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I walk into the room, grab her by the arm, and yank her toward the back stairs. She struggles, but I grip tighter.

“Don’t make a sound,” I whisper against her ear. “Not unless you want everyone here to see what I do to little spies.”

She stiffens but follows.

“Where are you taking me?” she hisses under her breath, heels clicking against the concrete steps as we descend.

“You’ll see.”

The parking lot is nearly empty from this angle. I open the back door and shove her inside. Her body freezes the moment she sees Eli slumped on the seat beside her.

“Oh my god,” she breathes, voice sharp with panic. “Is he dead?”

“Shut it.” I slam the door shut behind her and climb into the driver’s seat.

I tear the mask from my face and toss it on the dashboard. It’s not like she doesn’t know who I am now. The silence in the car is tight, stretched thin as I start the engine. I should take them both home. I should dump Eli on his mattress and lock Sienna back in that damn room until she learns her lesson. But that won’t work. Not now. Not with what she tried to pull tonight.

So instead, I head for the highway.

My father can’t know about this. He’d skin me alive if he knew I laid hands on a girl like her. Worse if he finds out what I’ve been doing behind the scenes with the Reapers. No. I need time. Privacy. Somewhere no one will ask questions.

The lake house that Noah owns is two hours out. Secluded. No neighbors. No rules.

Sienna’s breathing gets heavier the further we drive. She knows we’re leaving the city. Her fingers twitch on her lap, like she wants to reach for her phone. Too bad I already took it. It’s in the glove compartment beside my blade. She’s stuck now.

“I swear,” she finally says, voice low and tight, “if you hurt him…”

“You’re really in no position to make threats.”

She falls silent.

The road curves and dips in the dark, headlights cutting long streaks through the trees. I glance in the rearview mirror. Eli hasn’t moved. Just dead weight with a fading bruise blooming on his cheek. Sienna shifts closer to him like she can protect him. Or maybe protect herself.

The lake house finally comes into view. Black windows. Cold driveway. Forest pressing in from all sides. I kill the engine and step out.

“Get out,” I say, opening the back door.

She doesn’t move.

I lean in and grab her by the wrist. “I said get out.”

She looks from me to Eli, then back, eyes stormy with something between fear and hate. She slides out of the car but not before pulling at Eli’s shoulder. “He needs help.”

“He needs to sleep it off. You? You need to learn when to stop pushing.”

I grab Eli again and sling him over my shoulder. He groans, useless, still deep in whatever haze he drowned himself in. I kick the front door open and carry him to the guest room on the main floor. Drop him on the bed and shut the door behind me.

Sienna’s still by the car, arms folded tight across her chest. Her makeup’s faded. Eyes rimmed with dark liner, lips stained from whatever color she put on earlier. She looks defiant. But under it, she’s shaking.

“You brought us here alone?” she asks as I walk back toward her.

“I needed quiet.”

“Why?”

“You’ll find out.”

I reach for her again, but she pulls back. “Don’t touch me.”