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And my eight years of lying low and keeping under the radar were officially over.

“Fuck,” Court said again.

I was fucked. We were all fucked. Because now every single person—not just law enforcement—would be looking for me.

Were already looking for me. I could never show my face in public again.

Seeing this, right on the heels of everything Vincent had just told me, made me want to just disappear. To sink into the earth until I was so deep no one could ever find me.

“Shit,” Cade chimed in. “This is bad. Brooks, I thought you cleared the footage?”

I remembered Court telling me that Brooks had fudged all the footage from Thorne’s stores with old segments that he looped and stuck fake timestamps on so there’d be no trace of them on camera.

Brooks frowned, his eyes flitting across every inch of the screen. “I did, but that—shit, that’s a completely different angle from any of them. He must’ve had a hidden camera on a different network.”

Court muted the TV and turned to face everyone. “Fine,” he started, his expression grim but resolute. “This won’t stop us, but it will make getting around a little more challenging. But it also lets us know that Thorne is desperate and doesn’t have the resources to get him very far. He wants the public’s help in finding Whitney, and us, too.”

“Look,” Cade started, rubbing his temples. “This isn’t ideal, but it’s not like we really have to change anything we were already doing. We keep our heads down, stay on track, and continue with our plan. And you,” he said, pointing at me. “You aren’t allowed to leave this house. Not for anything. Not until the job’s done.”

I opened and closed my mouth. He was right, and it wasn’t like I had any big plans to go anywhere. But officially being placed on lockdown grated on my already strained nerves. I was one worn thread away from snapping, being tugged in so many directions at once that it made me want to scream.

My eyes found Court’s, needing his gaze to steady me. The calm strength I found in his bright green eyes started to pacify me almost immediately. He nodded at me, then said, “He’s right, Whit. It’s too dangerous.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed both hands down my face. “But we’re not even in Marion anymore.”

“Doesn’t matter. That was a regional broadcast, and Davenport is close enough that it’s not worth the risk.”

He was right. My eyes drifted back to the screen. To the picture of me.

Suddenly, a sharp frisson of fear skated down my spine.

Oh my fucking god.

What if…

What if Angelo Rossi saw this? It was regional news, not local. This would be shown to all of New York. How could he or anyone he had ties with not see this? My hands began to tremble uncontrollably as the idea that he’d already seen it and was on his way here to hunt me down formed and spread until it blanketed my entire being.

Vincent was standing there, watching the TV with his usual neutral expression. Did he know? Had he already known about this? Was that why he’d just brought up Angelo Rossi?

I had to leave. I had to run far, far away from here.

The guys were still talking, but it was muffled, like I was underwater. I looked at Court, who had his head ducked against Cade’s as they spoke quietly, their expressions grave. I thought I might throw up. Court suddenly lifted his head, those keen eyes finding mine.

What’s wrong? he mouthed.

I shook my head. I didn’t trust myself to speak, so instead I left the room and headed upstairs.

I could never tell him the truth. Ever.

I was a coward. I couldn’t give him the worst parts of myself because I was so afraid to see rejection in his eyes. To see that there was a limit to his feelings for me, that a line truly did exist.

If I told him I was terrified of Angelo Rossi finding me because I’d seriously injured his daughter, he’d either tell me to get lost or fight the man with everything he had. I had a feeling it would be the former, but neither were desirable options. And—if by some tiny chance—he did choose to protect me, I didn’t want to be the reason he got hurt.

When I reached the top, I heard a heavy set of footsteps follow me up. I didn’t need to look back to see who it was. Anticipation pooled low in my belly, distracting me from the raw panic flooding my veins, and I slammed the door to Court’s room once I was inside.

It was flung open five seconds later, and Court filled the doorway. “You wanna tell me why you’re so upset?”

I grabbed the TV remote from the end of the bed, ignoring my shaking hands, and jabbed the power button. “Nothing’s wrong.”