Page 28

“I remember Dusty,” I say. “You were there when I woke up.”

“Everything is gonna be okay,” Dustin says. “We’ll find out who else was involved in kidnapping you and the other girls. They will all pay.”

I swallow. “Kidnapping? What other girls?”

“This is gonna be a journey,” Diamond mutters under her breath to Dustin.

“We’re here for it,” he replies quietly. “It’s what we do.”

I wake up with a start, Dustin’s arm resting over me as I try to control my breathing. A few seconds later, he says, “Tilly? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I was just having a bad dream,” I say.

“Do you need something?”

I turn to face him. “That first night, when I woke up in my room, I didn’t know who I was or where I came from.”

“I remember.”

“Diamond took me to a shrink, but it was you who brought me out of my shell. It was your encouragement that made me remember. You told me not to be afraid, that my memory would come back. You were right.”

He strokes my cheek. “I never wanted to see that sadness, much less distress, on your face ever again,” he admits. “It broke me into a million pieces.”

My eyes glaze over. “You’re right; I have come so far. Maybe sometimes I don’t give myself enough credit for that.”

“You should. You’re so brave. I can’t imagine how scary that would’ve been.”

“Having your amazing support. You and the Stilettos were a huge part of my recovery.” I cup his face. “I love you.”

He kisses me. “I love you, too.”

Boom!

We both jump when an explosion ricochets through the cabin. We’re both out of bed in a flash. I hurriedly pull my sweats on as Dustin grabs his gun and turns to me. “Stay here.”

“No, Dust!”

“Yes.” He’s adamant, I know that tone. “I’ll check it out.”

I reach for the drawer where I stashed my own weapon earlier. I don’t care what he says, I have his back. I will always have his back.

He rushes to the door, then yells from outside, “Call nine-one-one, the fire department!”

“Holy shit!” I cry when I dash out behind him to see the barn and stables on fire. I grab my phone, dialing as I try to garble the address.

“Hey!” Dustin calls. “Stop right there!”

Shots ring out into the night sky. I watch in horror as Dustin chases a man. The barn is blazing. When one of the masked assailants throws himself over the fence, he gets stuck, but then falls down the other side, ripping his clothes. He gets up and takes off into the darkness.

Dustin turns, running back to me. “Tilly, get down!”

I duck, but he starts to unlatch the horses’ stables, and I follow suit.

“Dusty?” I call out.

“They’re gone.” He’s frantic, running both his hands through his hair. “Need to get the horses out.”

“I heard shots. Are you okay?”