24. Lottie
Chapter 24
Lottie
T he hallway is quiet. Oscar’s arm is around my shoulders as we walk, his steady presence anchoring me with every step I take away from them. Archer trails behind us like a silent sentinel, his jaw tight, eyes scanning every shadow like he’s still in combat. There’s a darkness in his eyes when they land on me—not aimed at me, but around me, like he’s angry with the world for putting me in this position.
We don’t stop until we’re entirely out of the building. Past the quad, down the back stairs, into the small, mostly empty parking lot that overlooks the tree line. It’s far enough from them that I feel like I can finally take a breath.
Oscar guides me to the curb, helps me sit, and crouches in front of me so he can meet my eyes. “Can you breathe for me?” he signs.
I nod once, but it’s not true. The breath I pull in is shaky and uneven. My throat aches, and every deep breath I pull in feels like razors in my lungs. Oscar gently takes my hands in his and places one on his chest. He pulls away and gestures. “Okay. In through your nose. Feel my breath. Match it.”
He breathes slow, deep, and steady. I try to follow, but my lungs still feel tight, my throat raw from forcing the words out.
“That’s it,” Archer says, crouching down beside me. “You’re okay. You’re safe.” He holds out a bottle of water, he must’ve grabbed when I wasn’t looking. I take it with trembling hands, the cold plastic grounding me.
I sip slowly, and when I look up, Archer’s eyes are softer. “You don’t have to say anything. Not now. Not ever if you don’t want to. Just know we’ve got you, and those fuckers don’t deserve anything, especially when they try to demand it.” Archer’s hands move, signing so Oscar isn’t left out of the conversation even though he can read lips.
“They don’t have any power over you anymore, Lottie.”
I look between them, my chest tight with something that isn’t panic—something heavier for the two men by my side. I still can’t speak. The words feel trapped in my throat like they’ve been cemented in place, but I want to. “Thank you,” I manage to force out, my voice raspy and choked. “How did you know where I was?”
I bring the water to my mouth with shaking hands as I wait for them to answer me.
Oscar taps his chest, then signs. “I saw.”
That’s all, but it’s everything.
They came.