Chapter 1
January Twenty-First
Roxtyn
I slipped out of work and broke away from the group of coworkers heading north. Instinctively, I turned south—alone, as always. Shadows flickered by the dark entrance. A blond man leaned against the wall, watching me. As I passed, he pushed off and matched my pace in silence. I clenched my finger in my fist, unsure of his intent.
“Got a minute?”
I ignored him, assuming he was just another one of those travelling missionaries, until he said my name. “Roxtyn.”
I froze mid-step, turning to face him. “What? How do you know my name?”
He took a slow step closer. “I’m Jay. I’ve been watching you for a while.” His voice was calm and measured. “You’re broke. Your boyfriend’s a piece of shit. And if I needed to guess, I’d say you either tried to end things last week or thought about it.”
My pulse spiked, neck twitching as I fought for air. I adjusted my bag strap digging into my shoulder.
Jay didn’t wait for a response. “So, let me make this quick. I’ve got a place far from here, with people like you. You’ve got no one to lean on, no way out except the worst one. I can give you a better life, unless you would rather stick it out with that guy and spend every night wondering who he’s screwing behind your back.” He gave me a small, knowing smile. “Pros? Safety, people who get you, a steady income—you want to get paid well for your skills, don’t you? And most of all, a real community with warm weather year-round.” He tilted his head. “Cons? You got none.” Then, after a beat, he added, “You wanna think about it, kid?”
My grip tightened on my bag, the only thing holding what little I owned. “How long do I have?”
Jay didn’t hesitate. “Two days. You want a clean escape? Keep this quiet.”
I nodded and continued to walk home on autopilot. If this place existed, I needed to go; it might be my only escape from the hollow ache of my life. I had to take the chance. But what if it wasn’t real—a trafficking ploy? If he killed me, at least the daily dread would end. I didn’t care.
Something pulled at me, forcing me to glance over my shoulder. Jay was still watching me, his expression unreadable. Without thinking, I stopped, turned around, and strode back to him. “Okay.”
His gaze didn’t shift. “Okay?” His voice was flat, like he was waiting for me to take it back.
“I’ll go, but how do I know you’re not going to kill me?”
“Not my line of business.”
I swallowed the thick saliva accumulating in the back of my throat and noticed my breathing was heavier than before. “Okay.”
A small pause. Then, with the faintest nod, he said, “Great.” He tilted his head slightly. “You know McLellan Airport?”
I nodded.
“Come alone. January twenty-third. I’ll pick you and a few others up.” He gave me one last look. “See you then, kid.”
January Twenty-Third
Roxtyn
At the small, empty airport, I looked around the corner toward the parking lot for the third time. A tall woman caught my eye from a distance, startling me. The handful of people on the asphalt made my gut twist with anxiety. I threw my jacket hood on and balled my hands into the pockets. The cold air caressed my pale cheeks as I ignored the taint of pollution.
I turned to the building, cupping my hands against the window along the parallel wall. The clock ticked toward seven AM. Jay would almost be here. I leaned back against the wall again and questioned myself. What was I doing? I didn’t know Jay, didn’t know what his proposal meant, and didn’t know what would happen when Ben finally woke up to find me gone. I left my purse and everything I owned in his apartment. Maybe he will think I went for a walk and got kidnapped. That would be the best-case scenario.
I fiddled with the emerald pendant hanging from my necklace, the only thing I possessed from my mother after countless moves. The original gold chain broke, and I replaced it a year ago with a cheap one until I could afford something nice.
I tucked it back into my shirt as the tall woman approached me. “Hey, could I wait by you?” she asked.
My mouth pulled into a forced, awkward smile. “Sure.”
“I’m Maci. Are you waiting for—” She paused, and I nodded before Maci could finish.
“I’m Roxtyn.” I was polite enough to give her my name, but I wasn’t one to keep up small talk. My eyes followed someone across the lot as they approached a short, round man. They shook hands, then walked together.
“Is that him?” I questioned, keeping my gaze fixed. Jay was hard to mistake. Tanned, almost dirty-looking, with short blonde hair.
Maci looked up from her nails. “Hm? Oh, yeah, I think so.” She pushed herself off the wall. “Let’s go.”
I mirrored Maci’s pace and looked up to see Jay and four others. My mind spiraled with What if Ben tracks me down? What if he’s one of these people? What if he put Jay up to this as a test? Stop it! There’s nothing left here for me. My family is gone. No one would miss me. Even if Jay meant to kill me, at least that would end this ache. I am alone—truly and finally alone.
I noticed Maci slowing down and looked up to see Jay and four others. I softened my expression. “Maci,” he met my eyes after her, “Roxtyn.”
I focused on my breathing as Jay went over the flight. My thoughts continued to distract me. What am I doing? Ben’s going to murder me. It should be pretty obvious that I cut ties. Right? What if he really does think I was kidnapped and comes looking for me? Shit.
I always say yes too quickly and too easily. That’s what got me stuck in this nasty trap with Ben. One simple word—yes.
I zoned back in, noticing the two extra faces that had joined.
“This way.” Jay directed us as we grouped behind him, and walked down the tarmac toward an old, mid-sized jet ready on the runway. He stopped at the stairs leading up to the plane, eyes focusing on each person. “Last chance if anyone is having second thoughts.”
I swallowed hard as I placed my foot on the first stair, then climbed the next and the next, determined to keep going. Quickly finding a seat, I glanced around after I adjusted myself. Among the passengers sat a tall, brunette male, an older, bald man, a bearded man, and a dark-skinned woman. No Ben.
Jay’s voice came over the intercom. “We have about a seven-hour flight into the Pacific. Get comfortable.” The engine roared to life, and the lights flickered. Beeps and dings filled the background as they moved around the runway. The jet slowed down, and with my fingers curled around the edge of the armrests, my heart pounded in my ears. The trembling in my seat grew as the jet sped toward the end of the asphalt, preparing for takeoff, and I could only rub my hands together, intertwining my sweaty fingers.
Nuts and bolts stopped rattling—we were in the air. As we ascended, fear and worry clung to the earth. I stared at Maci, wondering about her story. Was she escaping, too? She seemed almost happy. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply through my nose, and exhaled slowly.
