pte

an'

de how far I'm willing

s a few steps away, her green eyes burning and her hands curled into fists at her sides. She seemed like a force

get to shut me out of this," I shot back. "Wheth

he fragility she was so anxious to suppress. Ethan, you are not able to

ward. Though the irritation still flared in my breast, my

you would have behaved otherwise. You were too bus

t trip us. not now. Not when each second d

seek. Share with me all of the blame. We have time for nothing except thi

aid I have something." But I have no ide

off as I got closer. We will sort things ou

e tight air between us. "Trust you? After

great, the clock running down on whatever sick game these folks were engaged in. Though I wanted to reach fo

l picture from the movie frozen on the screen. Amelia's wide, t

hese folks are, they believe you have something worthwhile. Something worth bringing a youngster

said at last, her voice almost above a whisper: "I don't know." "I have

t of the circumstances down on her. Though the reality was I wasn't sure whe

more pointed than I had meant. "The ones you ha

sentment. "You believe I had not already gone over them a hundred ti

and and yell

phone as her jaw tightened. "

"Maybe something you missed will stand out

, so momentarily I feared she might reject. My gaze went over t

are ob

our desir

kinds of messages without considering what they

sing her arms. They seem to be

added, frowning as a notion occurred to me. "What about

ot sure. Possibly? Recently I have worked with some

e cutting edge. "We have someth

Seeing it set something in me-a great ache I could not ignore no matter how hard I t

t tinged with mistrust: "Why are you do

rds flowing out before I could stop t

d at me, her eyes looking for something. Apologetic R

he moment

footsteps. Olivia's eyes widened in horror, and I grabbed her arm, pu

she said, her

mmanded, my tone leavi

masks. One of them raised a gun, and I didn't think-I simply acted. Th

a, my heart pumping as I

ore she turned and raced toward the rear door. Driven by adrenaline, I

a scr

hird man I had not even noticed dragging her out the rear door. T

d, my voice unvarn

ished,

reached me. Everything was quiet for one terrible mo

gs felt like lead. No. Not at all

st in time, I arrived at the door to witness a black van

. She still screamed, and I could still feel the stinging spike of panic striking

ft. She tr

ad let her down. Not even had I seen the third ma

k to the here-now. He showed up in the doorway, worried-l

ng the next action. I had to look for her. I had to refuse.

self. Though Nathan's voice was fo

ace for any sign, any damned hint pointing me back to her. Now the room was d

of a notebook, one I had not seen earlier, I questioned. It was folded and

art s

n??" With a quiet v

sinking. But it speaks to her spec

cket. We are headed to the office. We have