,' I say. "Does that mean you're coming with me?"
He gazes up at me for a second, then he takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles.
"I'll go anywhere with you, Kendra," he says.
I can feel Carson's eyes on us, and it feels strange--like this is just the beginning of something, like he belongs and he's not intruding on anything. But he clears his throat and steps away.
"I'll leave you two to get ready while I make arrangements," he says. "Just...be careful, okay? Lay low and don't say a word about our plans."
Zane doesn't take his eyes off me.
"Understood," he says.
I hear Carson leave through the front door, but I only have eyes for Zane. He pulls me around in front of him and I straddle him in the big armchair where he's sitting, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I don't want to push you into anything," he says. "I know this is happening fast, but..."
"...but it feels right," I finish for him. "Zane...I think I ended up here for a reason. I'm not afraid of what's happening, and I'm really,reallyglad you're coming with me."
Zane smiles and leans in, kissing me softly at first, then with more urgency. I wrap myself around him, feeling a sudden heat that makes me forget everything else. He pulls away and looks into my eyes.
