How can Arlo know me even better than I know myself? I hate that he knows me so well.

I hate that he already thinks he has my whole plan figured out.

I hate that he thinks I don’t love Heath.

I hate how he is holding me so close, like I’m his to do what he pleases with.

I hate how he looks at me like he can control me with just his eyes.

I hate the smell of his aftershave, how it is the only smell I will remember from tonight.

But, most of all, I hate how my body still reacts to his. Every nerve inside me is on fire, begging for him to touch me, hold me closer. My heart is fluttering far too fast in my chest for what is healthy for me. My breathing is uneven, making it hard for me to think. My body loves him even though I hate him. And I don’t know how to get my body in line with my heart.

“Leave me alone, Arlo. I’m not afraid of you anymore. I might have been, but it was because I was a scared little girl who still believed in horror stories. I don’t anymore.”

Arlo pulls me closer every time I say something he disagrees with. I should stop provoking him; it just makes him hold on to me tighter. But I can’t stop myself because I hate him and also because I love it when he holds me closer. I can feel more of his hard body, and it gives me a better angle to rip his throat out if I so choose.

“Oh, my Nina, you have no idea what horrors truly exist in the world. But you are going to find out.”

He’s going to make his move soon. I know it.

I beg Heath to get back to me soon. To stay with me. To protect me. But I know he can’t really protect me. I know the only person who truly can is me. I just have no idea if I’m strong enough.

“Bullshit,” I say, repeating his word from earlier.

His eyes search mine, looking for something but I don’t know what. Is he looking for fear? The fear is oozing out of every single one of my pores, so it shouldn’t be hard for him to find.

“Kidnap me, Arlo, and show me how horrible you are. Show me exactly what kind of evil monster you are.”

I need to keep my mouth shut. Nothing I say is going to improve my situation. But it makes me feel better. It makes me feel like I have some amount of control even though I have none.

Arlo shakes his head. “No, Nina, I’m not going to kidnap you. You are going to come with me willingly.”

And then he lets me go and disappears into the night, leaving me alone on the dance floor.

What the hell was that?

I wait for Heath to return with our drinks while I search to find where Arlo went, but I can’t find him. Anywhere.

I head over to the bar to look for Heath, but he isn’t where I last saw him. I fibbed when I told Arlo that Heath was coming back. He was still waiting at the bar for our drinks.

I walk all the way around the circular bar. He’s gone. I know it. I feel it, but I can’t let him go.

“Excuse me,” I say to the bartender.

He ignores me and continues to serve the dozens of people who were here before me. I glance down at my wedding dress that is covered in sand and seawater after being dunked in the ocean. I look like a mess, but I’m still a bride, damn it. It’s still my wedding day, and I think I deserve something for that.

“Excuse me! Today’s my wedding day, and I could really use your help,” I say, fed up and frustrated.

The bartender finally turns his attention to me, and when he sees that I am in fact wearing a wedding dress, he rushes over.

“How may I help you?”

“My husband came over to get our drinks about ten minutes ago. He was standing right here at the bar, and then he just disappeared. He’s dressed in a dirty tux. He’s the hottest man in the bar—tall, fit, and blond. Have you seen him?”

He nods. “He just left with one of the other hottest men in the bar tonight.”

My heart stops. Arlo. He has him. I don’t know how, in the split second that he disappeared into the crowd, he managed to get Heath. But he did.

He’s testing my love.

I could just leave. I could run again and let Arlo have Heath. That’s what Arlo wants to see. If I love Heath.

Damn it!

There is no way he is getting away with this. He will not take Heath from me. He’s mine.

I run out of the bar even though I have no idea where to run. I have no idea where Arlo took Heath.

I pull out my phone and call Heath’s phone.

It rings once.

Twice.

Three times.

“What can I do for you, Nina?” Arlo’s voice answers.

“Where is Heath?”

“You lost your husband already and on the first day? That’s not a good sign, Nina.”

“I know you have him, Arlo. I know you kidnapped him. Now, where is he, and what do you want? I’m not in the mood to play games, Arlo.”

“Oh, but I am, Nina. All I do is play games. So, you’d better get used to it.”

“Where is he?”

“Relax. He’s right here, Nina.”

“Run, Nina! Go to the police. Run away. I’ll be fine. Just run while you still can!” Heath shouts into the phone.

“See? He’s completely fine, Nina,” Arlo says.

“Let him go.”

“Now, what fun would that be?”

“Let him go. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt him.”

I can practically hear Arlo smirk on the other end of the phone.

“I don’t think you should do that, Nina.”

“What do you mean? I’m giving up. You win. Don’t hurt him.”

“I think you should listen to your husband and run.”

“No.”

“Are you sure, Nina? Are you sure that Heath is worth saving when you could still save yourself? Isn’t that what you said you were going to do anyway? Save yourself? So, do it.”

“No.”

Arlo sighs. “So, you really do love Heath then? Is that it?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, meet me at the SPB private airfield in ten minutes, but just know you can save only one person. You can either save Heath or you can save yourself.”

The phone call ends, and I shiver despite it not being the least bit cold outside. It’s not even a question of whom I’m going to save. I already know, and so does Arlo. I’m going to save Heath.