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“No, for once, you listen to me. I don’t want you to hate me over this. That’s the last thing I want. But what I want is my friend back. What I want is the real Dani back.”
“I am the real Dani!”
“No, you’re not! I think you feel that way, but I know this isn’t you. I know you.”
I growled. “You don’t know shit about me.”
“I know you feel like you’re floundering right now. That you’re being pulled in all sorts of directions. But, I promise you, if this is what it takes to keep you safe, then I’m willing to destroy our friendship over it.”
I couldn’t even catch my breath to respond.
“He’s not a good guy, Dani. You don’t know him like you think you do. You just like the idea of him. Of the danger and the leather and the--”
A loud beep resounded in my car, cutting off Hannah’s train of thought. Which was the only thing that saved her from my urge to go back to campus and take a swing at her with a wine bottle in my hand. I didn’t recognize the number, and I switched over immediately. I didn’t even give my bullshit friend the courtesy of telling her I had another call coming in.
Not like she deserves it.
“Who is this?” I asked.
The man groaned. “Dani. Thank fuck.”
Goosebumps prickled my arms. “Rupert. Thank God. Where are you? Are you with Max?”
He groaned. “No.”
Something was wrong with his voice. He sounded tired. Or hurt.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He moaned. “No. The same fuckers who jumped Max at your school came back for him tonight. I tried to stop them, Dani. I did. But they caught us with our guard down.”
“Where is he?”
“They took him.”
I blinked. “Took him? Took him where. Was he hurt?”
He grunted. “They uh--they, they they--”
“Take a breath, Rupert. You need to talk to me. We need to find him.”
He sighed. “They knocked him out cold. Piled him into a dark SUV. I don’t know where they went. I’m on my way to John right now. He should be at the house. Max wants me to rally the boys. I need you to call me if you hear from him, okay?”
“Rupert, I’m at the house. No one’s here.”
He paused. “You’re where?”
“Look, it’s a lot to explain. Max was supposed to come--”
“I know, I know. He was on his way to get you. You’re at the house? You need to get somewhere else. Anywhere else. Somewhere no one would think to find you. Okay?”
“John isn’t here! That’s what I’m trying to tell you. No one’s at the house.”
“Fuck,” he hissed.
I threw my car in reverse. “I’m going to help you look for Max. Where are some places he might--”
“No, Dani. You do as I’m telling you and you leave this shit to us. This is what we do. We’ll find Max. We’ll handle this. But, the last thing we need is you getting involved and making things worse.”
