A young woman with a cat in a travel cage shrieks and bolts out of the office, her sneakers squeaking against the floor. The bell above the door jangles as she makes a run for it.
Arden’s face turns red, his mouth working around gasps. “I saved your life,” he chokes out. “Last night. Remember?”
“Don’t care,” I snap. “Where. Is. She?”
Bridger shifts behind me, looking at the door to make sure no one’s coming in.
Arden’s nails dig into my wrists, his voice rasping. “Damian—please?—”
I tighten my grip, my pulse hammering. “I know you’re lying, Arden. I can see it in your eyes. If anything happens to her?—"
Arden’s face contorts with panic, and finally, he croaks out, “Okay! Okay! Just—let me breathe!”
I ease up a fraction, just enough for him to suck in air.
“Joel’s put out a reward,” Arden says, voice shaky. “Ten grand for anyone who finds you—or the girl. He’s calling in favors, putting out feelers. I didn’t have a choice, Damian. It’s ten grand! You know how hard things are around here.”
I slam him back against the wall, making the diplomas rattle again. “You sold me out for ten grand?”
He gags, his eyes bulging. “I needed the money. I swear, I didn’t think?—”
I release him, and he drops to the floor, clutching his throat, wheezing. My blood is boiling, the rage making my vision blur. I want to break him. I want to put him through the wall. But Bridger steps in, keeping a hand on my shoulder. “We need to find Marlowe,” he says, his tone calm but firm. “Killing him right now is a waste of time.”
Arden coughs, trying to straighten himself up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry,” he sputters. “I’m sorry.”
I crouch down, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, yanking him close. “If anything happens to her because of you, I’m going to burn this place down with you in it. Understand? Did Joel say anything to you?”
He nods frantically, eyes wet with fear. “He . . . he said if you came looking for her, to tell you he’d be waiting at the dump with her dead body.”
I shove him back, disgusted. Bridger pulls me away, his expression grim. We back out of the clinic, my hands still shaking, adrenaline burning through me.
Back in the SUV, I stare out the windshield, breathing hard. Bridger starts the engine, glancing at me.
I slam my fist against the dashboard, the pain flaring up in my side again. I don’t care. I’ll burn this whole city down if he hurt one hair on her head.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
MARLOWE
The dirt feels like it’s closing in, pressing against my back and my legs. My hands are tied so tight behind me that my wrists burn, and every time I move, the zip ties dig deeper into my skin. Next to me, Pearl Necklace is still sobbing, her breathing ragged and too loud. I’m scared too, but I know if I start crying, I won’t be able to stop. I have to keep my head clear, even if it feels like my skull is full of static. I swallow hard and try to calm my voice. “Hey,” I whisper. “Hey, can you hear me?”
Pearl Necklace just whimpers, turning her head slightly in my direction.
“What’s your name?” I ask, trying to keep my tone soft.
She sniffles, wiping her nose on her shoulder. “N . . . Nora.”
“Okay, Nora. I’m Marlowe.” I glance at the top of the pit, where I can hear Joel and his guys off to the side just out of sight. All I can see is blue skies and the rough uneven edges of the ground above me. “You still with me?”
She nods, but it’s barely noticeable.
“You got family waiting for you somewhere?” I keep talking, hoping it’ll ground her.
Her lips tremble. “My daughter. She’s . . . she’s in college. Harvard. I just . . . I just came to win a little to help with tuition. God, what did I do?”
“Shh, it’s okay. We’re gonna get out of here. You hear me?”
She doesn’t respond, just keeps making those small, desperate sounds. I know how close she is to screaming, and I can’t let that happen. I twist around, testing the strength of the zip ties. Pain shoots through my wrists, and I grit my teeth. There’s a jagged rock embedded in the ground near my left side. If I can just maneuver my hands over it . . .
