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“Seriously.” I was torn between being overjoyed and being terrified. If she was really ready to get real help, this could be a major turning point. Not just for her, but for me, too. Maybe we could be a family again. She could be the grandmother Dylan always wanted.

“You don’t think it’s weird that she’s calling right now?” Cassidy asked. “Of all times?”

“What do you mean?”

“Seems like a weird coincidence that she would call right when Steph is supposed to be in a meeting.”

“Steph’s always in meetings,” I said. “I feel like I’ve barely seen him since this whole thing started.” I pulled on a hoodie and tied my hair up. “I need to go to her place. If she’s serious about this, I don’t want to give her any time to change her mind.”

“Alone? You should take Rome?—”

“No, he needs to stay here with Dylan,” I said.

“Dylan’s the one Sean is really after.” I didn’t really think that was completely true—Sean had made it clear he wanted to get rid of me, too—but I didn’t want to show up with a bunch of enforcers in tow if she was already antsy about this process.

She could be really prideful. If I showed up with dragons at my back, she might feel attacked and change her mind.

This had to be just me and her.

Cassidy narrowed her eyes. “Call Hawk, then.”

Cassidy didn’t understand how small this window was. I needed to get to Mom’s now. She was right to suggest I take an enforcer, though. Steph had made it clear it was dangerous to be out alone right now. I dialed Hawk.

The call rang, and rang, and rang. The voice mailbox you have tried to reach is full…

I didn’t have any time to waste.

“Hey, Hawk,” I said into the phone as the robotic voice told me he couldn’t accept voice messages. “Do you have a second to escort me? I’m going to my mom’s. Yes, now. … Really? Great. Can you meet me there? Great. See you soon.”

By the time I finished my little skit, the line was dead.

Cassidy uncrossed her arms. “He’s meeting you there?”

“Yeah. It’s not far. I’ll be fine, Cass.”

The risk was before Sean had decided to challenge Steph, right? Now Sean was committed to fighting Steph to the death, so he wouldn’t be chasing me down. And it was the middle of the day. This would be quick. I’d go get my mom, take her to the hospital for intake, then call Steph.

“All right,” Cassidy said. Her voice was unsure. I was grateful Dylan was outside, because he’d definitely know I was lying, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to help my mother. It might be the only chance I get.

“I’ll be back soon,” I said. “Hold down the fort, okay?”

I rushed out of the house before Cassidy could say anything else, hopped into the car, and pulled out before Rome could hear the engine and question me.

I drove to my mom’s A-frame house tucked into the woods outside of Lakeview. I parked haphazardly, then rushed up the porch stairs and knocked once before bursting into the house. “Mom?”

I expected to find Mom at the tail end of a bender, with the house trashed, and her probably sick and a mess. I expected to see bottles strewn all over the coffee table, the lights dim, some bad music playing on her stereo.

I did not expect to see Blakely.

Mom was nowhere to be seen. It was only that gangly, red-headed bitch standing in the middle of the living room, grinning at me like a demon.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I snapped.

Fuck, I was stupid. I should’ve brought Rome.

“Hi, Harley,” Blakely said. “I needed to speak to you alone. I knew Ace wouldn’t let me, so I enlisted your dear mother to give me a hand.”

“Where is she?” I demanded. “What did you do to her?”

“She’s fine,” Blakely said. “And she’ll stay that way, as long as you do what I say.”

“You set this up.” Realization fell over me like ice water. “You tricked Ace into leaving the house, and then tricked me into coming here.”

“It was really easy, too,” Blakely said. “So much for all your security detail, huh? One little request from Mommy, and you come running like a little girl.”

“Shut your fucking mouth. Where is she?” I was ready to beat this woman’s ass. Rage and panic both burned within me, making my heart race and sweat bead at my temples.

“Come on out,” Blakely called.

The door to Mom’s upstairs bedroom opened. I heard footsteps stomping, and then an unfamiliar man stomped down the stairs with my mother in tow. Her arms were bound behind her back, and she was pale and terrified.

“Mom!” I cried out. Her shaky voice on the phone hadn’t been withdrawal or pain. It’d been fear. And I hadn’t noticed at all.

“Don’t move,” Blakely snapped. She pointed a small pistol at me.

I put my hands up. What the hell had I gotten myself into?

I’m sorry, Steph, I thought desperately. Part of me wished he actually had bitten me. Then he’d feel the pain and the fear through the bond and come rescue me.

Fuck. I really fucked this up.

The man, tall and bulky with thinning black hair, marched my mother into the living room and pushed her roughly into an armchair.

“I’m sorry,” Mom said. “They forced me to call you, Harley, and they said they just wanted to talk. I didn’t mean?—”

“It’s okay, Mom,” I said as I glared at Blakely. “This isn’t your fault. She’s always been a filthy liar.”

“Why are you doing this, Blakely?” Mom asked in a weak, wet voice. “You used to be such a sweet girl…”

“Shut her up,” Blakely snarled to the man.

“No!” I took a step forward, but the click of Blakely’s gun as she turned the safety off had me stopping short.

The man pulled a thick bandanna from his back pocket and wrapped it around Mom’s face, gagging her. Mom choked out a pained sound, and tears ran down her face.

“Nothing personal,” Blakely said. “I just need Harley out of the way.”

“You’re going to regret this, Blakely.” My mother and I might have been on bad terms, but she didn’t deserve to be hurt like this. Not because of me.

Then Blakely and the man were both pointing guns right at my face. “Come quietly, and I won’t shoot out your knees,” Blakely said.

I swallowed hard. Her expression was so enraged, I didn’t doubt she would actually shoot me right here in front of my own mother.

I was trapped.