Page 59 of Fall onto me

“You know,”Foster croons, lazily playing with my hair as we recover. His chest still rises and falls heavily. “I really loved that tattoo.”

“I do too! I keep staring at it.” I pull my finger up to look, but it’s dark.

“No that’s my favorite thing ever, but the ghost one.”

I wiggle my nose; he’s reading my mind. “I’ve been thinking about it nonstop. It was supposed to just make you smile, but it was adorable.”

“Let’s go get it.” He grins.

“It’s three in the morning!”

“Who cares?”

“On a school night!”

“Again, who cares?”

I push his shoulder, sitting up before he does. “Okay, let’s go.”

“You’re with a convict now, Shadow.” He winks, trying to make light of our terrible situation.

“Are you really, though?” I wonder. “Is it on your record?”

“Nope.”

“How did you escape the charges?”

“Long story, but … it’s been thrown on someone else.”

“Who?”

“The … the yacht rental.”

“That sweet old man? Oran?” I sit up, ready to scream.

“Don’t start,” he groans. “I can’t sleep at night because of it. I’m going to get to the bottom of it; him and my cellmate don’t deserve what’s happening to them.”

“Cellmate?”

He frowns. “It’s a long story, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it because they’re both under TK’s crutches.”

I smile at his use of the word TK instead of the Keeper. I say it because it scares me less, gives less notoriety to that name.

I wonder if that’s why he’s doing it too.

“So, are you free for good?” I dare to ask.

“In more ways than one.” He shows me his phone, and a text from an hour ago shows up.

NYE– 12:15

“Last meeting iswith him after the race.” He tries to hide his fears behind a charming smile.

I furrow my brows. “What does that even mean?”

“If there’s one thing I know about TK, it’s that he keeps his word. So maybe it is just that. Maybe the jail job was it.”

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I can’t get the stupid grin to leave my lips. “This is amazing,” I breathe. “Can you imagine us being free from him?”