Light shines through the one corner of the window where the blackout curtains pulled loose from their binding. I roll to my other side, having to go back and forth all night to keep blood circulating through my arm.

After talking to Mason last night, I finally allowed myself to cry. Telling him the one thing I promised him I'd never say-using the word good-bye-was my only hope at alerting him that something's wrong. I hope to G.o.d he picked up on that.

I search the s.p.a.ce of the small motel room and don't see Hatch. He came and went a few times last night, but only for minutes here and there. Motorcycle engines roared throughout the night, and it would seem some of the other rooms are occupied by members of his MC. I wonder if they know I'm here. Would they do anything to help me if they did?

I close my eyes and try to concentrate on the path we took out of town. If only I'd paid closer attention. It seemed we headed south, or southwest? Maybe thirty minutes. I growl in frustration.

Hatch was smart enough to get rid of all the logos or clues in the room that might give away our location. Even the telephone has been removed. f.u.c.k!

The sound of a motorcycle engine rumbles and gets louder before it goes quiet. I roll to my side to face the door, nervous about who might walk in and praying it's Hatch rather than someone from his crew. As sick as it sounds, I'm safer with Hatch than anyone else. Lesser of two evils.

The door opens and I squint against the light. Hatch props open the door with his foot and kneels down to get something he'd placed on the ground. There's a tag hanging from the door handle. Do not disturb. A logo. I blink, trying to focus against the bright light.

Majestic Mountain Inn.

"Got breakfast." The door slams, and Hatch moves to the small table to drop a bag and two insulated to-go cups.

Majestic Mountain Inn. Majestic Mountain Inn. It said Majestic Mountain Inn.

He turns toward me, his eyes raking up my bare legs to my a.s.s that's on display from beneath the skin-tight and too-short dress I've been in since last night. "You look f.u.c.kable all tied up like that."

If I had food in my stomach, I would've puked. Instead, I flip him off with my chained-up hand.

He chuckles and comes over to me, pulling a key from his pocket and holding it up for me to see. "You make one more call today, be a good girl, and I'll let you eat and take a shower. Deal?"

Phone call! I nod. "Yes."

He reaches behind one panel of his cut and pulls out my cell. "That place you work with the kids. Call-"

"How'd you know about that?" I never talked to him about my volunteer work, did I? It's the only part of my life that was really and truly me, something I kept to myself.

He runs a callused finger along my lower lip. "I know everything, Trix." His lips tighten and he drops his hand. "Call 'em. Tell 'em you're out of town or taking care of a sick relative. Don't give a f.u.c.k; just do it." He presses the phone into my palm and then sits at my hip, watching.

My muscles protest as I push up to lean against the headboard. Nerves tick beneath my skin, and I wish I could do this in privacy. After all, how much can I say with Hatch sitting six inches from my face? With a trembling finger, I dial the Youth Center.

"LV Youth, this is Sylvia."

I clear my throat. "Hey, Sylvia, it's Trix." I keep my eyes on Hatch.

"Trix, hi. What's going on?"

"Listen, um . . . I have to go out of town for a while, um . . . sick family member." I swallow. "My sister."

Hatch pins me with a glare, and his jaw works back and forth.

I shrug and mouth I'm sorry, it just came out. Which is total bulls.h.i.t.

"Oh, no. Honey, I'm sorry. Is it serious?"

"Serious? Yeah, I'll probably be gone for a while, but I'll let you know."

"Okay, sure. Yes, family first. I'm sorry to hear that."

Hatch gets up and moves to the table to grab his coffee.

"It's alright. I'm kinda looking forward to going home." I fist my hand around the phone.

"Where's home again?"

I pinch my eyes closed and hold my breath. "Majestic Mountain."

I brace for Hatch's punishing slap.

"Where's that? I've never heard of it."

"Just outside of town-" My throat constricts with the power of Hatch's hand wrapped around my throat.

"Sounds lovely.

My mouth opens and closes, but I can't breathe enough to get a word out. I watch as Hatch tries to figure it out, his eyes darting around the room, searching for something he missed.

"I'll get you covered here. You let me know when . . ."

Her words dissolve as black invades my vision. My eyes roll, and the phone falls from my hand as I fight for consciousness. He shoves the phone to my ear and releases my throat enough to suck in a quick breath.

"Oh, honey, don't cry. Your sister'll be okay."

"Thank you."

He mouths say good-bye.

"Good-bye."

"Bye, Tri-"

He rips the phone from my ear. "Nice try."

This time I see his fist coming, but it's too late to brace.

I barely register the pain before everything goes black.

I wake up to a rumbling in my belly and a killer f.u.c.king headache. The room is dark, but that means nothing. It could be high noon and I'd have no idea. I roll to my back and groan as my head swims and my jaw aches. My arm is attacked by pinp.r.i.c.ks as blood rushes to my numb fingers.

"Nice of you to wake up." Hatch, that motherf.u.c.ker.

I ignore him until something he tosses at me lands on my belly. I look down and tears spring to my eyes.

My phone. Shattered into multiple pieces.

"You did it to yourself." He stands and moves to the bathroom.

Finally alone, I allow the tears to flow freely. I'm never going to see him again. After this, Hatch won't let me live. He knows I'll go to the cops, turn his a.s.s in, and tell them everything I know.

My search for Lana's killer has become my death sentence. I'd laugh at the irony if it wasn't so f.u.c.king sad. This is going to destroy my family.

The sound of running water m.u.f.fles my cry as the reality of my situation hits me square in the chest. I wonder if this was how Svetlana spent her last few days: crying, begging for mercy that never came. Hoping beyond hope that G.o.d would deliver her. Or maybe she was strong. She always was, and she had faith that even the worst situations could never shake. Did she look her killer in the eyes and grind her teeth against the pain? Challenge them with her determination to die without giving them the satisfaction of knowing they'd broken her.

Hatch grabs my arm and frees me from the bed. "Come on, sunshine. Let's get you cleaned up."

Part of my brain registers that this would be a good time to fight. Being free means I could claw at him, find his gun, and scream at the top of my lungs until he put a bullet in my head.

But I'm weak and tired. So f.u.c.king tired.

He carries me to the bathroom and sets me down. He lifts my dress over my head and pulls off my boy shorts before motioning to the steamy cascade. "Go on."

I half expect him to follow me in, rape me, at the very least demand something from me, but he doesn't. Instead, he drops the lid on the toilet seat, sits down, and lights a smoke.

My toes. .h.i.t the warm tub, and the heat sucks away every last bit of my energy. I sink to the floor of the dingy motel tub, pulling my knees to my face and wrapping my arms around my shins.

Dear Father in heaven, if this is it, if these are my last few days on this earth, please let them pa.s.s quickly. Have mercy on me in my death that it won't be painful or messy. Comfort my family. They'll need you now more than ever. And please, G.o.d, please . . . let Mason know that I love him, that he's the only man I've ever loved, and that, even in death, I've dedicated my heart to him wholly and completely. Svetlana, moya sestra, moye serdtse. I will see you soon. Amen.

Thirty-six.

Present day . . .

Mason Could it be this easy? I stare at my phone and read the words again. Majestic Mountain Inn. Thirty-six miles outside of the city.

Unease stirs my gut, screaming that something ain't right. This has to be a set up, but even if it is, I'll walk right into a firing squad for the chance to get Trix back. I shove my phone into my pocket and watch as Rex spills a s...o...b..x of ammo onto the table.

He tosses me a blade that I catch on the fly.

"We have to get the cops involved." Gia stands off to the side of Rex, his rage making it clear to keep a safe distance.

Lane, who interrupted Rex's full-fledged freak out, ended up being sent home with a sore jaw. Rex is radiating fury like I've never seen before only mirroring my own.

"No cops." He pops a clip in his Sig and shoves it behind his belt.

Agreed.

"Rex, don't risk-"

He slams his fist against the table, his glare aimed at her. "He hurt you. Who knows what the f.u.c.k he's doing to Trix. I owe that woman my life for finding me when you were gone. No way we're callin' the cops. Not until I rip that f.u.c.ker apart and beat him with his b.l.o.o.d.y limbs."

The robotic tone to Rex's voice matches the same detachment I feel in my head. It's as if my body is protecting itself from total self-destruction, allowing it to stay separate from the whirling feelings that threaten to send me into chaos. No, this is a time for clear thinking.

Like the hours before a fight, calm, focused, a calculating predator with an appet.i.te for annihilation.

The doorbell rings and Gia jumps.

"It's alright." He continues to fill his pockets with knives and ammo. "It's Wade."

"That's good." Her shoulders relax a little. "He's level-headed. He'll keep you from killing someone-"

"He's not coming with." Rex moves to the door while I continue to pace the kitchen, every second that pa.s.ses another second we're not getting my girl. "He's staying with you."

"What?" Her eyes pop wide and the tension in her shoulders returns.

"Just a precaution." I try to speak as calmly as possible through the turbulence of fear and anger that coils in my gut. "This could be a set up to draw us out of town so he can get to you."

She stares between Rex and me, shaking her head. "He's not like that. He'd never hurt me."

"Don't you f.u.c.king defend him in my house!" Rex's roar practically shakes the walls.

Gia cringes before her shoulders sag. "Your house?"

He recoils and crosses to her in long strides. "I'll be back by morning." He moves to touch her, but she pulls from his hold. Reaching again, he loops her behind her neck and presses a hard kiss to her lips before releasing her. She turns and stalks to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"f.u.c.k." He takes a long, exhausted breath. "Let's get this over with."

It's about time. I move to the front door, tossing Wade a quick nod.

"Can't believe I'm gonna miss this s.h.i.t." Wade shakes his head. "If you get a chance, grab a video."

"My hands'll be busy." Killing. Maiming. Choking the life out of whoever stands between Trix and me. I eye Rex, who's stuffing his pockets with weaponry. "Hate to rush this, but my woman's out there."

"Don't get yourselves killed," Wade mumbles to me as we pa.s.s.

Ha, if saving Trix means my death, it'll be worth it.

We pull into the mostly abandoned motel parking lot less than thirty minutes later. From the outside, I'd a.s.sume the place had gone out of business years ago with its weed-ridden, cracked sidewalks and Bates-esque broken neon sign.

The No-Vacancy sign hangs to one side, only three of the nine letters visible. I flick off my headlights and pull the truck into the surrounding wooded area, inching around the back to a spot where we can get a clear view of the strip of rundown motel room doors. Only two cars are parked in the front, a mid-range compact with Nevada license plates and a rusted-out Jeep. Sticking to edge of the lot and out of sight, I park, shrouded in a canopy of shadows created by overgrown trees.

Rex grabs for the door handle before the truck comes to a complete stop.

"Hold on."

He freezes and whips his head around, eyes wild like an animal who's been locked in a cage for a year too long. "No, let's go get this f.u.c.ker."

"We have no idea what we're headed into here. Which door do we hit first? If they panic, they could throw her in a car and be gone in seconds. We gotta be smart about this. I won't risk losing her again."

He blinks, and the animalistic fog fades to logic. "You're right. Okay."