My conscience stirs at his words. "I don't think it's right to get others involved."

"Even if this friend was with Culo when he sold the collar to Bucks—-"

"What if that's just a coincidence?"

"—-and this same friend was overheard saying he's thinking of having dog meat to celebrate the New Year?"

I don't even have the strength to tell him he's right, he's won, and we're definitely going to burn that place down since its owner is going to Hell.

"Elizabeth?"

Bile rises to my throat.

Dog meat, my God.

It doesn't matter if the other guy was joking or not.

Dog meat!

He's clearly without a soul to even think this could be remotely funny—-

"It's going to be alright."

The calmness of his tone penetrates the veil of my anger and fears, but it's the heat of his touch as he covers my hand that draws me out of the chaos devouring my mind.

"We'll get him back. Alive. And unharmed."

I want to believe him.

So, so badly.

But how can I do so when I finally remember what he's called me?

"I never told you my name."

Please, please, please say something that will make me trust you.

But the question only makes him loosen his hold.

Oh God.

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice."

Help me.

I'm out of the car in a flash once more.

Please.

But this time, I'm running for my life.

The Prize

HE HAD BEEN STUDYINGher every move for the past three months. Knew everything about her, maybe even more than she knew herself. And while it still pissed him off to think that she was the woman Dantes was last seen with—-

Didn't matter in the end.

He wanted her still, and that was why...