A sick twist curled in my gut, as if the floor had tilted beneath me, as if the universe had rewritten itself in the cruelest way possible.
“Zack?” My voice barely made it past my lips.
A part of me—the foolish, hopeful part—expected him to run to me, to help me, to turn and fightwithus.
But he didn’t. He only stood there, his face twisted into something painful and desperate.
His swollen eye was already purple, a split lip puckered, a dark bruise ran along his other cheek—evidence of the beating from earlier. It only made the sight of him standing there feel more threatening.
Aiden tensed beside me. His grip on his gun twitched, but he didn’t pull the trigger.
The room was large but sparse, dim light flickering from overhead bulbs. A metal chair sat at the side, shadows crawling along the walls—guards, maybe, waiting. Only Jack and Zack were fully visible, but movement at the edges of the room made me think we weren’t alone.
Jack’s grin widened as he gestured toward Zack like he was unveiling some grand prize. “Surprise, sweetheart.”
Zack flinched at Jack’s words, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to deny it. But the silence stretched too long.
That’s when I knew it was true. Zack wasn’t here to help us—he was here to help Jack.
I stared at him, throat tightening. “Tell me this isn’t real.”
“I did this for us, Evie.”
His voice was soft. Too soft. Like he thought this was some kind of love confession instead of a fucking nightmare. I almost laughed, my rom-com-turned-horror in full swing now.
“For us?” I echoed, bile rising in my throat.
Zack took a step forward, reaching as if he could touch me, as if I would actually let him. “Jack promised me you’d be safe. I... I—I needed you away from them. Away from him.” He nodded at Aiden, his eyes flicking like he expected an argument from him. “Jack said he was already planning on taking you, that he had been watching us for weeks to understand you more, and I knew if I helped him, I could make sure you weren’t hurt.”
“I tried to tell him you weren’t interested, Evie, but the man didn’t listen,” Jack interjected. “Not that I blame him. I wasn’t planning on listening, either.”
His gaze flicked to Aiden, laced with venom.
My stomach dropped.
Rook, who had been silent until now, let out a harsh laugh. “Is there a sign-up sheet for this, or is everyone gonna take turns confessing their love for Evie today? I mean, what the actual fuck?”
I barely heard him.
Zack stepped closer, but Aiden’s body remained angled between us, a living barrier, gun still ready in his hand.
“You don’t belong with them, Evie,” Zack continued. “You belong withme. They said that they had bigger plans for you and that I could help. We could do this together. I’ve been the one watching your back this whole time, making sure you didn’t get hurt, making sure no one could take advantage of you. I know what’s coming, Evie. I can protect you like no one else can.”
I shook my head, anger slicing through my shock like a blade. “You kidnapped me.”
“I didn’t. That was Jack. He came and told me his plans and I helped him with a few things. I didn’t kidnap you.”
“Oh, well, assisting in kidnapping me issomuch better. You’ve lost your mind.”
“I saved you,” Zack corrected, his voice shaking. “But you’re still choosing him, aren’t you?”
A muscle ticked in Aiden’s jaw as his hand tightened on his gun. “She was never going to choose you,” he said. “And I really don’t understand how you thought this was going to help.”
“It’s going to help because she will see that Jack can do more for her.”
“Jack was stalking me and the entire group to figure out a way to kill us or kidnap us. I doubt his plans for the future were that grand.”
“His weren’t, but mine were!” Zack yelled.
