“You give the worst compliments.”
I grin. “At least you know they’re sincere.”
He seems to get lost in thought, and my own mind takes off in the silence. I had a surprise conversation with Clausen this morning. He kept his word and said they have a use for me after all. I don’t like the assignment, but I would’ve agreed to anything to see Daniel at this point.
“You don’t say much,” Connor says, snapping me out of my trance.
I’m not sure how to interpret his comment, so I just smile. “I’m more of a thinker and observer, I guess.”
He considers my response. “Some people would probably mistake that for weakness.”
“Maybe.”
“They’d be wrong. It’s the thinkers and observers who have the advantage.”
“Yeah? Is that your attempt to return the favor for my back-handed compliments?”
A grin spreads over his face, and I can’t help but return it. “How’d I do?”
“Pretty well for a beginner. I’m impressed.”
I try to steady my breathing as I wait for the guard to unlock the door. It’s been three days since the overdose, and I haven’t received any information about Daniel’s condition. I have no idea what to expect on the other side of the steel door.
The latch clicks, and the man waves me inside, locking it behind me. I find my former roommate slouched in the corner, and the anger of the last few days rushes to the surface. He had no right to make that decision without me. He had no right to forfeit and leave me to fight on my own. I’d harbored plenty of resentment on the walk over and prepared a dozen angry speeches for when I faced him again.
But when our eyes meet, I only have one response.
I run to him and throw my arms around his neck. His own arms tighten around me in return, and the vision ripping through my head can’t break our connection as we hold each other.
“You should have let me go,” he whispers. “It was our only way out.”
My grip constricts to what must be painful levels. “It was your way out, not mine. Where would that have left me?”
“You would have been free of this place, too.”
“That’s a lie.” I burrow into his shoulder, drawing in his scent, his heat. Life. “I know I can’t imagine what your experience is like in here, but I’m not going to sit here and apologize for wanting you with me.”
“Like this?” he says, pulling back. “What am I supposed to do now, Rebecca? Tell me how this ends.”
I bite my lip. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly! And I don’t either. Everything was clear a few days ago, and now I’m only sure about one thing. You played right into their hands and changed everything.”
Fear starts to replace the anger. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Figure it out? You have no idea what you’ve done.”
“So tell me! What is it that I’ve done besides show them I still care about you?”
He shakes his head in exasperation. “You really don’t see it?”
No. Maybe?
“You made yourself almost as valuable as I am.”
My blood freezes in my veins. “What?”
“You know what I’m saying.”
