Ben tightened his hold on me as he tried to see who was behind Carter, but as he did, Carter reached for him. He grabbed the inside of Ben’s wrist and slammed it against the wall. The gun fell free at the same time he ripped the knife from his other hand. Surprised from the speed, Ben froze for a second. In that second, Carter punched him in the face, shoving him backwards from me. Then he twisted the other wrist. As it snapped, he pulled me free. I was shoved behind him and he kicked at Ben’s chest. From the sudden pain and force, Ben fell to the ground. He only had another second to look up before Carter knocked him unconscious with one blow to the head.

I ran inside and found Amanda on her bed. Her hands were tied behind her back with tape. There was more tape around her mouth. Dried tears left streaks down her cheeks, but as she saw me, fresh tears burst forth. She started yelling something, muffled, and I ran to her.

“Amanda, are you okay?”

She turned to her side for better access at her hands, but I couldn’t tear the tape off. I cried out in frustration, feeling panic. This wasn’t right. He could’ve killed her too. As the panic started to blind me, Carter moved me back and used the knife he’d taken from Ben. He cut the tape free and pulled the other from her mouth.

She shot forward, scrambling into my arms.

I fell back onto the ground with her, and we held each other.

She was weeping as I kept her close. I didn’t want to let her go.

“Emma,” she sobbed. Her head was buried into my shoulder.

“Shhh. It’s okay. It’s over.”

Her arms shook. Her entire frame was trembling.

“Oh my god,” Theresa gaped behind us. She stood in the doorway with a hand over her mouth. Then she shook her head and resolve came over her. She came over and knelt beside us. “What can I do?”

I opened my mouth, but I had no idea. I was only holding Amanda. I had no intention of letting her go, but Carter plucked her out of my hands.

“Carter.” I jumped to my feet and wiped my palms down my face. They were wet, from either Amanda’s or my own tears. I tried to quickly dry them but gave up. I was covered in tears. “Don’t.”

He handed Amanda to Theresa, then pointed to the door. “Take her. I have a man in the hallway. They’ll get you to the safe house.”

“That place from before?”

“That place from before.”

“Okay.” She tucked Amanda under her arm and asked, “You got everything you need?”

Amanda turned to me.

My heart melted. She looked lost and fragile. It was a six-year-old version of my friend that stood in that doorway. I nodded. I already knew what she needed. “I’ll pack a bag. I’ll bring it with me.”

Theresa chewed on her lip as she eyed Carter up and down. “That might be awhile, but I remember that there were other clothes at that place. We can use something there until you come.”

When they left, Amanda held my gaze the entire way. At the last second, before Theresa pulled her through the door, she glanced at Ben who was still unconscious on the ground. She hardened then and stopped in her tracks. She gazed down at him, almost in a sad way though. “I know what he did. He told me.”

Theresa whirled back to face me. I knew she was unsure what to do. But I knew. I stepped forward and touched Amanda’s hand. “Did he tell you that she was pregnant?”

“She was?”

I nodded. Everything seemed so bleak. Mallory shouldn’t have died the way she did. I should’ve saved her, but I didn’t know. Carter was right. I hadn’t known. “They think it was Dunvan’s baby.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered.” Amanda was insistent. “It wouldn’t have mattered, not to Mallory. She would’ve loved that baby so much. I bet she was happy when she found out. She wasn’t alone. She had someone to love...” She grasped my arm tightly. “Make him pay. I don’t care if he was our friend. He killed her. You make him pay, Emma.”

“I—”

“Promise,” she hissed.

Carter took her hand from my arm and transferred her to Theresa again. He moved so he stood between us. “Take her to the safe house. Emma will follow in a few hours.”

Amanda’s eyes still held mine as Theresa dragged her out. “Promise, Emma. Promise!”

Mike was in the hallway. He reached to close the door, but his eyes flashed me an apology before he did.

I was frozen once they were gone. A new storm had been awakened inside of me. Amanda wanted vengeance, but didn’t she understand that I was the one who messed up. I brought Mallory to him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“Emma.”

I looked up. Carter had been watching me. He had an unreadable mask over him again. I shivered as I knew I was in the room with the Cold Killer again. He gestured to Ben. “What do you want?”

I licked my dry lips. “What do you mean?”

“What do you think?” He kicked Ben’s feet. “This is your decision. What do you want done?”

“I...”

The memory of walking into my apartment rushed back to me. I was back there, all over again as Dunvan was raping Mallory. She was whimpering, trying to fight, but he only hurt her more. He wouldn’t stop. So I had to do it.

I made the decision then. I wasn’t sure if I could make it again.

“Carter,” I rasped out. “I...”

“What do you think would’ve happened to Theresa had she talked?”

My eyes snapped to his. A surge of possession rose in me. “That was different. That was you. This is-”

“He’s already killed her. He sold you out and then he got out of Dodge. Franco got him hooked. I bet he needed something to take the edge off, he was ramped up from selling you out and everything. Franco gave him something, said it was free and it’d calm him down. Stupid shit. He was hooked after that. When he wakes up, he’ll be off his high. You’re going to have a different Ben then. He’s going to be crying. He’s going to be begging for your forgiveness. What are you going to do?”

I flinched from his tone. “Why are you talking to me like this?” He was so harsh.

Carter reached down and dragged Ben further inside. He threw him into the middle of the living room. “Because when he wakes up, he’s still going to be the son of a bitch that killed your friend. He came here for a reason. Why do you think he came here?”