Snake’s voice filled the line and I immediately slammed the phone down, ending the call.

“What? Raelyn, what’s wrong?”

Instantly, I regretted hanging up and grabbed the phone. “Do it again. Call again. Now!”

When Snake answered again, I bit back my gag reflex and forced myself to stay strong. “What are you doing with her phone?”

Laughter met me. “Well, she let me borrow it. That Carly is a real sweetheart.”

“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you!” I covered my mouth and shook my head. “How did you find her?”

“Easily. You may not have been in the club, but my people knew where you were. Who you were with. Who you were fucking behind my back. Poor Mark didn’t even get a phone call when you left.”

My stomach dropped and I had to bend forward with my head between my knees to keep from passing out. My breathing wasn’t exactly calm.

“That’s right. I know everything. Poor Mark didn’t make it, Rae. He couldn’t take a beating. I didn’t know you were into pussies!”

I jerked upright and slammed the phone onto the desk. “You’re nothing but a worthless piece of trash, Snake, and you’ll never be anything more. You’re only president because you rule over men who have no backbone. You’re president over a club of nothing. You mean nothing. I hope you die. Just like I hoped you would die every day you spent in prison.”

“Be careful what you say to me, Rae! I might not be so easy on you when I get you back!” He screamed with barely contained rage. I could picture his face easily.

“You’re not getting me back.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I noticed that Carly had an incoming call from a payphone. I called it and guess where it led me?”

I stood up and looked around, feeling like he was breathing down my neck.

When I didn’t answer, he laughed. “Oh, Rae. You’re just a stupid whore. Did you really think you’re smart enough to run from me? I had some business to finish up with here, but I’m heading up to Memphis tonight. See you soon, baby.”

I dropped the phone back in its cradle and rushed toward the door. I had to leave. Snake knew where I was and was coming to get me. No way was I going to sit around wait for him to grab me.

“Where are you going?”

I didn’t stop. “I can’t stay here. He’s coming. I have to go. I have to go now.”

Bo rushed to me. “Raelyn, you’re safe here. Look at me.”

I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t breathe.

“Look at me, dammit.” He grabbed my face and made me meet his eyes. “Breathe in through your nose. Come on, you can do it.”

I tried and, after a few minutes, succeeded in calming down my breathing. My brain was still racing, but with Bo walking me through breathing exercises, I could handle it.

“We’re going to walk down to Jack’s office and get him, okay? Then, he’s going to figure out what to do. No matter what, though, you’re safe here. He can’t get you here.”

My eyes filled with tears. “I think he has my best friend.”

Bo quickly ushered me to Jack’s office and then pushed into the room without knocking. Jack was sitting across from his fiancée, looking every bit miserable.

When he spotted me, he jumped up and came around his desk to grab my shoulders. “What happened?”

Stacey stood up and marched toward the door. “Bye, Jack.”

“We used a safe line to call her best friend and Snake answered.” Bo led me to the chair that Stacey had just vacated and pushed me into it.

“What did he say, Red?”

“The typical. I’m a dumb whore, he’s going to get me, he’s on his way to Memphis tonight.” I hiccupped and groaned. “We have to find Carly. She’s only mixed up in this because of me. If he has her…I don’t even want to think of the things he could be doing to her.”

Jack grabbed his cell phone and dialed someone. While holding the phone to his ear, he stared at me. “What’s her name?”

“Carly George.”

“I need a local on Carly George. Jackson, Mississippi. It’s an emergency.”

I dropped my head back between my knees and tried to think positive. Maybe he’d just robbed Carly of her phone. Maybe he didn’t have her.

The silence in the room was driving me crazy. I sat up and walked across the room to the windows behind Jack’s desk. He had the best view, nothing but green and blue. Nature seemed to carry on forever and it was almost like some fairytale world where things in the world hadn’t evolved into such shit.

There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. I noticed it while pressing my forehead against the cool glass. The day outside was beautiful. I could tell there was a light breeze blowing and I knew that it would feel good on my skin.

“Where?” Jack’s voice broke through my shell. “Fuck. Okay. Find out and call me back right away.”

I moved to him and clutched my hands together. “What is it?”

“There’s good news and bad.” He sighed. “The good news is that she’s not with Snake. The bad news is that he did get to her. She’s in the hospital. My guy is finding out how bad it is right now.”

All the air in the room seemed to just disappear. My lungs felt like they were caving in and all I could think of was the fact that Snake was going to drive all the way to Memphis to find out that I’d already died. My vision tunneled and then went black as I felt my body give out.

*

“She’s in a medically induced coma right now. It looks like they beat the shit out of her. No signs of sexual assault, though. Small miracle.”

Jack’s voice drifted into my unconsciousness and I blinked awake. My head was throbbing and the light in Jack’s office intensified it. I looked around and realized I was on Jack’s couch, covered with his jacket. His smell surrounded me and all I could think about was curling into his chest.

“Do they think she’ll pull out of it?”

I sat up and groaned. “Who are you talking about?”

Jack moved closer and squatted in front of me. “You okay? You passed out on us.”

I looked from him to Bo and frowned. “I never pass out.”

Bo snorted. “Sure could’ve fooled me. You fainted and went down like a sack of potatoes. Jack barely caught you before you cracked open your skull on the corner of his desk.”

I shivered. “Were you talking about Carly?”

Jack nodded and put his hand on my knee. “Yeah. She’s not in great shape, but the doctor I spoke to thinks that she’ll be okay. It’s just a waiting game at this point.”

My throat felt like there was a knot in it. I tried to swallow around it, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. Tears welled up in my eyes and I turned my head to the side, in an attempt to stop him from seeing them.

“Her father stepped in with the doctors. She’s getting the best care possible, Red.”

The first tear fell and I angrily wiped at it. “I need to go back. I need to see her.”

“No way. Snake will have someone waiting for you.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s hurt because of me. I need to be there with her.” I pushed away from him and dropped his jacket on the couch. I needed a clear head. I couldn’t think with his smell all around me.

“You go back to Jackson, and you’ll bring the entire gang into her hospital room. You want that?”

“Of course I don’t want that! I already did enough damage as it is. I didn’t think about how this could hurt her. I didn’t know he had people watching me.” I dry heaved and then shook my head. “He said he killed a guy I dated. Mark Williams. Can you call about him?”

Jack pulled his phone back out, and after a few minutes and mumbled words, he put it back in his pocket. “Police found his body two days ago.”

“This is crazy. This is so crazy.” I pulled at my hair and shoved it out of my face. “None of this was supposed to happen! I was just supposed to disappear. Why is he doing this?”

Jack grabbed me and pulled me into his chest. He nodded at Bo and a few seconds later I heard the door open and shut. “You’re going to be okay. I’m going to make sure you’re safe, Red.”

I pressed my hands against his chest and pushed away from him. “What about Carly? What about Mark? He died over three dates with a woman who wouldn’t kiss him or give him her phone number. He had parents who loved him. He had a dog named Taco.”

For some stupid reason, thinking of Taco all alone in Mark’s apartment pushed me over the edge. I was suddenly sobbing and didn’t try to push Jack away as he held me tight.

“Snake will pay for what he’s done. I don’t work inside the same laws as the cops anymore, Red. I’m…not limited in how I can handle him. If he comes for you here, it’ll be the last move he ever makes.”

I kept my head buried in his chest and hoped that someone did kill Snake. I’d be okay knowing that someone had ripped his head right from his body. He was evil and I would rest better knowing that he was gone.

“We’re tightening security. I’m also sending Bo down to Carly’s hospital room. We’re not taking any chances. You’re also moving into the main house with me. I’ll feel more comfortable knowing you’re close. Plus, I have dogs who will gladly keep you company.” He pressed his lips to the top of my head and then pulled away. “We start self-defense classes right away. After work tonight, we also learn to properly use a gun. No more shooting the floorboards out of cars.”

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to work when all I can think about is Carly in some hospital room.”

Jack cupped my face in his hand. “It’ll be best if you try to keep yourself busy, Red. You can finish in Brent’s office, if you’d like, or you can stay in here today.”

I looked around at his well-kept office and then at him. “I think I’d better go to Brent’s office.”

He stepped away from me and nodded. “Brent should be back soon. I’ll let him know what’s going on. I’m right here, Red, if you need anything. I’ll check on you every so often, too.”

“I’m okay, Jack. I just need a few minutes to get myself together.” I turned to leave and then hesitated. “You wanted to talk with me about the case earlier. What was that about?”

“I was just going to say that I found out the chief is clean. It doesn’t matter now, though. Snake’s bringing the party to us.”

I nodded. “I don’t know what we have planned, but I want this all to end soon, Jack. I need to get down to Carly to make sure she’s okay.”

“I’ll think about it and then let you know what we’re going to do.”