Page 51 of Gripp

“No,” she muttered.

Her father stopped talking, his eyes pausing on her face as he hesitated. “What?”

“I said no.”

“What did you just say to me?”

“I said no!” April said, letting force into her voice, even though she did not yell. “It’s just not my cup of tea. I appreciate the job offer, but I’m not taking it.”

He glared at her, his mouth working as he tried to think of what to say. April was proud of herself for being calm and collected, especially since a terrible fury was igniting in her chest.

I’ve been hunted in the jungle, bitten by snakes, and almost drowned. You can’t command me!

“You are being ungrateful, April,” he said. She noticed the change in his tone. He was still trying to intimidate her, but he didn’t sound so sure of himself anymore.

“Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked to get you this position? It is an excellent place for you. Now, I won’t hear another word about it. We’ll start induction today, and then …”

“No, Dad,” April said, enjoying herself. A fierce joy was growing in her with every beat of her heart. “It’s my life to live, and you no longer have control over what I do.”

“April!” he spluttered, truly upset. “What’s gotten into you?”

April laughed softly, thinking that if she had yelled at him or lost her cool, he would have used it as evidence that she shouldn’t be allowed any control over her own life. Reasoning with him, being perfectly calm, these were tactics he had not expected.

He can’t fight me if I don’t fight.

“I feel a calling to make a difference in the world,” April said, feeling her passion flooding through her, giving her confidence and strength. “I love what I do … and I’m good at it.”

April paused to give him a chance to comment, but he did not. She’d hoped that he might have something nice to say about her work, but really, she should have known better.

While he stared at her with wide, glaring eyes, April stood. She gave her father a bright smile as she picked up her bag.

“If you can’t love me for who I really am, then you don’t have to be part of my life,” she said.

Her voice was firm, and April felt no conflict over her words. It was almost as if saying it out loud should have hurt, but it didn’t. It was like a massive weight lifted from April’s shoulders.

She paused, holding her father’s gaze. For the first time in her life, she did not flinch or look away. She just watched him and waited for some sign that he understood.

He blinked and shook his head, his mouth hanging open. April smiled, turning away.

“Goodbye, Dad,” she said as she headed out the door.

She didn’t know if she’d ever speak to him again. April knew he’d be wounded on many levels, possibly extremely angry. The important thing was he couldn’t control her, not anymore.

A bounce came into her step as she left the building. She laughed aloud for the sheer joy of it. It felt good to finally stand up for herself. Waiting for her father to acknowledge her worth and appreciate her had been a strain on her happiness her entire life. April hadn’t realized how much it dragged her down until she finally let it go.

Her eyes took in the perfect, deep-blue sky as she left the building. She paused, the memories of Gripp flooding her suddenly. It was so real that she could almost smell him, feel his warm skin under her fingertips as the dinghy rocked them from side to side.

Now that she knew what it was to be free, she would never let anyone cage her ever again. Her future was ahead of her, and now, the only thing to do was seize it and never look back.

TWENTY-EIGHT

GRIPP

Gripp was finally able to get the goddamn tracker removed from his spine. The agency booked him in for the procedure early in the morning, just as the sun rose on the horizon. He was used to getting up early, but it was strange not doing it in the prison and, most of all, doing it without April.

He was taken into a room that resembled the one where the device was installed. He lay on his stomach, had his neck numbed, and a small incision was made. He felt the doctor move his fingers around slightly, then took out something the size of a dime.

“Can I see it?” Gripp said, facing the floor.

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