Page 201 of Chalk Outline

Under his gaze, I feel like a goddess, and as I pull away, his eyes stay locked on me, refusing to stray for a second.

I hop on my bike, start it, and ride away, knowing he’ll be beside me in seconds.

We’re forty minutes late when we arrive at a private airfield.

“You’re late,” says our cranky pilot, Phoenix, glowering from his seat. “I’m going back to Detroit tomorrow. This is my last day with you.”

“Are you sure?” Reeve asks. “Izzy says no one can escape, and it’s getting worse. They monitor everyone and force them to wear a watch that tracks their game scores.”

“I know. But my friends and family are there, so I’ll find a way around it.”

It’s crazy to me that when it all started, thousands of people from around the world chose to go there on their own free will when they knew the consequences. It didn’t deter them for a second. The games welcome everyone, but escaping is impossible. Once they join it, they become it.

I chose to live on borrowed time. Even if the world ends tomorrow, I’ll spend it freely with the love of my life for as long as I can.

Epilogue

Five Years Later

Reeve

The streets run red with trails of bodies and high-tech battlegrounds. The games have completely dominated the world, exposing us all to their brutality.

Nothing is safe anymore.

We flew back to the cottage Romina had given us a month prior to the second cyberattack that struck the rest of the world. We have a small community here that makes it feel somewhat normal. For now, this is our reality. Even though our lives here are a big question mark, it’s our best option.

Not many were able to escape it and hide on islands, in secret facilities, or go underground. Most are out there playing the games, while others try to bring The Creators down.

Thanks to Romina Bishop and BLACKBIRD, I can protect my family and build a life far from all the chaos that has condemned the earth.

This is all I’ve ever wanted.

My own family.

My starting point wasn’t pretty, but I still built a life for myself. It had its ups and downs, bumps along the way, and a near-death experience, but it shaped who I am today.

I’m overprotective, and I can’t stand to take my eyes off my treasured loved ones, but that’s one of the many reasons they love me.

I always have their back.

Everyone knows that no one threatens what is mine; otherwise, they’ll face the edge of my blade or the barrel of a gun.

I really was a naive boy. I thought my mom loved me, not knowing she had used me for fifteen years in exchange for more money. I can’t comprehend that. Just the mere thought of my little girls going through the same thing makes me see red. Fury takes over, mixing with…

It doesn’t matter now.

I’ll never let anything happen to them.

I hold the note I wrote for Winona between my fingers and place it on her nightstand. We still exchange notes every day—a tradition worth keeping.

I spin on my bare feet but pause halfway to take one last look.

My ghost will chase you forever and whisper to you in a language only you understand. In the dead of night. At first light of dawn. Beneath the blazing sun or pouring rain. You are mine, Winona, and I am yours forever.

I step out the door and jog downstairs, passing Titan’s pictures on the wall.

The girls often ask about him, and we always tell them about our goofy Cane Corso, who had a beautiful life with us and was a brother to our first girl for two years until he passed away from old age. Winona and I still cry when we talk about him or see his pictures. No matter where we go, that grief will always stay with us; we will never forget him, no matter how much time passes.