So poorly, in fact, that he had to be sedated with the same drugs and thrown into the same cells they kept thermophiles in. His parents were safe, sent on a tropical vacation in another country, escorted by agents. They would never know the full extent of the danger they had been in and Ruby wouldn’t have to live with Jonah’s death. She could handle him never speaking to her again. She couldn’t handle never having the option to.
Yet, even with him safe, the relief didn’t settle. The humanity that had briefly warmed in her veins iced over, leaving her hollow—a shell of herself, even compared to the wreck she’d been when the TCA picked her up off the streets. She sat in her hotel room, waiting for Lucas’s updates. The walls seemed closer each day, the small space pressing against her.
A leaky shower faucet dripped, each droplet landing with a soft thud that pulsed in her temples. Flowers that Jonah had given her were browning at the edges, curling in on themselves, their smell turning sweet and sour with decay. Stale air mingled with the faint burn of herbal cigarette smoke, clinging to her clothes and skin.
Her skin itched beneath the surface, anxiety digging tunnels through her flesh.
She popped up suddenly, grabbing the hotel phone and dialing from memory. “I’m going to the gym, if you need me,” she said as soon as Lucas answered.
“Okay?” he replied, hesitant, but she’d already hung up.
She left her new cellphone behind. It slipped somewhere in the cushions of the ugly orange futon. She hated it, how weak it made her feel, constantly checking for messages Jonah couldn’t send.
She threw on a stolen shirt and a pair of sweatpants, grabbed her room key, and headed for the stairs.
Small but functional, the gym filled with the hum of treadmills and the rhythmic clang of weights. Ruby adjusted her grip on the loaded barbell. The Rockies logo on her shirt clung to her damp skin as she pushed through her reps, each movement sharp, deliberate.
Her mind flitted briefly to Jonah in a cell, sedated; to Edward, out there, waiting. She shoved the thoughts down, focusing on the burn in her muscles.
“Wow,” The man behind her crowed, tone oily with amusement. “That’s some serious weight for someone your size.”
Ruby didn’t stop. Her eyes locked on her reflection in the mirror.
The early thirties man stepped closer, his cologne cutting through the stale gym air; he wore a too-confident grin and had a smattering of coarse stubble. He fixated on her shirt.
“Big Rockies fan, huh? I’m heading to the bar to catch the game. You should join me. First round’s on me.”
Ruby racked the barbell, the plates rattling with finality. “Not interested.”
He chuckled. “Oh, come on. It’s not every day you meet a woman who pretends to lift like this.” He gestured to the barbell. “What’s it made of, styrofoam?”
Ruby’s lips twitched into a mirthless smile. “You’re welcome to try it yourself.”
The man puffed up and crouched beside the weight. He grunted, veins bulging, but the bar didn’t budge. Adjusting his grip, he tried again, managing to lift it barely an inch off the ground before it slipped and crashed onto his foot.
The crunch echoed. He howled, stumbling back, clutching his foot in agony.
Ruby picked up a pair of dumbbells, gave him a once-over, and slung her towel over her shoulder. “You should probably get that looked at.”
Back in her hotel room, she tossed the towel onto the futon and changed into jeans and sneakers. Tugging the Rockies shirt back into place, she headed to the bar downstairs.
The game was already in full swing, the crack of the bat echoing through the room as the Rockies played an unremarkable inning. Sliding into a booth, she ordered a soda she wouldn’t drink.
The buzz of the bar wrapped around her, numbing the ache in her chest. For a moment, she could almost hear Jonah’s voice, his playful commentary, his groan at a missed catch.
But the illusion faded, leaving her alone with the noise.
Hours later, the game ended and an exhausted waitress ushered her out of the bar. She left her untouched drink and dragged herself back to her room.
Her phone buzzed from the couch cushions, jolting her into motion. Kavya’s name flashed on the screen. Ruby stared at it, unsure how much Kavya knew, unsure if she could even handle the conversation.
When the phone stopped, she exhaled in relief. It rang again.
Kavya wasn’t the type to call twice without reason.
“Hello?” Ruby barked into the phone.
“Edward has Jonah,” Kavya said.
