Wildcat chokes on a laugh.
Even Amelia’s mouth twitches, though her eyes stay wet.
“Comforting,” I say.
“Wasn’t meant to be. Go do whatever stupid thing men do when they think violence is foreplay for justice.”
Legend sighs. “Lottie.”
“What? We’re all thinking it.”
I grab my cut from the chair.
Amelia watches me put it on like she is watching armor go over a wound.
I want to kiss her.
That thought hits so wrong in the middle of all this that it nearly knocks the air out of me. I want to kiss her because I’m angry. Because she is scared. Because I’m leaving. Because I don’t know what my hands will do before I see her again, and I want one clean thing before the dirty work.
I don’t.
I step toward her instead and lower my voice. “Stay with Lottie.”
Her eyes narrow because she hears the command.
I correct myself, hating every second. “Please.”
That one word costs more than it should.
She hears that too.
“I will,” she says.
I nod once.
Then I leave before she can make me better than I am.
Outside, the air feels thick, storm-humid and mean. Oaks falls into step on my left. Wildcat on my right. Legend stays back at the door with Whiskey and Royal. He is letting me go, but not loose.
There is a difference.
I swing onto Widowmaker, and the stupid dinosaur keychain Amelia bought me taps against the metal near my ignition.
I stare at it for one second too long.
Dinosaur. Cheap grocery store crap. My throat gets tight.
“You good?” Oaks asks.
“I swear to God, if one more person asks me that today, I’m starting with them.”
“So no.”
I start Widowmaker.
The pipes roar hard enough to rattle the porch windows.
Through the glass, I see Amelia standing inside with Lottie beside her.