I felt the sting of a hand on my cheek, and my eyes opened, blinking in the light of the bare bulb overhead.

“Wake up, Magnolia,” Tripp cooed into my ear. “I need you awake.”

My peripheral vision was fading again, but the press of his mouth to my neck brought me back to awareness.

“You’re a strong girl,” he said as he kissed my cheek. “And such a pretty girl. Daddy must not love you as much as I thought he did. Let’s hope he shows up soon. He’s eight minutes late, and we both know what happens in another two minutes.” He licked a C on my cheek with his tongue.

A fresh sob rose out of nowhere. After eight minutes of hell, I was sure I was out of tears.

I heard a creak on the floor overhead. Tripp must have heard it too, because he stopped and lifted his head.

“Daddy’s home,” he sang out, a smile lifting his mouth.

He moved away from me, heading toward the stairs as the creaking in the floorboards overhead moved closer.

I hadn’t stood a chance ten years ago. Tripp had known I was there from the moment I’d walked in the door.

“Magnolia?” Colt called out, and my heart slammed into my ribs.

“Colt!” I screamed and started to sob.

Tripp shot me a look that screamed, Shut up. No words required.

“I have something you want,” Colt called out. “Two somethings. Come up and get them.”

“I don’t think so,” Tripp shouted. “But you’re free to come down and see your girlfriend. She’s sporting a new look since you last saw her.” Then he laughed.

My entire body throbbed from the multiple cuts he’d slashed into me, and blood dripped to the floor.

I was sure I looked just like Melanie had when I first saw her. Had she been filled with the same hope of escape when she’d heard my footsteps overhead? She must have been devastated when Tripp had instead carried me down the stairs.

“I’m having a hard time wrestling one of them,” Colt shouted. “Let our host know you’re here, Steele.”

“I’m here!” my father shouted. “And I have the money.”

Tripp hesitated at the base of the stairs.

“Just come get the money and go,” Colt hollered out. “It’ll make your getaway a lot smoother.”

The alarm went off and Tripp glanced at me, indecision in his eyes. “I’m in a dilemma, Magnolia. I told Daddy that I’d cut you for every minute he was late, and while he’s technically here, he’s not here. I need him to see you. I need him to see my handiwork.”

He moved toward me, the knife at an angle that meant he was about to slash me again.

“No!” I screamed, letting the rope take all my weight as I lifted a foot and smashed it into his crotch. But my aim was slightly off, and although he doubled over from the pain, he wasn’t totally incapacitated.

There was movement on the floor overhead and then on the stairs, but Tripp was upright and moving behind me. He had an arm around my stomach, and the pressure of his arm against my wounds was sending pulses of pain and fire through my body, but I was more worried about the knife tip pressed to my neck.

Colt appeared first, his expression a mixture of shock and outrage. Then anger. His body was tight with barely controlled rage as he reached the basement floor. He had a gun at his side, and he lifted it, pointing it to the side of my head—at Tripp’s face, the only part of him not covered by my body.

My father was behind him, holding a black satchel. His eyes flew open when he saw me.

“Magnolia?” His gaze lifted to Tripp. “What have you done, Tripp? You’ve ruined everything, son.”

“Son,” Tripp spat out. “I’m not your son. You were full of lies. You told me you would never leave me and you did!”

“I didn’t want to leave,” my father said with a panicked look as his eyes scanned my body. “You know I never wanted to leave you or Magnolia, but they would have killed me if I’d stayed. Then you never would have gotten your money.”

“You could have taken me with you!”

“You know that wouldn’t have worked. It would have looked suspicious. I needed you to wait.”

“I was tired of being patient. You told me you’d give me back my money tenfold, even after everyone else lost theirs. I’ve been living off residuals for fourteen years,” Tripp said. “Every time you came back, you were full of excuses.”

“I told you it would take twenty years before the annuity paid out.”

“But you had plenty of money to come back and forth! You’ve had plenty of money to live off of, and you never shared a dime with me,” Tripp shouted, his grip tightening around my stomach. I cried out as another wave of pain shot through my body.

Colt’s hand tightened on his gun. How good of a shot was he? Could he miss me and kill Tripp? Because if he missed, I was confident Tripp would slit my throat.

“It wasn’t just money, you stupid son of a bitch!” Tripp cursed, his body stiffening behind me. “I’ve been alone! You ruined my life! And now I’m going to do the same to yours!” The knife blade pressed harder into my neck, and I felt a prick of pain.

Panic rose up, choking me, and I struggled not to start sobbing again. I caught Colt’s gaze, and the fear in his eyes gutted me. He’d never be able to handle seeing me murdered in front of him.

I mouthed, I love you.

His face hardened and he gave me the tiniest of nods. He was going to get me out of this.

“Tripp,” my father said in a calm voice that hinted he thought he was regaining control of the situation. “I’ve missed you.”

The pressure of the knife tip on my throat eased up.

“Come with me,” my father said. “I planned to bring Magnolia, but why don’t you come with us?”

“I can’t come after this!” Tripp said in disgust, taking the knife away from my throat and waving it downward, then back up.

“You’ve made mistakes,” my father said in a soothing tone I recognized from my childhood. He used to speak to me like that when I was scared. “I’ve made more than I can count. I’ve hurt the people I love the most. I’ve hurt Magnolia. I’ve hurt you. But we’re family, and family forgives one another. It’s the way it works.”

Tripp turned his face to look at me. “Can you forgive me, Magnolia?”

I couldn’t hold back my tears as I lied through my teeth. “Of course I forgive you. I understand doing drastic things because you feel unloved and alone.” I struggled to get out the words. My breath was shallow and my face felt numb.

But what I said must have had an impact because Tripp’s hold loosened.

My father took a step forward. “I have a plane waiting for me and Magnolia. We’re flying out as soon as we leave here. Come with us.”

Colt’s gaze was still on me, and he looked alarmed. “You need to get Magnolia down. She’s hurt, and hanging like that isn’t going to help with her blood loss.”

“Cut her down,” my father said. “Let’s put pressure on her wounds. Then we’ll take her to the private plane I have waiting at the Murfreesboro airport.”

“She needs help before that,” Colt said, trying to look unaffected by the sight of my wounds. His voice shook slightly. “Some of her cuts are deep. She needs a doctor.”

“We don’t have one,” my father said, then advanced toward me. “But we’ll make do. Tripp, cut her down. We have to go. There’s a storm blowing in, and we have to outrun it.”

“I haven’t said that I’m going,” Tripp said. “I brought you here so you could watch me kill Magnolia. Then I was going to take the money and kill you too.”

“There’s a fine line between love and hate,” my father said. “You love me, Tripp. Don’t let your temper and impatience get the better of you. I can move past this. Can you?”

“You’ll still bring me with you?” Tripp asked in disbelief.

“I’ve missed you, Tripp,” my father said. “You were the son I always wished I had. There’s nothing stopping you from coming now. But we have to hurry. With the storm blowing in, the plane won’t be able to take off.”

Tripp’s hand shook as he pointed the knife toward Colt. “I want him to throw his gun over here. I don’t trust your errand boy, Brian.”

“He’s not going to shoot you,” my father said. “He’s my employee, and he’s loyal.”

“I don’t care,” Tripp said. “He loses the gun before I cut her down.”

Colt squatted and tossed the gun to the floor. It skidded across the concrete, stopping halfway between us.

Tripp hesitated for a moment, but then reached over my head with the blade. He leaned into my ear, whispering, “I hope you can get past this, Magnolia.”

I didn’t answer, my skin crawling with the anticipation of being cut down. I kept my gaze on Colt, telling myself he’d find a way to get me out of this. He slowly reached behind his back as he stood.

Tripp’s hold on my abdomen tightened, sending a sharp wave of pain through my body as he cut the rope.

My body fell, slipping from Tripp’s hold.

A gunshot rang out and then two more as I hit the floor in a heap. Tripp dropped behind me. I tried to roll to my stomach so I could crawl away, but someone grabbed me from behind.

I screamed and sobbed, trying to fling my arms at him, but they were useless and numb after hanging so long.

“Maggie!” Colt said, releasing his hold. “It’s me.”

I collapsed onto the floor, the throbbing of my wounds taking over all my senses.

“Tripp’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore, but I have to get you out of here,” he said, his voice tight. “I’m going to pick you up, okay?”

I nodded slightly, still crying uncontrollably.

He scooped me up and headed for the stairs, bounding up them faster than I would have expected since he was carrying me. He didn’t stop in the house, carrying me out to his truck and putting me in the backseat. Reaching under the seat, he grabbed a cotton jacket and then wrapped it around my shoulders. He cupped my face with a shaking hand, and tears filled his eyes. “I’d call an ambulance, but I think it’s faster if I take you to the hospital, okay?”

I couldn’t answer through my sobs, but he must have taken my lack of protest as permission.

“I’m going to help you lie down.” His voice quavered, and then his face hardened. “Killing the bastard wasn’t enough. He should have suffered double what you did.”

I shook my head. “Take me home, Colt. I just want to go home.” My wracking sobs sent more waves of pain across my stomach, back, and legs, pushing me closer to the darkness.

He kissed my forehead and started to ease me down when I heard my father yell, “Magnolia!”

“I don’t want to see him,” I said in a panic.

“Don’t worry,” he said, his body humming with tethered rage. “That asshole will never get near you again.”

He stepped back, his shirt and jeans covered in my blood.

The yard lit up as an engine started. My father stood in the headlights of his car, the key fob in one hand and the satchel in the other. He slipped the key fob into his pants pocket. “I need you to put Magnolia into my car,” he said to Colt. “We have a plane to catch.”

“This is done. You’re done. Go catch your private plane and get the fuck out of our lives.”

“Not without Magnolia. You know she’s the main reason I came back.”

“That’s total bullshit, and we all know it, but it doesn’t matter because she doesn’t want to go with you.”

“She’s been traumatized. She wants to go—she just doesn’t understand it yet.”

“She’s not a fucking child!” Colt shouted. “She’s a grown woman who knows exactly what she wants. Try asking her.”

Dammit. Colt was fighting my battle for me, and I loved him for it, but I had to finish this myself. I pushed to the edge of the seat to get out, and then I noticed the burner phone Colt had gotten me was lying on the front seat. I considered trying to lean over and get it, but I couldn’t handle the anticipated pain. Instead, I slid out of the backseat and onto the grass, stifling a cry. I felt lightheaded and wobbled for a moment before regaining my equilibrium.

“So she can rely on you?” my father sneered. “Does she know the truth?”

“I know it all,” I said, taking a tentative step toward Colt. Pain jolted through my body with every step.

Colt swung around to face me, his eyes wide. “Maggie, what are you doing? You should be lying down.”

“You know about Delilah?” my father asked.

“Yes,” I said, digging deep to find the energy to shout at him. “Now get in your car, go to your plane, and fly off to your island.” Each footstep took more effort than the last, and my aching arms felt like deadweights.

“You’re only saying that because of your attachment to Colt,” my father said. “I knew I had to wait until your mother was gone. It was problematic that you were growing closer to Belinda, but the detective seemed willing enough to help sow some distrust. Enough that you wouldn’t be encouraged to stay on her behalf.”

“Brady?” Was there no end to my father’s deceptions and orchestrations?

“Colt doesn’t love you, Magnolia,” my father said, taking a step forward and reaching a hand toward me. “He’s using you to get to me. He hates me for forcing him to be my employee, and he wants to use you to hurt me.”

I stood next to Colt. He reached for my hand and threaded our hands together. “He was the only one trying to save me just now,” I said. “You think he’s trying to get back at you. I think it’s obvious who really loves me.”

My father reached behind his back, and before I could register what was happening, he pointed a gun in my direction.

The gunshot sounded unnaturally loud as Colt crumpled to the ground, his hand pulling free of mine.

“What did you do?” I screamed hysterically. “What did you do?” I dropped to my knees and searched Colt’s body for a bullet wound.

A blood stain began to spread on his upper left chest. I pressed my hand to the spot, my still partially numb hand clumsily putting pressure on the wound. “Colt!” I pleaded. “I love you, dammit. Please don’t die.”

He grabbed my upper arm, yanking me down. “Maggie,” he whispered, grimacing with pain. “My gun is behind me. I’ll roll to the side so you can get it, but first get my keys out of my jeans pocket. Then get in the truck and go.”

“No! I am not leaving you here.”

Colt shook his head. “He’ll take you, I swear . . . he’ll kidnap you. I think he’s been planning it for years. You have to go now.”

I heard a car headed toward us, and seconds later, I could see its headlights bouncing around in the woods.

“Time to go,” my father said, marching toward me.

“Maggie,” Colt whispered, sounding weaker. “Keys. Now.”

I dug into his pocket as my father grabbed my other arm and tugged, and the jacket fell off my shoulders onto the ground. Colt held on to me until my fumbling fingers tugged the keys free. I flew upward, slamming into my father’s chest. A new wave of pain shot through my body, making my vision start to black out, and I faltered.

“Magnolia, you’re hurt. You need me to take care of you,” my father said, wrapping an arm around my back. The pain in his voice caught me by surprise, but he continued to lead me toward his car.

I glanced back at Colt, who was motionless, and rage exploded inside of me. “You shot him!”

“It was for your own good.”

“How can you say that?” I dug in my heels, but I was weak and exhausted, and I didn’t have the strength to resist him. “Who made you God?”

“I did!” he countered. “I know best. Now stop fighting me, Magnolia!”

Where was the car in the woods? I heard no sign of it, and the headlights were gone.

It was up to me to save myself and Colt.

I let my father pull me closer, pretending to go along with him, and then I swung with the keys, aiming for his face. They hit his cheek, and I dug in and pulled down, stopping only when he released my arm. I ran for the truck, intending to get the burner phone to call for help, but I struggled to remain upright. I was almost there when I heard my father say, “If you get in that truck, I’ll shoot him again and make sure he’s dead.”

“Maggie, go,” Colt said with a cough. “I’m as good as dead anyway.”

“Magnolia, if you willingly come, I’ll call an ambulance right now,” my father shouted. He held his phone out. “I’ll even let you make the call. Colt doesn’t have much time. You can still save him.”

I hated my father. I hated him with every part of my being. How had I ever thought so highly of this man? Why had Momma and I worshiped him? I could see he was shiny and pretty, but deep down, he was hollow and selfish, only thinking about himself.

I had been like that in the past, but I didn’t need to be that way anymore. If I went with my father, I could get help for Colt. I could save him.

I grabbed his phone and stumbled to Colt’s side.

“Don’t do it, Maggie,” Colt said weakly.

I knelt next to him and landed on my butt as I fought a wave of dizziness. The darkness was back, eating at my peripheral vision. This was love. Sacrificing what you wanted to protect the person you care about. Colt had learned that lesson before me, but I caught on eventually. I pressed 911, and told him, “I’m sorry I was so stubborn.”

The operator answered, and I told her Colt had been shot and needed help. Colt told me the address of the house, and I explained to her that it was in the woods, hidden from everything. I put every last bit of energy I had into telling her everything I could to make sure they’d arrive as quickly as possible.

“That’s enough,” my father said, taking the phone from me and pulling me to my feet.

I’d stood too quickly, and I wobbled with dizziness. The cool night air made me start to shiver.

“What trick is this?” my father demanded, and my legs turned to rubber and I fell.

I hit the ground, and the jolt sent pain rushing through me, strong enough to steal my breath away and make me black out for a moment.

“Magnolia, get up, or I’ll shoot him again anyway!”

“Get away from her, Brian,” I heard Belinda say.

A rush of warmth flooded through me. How had she gotten here?

My father walked toward her.

I could barely lift my head to see her, but she wasn’t alone. A man stood with her. My brother.

“Maggie,” Colt whispered in a raspy voice. “My gun. It’s behind me. I can’t reach . . .”

Roy stepped between our father and me, facing forward. Distantly, I registered that he had a gun in his hand. Belinda moved next to him, adding to the human shield.

I helped Colt roll to his side, remaining silent even though his face was contorted with pain. I nearly panicked when I saw the blood seeping through the back of his shirt.

“Roy,” my father said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to get my sister.” He cast a quick glance at me, seeing my exposed bloody body, before turning back. “What did you do to her?”

I reached behind Colt and tugged on the gun stuffed into his jeans, but I was weak and nearly fell over with the effort.

“You can do it, Mags,” Colt whispered.

I tugged again, pulling it free. Colt rolled back down and grunted as his shoulder blade hit the jacket. I collapsed next to him, sure I didn’t have any energy left.

“It wasn’t me,” our father said. “It was Tripp. I saved her, but now I’m taking her with me. Don’t worry,” he said. “You’ll never have to see her again.”

“What’s in the bag?” my brother asked.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” my father said in a smug voice. “But I left a present for you in the flower pot in your backyard. One million in gold. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Magnolia called an ambulance for Colt, and I need to get her out of here before they show up.”

“You still want to take her?” Roy demanded. “After all these years?” When my father didn’t answer, Roy said, “I heard you before you left years ago. I heard you talking to someone about going away, but you told him you’d be back for him and Magnolia. But you weren’t coming back for me.”

“You would never have wanted to go,” my father said in protest. “Now let me get Magnolia. She’s injured.”

Roy turned to his side and glanced down at me, taking in my blood-covered body. “I think Magnolia needs an ambulance as much as Colt does. She’ll stay.” His words of concern and his dispassionate tone seemed at odds with each other.

“You don’t get to decide that, Roy,” my father said. “Either move out of my way, or I’ll shoot.”

I had a clear view of my father and the smug smirk on his face gave me one last jolt of energy. My hand tightened around the gun as I got to my knees, hiding the gun behind me.

“You’d shoot me?” Roy asked in an even tone.

“In a heartbeat.”

I believed my father meant it. He had the gun trained on him, his finger on the trigger. It would only take a second for him to end Roy’s life. My father had caused so many deaths, both directly and indirectly. I couldn’t let that happen.

I lifted the gun, aimed it at my father’s chest, and pulled the trigger, hoping my shaking hand didn’t make me miss.

Belinda screamed and my brother dropped to the ground, and for a moment I thought I’d missed and accidently shot him instead.

My father toppled over.

I tried to stand, but my shivering became more violent. Instead, I dropped the gun and fell next to Colt. I was prepared for a shock of pain to shoot through me, but it was only a dull ache.

That was a bad sign.

I thought about trying to get up, but I was too weak. Too tired. I rolled to my side, facing Colt. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I can’t.”

“Maggie,” Colt cried out.

I was vaguely aware of Belinda dropping down next to me. She rolled me onto my back, crying out when she saw all my gashes. She started issuing orders to Roy, who actually followed them.

I heard the whine of sirens in the distance, and I told myself if I could just hang on, they would save me.

“Magnolia?” Belinda turned my face up to look at hers. “I need you to focus on my voice, okay?”

I felt my feet being tugged upward, and to my surprise, Roy was lifting my legs and putting a bag underneath them.

They covered me with a blanket, and Belinda made Roy press on the deep wounds on my leg and my stomach. Then she moved to Colt’s other side, pressing down on his wound.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to Roy.

He nodded and then looked away, staring at our dead father.

“Hang on, Magnolia,” Belinda said, but she sounded far away. “The ambulance is almost here.”

I wanted to answer that I was trying, but I didn’t have anything left in me. I turned my head to see Colt, and he was staring at me with tears in his eyes. I tried to focus on his face. If I had to die, at least I would be looking into the face of someone who loved me. Colt had made me believe I could have a happily ever after. Even if it never came true.

I fought to keep my eyelids open, but it was a losing battle. They were too heavy.

The darkness came back for me, and this time I let the nothingness swallow me whole.