Milo and Buddy nked Tara, teeth bared, eyes locked on her like she was their next meal.

    Tara nced over, saw Kay still frozen, and tossed her hair with a scoff. "Fine. If you won''t say yes, I''ll just go find a few guys to mess around with tonight. Dn doesn''t care about me anyway, so why should I care about myself? Do whatever you want—I''m done pretending anyone matters to anyone."

    Kay shot after her, grabbing her wrist before she could storm off.

    Tara''s lips curled into a half-smile. "You know how stubborn I am, right? The only reason I put up with all that Warren family nonsense was for Dn. I can swallow anything for him, but if there''s no chance with him, I''ll do whatever I want. If you don''t want to see me with a bunch of random guys, thene with me."

    Kay hesitated, fiddling with his mask. "I..."

    "ra''s fate isn''t your problem!" Tara cut in, voice sharp.

    “I.....”

    A flicker of sadness crossed Tara''s eyes. She let out a dry, self-mockingugh. "Forget it. I guess I was too full of myself. Thought if Dn didn''t want me, at least you would. Turns out, nobody does."

    She spun on her heel and walked away, her back stiff and proud.

    Kay stood there, fists clenching and unclenching at his side.

    Then ra''s voice came from behind. "Go after her."

    He stiffened, ncing back at her.

    ra looked pale in the dim light, but her eyes were clear and steady. "Take Aiden and go. I don''t like Tara, but she''s right-without Dn, she''ll do anything. If you actually care about her, go. You were supposed to get Aiden out anyway."

    There was no way ra could drag Aiden by herself. He was too heavy, he''d just slow her down.

    Kay didn''t waste a second. He stepped forward, grabbed Aiden, and murmured, "Take care."

    That was all he said before dashing after Tara.

    It hit ra just then-Kay really did love Tara. No wonder Tara had slipped into Palm Bay so easily.

    Feelings were always a mess, but at least Kay''s were honest. Tara wasn''t

    anyone''s favorite right now Spet

    lost everything in her world.

    Everyone thought Dn was done with her. Even after a night together, she still couldn''t win his heart. Cóntent

    She used to have it all, but now, under the weight of everyone''s judgment, she could still think to cut and run with Kay. It was obvious she wanted ra gone-but there was something almost admirable about her nerve.

    ra couldn''t even bring herself to hate her. Everyone had their own kind of hell.

    Tara''s hell was Dn. Walter''s was chasing that family head seat in North America.

    And ra''s... Well, she had her own.

    She dropped her gaze, listening to the noise outside growing louder. Time was up.

    She patted Milo and Buddy''s heads. "Find a safe way out. We''re leaving."

    Milo and Buddy took off, crashing through a window and racing up the dark hillside.

    ra followed, gunshots echoing behind her.

    There was a fire burning in her chest-she refused to die here.

    What was really buried at West Hill Cemetery? Who exactly was she? Why did that old alternative medicine doctor die because of her? And what about Dn?

    There were too many questions left. She wouldn''t let herself die here, not now. Milo and Buddy had picked a path so hidden, she couldn''t see a single streetlight. She gritted her teeth and pushed on, branches scraping her cheeks and leaving thin red marks.

    Gunshots popped in the distance, closer every second. The people chasing her weren''t giving up. Without Kay to slow them down, they were gaining.

    Bullets snapped through the air, some so close she could almost feel them brush her skin. There had to be at least fifty people after her-more than a whole ssroom. Even a stray bullet could end her. She needed cover, fast.

    She stuck to the path Milo and Buddy had carved, running for over an hour, but

    the footsteps behind her never faded.

    She finally stopped and looked down.

    Her thigh was bleeding-she''d been shot. Blood kept trickling out, hot and sticky. The way they were tracking her, they must have dogs too. Otherwise, they''d never be this close.