Page 50 of Wonder

“You can’t,” he snarls. “Don’t be a fucking idiot!”

“We’re not running together,” I gasp. “I’m not breaking the rules.”

I shout it then, shout it at the top of my lungs for them to hear in case of any bullets primed to fly my way. I suck in my breath and roar those words at Red and her fucking investors. “I’m not breaking any of your damn rules!”

Because we’re not runningtogether. We’re running in opposite directions.

“Stay in a circle,” I tighten my grip on him. “We stay tight, we can keep running.”

I’m running one way. He’s running another. But my body is pressed against his, our sides plastered together as we run in a tight circle, around and around and around.

But we’re stillrunning. Still in the game, even if it’s awkward and stumbling.

I’m holding a little of his weight, taking it off his knee.

Hopefully enough.

His arm raises to under my neck, pressing against the air there as he holds on. “I’ll fucking strangle you if we keep this up. Letgo. I’m already finished.”

“No,” I rasp. “Your twin will be dead if you stop. Don’t fucking stop.”

“Why the fuck do youcare?” His fingers grip my shoulder. “Why bother?”

I shake my head, trying to save my breath when his arm rests against my throat, further tightening my circulation. “L-later.”

We don’t talk after that. Our breathing merges, harsh and staggering as we keep up that tight circle of movement. Kayden tries to keep his arm as loose as he can, but the stumbling becomes more frequent.

But nobody shoots us.

Kayden is right, though. We can’t keep this up for long. His weight is too much for me to keep running with his body leaning on mine.

And I’m starting to get dizzy.

“That’s what they’re waiting for,” he gasps. “They’re waiting for you to fall. Let me go, damn you.”

They can keep fucking waiting.

“I won’t fall.”

Chess runs past me, his head twisting. He looks absolutely fucking furious with me. “Getawayfrom him.”

I shake my head, not wasting the breath.

Hatter and Buck start circling us. Hatter moves in. “Swap with me. I can take him for a while.”

“N-no.” I blink away the sweat in my eyes. “If I stop, I’m going down.”

Kayden twists, his breath hot against my ear, but he doesn’t say anything.

And then he loses his knee altogether.

Every muscle in my body screams as I heave him up. His other foot hops before he regains his balance. “Shit – you okay?”

My vision darkens. “Yeah.”

“She’s not.” Buck darts past. “Jesus, Trouble. Which one of these assholes do we like the least?”

Even my thoughts feel foggy. “What?”