“I want to help you, Emery. Let me help you.” I wipe her tears away with my fingers and pull her onto my lap.

“But I’m crazy,” she whispers, her eyelashes fluttering as she blinks back the tears. “You shouldn’t want to help me.”

“No, I should. I really, really should because… I care about you, Emery, more than I’ve cared about anyone before,” I sign the most honest thing I ever have in my entire life. “And honestly, everyone is crazy in their own way, depending on how you look at it.”

She looks at me like I’m insane but then a laugh sputters from her lips. “Are you being serious right now?”

My lips quirk. “More serious than I’ve ever been.”

“So, we’re really going to do this?” Hope gleams in her eyes. “Go away together? Because it just seems so… Well, crazy.”

I press my lips together and nod my head. “If that’s the case, then I guess the choice is fitting.”

She stares at me for another second or two before wrapping her arms around me, and I cling on to her, knowing that I made the right choice.

“But what about Stale?” Emery pulls back. “Is he going to allow us to do this?”

I shrug. “Doesn’t really matter. We’ve already pretty much gone against everyone. What’s one more person?”

“You’re right,” she agrees then leans in to kiss me.

For a moment, everything is perfect, everything feels right. And I truly believe there’s more perfection for us in the future now that Emery and I are finally free from our past. Are finally free to be ourselves and live the lives we’ve always wanted to, under our own freewill. Together. We won’t have to go through this alone.

I kiss her back fully, cupping the back of her head and pulling her closer.

Suddenly the door creaks open. “I’m coming in in exactly one minute. If anyone needs to get dressed, better make it quick,” Stale calls out, shattering the moment into pieces.

Emery and I spring from the bed and scramble to put on our clothes. By the time Stale walks in, Emery is ruffling her hair into place and I’m doing up my belt.

Stale’s gaze dances back and forth between us before landing on me. “It’s time to go.” He looks at Emery. “You too. There’s a car waiting for you outside that’s going to drive you to the airport.”

Emery sucks her bottom lip between her teeth and stares at me helplessly. I give her hand a squeeze before turning to Stale.

“We want to go together,” I sign to him. The movement of my hands and arms are firm despite how fast my heart is racing.

Stale immediately shakes his head. “It’s too risky for the two of you to go together. It’ll make it easier for someone to identify you or track you down.”

I nervous pop my knuckles, hesitating with what to say next. He could be right. It could be more dangerous if Emery and I go together. Do I want to put her at risk like that?

“I want to go with him,” Emery chimes in. “I don’t care if it’s more risky.” When she looks at me, her confidences sinks along with her shoulders. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

“I just don’t want to put you in danger,” I sign, feeling like an asshole. “That’s it, Emery. I want to go with you more than anything. I promise.”

“Then do it.” The plea in her voice rips my heart in two. “I don’t care if it’s more risky. I’ve lived my whole life doing what I thought I was supposed to, following orders, doing what everyone else wanted. For once I just want to live my life how I want it and be with the people I want to.” She crosses her arm, frowning. “But I get it. It’s a big risk. One you shouldn’t have to take.”

I want to take it.

God, do I.

Say to hell with everything

and soar away.

start a life

that I can finally live

without feeling as though I’m half dead.

“No, I want to… I want you… " My unsteady hands move in front of me.

She reaches for me and takes hold of my hands. “Then let’s do this.”

A breath eases from my lips as I bob my head up and down. Then I slip my hands from hers and turn to Stale, who looks madder than hell. “We’re going together.”

He shakes his head. “I can’t allow that. It’s too risky.”

“Then I guess we’ll start over on our own.” I’m not being serious. I know for a fact we can’t start over under these circumstances without help. I just need him to believe that we will if he doesn’t help us.

“Don’t be stupid, Ryler,” Stale stresses. “This is what you’ve always wanted—a new life. It’s the reason you got into this in the first place.”

Emery’s brows furrow, and I realize there’s still so much she doesn’t know about me.

I’ll explain later, I mouth to her.

“I’m just glad there’s going to be a later,” she replies, looking more excited than I’ve ever seen her.

Stale huffs an aggravated breath and folds his arms, staring us down like he’s a parent scolding his children. “You two have got to be kidding me. This is absurd. And we need to go before you don’t have a chance of getting out of here undetected.”

I don’t respond. I simply take Emery’s hand and interlock our fingers. My heart skips a beat when she grips on for dear life.