“A little,” I manage to lie.

How didn’t I see this coming? All this undercover work, and I was hanging out with the enemy’s daughter all along.

Fuck, I can’t breathe.

“Good. I’m glad I was right.” Doc relaxes back into the couch, his nerves no longer evident. “It’ll make this a hell of a lot easier.”

I gape at him. “What easier?”

Doc is Emery’s father.

Emery is Doc’s daughter.

The things she must know...

No, I won’t go there.

“To ask you for your help.” He sets his hat aside on the cushion and rests his arms on his knees. “You see, Ryler, my daughter, while completely flawless on the outside—which I’m sure is something you’ve noticed—has a lot of flaws on the inside. I’ve tried to break them out of her, but like my son, she’s stubborn. One of the things I couldn’t break her of was wanting to leave home. My wife and I have subtly tried to get her home because I don’t think dragging her back will do any good. Once Emery makes up her mind, it’s hard to change it.”

“Okay.” I’m uncertain of what he wants from me.

“Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why the hell I’m telling you all this,” he says, reading my mind. “First, you should know that I trust you. You’ve proven that time and time again. And, last night, you passed my test with flying colors.”

“Wait a minute. Last night was just a test?”

“Well, technically. The man did ruin my son, but I took his death as an opportunity to see how you’d react in a situation like that, if you’d panic or break down. You handled it calmly, though. You kept your head together, took the wheel when I asked you to, and most importantly, kept your mouth shut.” He moves back to reach into his pocket.

My fingers twitch to grab the gun tucked in the back of my jeans. But when he removes his hand, in his palm is a key.

“I want you to keep an eye on Emery while she’s living here. She doesn’t know it, but I’ve got more enemies than she even realizes.” He sticks out his hand toward me. “This key is to her place, in case you ever need to get in there.”

I reach to take the key, but he clasps his hands around the metal. Thunder booms and rain slaps against the glass as the wind howls from outside.

“Ryler, I need to make sure you’ll protect her with your life. I need you to promise me you’ll keep close to her, and that if anything happens, she’ll come first, no matter what. I know it’s asking a lot, but it’s important. My daughter is more important than she even realizes.”

I pluck the key from his hand. “I don’t want this to sound wrong, but I have to ask. If she’s so important, don’t you think maybe a bodyguard would be better?”

He smiles eerily. “You act as if you two barely know each other. I know you’ve gotten close and my daughter trusts you, which means she’ll be truthful with you if something happens. You should know that she very unstable. Sometimes, she can’t see things for what they are. She can be toxic and dangerous. Again, even more than she realizes. I need someone to handle her.” His eyes bore a hole into my head. “Not only does she trust you with some of her secrets, but she trusts you. I know you can protect her. I think, for now, it’s the perfect solution to keep her safe.”

My pulse pounds deafeningly inside my chest. He’s saying all of this straightforwardly, as if he knows Emery has told me secrets, not just assuming she has. Just how much does he know?

“How do you know she trusts me?”

“Now that’s one of the secrets I can’t tell.” His grin widens. “So, what do you say, Ryler? Do we have a deal?” He extends his hand to me to shake on it.

I hesitate. “Can I ask for a favor, though? It’s not a big one… just about Haven, and… Well, she won’t leave me alone.”

He nods understandingly. “Yes, the last thing you need is for Haven to distract you; I know how she can get. I’ll make sure she leaves you alone so you can put all of your attention on keeping Emery safe.” He thrusts his hand to me again, urging me to take it.

The look on his face is terrifying. A look of the devil himself. I shouldn’t make the deal, but I’m afraid he’ll shoot me or something if I don’t. And, even though I hate it, a thought prickles in the back of my mind.

Emery might know where the warehouse is.

Besides, I don’t think I really have a choice. Doc may be asking me, but I think watching Emery became my new job title.

I feel bad for what I’m about to do, though. I feel too much like Aura in the moment, stabbing Emery in the back. Still, I take Doc’s hand and make an unbinding commitment, feeling as though I’m making a deal with the devil, hoping I don’t wind up selling my soul at the end of all of this.

Chapter 12

Dirty Little Secret

Emery

College.

What can I say about college? It’s pretty much the same as high school. The teachers still love to hear themselves talk. The students still rarely listen.

I still absorb everything, seeking good grades like I did in high school. But unlike high school, I’m not going to let my father blow this for me. The scar on my back throbs as I think about the note he left on the door.

He’s in Laramie. Doing what? Working? Checking up on me? Coming to try to take me home? Was it him who put the brick through my window to scare me into going home?