Free Because of You by T. E. Sivec Page A

smug look off of Finn’s face, but I can’t because he just described me to a T. I can’t even pretend to be offended. Not twenty minutes earlier, in the text I sent to Gwen, I called Layla a “self-centered attention whore.” “You know what happens when you assume, Brady,” Finn adds with a smile.
    “Alright, you made your point,” I concede.
    “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
    I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Seriously. Shut the fuck up. I get it. Stop talking in idioms. There’s more to her than meets the eye. Understood.”
    A banging noise breaks into our conversation, and we move so we can see the stage. The mic stand that previously stood front and center is now rolling in a giant circle at the far end, and Layla stares after it, her hands on her hips and her chest heaving with what I assume is the remainder of the energy she used to angrily chuck it in that direction.
    “I better go check on her,” Finn says quietly, his voice filled with concern as he starts to walk down the aisle behind me.
    “You’re her friend. Why haven’t you done something to stop this?” I ask, my words making him stop in his tracks.
    “What makes you think I haven’t?” he replies with his back to me.
    I watch as he walks out of the row and makes his way down the center aisle to the stage. After a few minutes, making sure he gets to Layla before I go, I head the same way he does, but instead of turning left to the stage, I make a right and head out of the arena.
    Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I and dial Gwen. “Hey, change of plans. Put Finn Michaelson’s background check on the back burner. Focus on Eve Carlysle. Get me everything you can ASAP.”

 
     
     
    “You really need to find another hobby. This waking up at the ass crack of dawn to go running is getting on my nerves.”
    I ignore Finn’s complaints as I concentrate on my stretches, extending my arms over my head and clasping my hands together, tilting from side to side to work out the kinks in my back. We’re standing at the beginning of the Bryant Grove Trail in Long Hunter State Park, my favorite place to run when I’m home. It’s eight miles round trip, but with Finn’s constant bitching and moaning, we usually only complete half. Running is part of my strict fitness regimen that I have to follow in order to keep my stamina up for the concerts, but I'd still do it every day. It’s the one time I can shut my mind off. The only thing I need to focus on is my breathing, my heart rate, and the distance I’ve traveled. I don’t have to think about how trapped I feel or how if I have to spend one more day living this life, I’m going to keep losing piece after piece of myself until there is nothing left but the robot my mother has created.
    “You were in the Marines. Didn’t you have to run in your sleep?” I question as I step onto the trail and set the timer on my watch.
    “Yes. And that’s precisely why I don’t want to do it anymore. People shouldn’t run unless someone is chasing them,” he tells me.
    Finn likes to complain, but I know he enjoys this as much as I do. He might not be too fond of the physical requirements, but the peace and quiet in his head is as important to him as it is to me.
    Finishing up a few windmills with my arms, I whip my head around. “That’s the fifth time in the last minute you’ve looked back towards where we parked the car. What’s with you this morning?”
    “Nothing. Nothing at all. Just checking to see if there will be any other runners out here with us this morning. You know, since I am your bodyguard and all,” he says cockily.
    “I’m sure it’s just going to be the two of us, just like every other time we run here,” I remind him, turning away from him and getting ready to really take off.
    A snap of a branch close behind us has me stopping and quickly turning to the noise.
    “What the hell are you doing here?”
    I can’t hide the shock or anger in my voice when I see who’s