“Shut up! You don’t know anything about that.”

I just rolled my eyes. I did. I knew a whole bunch about that, because Tommy turned around and asked me to experiment with him, too. Said maybe I was the sister who had some ‘experience.’ I told him to eat his own dick.

I asked, “Why are you experimenting?” She was trying to make something for us to eat. I could see that much.

Smelled horrible.

“Because someone has to, or we’ll never eat real food again.”

Oh.

We both got quiet, and as if on command, the floorboard squeaked above us.

Mom was up.

It wouldn’t last.

Alarms split the air, and I jerked awake. I jumped out of bed.

Panting, with a pounding heart, it took a second to orient myself. Everything was going crazy. Red flashes were lighting up the house, and the alarms sounded like we had nuclear bombs incoming. Then my door burst open and a dark figure came in.

Before I could even scream, a hand came over my mouth.

It was Raize.

Only Raize.

Always Raize.

I tried to relax, but the alarms wouldn’t stop. The red light flashed over his face as he moved his mouth to my ear.

“Estrada is coming. Go through to the secret room. Take your gun. Escape.” I felt him push something into my hand. “It’s your phone. Keep it on silent.” He was gone in the next instant, and I felt almost bereft.

But then… Estrada!

My brain clicked on, and I whirled, going for the secret door when I remembered—I needed clothes, shoes, and my gun. Glancing at the phone, I saw it was four in the morning. That asshole. He’d come at this time on purpose, to catch us sleeping.

I heard stampeding footsteps down the hall below. Probably Jake and Cavers running. I heard shouting. I had to go!

Grabbing everything, I pushed through the secret door, shut it, and was in the secret room. I couldn’t run in bare feet. Why hadn’t I gone to sleep with my shoes on? I should’ve learned. I was getting so fucking soft.

Cursing, I pulled shoes on, and then I was running.

I went to the exit and paused.

Four trucks were speeding up the driveway. Men stood on the back of each one, assault rifles slung around their chests.

That was a terrifying sight, and I heard more shouting.

They started pointing. I saw Cavers running across the yard.

I’d already lost precious time. When would I learn?

I took off in the opposite direction. There were some trees I could use for cover, but no—even as I considered that, I knew that’s where they’d go. So I veered a different way, not knowing where I was going, just knowing I needed to go.

I went three more feet before the shooting started.

Bang!

I started to scream, but clamped a hand over my mouth and turned, terrified at what I would see.

I cared. When had I started caring?

I didn’t want them to kill Raize, Jake. Even Cavers. Despite Raize not trusting his boss, Cavers had never done anything except follow orders and cook for us. And Jake. I thought of how he cared for Gus—Gus!

I was hyperventilating now.

Where was Gus? Oh my God. Gus.

I couldn’t—there was more shooting, more shouting.

I waited, but I couldn’t hear any barking.

Where was Gus?

He’d gone to bed with me last night. He slept either at the foot of my bed, or right next to my bed on the floor. He hadn’t been there when the alarms started, but God, where was he?

I turned around before I knew what I was doing.

I was going back for the dog.

So stupid.

Suddenly one of the trucks veered straight for me.

My heart hit my sternum, and I dropped to the ground. It was dark out, so I laid flat, and then I prayed.

The truck went right past me. Gunshots filled the air. A bullet hit the dirt ten feet from me. Jesus. My vision was blurring. I had to calm my thoughts. I had to slow my senses.

This wasn’t the first situation like this that I’d been in. I should’ve been more prepared, more able to think clearly. I ran through the possible consequences.

I was having déjà vu from when I first ran from an armed man, but this situation was on steroids.

I could get shot.

I could get taken.

I could get sold.

I could be tortured.

I could die.

Okay. All those sucked.

God, I was so dumb. So dumb.

The trucks had moved to the other side of the house. I still couldn’t hear Gus barking, but the shots continued like a steady rain.

I hurried to the back of the house and paused, listening.

They were fully engaged on the other side. I didn’t know if anyone was in the house, but I crept up, letting myself in the secret doorway this time. There, a rubbery nose hit me and a tongue. Gus had followed my scent.

He’d found his way into the secret room. I had no clue how. The door was closed… Raize had done that! He’d put him in here for me, or for safe keeping.

I didn’t know why Gus wasn’t barking, but thank God. It might’ve saved his life.

“Okay, buddy—” The floor creaked, just on the other side of the wall.

Someone was in my bedroom.

Gus turned and started growling.

No!

I clamped my hand around his mouth, trying to stop him from making noise.

He shook me off, going to the door and scraping, still growling.

The floor creaked again as the person hurried forward.

They knew we were here, that there was another room.

The person ran. In the hallway, back to my bedroom.

They were looking, trying to find us.

I couldn’t wait any longer.

Grabbing Gus, I pulled him after me, and he ran out when I opened the back exit. He started running, but he waited for me.

A blast of relief made my knees weak. Thank God for small miracles.

I jumped down next to him, and we took off, running in the direction I’d gone before.

More gunfire sounded behind me.

We kept going.

I glanced back a few times, but I couldn’t see the trucks anymore. They’d turned off their lights, and they weren’t driving around. I didn’t know if that was a good sign or not.

Gus sniffed the ground as we went, and I tried not to trip over the bushes and small trees scattered around the land. I tried to stay away from the denser pockets of trees. I assumed that’s where they would look for me.

As we ran, the sounds faded. We went a little farther, and I heard a trickle of the creek. I hit the ground, my lungs burning. Tears had caked my face. Tears and sweat. I could taste the salt. I needed to keep going, but dammit. Dammit!

I didn’t want to lose Raize. In all this madness, he’d become my anchor. I never knew. Without him, I’d have to… I couldn’t think like that. I could try to get to San Antonio, but I had no idea where he’d stashed that bag for me.

I had no idea what to do, and I wasn’t in the clear.

Estrada—if he won, if he was the surviving side back there—he would look for me. That’s how cartels were. You got on their radar, and if you fucked with them, you were dead. No matter what.

Gus started licking my face. I realized I’d started crying all over again.

I looked at Gus, and he moved to clean out my eyes, then my forehead.

I let him.

I was so weak. So tired.