Page 75 of My Three Rivals

It was a stupid, stupid thing to call him on, but now that it was in my face, I couldn’t help but spill it aloud. Lou’s complexion turned opaque, even in the shadowy lighting.

“Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he hissed, grabbing me and throwing me back into the chair.

“This is a side gig,” I squealed, the madness fully taking hold. Perhaps I was coming to terms with my inevitable death, but I wanted Lou to know that I knew. And if I knew, maybe, just maybe, Atticus, Maverick, and Wyatt would figure it out, too. “What would they do if they found out how much money you’ve withheld—”

Again, the butt of the gun hit me on the head, but I didn’t black out this time. Stars swirled around my head, and I wheezed in pain.

“And who’s going to tell them, little girl?” Lou spat, his nose level with mine. “Not you! You’ll be long gone.”

I coughed, my chin low as I mustered up the last of my courage.

“Not if I tell the buyer what you’re doing—”

“You’re going to have a hard time doing that when you can’t talk!” Lou roared.

This time, the blow did set me back into a world of blackness, my head slumping against the chair as blood streaked down my face. It was over. When I woke up—if I woke up—I’d be in the hands of some stranger who would do unspeakable things to me, things that Teresa from the hardware store had endured and would haunt her forever.

As I fought against the blanket of ebony, I prayed for the first time since I could remember, the words jumbled and confused.

Please, God, if I get out of this, I’ll help all the Teresas. I promise.

CHAPTER32

Maverick

Sabrina trembled violently, sandwiched between me and Wyatt in the backseat as Atticus tore across the Golden Gate Highway, toward San Francisco.

“Tell me everything you remember about the boats,” Atticus said again. “Where is it in San Francisco?”

“I told you already,” Sabrina garbled. “Can’t we stop somewhere before—”

“NO!” we snapped, silencing her.

A wave of pity for her overcame me, and I steeled myself from barking at her again. She was a hot mess of drugs and years of abuse, her own family treating her as poorly as they had.

It wasn’t Sabrina’s fault that Tegan had been taken by Lou. That was our fault. We should have protected her better.

“Sabby,” I offered slowly, reaching for her hand. She immediately withdrew, her eyes popping, and I exhaled, realizing how much we had to handle her like a wounded puppy. “Tegan is in a lot of trouble right now.”

“Oh, I know,” Sabrina agreed. “I was there… he’s going to try to sell her to the Romanian.”

My brow furrowed in confusion as Sabrina snickered loudly, rubbing her shaking hands against her arms. “Although I should have let the Romanian take me. It probably would have been better than staying with Nick.”

I glanced at Wyatt in confusion, but he shrugged, shaking his head. She wasn’t making a lot of sense in her state of withdrawal, the years of various abuse twisting her fragile mind.

“Tell us more about the boats,” I pressed urgently.

“Stockton!” Sabrina said gleefully. “And North Point!”

“What’s that?” I asked, trying to keep up.

“That’s it!” Sabrina chortled, again clapping her hands.

Atticus almost slammed on the brakes. “That’s where it is?”

“That’s where we scored—after Lou made Nick come get me… hey, is Nick okay?”

I pressed my lips and looked out the window.

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