Page 95 of Under Water

“His mom. She lives overseas,” Rune says quietly. “I’ll call her once we have him.”

The officer nods, then beckons Westin along, who gives a small laugh and leans over toward us. “Last time I was in a cop car was not for something like this.”

I manage a smile as she runs off, and I take Rune’s hand, giving him a small tug. “Do you have his chair?”

“Yeah,” Rune says, voice thready.

“Give me your keys. I’ll drive. You sit and try and keep yourself calm so Elio doesn’t get more freaked-out than he already is.”

Rune’s eyes go watery again. “I can’t believe this happened. I can’t…fuck.”

“Come on. You can curl up in my arms and break down for as long as you need as soon as we have him.”

He nods, biting his lip, then hoofs it to the passenger side as I climb behind the wheel and get us back on the street. I keep a few paces away from the officer, and they’re going now without lights and sirens on, which is probably so it doesn’t tip Neal off in case he’s watching.

We drive three miles up the road, then another mile down a long stretch of a two-lane winding street that leads to a cluster of hotels. The cop pulls into one of the very tall, local boutique spots that I’ve been to twice, and they pull to the side of the building.

I snag a spot not too far from the front, and Rune reaches for the handle before I grab his arm and hold him in place.

“Let them do their job, okay? I know you want to go in there and strangle Neal to death⁠—”

“I would make it last,” Rune growls. “And I would make it hurt.”

I lift his hand to my face and kiss his palm, a heavy, dry press of lips. After a beat, he breathes out, and his shoulders relax a fraction. “Trust me, I’ve had ideas of what I want to do to that man all morning. But Elio needs you to be out of jail.”

“They’d better fucking arrest him for this,” Rune snarls.

I squeeze his fingers harder. “He’s going to jail, love. There’s not a chance he’s walking away from this without being in cuffs. He kidnapped your son.”

Rune nods, eyes still fixed on the entrance of the hotel. “I’m going to sue the absolute fuck out of that school.”

I want to believe that’s the answer. Something has to be done because for all the precautions they take about everything else, letting Elio walk out of there on the word of some man who isn’t on any of the paperwork is categorically insane. There needs to be consequences so it doesn’t happen again.

I can see the trauma settling in to get comfortable under Rune’s skin. God only knows what Elio will have to deal with after this.

“This is my fault,” Rune says after a forever of tense silence.

I jolt. “I’m sorry, how is this your fault?”

“I married him. I was a lonely, pathetic loser who wanted to be loved, so I ignored all the red flags and married this man and⁠—”

“Rune.”

He closes his mouth and looks over at me. “I feel like I’m being punished.”

“I don’t believe in cosmic punishment. You’ve spent your life doing the best you can. You are human, and you fuck up from time to time. This is not your fault. This is Neal’s fault for refusing to walk away from a marriage he didn’t even want, all because of his ego.”

Rune’s chin trembles. “I should be terrified of you. I should be terrified of any man who makes me want to drop my guard. But you’ve…you…”

I hold my breath. God, I will accept it if he wants to end things because it’s new, and we will both heal, and he’s already been through enough. But I’ve also never been so scared in my life because, looking at him now, I know he’s it.

He and Elio are my future.

But I can’t say that. I can’t put more pressure on him. He doesn’t need that right now.

“Say something,” I whisper.

He manages something like a smile. “Can we take it slow?”