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“That’s bullshit.” River’s eyes flare in anger, and for a second, I see him at ten years old, pissed off that Warren and I told him he couldn’t come fishing with us.

“He’s right.” Hand on his chest, Warren pushes River back, ignoring his furious objections. “It’s just us tonight, kid.”

With that, he slides in beside me and checks his own gun on his hip.

As I tear the truck down the long winding drive that leads out of Copper Run Ranch, I meet Warren’s cool gaze. He doesn’t ask what I plan to do. He doesn’t have to.

No mercy. Not when it comes to Delilah.

48 Delilah

I wake on my back on the bare wooden floor of the church. I’m unbound, and my top’s been pulled down to expose my bra.

Oh god.

Tears burn the backs of my eyes. He touched me when I was unconscious.

I shudder at that knowledge, shaking violently.

This fucking monster.

I won’t let him win.

Never.

The room spins, a fresh wave of nausea rolling through me as I push myself up on hands and knees. I take deep, long breaths. Whatever drug I’ve been injected with feels like it’s fading.

Lifting my head, I carefully look around for Please and the driver, who filmed the video call to Cole.

Cole.

I close my eyes. God, please let him be able to tell where I am. Please let him come. Please let me see him one more time.

“Delilah?”

My eyes fly open at the soft rasp of a voice. I whip my head to the right, gasping when I spy a dark-haired figure curled in the corner of the room.

“Melly.” My heart tremors. She’s alive.

She lifts her face. There’s blood beneath her nose and her lips are cracked and dry. She licks them. “Lili.”

A sob bursts free at the nickname, and I scramble for her. Her wrists and ankles are bound with rope. “Oh my god.” I wrap my arms around her as she trembles against the wall. She’s so thin. I can’t imagine how long she’s been here, starving, terrified. “I thought you were dead.”

“We will be,” she whispers. Her black eyes are haunted. “He’s waiting for you. He kept me alive for you. But now…” She shudders. “He’ll kill us both.”

Terror, adrenaline, fury flood my system. I palm her cheeks and hug her to me. “I won’t let that happen. I won’t.”

In Melly, I see my sister. All those girls who needed help, who never had a voice. I have to save her.

Quickly, I scan the church. The open doorway with moonlight spilling into it. No one in sight. But I know Please and the driver are still here. Lurking. Waiting.

Still, I have to try.

“We have to get out of here.” I turn back to Melly. Frantically, I work at the frayed cord around her wrists. It’s a scaffold knot. Thankfully, my muddled mind still remembers the steps to loosen it.

Instead of simply tugging on the end, I capsize the knot to release the tension. If I pull the wrong end, it can lock even tighter. Slowly, so slowly, heart hammering in my ears, I work it open.

Melly freezes, her eyes lifting to my shoulder.