Dante picked up his device and scowled at the screen before answering the call.

“Catherine,” he drawled, making eye contact with me as he spoke, “How lovely to hear from you. We wondered how long it would take.”

I gave him frantic what the fuck are you doing faces, but he shrugged and clicked the call to speaker phone just in time for me to catch my birth-mother’s chilling response.

“Tell my daughter that she’s expected to return to school tomorrow morning, or we will take action. I have been more than lenient, but enough is enough. This little temper tantrum has gone on long enough.”

I scoffed a humorless laugh. “Or fucking what, bitch? You’ll turn in that little snuff film to the police? All because I won’t go to school? Fuck off.”

Catherine laughed then, and it was one of the coldest sounds I’d ever heard. “You think that’s our only card to play? Your stupidity astounds me, girl.”

I met Dante’s eyes over the phone he held between us, and ice formed in my belly. They’d already beaten him, and threatened to shoot him… Was there more? Maybe I was underestimating Delta.

“Here’s what will happen,” Catherine continued, her tone icy and uncaring. “You’ll attend Ducis Academy, just like the good little Deboise heir that you are. You’ll excel in classes, you’ll keep your head down, and you’ll stay out of trouble. When we require you to act in Delta’s interests, you’ll do so without question or argument. In return, I’ll allow you to live outside the Delta compound. Stewart will source a suitable apartment for you, because frankly I’m sick of having you under foot.”

I spluttered in confusion. “And if I don’t?”

“Then I will personally break one of Edith Langham’s fingers every day until you comply. It’s your choice.” She hung up then, and I scrambled off the couch. I just barely made it to the bathroom before the contents of my stomach began emptying into the porcelain bowl, hot tears stinging my eyes and streaming down my face as I sobbed and vomited.

Dante crouched beside me, his gentle hand stroking my hair out of my face and just being there for me. He always had been, but since Beck—and the guys—betrayed me, I was appreciating just how much Dante cared for me.

“They’re fucking twisted,” I croaked, after wiping my mouth on the wet washcloth he handed me. My whole body was trembling, and Dante just gathered me up in his arms, pulling me into his lap despite his own injuries.

“There’s no denying that,” he murmured back, his cheek pressed against my hair as I huddled closer into his warm body. “But if I’ve learned anything about living in a darker world—you’ll never beat them, unless you become them. Is that really something you want to do? Damn your soul like that?”

I shuddered, my mind flashing back to the sound of the gunshot, the splatter of blood and gore, the heavy thump of the Huntley man’s lifeless form hitting the ground. My recurrent nightmares. “Haven’t I already?”

Dante let out a long sigh. “Not even close, Riles. Not even remotely close.”

We stayed like that for a long time, until I started to worry I was hurting him and shifted to stand up.

“Hey,” Dante murmured, catching my face between his palms and halting me. “You know I’ll always have your back, right? You’re not in this alone.”

The way he stared at me … it was intense, passionate, and a bit unnerving.

“I know,” I replied with a tiny smile. “I guess I should get back to my gilded cage before Eddy pays.”

Dante peered at me with that heavy gaze for another long moment before a switch flipped and a devilish grin slid over his face. “Not yet. Debitch said you needed to be at school tomorrow morning, which leaves tonight free.”

I raised my brows, pulling back gently so that his hands left my face. “What did you have in mind?”

“Rabbit just got a new Supra that needs to do a test run. I’m sure he wouldn’t object to you putting her through the paces at Widowmaker. Then when you’re done with that, you can drive one of my cars in the actual race.” His grin was sly, and excitement surged in me for the first time in way too long.

“That’s tonight?” I bit my lip, thinking it over. Widowmaker used to be my race. It was only run twice a year and had a crazy high crash rate. I’d held first place for the last five races and I hated the thought of someone else taking my crown … still, I would have to attempt it in an unfamiliar car and I was carrying a shit load of mental baggage.

“The supra is tricked out with NOS…” Dante coaxed, and I groaned.

“Fuck,” I sighed. “I can’t say no to that.” I scrambled up off the bathroom floor and held out my hand to help Dante up. He grunted as he held his ribs but gave me a tight smile to reassure me he was okay.

“I need something to wear,” I commented as I reached for my toothbrush. I’d been wearing Dante’s t-shirts and shorts for the past week and a half, seeing as I hadn’t left the apartment. But I needed something more kick ass for Widowmaker.

Dante chuckled, shifting past me to grab his phone where he’d left it on the couch. “I’ll call Serena. She’ll get you sorted.”

This time my smile was more genuine. If anyone could make me look badass—other than Eddy—it was Dante’s older sister.

“Holy shit, it’s been so long, Riles!” Serena was a hugger. Over the years I’d grown used to her full bear hugs, and a part of me felt a tiny bit better when she squeezed me tightly.

“I know, so much shit has happened; it feels like ten years since I last saw you.”

She led me across to the couch, and I marveled at the blue streaks in her black hair. Didn’t matter that she was nearing thirty, Serena looked hot and sexy, with a rocker edge.

Her story could have been very different though because it sure as shit started out terribly. In high school she’d been the popular, pretty chick. Until her school’s wide receiver knocked her up at eighteen and then bailed to leave her to raise their kid alone. Luckily her story had a happy ending when “diner guy,” as we’d used to call him, finally got the balls to ask out the pretty waitress that he’d lusted after from afar. Turned out that Rob Laidner, who was a few years older than Serena, was a police officer on the other side of Jersey. But he still made the trip every morning to eat breakfast in her section of the small family diner where she worked.