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Except, I knew the truth.Those thoughts were coming from past Sutton—the scared and heartbroken young girl who’d been abandoned and betrayed by the people she should trust the most.

I scrubbed my hands over my face, exhausted.I’d ended up getting out of bed when Jagger left and got a head start on Tarrant’s next delivery.I only stopped because I had a shift at the clinic this morning, and now I was home and back at it.

My phone chimed, and I quickly checked it.

Poe:Be ready in twenty minutes.I’ll swing by to pick you up.

Shit.

I didn’t want to do this, not tonight.My poker face was nowhere to be found.But what choice did I have?Also, the fact that Poe obviously knew where I lived sent icy fingers down my spine.Had he been watching me?Did he know Jagger had been here?Was this some kind of trap?

I quickly texted Jagger, telling him what was happening, then rushed to get ready.If it was a setup, Jagger would be there.Nothing bad would happen to me, because he wouldn’t let it.I hadn’t had time to buy a dress for tonight, but I did own something that could work—it’d have to.I did my hair, quickly applied makeup, then chopped up some fruit for Boo and put it out.I was just sliding on the only pair of heels I owned when I heard his knock downstairs.

Snatching up my bag, I checked my phone as I rushed down to meet Poe.No reply from Jagger yet.Shit.Shit.Shit.I had no idea where we were going, and if Jagger wasn’t there to follow, no one would know where I was.

He’s a hound.He can find you anywhere.

At that thought, I was able to breathe a little easier.Hounds were the best trackers around.He just needed my scent and he’d find me.It was going to be okay.Everything was going to be okay—unless, of course, Poe killed me before Jagger could get to me.

I opened the door, and Poe stood there in a dark suit.His gaze slid over me from head to toe, and I wanted to shrivel in on myself.

“You look good enough to eat,” he said and licked his lips.

I forced a smile.“You look good as well.”The compliment was like ash on my tongue.

He plucked my phone from my hand, slid my bag from my shoulder, and placed them on the floor inside the door.

“No phones allowed, and you don’t need anything else.”

Icy fear prickled all over me.“How very cloak and dagger.”

He grinned and took my hand, pulling me forward and closing the door after me.I subtly searched the street, the shadowy alleys, and storefronts for any sign of Jagger.Nothing, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t there.

Poe led me to his car and opened the door for me to get in.I was trapped, with no way to contact anyone, and wasn’t sure if Jagger had even gotten my message.Poe could be driving me to my death and no one would know until it was too late.

It was hard, but I shoved all those fears down as deep as I could.I was good at that.Pretending I was okay when I was far from it was my specialty, and tonight I needed it more than ever.“Can you tell me where we’re going now?”

Poe glanced my way as he turned a corner.“It’s pretty ingenious, actually, I can’t wait to show you.”

“Oh?”

“There’s these old tunnels under the city, part of the old sewer system that was closed off when they replaced it thirty years back.Tarrant’s made use of them.It’s a bit of a maze, and the interesting part is, there are different ways to get in, depending on which quadrant we’re utilizing.Having multiple access and exit points is another way to keep the location secure.”

“I’m wearing heels to a sewer?”I made a silly face while my mind spun.

He actually chuckled.“I promise, no sewage.”

Poe pulled over on a nondescript street, not one I was familiar with, and before I could get out, he handed me something.“Put this on.”

A mask, and he had one as well.I took it.Knowing no one there would see my face was a serious relief.

“Does everyone wear them?”

“Anonymity is of the highest importance.If everyone’s faces are covered, no one can be implicated of anything.”

My brief feeling of relief slid down my body and out through the soles of my feet.We exited the car and Poe led me down an alleyway.It appeared to be a dead end, but as we neared the end, a small alcove revealed a steel door with a digital key pad.He punched in a code, and the sound of steel sliding against steel sent chills through my veins as the lock disengaged.

We walked through, and when he closed the door behind us, we were plunged into a darkness so complete that I couldn’t see my hands in front of my face.I heard and felt Poe do something beside me and a red light came on.We were at the top of a staircase.We descended at least five flights, then he punched another code into a second panel, different from the first one, letting us through a steel door.