With my heart like a fist in my chest, clenching and unclenching, I step over to the ledge, the river flowing underneath.
I pull the bag off and hold it over the side, locking my knees to keep them from shaking.
His gaze flashes to the bag suspended over the water.
“My freedom,” I demand.
But he just snickers. “You can drop it, Aro. We’ll find it.”
The bag has air in it. It’ll float for a little while.
He doesn’t want me. I’m not family, and he doesn’t love me. This is his pride talking. He can’t let everyone see he let one go.
He can’t let anyone go.
The whistle pierces the air again, and I fight to not look down the track for what I know is coming.
“Tell you what.” Hugo smiles, and I want to punch him in the throat. “Weston versus the Falls. The last one who leaves the bridge wins you.”
“Fuck…off,” I damn-near gasp with a sob lodged in my throat. God, I feel sick. I knew he was going to do this.
“The train will come,” Hugo explains. “The last one—Pirate or Rebel—who leaps into the water wins you.”
“Everyone?” Kade asks.
Tommy passes by, switching sides, and stands with Hugo.
Kade glares at her. “Get…your ass…back over here.” He bites out every word, but I don’t even care. I don’t want any of them doing this for me.
I look down, starting to feel the vibrations of the train as the wind blows the water down below.
Hawke…
My chin trembles.
But then, I tip my head back and look up. And for the second time in twenty-four hours, I feel it.
I’m supposed to be here.
“You can’t swim,” Hugo says.
I tip my head back down. “And you can’t kill me.”
A hand slips into mine, and I know it’s Hawke before I even look.
“Go back to the car,” he tells me.
I look up at him, but I don’t move a muscle. “I didn’t know if you’d come.”
His eyes dance a little. “You all didn’t specify which bridge.”
I almost laugh.
But I don’t.
I should’ve known. He’ll always come.
“I will fight him every day to keep you,” he whispers.
“I know you will.”
But I don’t want you to. I don’t want to fight every day. I want to make his life better, otherwise, what’s the point?
“All of you,” Hugo announces. “Against all of us. Last one standing.”
The bridge shakes under us as the train rounds the bend, ringing its bell to alert people it’s coming. I see it out of the corner of my eye. Lights bright, big and yellow, and my hair blows as I stare up at Hawke.
All of Hugo’s people step up to the ledge, excited laughter going off.
“Go,” I mouth to Hawke, begging.
Please.
But he shakes his head. “No.”
I jerk my glare to Dylan and Kade. “Go. Please.”
Kade looks to Dylan, but Dylan just looks at the water.
Is she actually smiling?
Kade grasps her hand and shoots me a look. “You’re Hawke’s,” he says. “We stay with Hawke. Under a black flag…”
The train powers toward us, everyone stepping onto the other side of the track, and my legs wobble underneath me.
I glance over at the kid. “Tommy, you just jump, okay?”
I don’t want to risk her getting thrown by the force of the train. She doesn’t need to prove anything.
No one has died doing this. We’re off the track and won’t get hit, but the power when it goes past—hell, when it even approaches—is too much force. I’ve seen people do this.
The bridge shakes, and everyone eventually loses their footing, plummeting to the water below.
The bet rests on which crew has the last one standing.
The platform starts to bounce, and I let out a cry under my breath.
Hawke clasps my hand. “Kick hard. Don’t let go of me!”
The train races toward us, rolling onto the bridge, the sound filling my ears.
“Don’t let go of me!” Hawke yells again.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
The whistle blares, the bridge bounces, and I cry out, fighting to keep my balance.
“Fuck this!” I hear one of Hugo’s crew bellow. Someone flies over the edge, falling with his knees bent up and his arms flailing. “Ahhh!”
He enters the water, but we don’t hear the splash. I look down, realizing I’m digging my nails into the back of Hawke’s hand.
“Look at me!” he says.
Tommy crouches down, and I think she’s going to jump, but she straddles the beam instead. Closing her eyes, she holds on.
“Look at me!” Hawke shouts again.
People start spilling off the side, Hugo holds out his hands, widening his stance to maintain balance, and I jerk my eyes to Hawke.
And he smiles. “We’re going to laugh about this someday!” he says.
I gape at him, and he just starts laughing.
“This isn’t funny!” I bark.
“It will be when I get you drunk later!”
I slap his arm. “Hawke!”
What an… I grit my teeth. He’s just like his mom. Trouble is only bad if it doesn’t work out. Blah, blah, blah…