Living Like We're Renegades Novels & Stories

When you're bleeding in the water, the sharks always come. That night, I watched a live feed of Leo's latest "business deal." He was on his knees in a grimy alley, begging a two-bit drug dealer for a loan. A thousand dollars. "Please, man, I'm good for it!" Leo's voice was a ragged whisper. "I'm a Moretti—" "You're ex-Moretti," the dealer sneered, kicking a boot into his ribs. "You're nobody." Leo surged up, grabbing the dealer's jacket. "You don't talk to me—"

… At three in the morning, I was crumpled on the floor of the abandoned warehouse, my fingers bent and twisted into horrifying angles, when several of my men came rushing in with medical equipment. As the building went up in a blaze of flames behind me, I leaned back in my seat and called my contact. "Have the boat waiting at the harbor, and give me a new identity. I want the name Sebastian Chance to thoroughly disappear from this world."

Unlike the hollow-eyed version Keegan had seen at home, this Logan had fire in his eyes. He was wearing what could be considered clean clothes. This video was probably filmed when he was just sent in. Reuben's face twisted with anger as he grabbed Logan by the collar. "So, you want to be human, huh?" He dragged Logan out of the pigpen by his neck. Keegan watched in horror as Logan was stripped of his clothes by Reuben and a few other instructors. His bare body lay exposed under the sun, and Reuben called for the cameraman to capture the moment.

“We have no money. No allies. No plan. We’re just waiting to die.” I pulled her close, feeling her ribs through the thin hoodie, feeling how much weight she’d lost in just seven days. She felt fragile, like a bird that had forgotten how to fly. “We survive,” I said into her hair. “That’s the plan. We survive.” But even I didn’t believe it anymore. We ended up in Central Park, walking the winding paths because it was free and there were fewer cameras than on the streets. At least here, surrounded by trees and tourists, we could pretend to be normal people taking a stroll instead of fugitives running for our lives.

"I don’t even want to know how many laws we’re about to break." "Don’t worry," Lila said, linking her arm with his. "We’ll be careful. Besides, it’s for survival." "You all realize we’re talking about dyeing our hair and stealing jeans like it’s the end of the world," Kane said, laughing. "It kind of is," I said, smiling softly. "At least, the world we knew. But that’s okay. We’re still here. We get to build something new now." Everyone grew quiet for a moment. The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of the ocean. It felt like a fresh start.

Even when keeping it meant risking everything. Even when together meant exile. Even when always meant forever in hiding. We'd survive. Build lives worth living even under assumed names. Find purpose in the ruins of who we used to be. Or die trying. But together. Always together. That was enough. It had to be. Because it was all we had. And we'd make it everything. Starting tomorrow. In Argentina. As the Chens. Building something real from something fake. One day at a time. Until Morrison gave up.

Gray and cold and indifferent to our pain. But inside this crumbling apartment, three people who'd lost everything were planning the impossible. We were going to bring down an empire. Or die trying. And maybe just maybe find some redemption in the process.

Jason couldn't keep up appearances anymore as he shouted, "She's already dead! What else do you want?!" I took a step back and shouted, "I want her to pay the price she deserves!"

The three of us had then drowned. I gazed at the lovebirds, trying to brush off the insult and humiliation I had suffered in my previous life. If Avery and Timothy wanted to be with each other so badly, I would make sure that they got their wish.

He repeated in a murmur nodding slowly and we all smiled as we exchanged knowing looks. "Here's to our own happily ever after!" Phoebe said as she stretched her hands forward. "Here's to our happily ever after!" We all repeated as we placed our hands on hers. "One big family!" We chorused as we all raised our hands up in the air at the count of three with light giggles. "Can you guys take your jubilation outside please?!" A police woman said walking up to us. "We're sorry" I whispered as we all laughed and walked outside.