Page 4 of Pursued-

“‘Vil,” Trick says, pulling my attention from my plans. “What’s up?”

I open the Rover’s door and almost smirk. Not knowing what I’m doing is driving him crazy. I guess maybe I should’ve realized it would. Trick’s a guy who likes to know things and his mind never stops. He’s probably playing three games of chess and dissecting the stock market’s moves in his head right now.

“It’s not about that,” I say.

“So?”

“Are you my fucking wife?” I counter.

He cracks a smile.

I reach under the running board, yank off the GPS tracker, and toss it over the top of the truck. It hits the ground a few feet from him.

“Bad idea. Seriously,” I say with a scowl. None of us can afford to have our movements tracked. We had the GPS disabled in the Rovers. I’m surprised he’d put one on the truck even as a joke.

His smirk drops. “Wait then.” He comes over and takes another tracker from under the front seat.

I roll my eyes again. “Asshole.” He knows better. We keep watch over our vehicles and sweep them all the time toprevent tracking. The feds and Frank would both like to know where we’re at and what we’re doing.

“If you’re in something and need backup, I’ll come. No questions.”

“I know,” I say.

Trick and I are opposites in a lot of things, but we’re the same in a couple of ways that count. We’re at the top of a crue that was built on loyalty. We’ve got each other’s backs, down to the last drop of blood. Always.

“I’ve got things under control,” I say, knowing that might not be the case.

“All right,” Trick says. His phone pings. “Food’s here.”

He walks down to the gate.

I get in the truck and drive away, leaving the compound and the dinner I’ll never eat.

Ten minutes outside town, there’s an unmarked Dodge in a field where there are no closed circuit television cameras. I put the fake license plates on it last night and filled the tank from a gas can. Then I sped down the back roads to be sure it’s ready to make the run I’m planning.

The car’s ready. The restraints in the trunk are ready. And I’m ready.

I drive the Rover to it and make the switch of vehicles.

I’m coming for her.

RACHEL

I’m standingon the Langston Theater stage alone. It’s our community theater, but it’s also a newly restored historic theater that’s gilded to within an inch of its life.

I look down at the anonymous note that was left at the stage door for me on closing night of our limited run, original production. My best friend Zoe and I wrote a dark fairy tale calledA Midsummer Night’s Glare, and both performed in it. Her role was as principle dancer. I stayed behind the curtain, playing lead violin in secret. People from up and down the East Coast have come to town to see it. I’m proud of us.

But I didn’t get to perform in the final show because my father has cracked down, and I’m more of a prisoner than ever in his house. He’s suspicious of everyone. This might be the last time I manage to sneak out alone.

I look inside the envelope where there’s a train ticket to take me from Boston to Chicago.

I read the note again.

Leave Coynstonbefore it’s too late. There’s a room for you at the Drake Hotel in Chicago.

I thinkthe note is probably a test. Most likely, it’s one of my father’s tricks to see if I’ll take the bait. He’s paranoid that I’ll take off before my wedding. I narrow my eyes at the heavy bond paper. The note could also be a little trap of Alberto Leone’s. He’s my fiancé, and he also seems concerned I might disappear in the night.

I won’t. I can’t.