Freak of Nature

Chapter Nineteen

Kaitlyn sat on her bed with her arms wrapped around her legs, lost in thought. She’d been in the same position for over an hour—since she returned from the meeting—but had barely noticed the passage of time.

Back and forth emotions pulled her in different directions. Could Harrington convince the buyer to allow Lucas to be a part of the package? If not, she’d be starting a new life all over again. Her sensors picked up on Lucas down the hall, moving quickly in her direction, but she was too worried to care. Soon, she could be gone. He was probably coming to take her away now.

Lucas rushed into her room without bothering to knock. “We have to get you out of here, now.” 

Kaitlyn jumped to her feet. She noted the black rucksack in one hand and a pile of clothing in the other. “What happened?”

“Harrington caved. He’s willing to give you over as long as he gets credit for you. I really thought he would stick to his guns on this. You should have heard him the other night. I know he doesn’t want to give you up, but he thinks it’s the only option.”

She glanced up at the camera.

“Disabled. For now. Hurry, Kate. We don’t have much time.” Lucas handed her the change of clothing. “Put these on.”

“Where will I go?” she asked, clutching the all-black clothing to her chest as she stared at him. 

“As far away from this place as possible. I have money saved up. You can start over.”

“Start over? Without you?” It felt like someone was pressing on her chest and she couldn’t breathe. 

“It’s for the best. They’ll turn you into a killer, Kate. I can’t stand the thought of that. I’m not going to let it happen.” 

Kaitlyn dropped the pile of clothes on her bed and stepped forward, cupping his face in her hands. His eyes were wild. “I don’t want to leave you.”

She rose on her tiptoes to kiss him in an attempt to calm him. For a brief moment, his heart rate slowed. The rucksack he held hit the floor with a thud, and he pressed his body against hers. As the kiss deepened, he grasped her by both arms and pushed her away. 

“Kate, don’t you get it? Either way, you leave me. They will never allow us to be together. They want someone with no ties, no emotions. Now that I know you can feel, I can’t allow them to do this to you. I don’t care if I lose my job or get sent to jail.” His gaze swept across her face, as if he were drinking in the sight of her, and he plunged his hands into her hair. “I can’t let them have you.”

“Where would I go? I don’t exactly blend in,” Kaitlyn murmured, her hands resting on his chest, her mind filtering through all of the information. 

“You can blend in, Kate. You just have to wear long clothing to cover what we’ve done to you. Don’t get in extended conversations with people. Keep to yourself.”

“It won’t work, and you know it,” Kaitlyn said. “You’re shaking.” She covered his hands with her own. “There is no way out of this for me. I should just go, Lucas. It’s not worth you getting in trouble. It’s too big of a risk.” 

“It’s my risk to take. You have to try. Please, Kate.”

She bit her lip, scanning her mind for options. “Do you have a plan?”

“Of course. But, Kate … I can’t know where you are. If I know, I will look for you. I can’t lead them to you. They’ll watch me, they’ll watch all of us once you escape.”

Escape. The word sounded so foreign to her. She reluctantly stepped away from his warm embrace and tugged off the clothes she wore. She could feel Lucas’s eyes on her as she dressed in the black pants and pulled the long-sleeved black shirt over her head. “What about the GPS?”