No White Knight

I get the impression he owes them money. A lot of money, and that’s the only reason they’re helping him…but he’s treating them like lackeys, and they ain’t too fond of it.

There’ve been a few comments I overhear here and there.

Pissy shit, most of it.

But some of it sounds pretty threatening.

I wonder if I could use a little smooth-talking of my own to convince them to turn on Declan?

If only I had something better to offer…

Too bad.

But I overhear a few other things, too.

Yeah.

These boys are the ones who trashed The Nest. They mutter about how it was pocket change, not even half what Declan owed, and it almost got them arrested.

That’s the problem with my long-shot plan.

If they’re so scummy they’d rob an innocent woman to pay back that bastard’s debts…then they’re not people I’d trust not to double-cross me even if I got them on my side.

Something’s up, though. The last hour or two, Declan’s been in more of a hurry.

I wonder why the clock’s ticking. It’s getting dark and they’re not even stopping.

I’m ready to pass out.

It’s not safe for me to fall asleep here, but I don’t know if I have a choice.

I’m exhausted, whipped, beat to hell and back.

Maybe it’s better for me to sleep now while they’re distracted. I’ll be rested and ready for my moment when they finally call it quits to get some rest themselves.

I don’t know how I’ll get out of these ropes.

My arms are tied behind my back with the rope woven through the rungs of the chair, while my ankles are hitched to the chair’s legs.

But if you think I won’t hop down that mountain trail bent over with a chair strapped to my back?

You clearly haven’t figured me out yet.

I’m still trying to wiggle my ass so it’s not pressing down so hard on that bent nail head and figuring out how I can sleep without hurting myself worse.

That’s when I catch a flicker of motion outside on the opposite side of the graveyard.

My chest thumps and I’m wide-awake again.

I go stiff, opening my eyes fully without lifting my head, trying not to give myself away.

If Declan’s coming to screw with me again…

No, I recognize a ragged head of blonde hair.

Sierra.

Crap.

She’d skedaddled the hell out of here after Declan backhanded her good when I was brought in last night.

I’d hoped she was gone.

That one of us was safe.

I can’t believe she’d come crawling back to that piece of scum after the way he tossed her around.

She still looks like hell, creeping in with a furtive look over her shoulder. She’s scraped up and dirty, I guess from running through the mountain pass in the dark last night.

But if she’s still Declan’s girl, why’s she sneaking around, looking at me with her fingers over her lips?

I get my answer when she skitters closer, drops to her knees behind my chair, and starts working at the ropes.

I freeze, staring over my shoulder.

It’s hard to believe it at first.

Is Sierra actually turning on her boyfriend and trying to help me?

“Sierra?” I whisper.

“Shh!” she says urgently in the quietest hiss, fighting at the ropes, struggling at the knots with little frustrated sounds. “I can’t…can’t get—”

“Slow down,” I whisper. “Look for the loop and try to get your fingers under it. What are you doing?”

She darts me a sharp look from under her brows, a light in her blue eyes that I’ve never seen before, so fierce it’s glowing.

“You’re my sister,” she says. “Nothing else matters.”

I don’t know if I want to cry with relief or scream.

I just know we’ve got to get out of here.

If Declan catches her trying to help me, he’ll hurt her even more.

And she’s my sister, too.

I can’t let her get savaged to save me.

So I try to keep my arms as loose as possible so they won’t bunch up and make it harder, but she’s cursing and pulling and making no progress. I think I feel the ropes loosening just a hair.

Trouble is, this is taking too long.

“You can’t get it!” I whisper. “Go back to Heart’s Edge. Get Holt.”

“I did!” she flares, her voice rising for a moment, then dropping again to a terrified hush. “He told Declan some story and agreed to a meeting, said something about getting backup, but I know Declan…I know him, Libby. He’ll kill Holt and as long as Declan’s got you, Holt will let him, that stupid lovesick idiot.” Her jaw sets with determination. “I’ve got to get you out of here before he gets here.”

Lovesick? Enough to die for me?

I don’t know whether I’m about to break, bawling for that overblown hero of a man or because I’m scared to death she’s right about how it ends.

I shake my head sharply.

“Go,” I whisper. “We’ll work things out. You’ll just be in danger. I can’t let you—”