“Thank you for play
ing, Ms. White. You’ll be taken back to shore now,” one of the men says.
I nod.
They continue to stand there until the raft is lowered into the water, and there is no way for me to escape and climb back on board.
“I’m Kyo. We should be back to shore in the next twenty minutes,” he says.
“Thank you, Kyo.”
He starts the engine once we’ve hit the water, and we pull away.
I did the right thing.
I did the right thing.
I did the right thing.
Those words continue to play over and over in my head the entire twenty minutes the dingy takes us to shore.
I did the right thing.
I did the right thing.
I did the right thing.
I can’t look back at the yacht. I can’t look back, hoping to find Langston. What’s done is done.
I did the right thing.
I had no other choice.
I already know how this ends. He’ll be fine.
The dingy stops back at the dock, and Kyo helps me off.
“Your ride will be here shortly. Can I get you anything else?” Kyo says when we are both standing on the dock.
I shake my head and then walk down the dock to where Maxwell is standing outside of a limo.
“Did you win?” he asks.
“Yea. Yea, I did.”
He smiles. “Good. Now don’t give me a heart attack like that again.”
I smile back.
He helps me into the back of the limo, before heading to the front to drive me.
I lean my head against the headrest and close my eyes, trying to forget everything.
I should be happy. If I’m lucky, I’ll have a few days of freedom.
A child’s squeal jolts my eyes open.
I stare out the window and see two kids playing together with a ball in a nearby park. Phoenix is standing nearby, watching them with a smile on her face.