“Answer the question, Savannah.”
“Of course I want to live. I just… have a feeling that answering that question has strings attached.”
I suddenly realize that knocking on their door—coming here for help, kissing him—has strings attached.
Thayer nods. “You’re in grave danger,” he says almost gently. “Tonight, you witnessed a murder, and very well might be the only witness still alive. If our suspicions are right, and I’ll haveyou know Lyam’s rarely wrong, you’ll have people after you that won’t just kill you. They’ll kidnap you and torture you justfor the hell of it before they kill you. That woman you saw? You just ruined their fun. And they won’t take too kindly to that.”
I stare, unblinking, trying to process the enormity of this. “So I have to hide for the rest of my life?”
“Not the rest of your life,” Lyam says. “But until you’re no longer in danger. We’ll handle this as it plays out, but for now, your best bet is to go with Thayer. He’ll take you to a place no one knows about. You’ll be very well hidden. We’ll make sure this blows over and that you aren’t hurt.”
Thayer lifts his phone and glances at the screen.
“Fabien and Nicolette have landed.” He turns to me. “They’ve been filled in, Savannah. Do you want to talk to your sister?”
Tears spring to my eyes. I nod wordlessly and reach my hand out, swallowing hard. Thayer slides the phone into my hand. Our fingers touch for the briefest second before I pull away.
“Nicolette?” I whisper.
“Oh, thank God you’re okay.” My sister sounds like she’s crying. “I heard what happened. Savannah, go with Thayer. Please, honey. Go with Thayer, and we’ll take it from there.”
I nod, even though she can’t see me. All of my arguments and reasons for not going with him don’t hold a candle to my sister’s tearful plea. I’d do anything she asked me.
“If you want me to,” I whisper.
“I do, honey. I can’t talk right now,” she says. “Fabien says you have to move quickly, and we can talk more when you’re secure. Okay? Go, Savannah. Gonow.”
“Okay,” I repeat. It’s all I need to know.
Nicolette wants me to go with Thayer.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you, too,” I whisper back.
I return the phone to Thayer, drag my shoulders back, and nod. “When do we go?”
Frowning, he looks at my hair. “Now, and the hair has to go. With hot-pink hair, you might as well have a target on your back.”
I turn away from him and swallow the lump in my throat.
It isn’t the hair… hair grows back. Appearances change. It’s the certain knowledge that changing my hair is only the first compromise I’ll have to make.
What else will he make me do?
CHAPTER FOUR
Thayer
I touchedthe Mona Lisa with my bare hands. I took my first hit like an addict and now my blood pulses with the need for more.
I shouldn’t have kissed her. It was a stupid, foolish, dick move.
She tasted better than I’d imagined.
I want to kiss her again.
And again.
