out a breath. “I can’t make myself feel something I just don’t.” We sat in silence. “You know what’s crazy, Gray?”
“What?”
“You and I are a lot alike. We’re in the world, a part of it, but always on the outside. I don’t fit in anywhere. The Greaters won’t accept me because I’m part Lesser. The Lessers won’t like me because I’m part of what they’ve grown to hate. I can’t be with Kyan, don’t want to be. Lulu’s gone. This is just so messed up. How am I going to raise a child? I don’t even know what to do with myself.”
“I think you’ll be a wonderful mother.”
“Why would you say that?” I sniffed.
“Because you see the whole picture. You see the wrong, the right, and the gray areas in between. You’ll teach your child to see it as well. I wish you could teach them all to look closer,” he ticked his head toward the window.
“Thank you.”
“It’s true.” He shifted his legs.
“What do you think is going to happen?”
“I don’t know, Abs, but whatever it is, I hope I’m standing beside you.” His orange eyes burned into mine.
“I hope so, too.”
∞
For four more days and nights, Gray and I were imprisoned. At least, I thought it had been that long. It could have been longer. Time lost meaning in a place like this.
We cuddled up to keep warm at night, busied ourselves during the days, and wondered what would become of the situation. He had helped me through my sickness, holding my hair and offering me fresh sips of water. I would have killed for a hot, steamy bath.
Gray had begun to heal quickly and had started finding ways to regain his strength. He would lift the chair with one arm, get down in the floor and do crunches and push-ups. His abdomen was sculpted with the most stunning ridges and valleys. I tried not to look, but when you’re in a four by six cell with a hot, shirtless guy, who’s doing crunches, you look. It was as simple as that.
Gray was fiddling with the window bars. “Making an exit?”
He snorted and glanced back at me. “I wish.”
Something loud slammed down the hallway and several sets of footsteps began toward us.
“Get behind me,” Gray ordered, his voice left no room for anyone to challenge his authority.
I shuffled behind him and waited. The first person I saw was Ardis. Two stern-looking soldiers, wearing unfamiliar clothing, were leading him to the door of the cell. Their uniforms were more vivid than the color of fresh blood. Kyan stood behind them. “Abby Blue!”
“Ky?” I peeked over Gray’s shoulder.
Gray’s arm darted out, blocking my exit. “Stay back. We don’t know what’s going on.”
“Okay.” I whispered so the freakish soldiers wouldn’t hear me. I could feel Gray’s shoulders flex beneath my hands. He was coiled, ready to strike.
One of the soldiers barked at Ardis, “Unlock it.” With one hand free, he slid his fingertip over the coiled blue lock and it parted like a bad haircut before dropping to the floor.
Kyan slid the door of the cell open and stepped inside. He held his hand out. “Come on, Abby Blue.” A huge smile spread over his face. I looked from him to Gray, who was still tense. Stepping out from behind Gray, I reached for Ky’s hand and let him pull me in for a hug. His hot breath fanned my ear when he whispered, “Told you I’d get you out.”
“Thank you.”
He started to pull me from the cell, but I planted my feet. “Gray?”
Gray stared at me, at my hand in Kyan’s, before looking away. I waited.
“Go on, Abby.”
“No way. I’m not going anywhere without you.” It was obvious to them both that I was serious. They sized each other up, the way that guys do. I’d never understand that.
I dropped Ky’s hand and walked over to Gray. “Let’s go get cleaned up. It’s all I can think about.” I smiled and hoped he would bite.
When he relaxed his shoulders and let out the breath he’d been holding, I threaded my fingers through his and
“What?”
“You and I are a lot alike. We’re in the world, a part of it, but always on the outside. I don’t fit in anywhere. The Greaters won’t accept me because I’m part Lesser. The Lessers won’t like me because I’m part of what they’ve grown to hate. I can’t be with Kyan, don’t want to be. Lulu’s gone. This is just so messed up. How am I going to raise a child? I don’t even know what to do with myself.”
“I think you’ll be a wonderful mother.”
“Why would you say that?” I sniffed.
“Because you see the whole picture. You see the wrong, the right, and the gray areas in between. You’ll teach your child to see it as well. I wish you could teach them all to look closer,” he ticked his head toward the window.
“Thank you.”
“It’s true.” He shifted his legs.
“What do you think is going to happen?”
“I don’t know, Abs, but whatever it is, I hope I’m standing beside you.” His orange eyes burned into mine.
“I hope so, too.”
∞
For four more days and nights, Gray and I were imprisoned. At least, I thought it had been that long. It could have been longer. Time lost meaning in a place like this.
We cuddled up to keep warm at night, busied ourselves during the days, and wondered what would become of the situation. He had helped me through my sickness, holding my hair and offering me fresh sips of water. I would have killed for a hot, steamy bath.
Gray had begun to heal quickly and had started finding ways to regain his strength. He would lift the chair with one arm, get down in the floor and do crunches and push-ups. His abdomen was sculpted with the most stunning ridges and valleys. I tried not to look, but when you’re in a four by six cell with a hot, shirtless guy, who’s doing crunches, you look. It was as simple as that.
Gray was fiddling with the window bars. “Making an exit?”
He snorted and glanced back at me. “I wish.”
Something loud slammed down the hallway and several sets of footsteps began toward us.
“Get behind me,” Gray ordered, his voice left no room for anyone to challenge his authority.
I shuffled behind him and waited. The first person I saw was Ardis. Two stern-looking soldiers, wearing unfamiliar clothing, were leading him to the door of the cell. Their uniforms were more vivid than the color of fresh blood. Kyan stood behind them. “Abby Blue!”
“Ky?” I peeked over Gray’s shoulder.
Gray’s arm darted out, blocking my exit. “Stay back. We don’t know what’s going on.”
“Okay.” I whispered so the freakish soldiers wouldn’t hear me. I could feel Gray’s shoulders flex beneath my hands. He was coiled, ready to strike.
One of the soldiers barked at Ardis, “Unlock it.” With one hand free, he slid his fingertip over the coiled blue lock and it parted like a bad haircut before dropping to the floor.
Kyan slid the door of the cell open and stepped inside. He held his hand out. “Come on, Abby Blue.” A huge smile spread over his face. I looked from him to Gray, who was still tense. Stepping out from behind Gray, I reached for Ky’s hand and let him pull me in for a hug. His hot breath fanned my ear when he whispered, “Told you I’d get you out.”
“Thank you.”
He started to pull me from the cell, but I planted my feet. “Gray?”
Gray stared at me, at my hand in Kyan’s, before looking away. I waited.
“Go on, Abby.”
“No way. I’m not going anywhere without you.” It was obvious to them both that I was serious. They sized each other up, the way that guys do. I’d never understand that.
I dropped Ky’s hand and walked over to Gray. “Let’s go get cleaned up. It’s all I can think about.” I smiled and hoped he would bite.
When he relaxed his shoulders and let out the breath he’d been holding, I threaded my fingers through his and
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