Page 47 of Dotted Lines (Runaway 5)

Karson dropped to the truck’s edge, sitting so his legs could hang over the end.

And I took the space by his side, careful not to get too close. What I wanted to do was pull him aside, to see if we were okay. To let him kiss me again. But not until we talked.

“I don’t understand why she’s doing this,” I said. “Your mom. Why couldn’t she just let you go? You ran away. You’re done with her.”

Karson scoffed. “Like I told you last night. She’s crazy and desperate. Her life’s mission is to make mine hell.”

“I hate her,” I spat, fury racing through my veins.

“Join the club,” he mumbled. “She won’t stop. And I don’t like that look the cops had when they left. I think they knew Lou was lying.”

“If they come here again, they’ll find us.” Aria waved to our home. “Three teenagers are sort of hard to miss.”

Karson nodded and turned to face me. No. The look in his eyes made me want to scream.

I knew before he opened his mouth what he was going to say. “We’re leaving tomorrow anyway.”

“Yeah.” Aria ran her hands over a pink bloom from a bucket. “We’ll be gone first thing in the morning.”

My heart was breaking.

This had always been the plan. Always.

“Come with us.” My plea escaped before I could stop it. “You could come with us.”

The look Karson gave me was so gentle and kind, I wanted to die.

Because in that look was his answer.

No. He wouldn’t come to Vegas with us.

“It’s okay.” I waved it off so he wouldn’t have to come up with an explanation.

“Clara.”

“It was just an idea.” I got to my feet and went into the truck, folding up the clothes I’d worn last night. They were trash. I’d leave them behind. Still, I folded.

“What time are you going to work?” Aria joined me in the truck.

I glanced at my little clock. “I’d better leave soon.”

When I turned to Karson, he was staring at the number on the truck’s wall.

One.

Time was up. We’d just started this. And now it was ending.

Without so much as a glance in my direction, Karson jumped down and vanished.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to yell. I wanted to beg him not to leave us.

Instead, I blinked away the threat of tears.

And went to work.

“Hey.” Karson knocked on the side of the truck.

I tensed as he hopped inside. “Hey.”