Page 100

I freeze.

“If you don’t respond, Ani,” he continues, “they’ll win by default.”

It’s hard to explain how something that’s been hanging over your head still finds a way to knock the wind out of you. The noise around me dims to static, and all I can hear are his words echoing over and over in my head.

Finn holds me tighter. Boone’s fingers twitch against my neck.

“You said it’s not finalized? We have time?”

“Correct,” Collins confirms. “But it’s in motion. They’ve filed paperwork stating that you’re mentally unstable. And the longer you don’t contest it, the stronger their claim gets.”

I press my hand to my chest, trying to ease the pressure building there but it doesn’t work.

“They’re going to win,” I whisper. “If we don’t stop them, they’re going to win.”

“No,” Boone says. “They aren’t.”

“They’ve got expensive lawyers,” I say. “Money. Connections. Judges they can pay off. I have a record of panic attacks and no formal custody over Mae. What do I have?”

“You have us,” Finn says.

Chapter 29

Boone

Jonah stays behind with Mae. His stitches are healing, and even though the concussion was mild, he’s still moving very slowly. He swears he’s fine but I don’t think he’s ready to go anywhere yet.

Ani hasn’t left his side since he got back from the hospital. She’s always adjusting his pillows, bringing him water and checking his temperature even though we all know he doesn’t have a fever.

But this morning, when we told her it was time to go, she didn’t argue. Just nodded, packed her things, and kissed Mae like it might be the last time.

We’ve been driving for four hours, and Ani hasn’t said more than ten words. She stares straight ahead, with one hand clenched in her lap and the other gripping the edge of the seat.

Finn’s doing his best to fill the silence. He’s eaten half the snacks we packed, turned the radio on and off four times, and tried three different podcasts before giving up entirely and just humming under his breath.

I glance over at Ani every now and then, checking to see how she’s doing. She's holding it together by a thread. But sheisholding it together and that’s something.

Traffic gets busier the closer we get to the city. Ani’s grip on the armrest tightens. I see her eyes dart out the window and I wonder what she’s looking at.

I take the next turn slowly and park a block down from the lawyer’s office. Downtown hums around us—honking horns, lots of foot traffic, and sirens in the distance.

She doesn’t move when I kill the engine. I turn in my seat to face her.

“We’re here.”

Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out.

Finn leans forward, speaking softer now. “You don’t have to get out yet. Just sit here and breathe for a minute.”

She nods, eyes wide.

After a minute, I watch her jaw flex as she unclips her seatbelt. She knows where we’re going, who we’re meeting, and what to expect. I told her yesterday, and again this morning before we left.

We walk in together, Finn holding the door and me a step behind. The office is quiet. No receptionist today—just a man seated at a long table in the back corner. He looks up as we approach. His hair is more gray than I remember, but his posture is still ramrod straight. He stands when we reach the table.

“Boone.”

“Levin.”