“What’s to your right?” I go to turn my head in that direction, but his hand comes to my jaw, stopping any movement. “Use your instincts.”
“I erm… There’s a crossing?”
“Good. What else?”
Staring into his eyes, I try to see what was there by using my memory. “There’s a man and an old lady waiting to cross.”
“Well done.” To anyone else that may sound patronizing, but when it comes from Luke in his deep voice, I feel like I did something right for once.
Letting me go, he tilts his head for me to continue walking and falls in step beside me. “I want you to be comfortable here, but you need to be aware of what is going on around you at all times.”
I whip my head around to face him. “You think someone could be watching me?”
“I doubt it, but you can never be too careful.” He halts at the crossing, waiting for me before walking over the road and to the other side. “It’s not just what happened to you, angel. You’re about to be seen in public with me, and without saying too much, there are guys out there who aren’t too fond of me bringing down their operations.” The back of his hand grazes across mine. “So I need you to do the one thing that’s more important than anything else.” He pauses. “I need you to look out for yourself.”
Biting my bottom lip, I look down at the ground, watching the front of my sneakers with every step I take, wondering if I’m really safe here. I never once doubted that I would be once I was out of that house, but Luke saying it to me like that has me second-guessing everything.
Will he find me here? And what about the people who want to hurt Luke? Will I ever be safe?
The countdown until I turn eighteen has been on from the day I turned seventeen, but right now, I can’t work out why turning eighteen was so important. Sure, it’d mean the authorities couldn’t come after me, but will anything else really change?
I’ll still be looking over my shoulder; still be in potential danger.
I was a fool to think everything would magically be better the day I turned eighteen, and now as we come to a stop outside a small diner, I stare at Luke, wondering if he was trying to tell me that without actually saying the words.
“I’ll look out for myself,” I tell him, pushing my shoulders back.
“Good.” He nods. “When we get back I need to show you a part of the house I didn’t the other day.” His eyes flash. “You see it now.”
I know what he’s saying, but instead of making a big deal out of it, I push it to the back of my brain and push a smile onto my face—the same fake smile I know he hates. “I dunno about you, but I’m starved.”
The look in his ice-blue eyes tells me he wants to call me out on it, but before he has the chance, I push open the door, stepping inside the small diner and heading to the first empty table I see.
LUKE
I lead Lily down the steps outside, stopping when I get to the hatch door before turning around and facing her. The flashlight she holds nearly blinds me, so I cover my eyes against the brightness causing her soft laugh to travel on the air.
“Sorry.”
I grunt in response, pulling out the key to the padlock and holding it in the air between us. “There’s only one key.” Handing it to her, I tilt my head to the door, silently telling her to open it.
We spent most of the day exploring the small town and talking about nothing in particular, but for the first time in years, I don’t want to leave somewhere. I don’t itch to get away from her, afraid I’ll reveal too much of myself. Instead, I want to stay in this little house with her, nothing around to bother us and no one expecting anything from either of us. But I can’t. I have a life outside of this house—a life she’s not involved with; a life I can’t bring her into.
Her hands shake as she takes the key from my outstretched one, the flashlight moving toward the floor as she steps forward and opens up the lock.
“Take it with you,” I whisper, my voice rough and demanding. I need her to understand what she has to do if anything happens and I’m not here to protect her. As soon as I left her the first time, I regretted not telling her about this part of the house, but in reality I knew she wasn’t ready.
She does as I tell her, pushing open the small doors and hesitating a second before walking forward into the pitch-black darkness.
“What is this place?” her soft voice asks, the slight terror evident.
“This is your safe place.”
She turns to face me as I step inside. “My what?”
I swallow, the sound loud in the small place as I reach behind me and turn the small light on. It’s low enough to illuminate the small space but not too bright as to warn anyone you’re in here.
“I made a promise to you, darlin’.” Closing the space between us, I find myself reaching for her. I know I shouldn’t—I should keep my distance, both for her and me—but I can’t help being drawn to her. “I’ll keep you safe, but when I’m not here, I need you to know how you can get yourself to safety.”