Chapter 24
Finn
––––––––
Kallie walked beside Finn, her hand tucked into his, fingers laced with his, holding on tight. He still wasn't used to the casual way she touched his body, leaned into him as they walked, and brushed her thumb over his knuckles to remind him she was beside him.
Not like he was going to forget that.
When they were outside the house, he wanted her close. Needed her close.
But wanting her like this made everything riskier. The world. The men. The danger.
At any time, the others could start questioning him again. If they believed Kallie was their ticket out of Everstill, he'd have to kill every single one of them.
He'd had a lot of time to think about how they lived, how he used to behave, and maybe the mundane routine in Everstill was for the best. Everyone was complacent.
The men never fought. Chores were divided evenly.
Whoever or however the men's personalities were controlled, the lack of emotion was for the best.
If they all felt like him, there would be a war.
He pushed open the restaurant door and led Kallie inside. She smiled at him, excited to eat away from the house. His chest tightened. She deserved more.
Copper was in the kitchen. Moe sat in the corner booth, staring at nothing. When he saw them, he blinked once, then slid out of his seat and walked toward Finn with that slow, even gait Everstill had carved into all of them.
Kallie squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.
Moe reached the booth Finn usually sat in first and, without any hesitation, slid into the seat.
Finn stopped cold.
Kallie startled, shifting closer to Finn, but Moe didn't seem to notice. He stared at her, head tilted, as if she were a puzzle he couldn't quite solve.
He and Moe often ate dinner together at the restaurant. They sat in the same spot, had the same conversation, and ordered the same food. But tonight was different.
Finn's jaw clenched. "Move."
Moe blinked. "Why?"
"Move," Finn repeated.
Moe looked around, confused, before meeting Finn's gaze again. "We always sit together."
"Not anymore." He stepped closer, resting a hand on the table, leaning in until Moe finally registered the tension.
"It's okay," whispered Kallie, moving behind him.
She slid onto the bench on the other side of the table. It only made his possessiveness spike, and he sat beside her, blocking her in the booth so Moe couldn't get to her.
Moe stood slowly, still frowning, and instead of leaving, he dragged a chair over and sat at the end of the table, facing them.
Finn exhaled through his nose. "What do you want?"
Moe folded his hands and gazed at Kallie. "Where did you come from?"
Finn stiffened. "Don't answer that."
Kallie looked at him, surprised. "Finn—"
"No." His voice came out sharper than he intended. "Don't."
Moe blinked again, confused. "I'd like to know."
Finn slid out of the booth. "Kallie, stay here."
She opened her mouth to protest, but he grabbed Moe's arm and pulled him away from the table. Moe didn't resist, just stared at Finn with a blank, unblinking expression.
Finn spoke slowly. "You don't ask her questions."
"Why not?" Moe asked. "She's gone through the rift."
"Because you don't need the answers she'll give you."
Moe frowned. "But—"
"Go home," Finn said.
Moe hesitated, then nodded once and walked out of the restaurant. Finn watched him until he was gone, sure he wasn't coming back. His chest ached with tension.
When he finally returned to the booth, Kallie studied him with wide, worried eyes.
"Finn," she said softly, "what was that about?"
He slid into the seat beside her and took her hand again, needing the contact. "Moe doesn't understand things outside Everstill. None of them do. Asking questions like that... it'll only confuse him."
She studied him. "You think he can't handle the truth?"
Finn shook his head. "It's not about handling it. Deep down, he knows. It's what knowledge does to them. They're not like—" He stopped and drew a deep breath. "They're not like me."
Kallie's thumb brushed over his hand again, slow and soothing. "Are you scared for him?"
He looked at her—at the softness in her eyes. She was the one real thing here, untarnished by whatever held them in control. She made him feel alive.
He lifted her hand to his lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. The others would survive. Whatever kept them emotionless would continue protecting them. He had other worries.
"I'm scared for you," he murmured. "Everstill doesn't like change. And your being here is changing everything."
She squeezed his hand, her voice barely above a whisper. "I could leave. We can both go."
That was impossible. He wasn't going to risk losing her. She could die going back through, and even if she made it, he wouldn't survive.
Copper approached the table with the plates, set them down gently, his gaze flicking between Finn and Kallie, aware of something the others lacked.
"Thank you," Kallie said softly.
Copper nodded once, then walked back to the kitchen. Finn tapped his thumb against the table. It frustrated him that he couldn't fight his way out.
"He's different," she whispered.
Finn looked at her. "Copper?"
She nodded. "He's more like you."
Finn's stomach tightened. He'd thought the same thing for years but never said it out loud. Hell, he'd never questioned anything until Kallie arrived.
Copper had been here longer than anyone else. Longer than Finn. Longer than Moe. Longer than Boone or Vaughn. Sometimes he wondered whether Copper could remember fragments of his old life, how many emotions he'd retained, and how much he'd lost.
They ate quietly, Kallie's knee brushing his under the table, her hand resting on his thigh. He lowered his hand under the table and linked his fingers with hers, caressing her knuckles with his thumb.
Kallie had slipped into his life and become part of his daily routine. He wasn't even aware of reaching for her half the time. His body craved her.
When they finished eating, Finn stood and helped her out of the booth, his hand settling at the small of her back. She smiled at him over her shoulder. A familiar tug in his chest reminded him to keep her close, keep her safe.
They stepped outside. He stretched, letting the evening air wash over him.
Kallie squeezed his hand. "Can we walk for a little while before we—"
A hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist.
Kallie screamed as Mace yanked her away from Finn, dragging her toward the road at surprising speed. Finn's heart slammed into his ribs.
"Kallie!"
She stumbled, trying to pull free, but Mace kept moving toward the road as if she weighed nothing. Mace's eyes were wide, unfocused, fixed on the far end of town. The last place Finn wanted her to go. The shadow seam.
Finn tackled Mace to the ground hard enough to knock the breath out of him. Kallie fell backward onto the asphalt, scrambling away as Finn pinned Mace down.
Mace thrashed weakly beneath him, but Finn was stronger. Faster. Fueled by rage.
"You don't touch her." Finn roared, slamming his fist into Mace's jaw.
Once.
Twice.
A third time.
Mace barely managed to raise his arms to protect himself. He wasn't fighting back, only protecting his head. Yet his eyes darted toward the road as if something were calling him.
He hit Mace again.
"Finn!" Kallie's voice cracked. "Stop!"
He pulled his arm back and let Mace have it again. The thought of Mace dragging Kallie toward the rift made him snap. He grabbed Mace by the shirt and slammed him into the ground.
"You don't go near her. You don't look at her. You don't touch her." He pummeled Mace's face, making Mace's head snap to the side. "Or I'll kill you."
Mace coughed, blood on his lip. "She came through... I want... she was—"
"Finn." Copper stood a few feet away. "Enough."
Finn's chest heaved. His fists trembled. He looked down at Mace. The man was dazed, bleeding, and confused. The rage slowly drained from him, leaving him cold. It would've been easy to kill Mace to protect Kallie.
He pushed off Mace and stood, his chest still rising too fast. Copper stepped between them, helping Mace sit up and checking his jaw with clinical detachment.
Kallie rushed to Finn's side, her hands shaking as she touched his arm. "Finn... oh my God, look at your hands."
He gazed at her, knowing he would've done the same thing again. No one had the right to touch her or put her in harm's way.
"This is my fault," she whispered. "I'm upsetting everyone by being here."
Finn gently grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him. "This place was fucked up before you got here."
"But—"
"No." His voice softened, but the intensity didn't fade. "Everstill was broken long before you came to me."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Finn, this is killing me."
He pulled her into his chest, holding her tight, his heart still pounding from the fight. She buried her face against him, trembling.
Behind them, Copper helped Mace to his feet. "Go home," Copper said.
Mace stumbled away.
Finn held Kallie, shielding her from everyone. She was the only thing that mattered to him.