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She grabs her phone that’s charging in the middle console. “It’s Mom again. She’s worried because I haven’t answered her.”

“You two talk almost every day.” They were close, almost too dependent on each other, up until now.

“Yeah.” She cradles the phone in her lap. “I can’t talk to her, Zack. I can’t even think about her without feeling like I’m going to puke.” She sighs.

“We need to talk with her at some point, Harley. Get a clear picture of exactly what went down.” It’s a gentle warning. Nancy can’t go unchecked. Not after the betrayal.

“I know.” She picks up the phone again. “I’ll just tell her I’ll call tomorrow?”

“Sure.” I nod while merging off the expressway. “You need some time to figure out what you want to do.”

“What I want to do?” She types out her response to her mom, then plugs the phone back into the charger.

“We’ll do whatever you decide. She’s your mother. It’s going to be your call.” The woman deserves to burn at the stake. A low fire that slowly eats away at her skin until she falls unconscious. Then a little Middle Ages justice would work well for the rest. The rack, a disembowelment. Any slow and painful end.

But in the end, it will be up to Harley to decide. It has to come from her, so the wounds finally heal. And she can spread her wings to their fullest.

“All those years of worrying about her. Making sure I didn’t do anything that would remind her of Quinn too much.”

I squeeze her knee.

“I became a teacher because I wanted to make her proud, and she was always telling me how great it would be if I went into teaching. Every decision I ever made was based on how it would make her happy, or proud.”

“Harley, there’s no right or wrong decision here. Whatever you want is what will happen. You can worry about it later.”

“She wanted me dead. I can’t just forgive that, right? Shewas there. They kept her in one of those offices, but she knew, she saw. And when they did bring her to sit with us, she was never hurt. They weren’t doing anything to her, only to us. Like she’d given them the okay.” The pain of it sours her tone. She presses her hand to her chest and leans forward, sucking in air. “Quinn screamed for her.”

All I can do is let her work through the memory as it hits her. The brain only hides what the soul can’t handle. It’s a good sign of her strength that the memories are coming back, but it comes at a price.

Slowly, she calms down. She leans back against the headrest and draws in a deep breath. Her chest rises and falls as she gets her anxiety back under control.

“Better?” I ask when she opens her eyes again. The panic is gone, but her face is a little red.

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

I touch her cheek.

“No need.” The light turns green, and I make a turn. “We’re almost there. Five more minutes.”

The entrance to the club is in a back alley. Once inside the foyer, I pull out the passcodes Jeff sent me to both access the building and get us access to the elevator for the club.The doors slide open after I punch in the code.

Once we’re in the elevator, she giggles.

“Sorry. It’s just, that was all very spy movie.” She rolls her shoulders back.

I sweep her hand into my mine, taking note of how small it is. She looks fragile, this little bird of mine, but I know her, the real her. She’s full of strength and beauty.

“When we get up to the club, just remember not to look at anyone in the eyes. Understand? It’s important. You’re with me, and if you look at them, they’ll think they can take you.”

“Take me? Like just pick me up and walk away?” Her anxiety has waned into playfulness. It’s fucking adorable, but this isn’t the time.

I squeeze her hand. “It’s important, Harley. This is a dangerous place; these are dangerous people.”

Her eyes darken. “Maybe they should be afraid of us then.”

I can’t help but smile.

The woman I found with her nose in a book has surprised me.

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