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They were in the car.
Two men were saying my name and cursing because I was unconscious. But I wasn’t. I was hiding. I was pretending.
A seatbelt unclicked, and I heard a thud. Then they were gone.
I could hear them running away.
There were more shouts.
More gunshots.
I could hear the cars careening away.
Then more shouts.
More people running.
And someone was back in the car. He yelled, “In here!”
“Come on, Carter.” AJ laughed. “You can’t tell me you’re not interested in Molly Hobalt. That girl is hot, man.”
Thomas’ body was lifted. I sucked in my breath. I was exposed.
Carter stared at me as he responded. “You’re right, AJ. She’s very beautiful.”
I knew he wasn’t talking about Molly Hobalt. I blushed and looked away, but I still felt the weight of his gaze.
“Oh my god,” a man exclaimed above me.
Carter watched me the rest of the night, instead of the movie. I had never felt more beautiful.
I opened my eyes. The man was pale as he stared at me, his mouth hanging open. Then he snapped to attention and yelled again, “In here! Now! Cole!”
Cole…
A second later, Carter’s friend popped his head around the door, and relief flooded over his face. “Holy shit. Emma.”
I looked for my sister, but she was gone.
It was time.
My insides were stretched thin. My fury billowed inside me. It had become my friend again. As I moved, it went with me. It filled me up and it remained just under my surface. For now.
As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I saw her on the floor. A pillow had been stuffed under her head and a blanket covered her. Cole had sent me directions to an abandoned building, but no one knew I was there. I could hear their voices in a back room, but for that moment, it was only her and me. I couldn’t look away.
She looked peaceful. I reached out. A strand of her hair had fallen into her face, but I caught myself. I wanted to tuck it back, but no. She needed to sleep. God. She’d been through too much already.
“Carter?”
Cole stood in the doorway. The voices halted behind him, and I looked up. His eyes widened, and he shifted back on his heel before he caught himself. He stuffed his hand into his pocket and straightened up. “The men didn’t notify me you were on your way. I would’ve met you, if I’d known.”
“That’s because they didn’t see me.”
Emma was on the cement floor. She shouldn’t be there; she should be home and in bed. But I couldn’t demand for him to do better. There was no furniture. They were hiding. I recognized the men who filed into the room behind Cole. He’d gone back to the streets. He’d brought in the men he grew up with. He trusted them.
“We were following—”
“Who was it?” The storm raged in me, ready to strike. I contained it. Barely.
