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She had a feeling it would not.

“I tried to separate you and Jenner. The two of you are so dumb that you didn’t realise I was using his phone to message you. To break off dinner dates, or that I often deleted your messages.”

She did what?

“You’re nuts!” Immy told her. “You used Jenner’s phone and pretended to be him? What . . . what do you even hope to gain by doing this?”

“Gain? Nothing. This is all about revenge.”

Jesus.

“Oh good!” Lauren said gleefully. “We’re almost there. What the fuck? Who is that? Oh my God!”

Light filled the car. Where was that coming from?

Headlights?

Oh my God! Was someone going to rescue her?

“Who the fuck is that?” Lauren asked, sounding panicked. “No, no, no. We’re nearly there. He’s waiting on me.”

Then the light seemed to go past them.

“Noo!” Lauren screamed as she slammed on the brakes.

Immy flew forward with a yell of pain that was quickly squelched as all the air left her lungs.

Breathe, Immy.

She couldn’t. She couldn’t breathe. Panic filled her as agony engulfed her.

She was going to die here, covered in vomit.

The pain was too much. But finally, she managed to drag in a breath. Then another.

But, God. It was almost too much and her stomach twisted.

Do not vomit.

Not again.

The backdoor opened and she let out a cry. Was it Lauren?

“Girl.”

She knew that voice. It was rough and she hadn’t heard it all that often. But she’d know it anywhere.

“D-Dev?”

“Smells of vomit in here.”

“S-sorry about that.” She was shivering. Why was she shivering? “Is i-it cold?”

“Shock,” he said.

Huh? What did that have to do with the temperature?

“No. Cold.”

“You’re in shock,” he told her in a rough, low voice. “Got to get you out. Get warm.”

“D-dev, what are you doing here?” she asked as he leaned in.

Lauren had said she was meeting someone. That she was taking Immy to this person.

Was it Dev?

But why would he race out in front of Lauren’s car like he had? At least that’s what she was assuming had happened.

“Saw her load something into her car. Thought it was a drunk bitch she was picking up. But when I walked over there, saw your ridiculous Taser on the ground. Decided to follow her. Left the city, started up a dirt road, knew it wasn’t right.

Pulled my truck out in front of her. She smashed into it. ”

He suddenly reached in and picked her up. She screamed in agony. Oh God.

Oh God. Unicorn poop. Cupcakes.

Unicorn poop cupcakes!

That hurt so much. She couldn’t breathe. He put her on her feet and she immediately started to fall over.

Oh cupcakes!

This was really going to hurt.

And, seriously , Immy! If there was ever a time to start swearing, surely it’s now!

But then Dev grabbed hold of her again, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to sit her under a large tree.

Dev crouched as she was still trying to convince her stomach to stay calm and drew out a knife, quickly snipping open the ties around her ankles and wrists.

Immy took a few shallow breaths, trying to keep her stomach calm. She glanced around. It was dark and there was no street lighting out here.

Oh God.

Calm, Immy. You’re fine.

There wasn’t even a street. It was more of a trail through the trees. Where the heck were they?

“Where are we?” She glanced at what she assumed was Dev’s truck, it was sitting sideways across the dirt road. Lauren’s car had smashed right into the passenger side of the truck.

Shivers.

She was lucky that she hadn’t been hurt worse than she was.

Although the stabbing pain in her side and her inability to take too deep a breath without crying out in agony was making her wonder about that thought.

“Your . . . your truck! I’ll pay for the damages!” It was the least she could do. She still couldn’t believe that he’d come after her. She’d been starting to worry that he didn’t like her.

Which was really stupid. Of course he liked her. Who wouldn’t like her?

It would be impossible.

Lauren didn’t like you . . . Lauren hit you with her car, drugged, and kidnapped you.

Yeah. But Lauren was an anomaly.

Most people liked her. Including, it seemed, Dev.

“Don’t worry about it, not mine.”

Huh?

“What do you mean it’s not yours?” she asked.

Dev shot her a look. As usual, he had a cap on his head and wore a turtleneck top that came to his chin. He had a long beard and hair. She’d actually be hard-pressed to identify him if she had to from a distance.

Maybe that’s the point, Immy.

Perhaps he doesn’t want you to be able to identify him. And maybe it would be a good thing if you didn’t look at him too closely.

“You can try to see the best in people, doesn’t mean that they have any good in them.”

Immy swallowed heavily.

Wow. He’d stolen that truck? And did he truly believe that there wasn’t good in everyone?

That was a scary thought.

Especially since she was all alone with him in the middle of nowhere.

Not completely by yourself, you’re forgetting someone.

Oh cupcakes!

How could she have forgotten about Lauren?

“Lauren! We should go check on Lauren!” she cried.

“Why?” Dev looked at his phone.

“Because she could be hurt,” she explained. “And what are you checking on your phone?”

“Just ensuring that someone is going to rescue you.”

“Rescue me? But you’re my rescuer.”

He shot her an unamused look. “Girl, I’m no hero.”

“How can you make sure that someone rescues me?”

“Wasn’t sure if you were a plant sent to get close to me. So I had you investigated. And put trackers on your car and your friends cars.”

He did what?

“Now I know that you’re really just naive . . . and sweet. And I have to go.”

“Go? Go where? What about me? What about Lauren?”

“Your hero is coming. And who cares about that bitch? She’s unconscious. Can’t hurt you.”

“Is she alive?”

Dev sighed and walked over to the driver’s side of the car. He opened the door and she saw Lauren’s arm drop out.

“Yep. She’s got a pulse.”

“Okay. Good.”

He walked toward his truck. Well, not his truck.

The truck he’d stolen.

That was still hard to wrap her head around.

“Wait! You’re really leaving?” she cried. He couldn’t leave her here in the dark with her kidnapper.

“Yep.”

“Can’t you stay for a bit longer?” she asked.

“Nope.” Then he suddenly turned and walked back toward her.

Oh good. She knew he wouldn’t leave her.

Actually, she hadn’t known that at all.

She’d just really, really hoped he wouldn’t leave her.

“Cream.” He held out his hand.

“S-sorry?”

“Couldn’t take it before. Unbalanced. Now, I can. Payment. Cream.”

She gaped at him. “In my . . . my handbag. I think she must have left it behind.” She’d had it when she was hit.

“Nah, dumb bitch grabbed it.”

“Why dumb?”

“Because that’s how they’re likely tracking you. Through your phone.”

Oh.

Wait. Who was tracking her? But he was gone. He searched through the car, found her handbag, then brought it back to her, setting it down at her side. “Three minutes.”

“Wait, Dev!” she cried out as he turned away.

“What?”

“I just . . . thank you.”

He grunted. “Be careful, girl. The Devil doesn’t usually give out favors without payment. You’re lucky you had this.” He held up the tube of cream.

Oh, she was so confused. Was he referring to himself as the Devil?

Well, Dev. Devil.

Yikes.

Now she was losing it. She watched him drive off and reached for her handbag, pulling it open so she could grab her phone.

She had to admit that Dev was kind of right. Lauren had been stupid to bring her phone with them. Isaiah would easily be able to track her.

She had to call Jenner. Or Tobias.

God.

Even now, she didn’t know who to call. What was she going to do? This was awful.

Maybe you should call Abe.

Before she could manage to work her phone, she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

Someone walked out of the trees. Someone dressed all in black who looked like a freaking shadow.

Shadow of death.

Why would she think that? What was wrong with her?

The man ignored her but he walked over to where the driver’s door was open and Lauren was slumped over the steering wheel.

Immy hadn’t forgotten about her. She was going to call her an ambulance.

Eventually.

But now she watched in horror as the man raised his arm. It was difficult to make out all the details, but she was certain that she heard a soft ping.

A whimper escaped her.

What fresh horror was this? Had he just shot her? Was that a silencer? Was Lauren . . . dead? And who the heck was this guy?

The person was silent and then they turned to Immy.

She could barely see them. She couldn’t even tell what color hair they had or what their skin looked like.

Definitely the shadow of death.

Another whimper.

Immy knew she was about to die. Why hadn’t Dev stayed?

Because he thought you would be safe. Who knew there was going to be someone else?

But . . . could this be the person that Lauren was talking about? The one she was taking Immy to? It didn’t make any sense, though. Why would he kill Lauren if he was working with her?

And why did she have this weird feeling? Almost like she . . . she knew them?

Don’t be stupid, Immy.

“I don’t know who you are, but you don’t have to do this,” she told them. “I haven’t seen your face. I don’t know who you are. Please, please, don’t kill me.”

The man took a step toward her. Was it a man?

God. She just wasn’t sure. They had on baggy clothes and they were tall. With broad shoulders.

It had to be a man, right?

What does it matter, Immy? They’re about to kill you.

Suddenly, headlights filled the area and the sound of a truck hit her ears. She didn’t know how she hadn’t heard it approach before now. It was almost silent out here. She closed her eyes, certain that the shadow of death would still kill her.

But when there was no pain, she slowly opened them, staring at the space where he had been.

Where there was now nothing.

“Immy!”

She turned at the cry, seeing Sampson jumping out of the driver’s side of the truck. But he was behind Jenner and Tobias, who had already reached her.

Another sob broke out of her and she winced in pain.

“Oh, baby. Oh shit, baby. What the fuck happened?” Jenner asked as he kneeled next to her. His hands hovered over her. “I want to touch you, but I’m too scared. Where does it hurt? What happened?”

“I—”

“Who the fuck did this?” Tobias said in a carefully-controlled voice. “Tell me.”

“I—”

“It’s going to be all right, baby,” Jenner told her. “Just tell us what happened.”

“Fuck!” Sampson snapped.

She looked over to find him by the car.

“What?” Tobias asked. “Who is it?”

“It’s Lauren,” Sampson said. “And she’s dead.”

“Dead? Lauren?” Jenner asked. “What happened? Was there a car crash? Why would you get into a car with Lauren and come up here?”

“Fuck, Cherry. Tell us what’s going on!” Tobias demanded.

“Lauren didn’t die from the car crash,” Sampson said, pulling a gun out from the small of his back as he glanced around. “She was shot.”

“There’s a man,” she said urgently, before anyone else could interrupt. “With a gun. We have to go. We have to go now.”

Immy was terrified that he was going to come for them. That he would shoot them all. It was up to her to keep the guys safe. Tobias drew a gun, glancing around as though he expected trouble.

“Please, please, let’s go!” She tried to move, letting out a scream of pain as she did.

“Shit. Fuck. Let me help you,” Jenner said urgently.

“Jenner, get the truck up close, cover her,” Sampson ordered. “Tobias, you lift her in while I cover you.”

Jenner ran to the truck and drove it as close as he could get. Then he opened the back door and Tobias carefully picked her up.

“Sorry, sweetness,” he said as she groaned.

“No . . . problem . . . I’m sorry . . . I . . . stink.”

He got into the backseat of the truck and settled her on his lap. Sampson jumped in the front passenger seat and Jenner carefully backed up and turned around.

“You should put . . . me down,” she told Tobias. “Covered in . . . puke. Stink.”

“Shut up,” he growled at her. “I wouldn’t care if you were covered in blood matter and sewerage,” he told her. “I’d still hold you.”

“Aww, that’s . . . sweet. Weird, but . . . sweet.”

“Why does she sound so breathless? What’s going on?” Jenner asked.

“What happened?” Sampson turned to stare at her.

“I . . . shit. How did you . . . find me?”

“Took us a bit to figure out you were gone,” Tobias told her. “And we’ll be having a long conversation about that once you’re feeling better. When we did, we tried calling you but it didn’t go through.”

“Isaiah tracked my . . . phone?” she guessed.

“I did,” Jenner told her. “I, um, after Maeve was kidnapped I asked him to put the app on my phone where I could track yours.”

“We couldn’t get hold of Isaiah,” Sampson said. “He isn’t answering his phone.”

Worry filled her. “Do you think he’s . . . all right? Can you track his phone? Maybe one of . . . the fake-Sentinels got him!”

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Tobias said. “We don’t know how badly you’re injured. You need to stay calm. Is there a blanket or something to put around her?”

“Use my jacket,” Jenner said. “It’s on the back seat.”

Tobias covered her in Jenner’s jacket. It still held his scent and it made her want to melt. He always smelled so good. Cinnamon and chocolate.

“What the fuck happened?” Sampson demanded.

“We have to check on Isaiah,” she said with urgency.

“I’m sending him and Abe a message,” Sampson reassured her. “As well as Alejandro and Gray.”

“Just stay calm, sweetness,” Tobias told her. “Everything will be okay.”

“Will it?” she asked on a sob. “Everything seems to be falling apart!”

“Don’t worry about any of that right now,” Jenner told her in a reassuring voice. “All you need to do is concentrate on you, baby.”

“Tell us,” Sampson said.

“Lauren hit me with her car. And then she . . . she kidnapped me.”