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Everything she’d been afraid of for nearly three months was happening. Naively, she’d shoved down the fear, brushed it aside, buried it, believing the fates couldn’t be cruel enough to tear her away from her new life.

How wrong could she be?

There was no other option now but running. She of all people knew the resources her father commanded, the men and weapons at his disposal, and even then, she didn’t know the full extent of his arsenal.

If she stayed, people would die. People she cared about, her new friends, her Merrick.

Strangers who just came here to be themselves.

If she ran, the only one to die would be her.

How many TV shows had she watched over the course of her stay here where sacrifice was the only way? Far too many. Sometimes it worked out for the best, sometimes… not. She wasn’t trying to be a hero or save the day; she just didn’t want anyone to die on her behalf.

Retreating, Tamsyn darted into the bedroom. There wasn’t much time to think, let alone act. Too many things she needed to do and couldn’t. Violet wouldn’t be on the phone forever and once the call ended, her whole attention would be on keeping Tamsyn in the cabin.

She glanced down at herself. Merrick’s black hoodie with the Denver Broncos’ logo on the back drowned her, but it smelled like him. She’d started wearing a thermal undershirt through the day because the cold always seemed to find a way into her bones. She stripped off the sling—her wrist was stronger than it had been but still weak; she’d just have to deal with it.

Her black jeggings were comfortable, but too thin to keep her warm if she managed to evade capture into the night. Still, a miracle of that magnitude probably didn’t exist in her world. Not when the biggest miracle of all was Merrick.

Tears began to clog her throat.

The only suitable footwear she found in the closet was a pair of sneakers. Shoving her feet in them, she bent to tie the laces and felt wetness around her eyes.

No time.

Swiping at her cheeks, she headed for the door. The notepad on the table beside the bed caught her attention. It was her practice pad, the one she used on a night when she couldn’t sleep and tried to improve her handwriting instead.

Not that she’d made much improvement.

Every second she wasn’t running gave Jedidiah longer to hurt innocent people.

She just couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. Heart, mind, and soul wouldn’t let her. She wished her pathetic penmanship matched the eloquence in her head, that she could put everything she wanted to say down on paper.

Instead, her fingers gripped the pen too hard and her hand refused to stop shaking.

Finally, she made her escape, sneaking out of the room for the last time. It broke her heart knowing she wouldn’t be coming back, that she’d never wake with Merrick’s arm around her waist or his voice rumbling in her ear again.

She left her heart on her pillow alongside the note with eight simple little words.

I did it for you.

I love you.

*

Merrick

The morning started off well.

Coffee, donuts, a content sub left sleeping in his bed.

A bright, sunny April morning to lift the gloom and chill of the past few weeks where clouds and shifting temperatures were enough to leave his bones permanently set in winter.

The meeting with Eli and Evander was last minute, which meant he’d had to beg a favor from Violet—one she’d granted without argument. He’d given her Tamsyn’s exercise books for reading and writing, with the request she complete one section of each.

Hopefully it would keep her out of trouble; her attitude the last few days told him she was approaching her period. What did she call it?The rejuvenation. Didn’t it just figure that those community assholes would find a way to turn a natural occurrence into another mindfuck?

By his estimation, there was another hour left until the meeting wrapped up. It was hell being an idea guy but he had a knack for it, and Elias was adept at utilizing knacks. So far, they’d discussed a range of walkway options but the most viable one was Merrick’s suggestion of interchangeable panels.