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“Or he knows when to get out of something before the heat becomes too much.” That’s probably why William Foster got out of it. I can’t imagine that staying in one place is good for human traffickers.

“Bullshit. My dad’s always been a coward. Always had a boss to answer to. I’ll answer to no one.” He stops. “You can run, Jack, but you won’t get far with the girl.”

I turn to find Tanner holding Penny off with one arm. An arm that’s dripping blood from the knife she keeps trying to stab him with.

“See? Sometimes monsters just need a shove in the right direction to reveal themselves.” Zach’s voice is fascinated. “I always knew William Foster’s blood ran cold. It just needed to be unlocked. I figured it would be Luke who became a monster. Looks like little sis takes after dear old dad.”

As Zach barrels into me, I yell, “Penny, run!”

She pauses like she’s coming out of a trance. Tanner pushes her away, and she falls back on the floor, looking confused.

Zach takes me down to the floor and knocks the breath out of me.

The floor vibrates beneath me and then someone yells, “Freeze.”

I turn, and in the doorway is someone all in black holding a gun pointed at Zach. I watch Zach’s eyes as he realizes his options. The moment he decides suicide by cop might be the best option. I push him off me and knock his head against the floor.

Then I hold my hands up. “Don’t shoot.”

“No one move,” the guy sounds perturbed.

I hold perfectly still. Death would have been an easy out for Zach Gray. No, I want him to live with all of it. To have to either admit to his crimes or go down in flames. Either way, he’ll be put away for a long time.

Penny

The red haze that had flooded my vision begins to clear, but not the numbness inside.

My hands are covered in blood, but I can’t seem to care. I sit on the floor with my arms wrapped around my knees and rock. He took Will from me when I just found him. When I realized I could have what I want and don’t have to answer to anyone about it.

Not my mother.

Not my father.

Not anyone.

I could just be loved by someone who wanted me for me. A tear slips down my cheek but I’m so numb inside. I would have killed Tanner if I could have. He was too strong.

Is that why most women serial killers use poison? Because to kill a man, you have to be strong enough to gut him with his own knife? Poison would have been difficult in this situation. Maybe if Zach hadn’t put the whole syringe of drugs into Harper, I could have used that.

No. I wanted to feel his warm blood on my fingers. Touch his life pouring out onto my hands. See the light go out of his eyes like he took the light from Will’s. Tears start again, but I don’t feel the pain of them. It’s just something my body needs to get out.

I don’t know if they’ll ever stop. My insides feel hollowed out, empty.

The guys in black take away Zach and the other guy, but Tanner sits there with a medic looking at the wounds I made. I’m kind of proud of them. Harper got away because of me. And I got to get back at Tanner for killing Will. It would have been better if Tanner died.

Seeing him hurt isn’t enough. It will never be enough. It won’t bring back Will. Nothing will.

Mia, Tanner’s sister, had been my friend once upon a time. Tanner teased me occasionally when I was over at their house. Nothing serious. Just a little flirting that meant nothing. How could that charming guy go from that to this?

He crushed Will with his hand and discarded him like he was nothing. But Will wasn’t nothing to me. He was hope and a new beginning. A start of a life that had been left on hold for far too long.

Tanner hisses in pain as they prep him for transport. I laugh at his pain.

The EMT glances back at me, probably wondering what’s so funny. Tanner will have to live with the pain and deal with the consequences of killing Will. I hope he goes to prison. I hope he becomes someone’s bitch there and never knows a moment of peace again.

Good. I grin.

His gaze lifts to me, and his eyes narrow on my smile. He doesn’t deserve peace. Not after taking away mine.