"MIND GIVING ME A HAND?"Bliss steeled her nerves and turned toward Travis. She'd avoided him since they arrived at the station, hiding out in the break room after answering Jade's questions. Her emotions were too mixed up for her to make sense of them, and she wasn't fond of making a spectacle of herself. The FBI agents were politely ignoring whatever it was she'd had with him up at the lake, but her parents wouldn't.Travis held a first aid kit in his hand, and his jacket was folded over his other arm. Blood soaked his shirt, and there were several small scratches on his face he hadn't had when he left her that morning."Sure." What else was she supposed to say?Bliss pulled out a chair and gestured for him to sit.He plunked the kit onto the table and peeled his long-sleeved thermal shirt off. Her mouth dried up, and her fingers itched to trace his ladder-like abdominal muscles. Forget about what was really going on for just a few minutes. Pretend they were still in that h

BLISS PUSHED PAST THE man stationed at the door and glanced around the sparkling marble entry."Bliss?" Wendy's voice echoed, intermingled with the sounds of a TV and other people speaking."Where are you?" Bliss peered into the two rooms on either side, but they were empty.Wendy strode through a grandiose arch leading to the rest of the home, baby Paul perched on her hip. Bliss stared, blinked, and couldn't believe her eyes. It was a subtle transformation, something a casual observer or a stranger wouldn't notice, but Bliss did. It was Wendy's smile, the color of her cheeks, a slight bounce in her step."Oh, Bliss!" Wendy wrapped her free arm around Bliss' shoulders.She hugged both mother and son, burying her face in Wendy's hair. Paul immediately took the opportunity to pull on Bliss' ponytail, but she couldn't care less."What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Wendy pulled back and glanced from Bliss to Travis."What the hell is going on this time?" Grayson ca

TRAVIS HELD HIS BREATH, waiting for Bliss' answer. Sweat dampened his palms, along his hairline and down his spine."This?" she asked."Us."She spread her hand out against his chest, over his heart, but didn't speak."You said I'd broken your trust." He ran a finger through her silky hair. He'd never touched anything so soft or sleek before."You did, but you came back. I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. That was unfair. I mean, everything you've told me about yourself...""That I'm a fuck up?""No." This time she slapped his thigh. "You're being difficult."He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. She made him smile. He liked himself when he was around her."I know what I am. I know what my strengths and weaknesses are. I'm not a good man, Bliss. A good man would let you make up your own mind, but I can't. I need you. It's not something I'm used to. If you need time I'll try to be patient, but I'm not good at it.""How exactly do you plan on mak

WENDY HUDDLED IN THE back seat of yet another car. She'd lost count around the second or third. Time blurred together. She had no idea where they were, except she could still see the casinos in the distance. All she knew was that Carlos was in the trunk, safe and unhurt.What had Priscilla done? What had he done to her?"We're here," Daniel announced.He pulled the car under a metal carport that stretched several yards to her left. The buildings around them were warehouses, big metal structures. The street was empty of traffic or pedestrians, just them. No one to cry out to for help or report them to the cops.She clutched her bound hands to her chest. The tracker was still there, attached to her bra strap. Priscilla had known. She'd even asked, ensuring the device was on her.Wendy couldn't fault Priscilla for what she'd done. If Daniel threatened her family, Wendy knew the lengths to which she was willing to go to keep them safe."Where are we?" she asked."Here.""Wh

"WENDY, WHERE ARE YOU? I'll come get you.""Don't say anything. Don't tell anyone about this call." Wendy sounded frantic as she breathed into the phone."What? Why? Are you still with Daniel? Did you get away?""No-""Give me the phone," a man said in the background.Daniel.Wendy hadn't gotten away. She was still a prisoner.Bliss clutched Paul to her chest and stared at the bedspread.Something bad was going to happen, and she couldn't stop it."Hello?" Daniel said."I'm here." She sat up straighter, refusing to cower at the sound of his voice."Don't get any smart ideas and tell the cops about this call. Are they listening?""No. I'm up in a bedroom by myself.""Good. Good." He practically purred with approval.Her stomach rolled and Paul grunted in his sleep. She eased her hold on him and willed him back to sleep."What do you want? You know the cops are looking for you.""I'm making a one-time offer. Meet me in half an hour, and I'll trade your sis