"Are these for me?"

"Yeah, some dude asked me to give them to you."

"Some dude?"

"Yeah, he was talk and dark haired. He said there's a card."

Tall and dark?

My hands are shaking as I pull the little card out of the envelope. On the card is just one thing.

A replica of my chaos tattoo.

I drop the bouquet and look around wildly.

Because I know.

Vincent is here.

My director didn't listen to me. He called Vincent. He came to the play. He knows where I am.

Aiden walks in and says, "Boots, what's wrong? You're shaking."

"Um, I don't feel very good."

"What do you mean?" Aiden asks as I rush over to the trashcan and throw up in it.

Aiden chuckles. "Aren't you supposed to get stage fright before the play?"

I hang onto the big trash barrel while tuning out Aiden's voice.

I've got to get out of here. I've got to find Cooper.

"I'm sorry. I have to go." I run out of the dressing room and leave Aiden standing there.

But I can't go outside. I can't risk him waiting for me.

I run back onto the now darkened stage and wrap myself in the folds of the velvet curtains.

I grab my phone out of my dress pocket and hold it tightly against my chest while I change the setting to dim.

Then I text Cooper.

Me: He's here. He came to the play. The director told him about me even though I asked him not to. I don't even know where to go. I can't run because I know he's going to catch me this time. Cooper, I'm scared.

Cooper: Where are you? I'll be right there.

Me: Hiding on the stage.

He doesn't reply.

I stand shaking in the curtain for what feels like an eternity.

I think about how it will go down.

Vincent watched the play. He's going to be waiting for me outside. He's going to hit me over the head, or jab a needle into me, or maybe he'll just put his hand across my mouth and say don't scream.

It's then that I kick myself for hiding in this curtain. That was stupid of me. I should have stayed with Aiden. I should've grabbed his arm and left with the crowd.

But in Miami, Vincent threatened to shoot Damian. If he were cornered and close to having me, he would shoot his way out of here.

Killing Aiden and my friends.

No, it's better this way.

Just me and him.

Maybe I should let him kidnap me.

Let him take me. Have Garrett track my locket, find me, and then arrest him.

I'd get my life back.

I'd go see my family. Hug my sisters. Go back to the beach. Smell the ocean.

I think about a recent thriller movie where a girl is on the phone hiding under a bed while men are in her house. Her dad tells her that she's about to get taken.

I'm about to get taken.

I reach up to grab my locket, but my fingers don't touch it. I pat my chest, frantically searching for the locket.

It's not on me. It's lying on my dresser because we weren't allowed to wear any jewelry for the play.

I realize I'm screwed.

I hear the auditorium door open. Footsteps walk up the stairs.

Then onto the stage and closer to me.

I stop breathing and don't move a muscle.

I can feel that he's closer.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Ohmigawd!

I was right.

He's here.

Please don't let him find me.

But then my phone vibrates.

Even though it's tight against my chest it makes a little noise.

The shoes start walking toward me.

Getting closer and closer.

I'm going to have to fight. Take him by surprise.

I launch myself at the dark form in front of me, knocking him and me quickly to the ground. Then I start wildly punching.

I connect with both his chest and his face.

I leap up to run away as he grabs me, rolls on top of me, and pins me on the floor.

Fuck.

I close my eyes tightly.

"You're supposed to punch the bad guy, not the one that's here to rescue you."

I quickly open my eyes. "Cooper? Ohmigawd. I thought. I thought . . ."

We both freeze at the sound of a door opening. Cooper covers my mouth and gets both of us to our feet effortlessly and quietly.

We hear the sound of shoes heading back toward the dressing rooms.

Cooper runs his hand down my leg, slides my heels off, and then pulls me across the stage.

We sneak down the steps then crouch behind the auditorium seats.

When he thinks the coast is clear, we run toward the main entrance.

Cooper's still holding my hand as we exit the building. He pulls me toward a car parked in the handicapped stall.

There's a big puddle of water that I'm ready to run through, but Cooper scoops me up, carries me over it, and sets me in the car.

He slams the door shut, quickly runs to the driver's side, and gets in.

I look out the window, scanning the area for Vincent. I remember Garrett telling me that he couldn't disguise his height.

The only person I see, though, is Whitney. She watches us drive by, not even trying to hide the disgust on her face.

Shit.

Now, she's really going to think there's something going on between us.

I shake my head. She's the least of my worries.

"We need to leave campus," I say, as I see Cooper driving toward his quarters.

"I think we're safer here."

"No. Garrett told me to run. Go to the train station. Run. Get away."

"That was before you hired me."

He pulls up in front of his quarters and we run into his town house.

I drop down on his couch as he pulls his curtains shut. He grabs my hand again and leads me upstairs to his bedroom.

Then he pulls me onto the bed and into an embrace.

"You're shaking," he says in a gentle voice. "Calm down. You're safe."

Then he rubs his eye, which I realize is starting to swell.

"I think I gave you a black eye."

He grins at me. "You did a good job."

"Not good enough. You pinned me in two seconds."

Cobra Cooper strikes again, quickly pinning me on the bed.

"Now what am I supposed to do?" I say as I reach up and gently touch his quickly swelling face.

He grabs my hands and pins them above my head.

My breathing starts to speed up a little.

"If something happens today. To me. To you. If he gets you. You need to know how to get away. I suspect this is a position he will want you in."

I look up at his hand strongly gripping mine. Run my eyes down his tightly straining muscles. His rock hard body.

But it's Cooper and he's not scary.

"You just relaxed. That's exactly what I was getting ready to tell you to do. It makes you feel like less of a threat. Look at me like you want to kiss me."

I lock eyes with him. Raise my chin toward him, slowly licking my bottom lip.

"That's exactly right. Because you're not fighting me, I'm not gripping your hands as tightly. Can you feel that?"

"Yes."