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Not until I find out what the hell is going on.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do?”
    â€œI don’t know yet. But I can’t sit around and do nothing.”
    â€œThe other girls. I think we should focus on finding them.”
    â€œDon’t worry, Lei. I’ll find out who killed those girls and I’ll stop him.”
    â€œPlease don’t do that, Malek. I would feel horrible if something happened to you. Look at that nice old lady. She’s dead now, and nobody knows why. Maybe she found out something she shouldn’t have. Maybe she poked her nose into something she shouldn’t have.” Lei couldn’t sit still for another second. She slid off the bench and went to refill her glass. “All I want is to live a normal life. I want to forget everything that happened then. Put it behind me. Move on. But here I am, cowering in the shadows. That . . . bastard . . . controlling my life. I might as well still be a slave.”
    â€œDon’t say that.” Malek caught her chin and tipped it up so her eyes met his. “Do you hear me? Don’t ever say such a thing. You’re free. And no one can control you anymore. You. Are. Free.”
    Her eyes were burning and she blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Still her vision blurred. “Is this hell ever going to end?”
    â€œYes, it is. Because I am going to make sure it does. But you’ve got to trust me. You have to do what I say until we figure out what’s going on and who’s behind it.”
    For a fraction of a second, she wanted to believe Malek could beat Holloway at his game. Then she came to her senses. Of course he couldn’t. How could he? He was a good man, yes. Strong. Kind. Intelligent. But he didn’t have the connections to protect her from someone like Holloway. “We can’t figure it out. We don’t have all the facts.”
    â€œWe will. And once we do, you’ll be free to do whatever you want, whenever you want. For the rest of your life. You with me?”
    Lei’s nod wasn’t big, but it was a nod of agreement. She wasn’t going to convince him to give it up, after she had brought it to his attention in the first place. The best she could hope to do was hold him back a little, steer him in a safer direction.
    â€œYou told me about this because you want my help. Well, I’m going to give it to you. And I’m going to make sure you never regret trusting me.”
    She was already regretting trusting him as little as she had. “What’s next?”
    â€œI want to go to the school and see about registering for classes. After that... I don’t know. I should call Drako—”
    â€œNo, please don’t do that,” she cut him off, grabbing his arm. “Don’t tell Drako about this.” She grappled for a reason to keep this ugly mess from his older brother, knowing that could put her in even hotter water. “He’ll tell my sister and she’ll worry. She’s pregnant. It isn’t good for her to worry right now.”
    â€œBut I need to let him know what’s going on.” Swiveling the stool to face her, he pulled on the back of hers to swing her around to face him, too. “He won’t tell Rin. I promise.” Lei was sure she could believe that one. “There are some things you don’t know about my brothers and me. Very important things.” She wondered if those things were related to what Holloway wanted. “A secret like this could cause serious problems for all of us. I can’t keep it from him. No way. But I guarantee Drako will take your sister’s health in mind. He can’t risk upsetting her.”
    â€œMalek, please, can’t you just put me on house arrest and look for the other girls?”
    â€œTrust me, Lei. If there’s anyone in the world you can trust with a secret, it’s me. And Drako and Talen.”

6
    I t was him. Again.
    Immediately, Lei’s