Page 68 of One
His nostrils flared.
“Don’t do this to me, Boogie,” I pleaded. “Don’t be like every other man in my life who has locked me in a room like a possession.”
His mask slowly crumbled, his hurt and fear were heartbreaking until he hid his emotions again. His stoic expression was back.
“I will not put your life at risk,” he said in a monotone voice.
“Give us two days, Doll, and we can see what kind of threat we are looking at and reassess,” King said, stepping next to us. “Once we figure out who this is, we can take care of them, andput this whole thing behind us. Then we can finally go get those tacos we talked about.”
He leaned down, trying to kiss my forehead, but I turned my head, stepping away from them and turning away.
“We just want you safe, Little One,” Boogie said before they stepped towards the door.
“If you leave me here,” I said, looking over my shoulder. “There will be no us. The moment you lock me in here again, I will never forgive you.”
King sighed, hesitating by the door. “Ally.”
“Then I’ll be able to earn your forgiveness because you’ll be alive,” Boogie said, pushing King out and closing the door.
The door locked, the sound was deafening. I wondered, ‘what if they never find the person and I’m stuck here for the rest of my life’. I just traded one prison for another and now the men I love were my jailers.
Chapter 22
Boogie
Iclimbed the stairs two at a time, anger pumping through my veins. Ally wouldn’t be mad at me forever. Once she was no longer in danger, she would be free to go back to Christmas Town to rule like the fucking queen she was.
Then once she settled down, we would figure something out, and she would forgive us. This had to be done. It was the only way to make sure she was safe.
I walked back into Mars’ command center, across from the haunted house in a discreet building that looked like an old house. People usually thought it was just a prop, but it housed all of Mars’ security shit, along with some of our weapons.
When I walked in, he was still in the same place we had left him. He had ten screens up, with various different things on each screen, as he typed incredibly fast.
“Anything yet?” I snapped.
“It’s only been forty-five minutes,” Mars murmured.
“That should?—”
“I told you, at least two hours.” He continued to type like I wasn’t even here.
“This has?—”
“I know.” Mars stopped talking to look at me. “I’m doing everything as quickly as I can, and when I have anything that is useful, I promise you will be the first to hear it.”
He knew Ally was locked away, even if he didn’t like it, and he knew the urgency we had to catch this person.
I nodded, not knowing what to say. Mars went back to typing as I exited the room. King was leaning against the wall with one foot propped up against it, smoking a cigarette. It had been years since he had kicked the habit. I wanted him to feel guilty, but I wasn’t going to kid myself. King was a big boy.
“I’m going to go see Oskar, see if he knows anything,” he said, blowing out smoke.
I tried not to wrinkle my nose at the foul smell. “I’m going to head to Christmas Town and do my own digging.”
“What are you telling Arthur?” King finally looked at me.
“Ally’s head injury was more severe, she needs another day or two,” I said, as we walked to our bikes side-by-side.
King nodded. I waited to hear him say don’t do this, or make sure this is ok, or think carefully about what you’re doing, or even be careful, but they never came. King was an over-thinker; he planned most things to a T and for him not to tell me anything felt odd. Did I ruin us too?
