I lay awake that night, unable to sleep as I replayed my fight with Will. I had long since memorized every word, but it was the emotion beneath them that kept me awake. I knew he loved me, and I had never doubted or questioned his devotion, but hearing him describe what he would do to keep Declan from taking me sent chills down my spine.

"'What if he'd tried to take me back with him right then and there? What would you have done?'"

"'I WOULDN'T LEAVE LIKE A COWARD! I would have fought him with my bare hands to keep him from taking you away from me! From us! Where was he when we were in the hospital recovering from the wreck he caused? Where was he when you learned you could have been paralyzed from that wreck? Where was he when you were waking up from nightmares, crying out for me?'"

After jerking awake for the umpteenth time, I finally struggled out of bed, grabbed my crutch, and hobbled down the stairs to the living room. As I collapsed on the couch and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, I bit back a groan at the dull, prickling pain in the right side of my body. I stared at the dim fireplace, images and words flickering through my head like the glass passing before my eyes as the truck flipped over.

"'She asked you a question. What are you doing here?'" Will's harsh, biting words echoed in my head, making me shudder.

I saw Declan inhale to respond to Will's question, his throat working painfully as he swallowed hard. His voice was heavy with emotion, every other word muffled, as if I were eavesdropping on him from another room. "'I—I needed to see you. To check if you're okay. Running from the crash was a cowardly act, and I've carried that guilt ever since. But please, Malia, you have to come back with me.'"

When I hadn't answered, I'd felt more than seen him exchange a glance with Will and Julie before turning back to me. He'd locked eyes with me, and in that moment, I'd felt my entire world come crashing down. "'The hearing for the divorce is next week.'" That one sentence had cracked whatever façade I had managed to keep on my face.

Will's arm had come around my shoulder as he'd pulled me close, shielding me from Declan. My left knee had buckled a heartbeat after that, and I'd dimly registered Liv and Julie lunging to support me. Declan had taken a breath but hadn't faltered. "'Daniela and I had wanted to tell you together, but it obviously didn't turn out the way we planned it.'" He'd glanced at Julie, Will, and Liv before continuing. "'You are most likely going to be asked to testify, but your...'"

He'd trailed off, swallowing audibly and forcing out the next words. "'Family is welcome to come with you.'" His expression hadn't changed, but I'd seen a flicker of emotion flash in his eyes, there and gone in a heartbeat.

A shaky gasp had escaped my throat, followed by a muffled sob. For all Declan's earlier words about needing to check on me, he had saved the boon for last, knowing what would snare me.

My words had been broken and pained, yet I'd kept my tone steady. I'd barely been able to see Declan's chest moving behind Liv and Julie. "'You're clearly delusional if you thought that would make me come back with you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go home with my family.'" Exhaustion had pressed down on me, but I'd stayed firm.

Julie had stepped beside me, her warmth and kindness evident as she'd gently taken my hands. "'Come on, sweetheart. You and Will need to rest.'"

The memory splintered before breaking apart like the glass from the windshield as I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. I blinked myself back into the present, the chill in the air leeching any warmth I'd procured from the blanket I'd wrapped around myself. "Lia?" Glancing up, I saw a blurry face swim in my vision moments before it cleared to reveal Will looking down at me. "What are you doing up?"

At his words, I finally took in my surroundings. The light from the lamp beside the couch illuminated Will's quizzical expression and the charred and burned logs in the now-dim fireplace. My response was soft and pained, barely above a whisper. "I... I couldn't sleep. I keep replaying our confrontation with Declan and our fight just before we arrived in Khantia."

Will's eyes darkened as he ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening at the mention of the fight. His own words were so soft, I had to lean in to hear him. "That... that was not supposed to happen like that. I lost my temper. We were both hurting and exhausted, and my nerves were already on a hair trigger. I obviously have some... Suppressed anger where Declan is concerned."

He silently sat on the couch beside me, gently interlacing our fingers. I squeezed his hand when I noticed he was shaking. Taking a trembling breath, he exhaled slowly before continuing. "When my dad died, I grieved him along with Mom and Liv, but I was also angry. A year or so after he died, Mom told Liv and me that he'd had a terrible drinking problem. All those years, I'd thought—Liv was too young at the time to understand—he'd had a heart attack, and that's what had killed him.

"But when she told us the truth—I had just turned ten, so Liv was around eight or nine—I didn't feel grief. All I felt was anger. Why had he kept it from us? Was he really such a coward to be unable to say it to our faces? Mom explained how he'd come home night after night reeking of whiskey, slurring his words, and barely able to walk without tripping over himself. She put up with it every time, cleaning him up before putting him to bed. But one night, he came stumbling in and basically told Mom that he was taking Liv and me with him."

Will clenched his jaw so tight I saw the tendons stick out in his neck. His free hand was balled into a fist, and his chest rose and fell like bellows working, every other word a hiss. The fury in his eyes made my breath catch. "Mom had only just begun working the night shift, so she was primarily only home for a few hours each afternoon. But on that particular night, I'd had swim practice from three thirty until six because a big meet was coming up. So she'd had to take off to stay with Liv.

"Moments after I'd walked through the door, he burst inside and nearly fell flat on his face. Though he'd had a few inches on me—I was tall for my age—I got right up in his face and put a hand on his shoulder to guide him back out the door. His breath had reeked of whiskey, and my eyes had watered as nausea began to churn in my stomach. I don't remember much after that, but after I firmly pushed him out of the house, I remember leaning back against the closed door as tremors wracked my body."

I carefully took his hand in mine, rubbing my thumb over his knuckles. The light illuminated the weariness on his face as he turned to look at me. He took several slow, steadying breaths before speaking again, his voice low. "When you told me Declan and Daniela were getting divorced, my first thought was worry for you. But confronting Declan here and hearing the news that the divorce had been finalized was like a punch to the gut. I saw it on your face as surely as it was written on my own.

"I'm nowhere near close to even beginning to consider forgiving him, but I think I understand why he did what he did a little better. He obviously has something—or maybe someone—tying him to Montgues. Why else would he be so adamant about trying to take you with him?" The confusion in his voice contrasted sharply with the pain that shone in his gaze.

"I don't know." My voice was soft when I responded, the words barely more than a push of breath. It was only when I looked up that I saw weak sunlight spilling into the living room. Had we stayed up all night? As I looked at Will and saw the fatigue mixed with pain on his face, I knew the answer.

No sooner had I opened my mouth—to say what, I didn't know—than soft footsteps sounded on the stairs. Moments later, Julie appeared, dressed and ready for her shift. Surprise and shock flashed across her face as she glimpsed Will and me on the couch.

Words were already on my tongue, waiting to be spoken, when Will interjected. "I'm going to be late for swim practice. Coach David emailed late last night and said we're resuming before- and after-school practices. The meet between Silver Valley High and us is in two weeks."

It was my turn to be shocked as I blinked up at him. He hadn't mentioned anything about a meet or an email before now. When had he gotten that email? It must have been right before he'd come downstairs last night. He glanced at me and reached up to brush a stray hair off my forehead. Julie looked from me to Will before speaking. "You want breakfast before you go? I can make you and Malia something."

I stared at nothing, the snippets of what Will had told me about his dad flickering through my head like snapshots in a camera. "'When my dad died, I grieved him along with Mom and Liv, but I was also angry. A year or so after he died, Mom told Liv and me that he'd had a terrible drinking problem. Was he really such a coward to be unable to say it to our faces? Mom had just begun working the night shift, so she was primarily only home for a few hours each afternoon. But on that particular night, I'd had swim practice from three thirty until six because a big meet was coming up. So she'd had to take off to stay with Liv.

"'Moments after I'd walked through the door, he burst inside and nearly fell flat on his face. Though he'd had a few inches on me—I was tall for my age—I got right up in his face and put a hand on his shoulder to guide him back out the door. His breath had reeked of whiskey, and my eyes had watered as nausea began to churn in my stomach. I don't remember much after that, but after I firmly pushed him out of the house, I remember leaning back against the closed door as tremors wracked my body.'"

I missed Will's response, but I felt my mouth move as I answered. "Thank you."

Tears welled in my eyes as I again recalled our fight just before arriving in Khantia. "'We can't just leave, Lia. You need to heal. We both do. How can we do that in a foreign town with people we don't know?'"

"'I don't know, Will. The only thing I do know is that I need to get away from Chalmette.'"

"'Where are we planning to go? Or were we just going to jump into some random part of the book and hope the people there are as kind as Dimitri and Noemi?'"

"'I don't know, Will. But I can't risk Daniela or Declan finding me again. You heard him at the hospital. What if he'd tried to take me back with him right there and then? What would you have done?'"

"'I WOULDN'T LEAVE LIKE A COWARD! I would have fought him with my bare hands to keep him from taking you away from me! From us! Where was he when we were in the hospital recovering from the wreck he caused? Where was he when you learned you could have been paralyzed from that wreck? Where was he when you were waking up from nightmares, crying out for me?'"

I fought to get a breath down, my chest tightening painfully as the walls began to close in on me. Raising my voice above a whisper was all but impossible. Even breathing had become arduous. "I think... I think I'm ready to go back to school." I felt more than saw the shock ripple through the room as my words cut through the silence.

Struggling to my feet, I grabbed my crutch before hobbling into the kitchen. I met Julie's gaze first, hoping she saw the desperation in my gaze and wouldn't dispute my statement. She and Will exchanged glances before she spoke. "Ok, sweetie. Will can drive you if you're feeling up to it. But please, try to take it easy."

My stomach was in knots, but I forced down the piece of toast Julie had set in front of me—not tasting anything—while Will did the same. A lump had risen in my throat, making speech impossible, so I nodded in response. She gently kissed my forehead before we left, the maternal gesture bringing tears to my eyes.

It was only when we were outside and getting into the car that Will spoke, the fatigue overshadowing any lingering anger in his tone. "I just want you to be safe. That's all I've ever wanted for you, Lia."

"I know." My voice still hadn't risen above a whisper. I looked at Will out of the corner of my eye, rallying the courage to say the words heavy on my heart. "I feel the same about you. But I can't—"

I broke off as Will tensed, his hands tightening on the wheel as he pulled off on the side of the road. No sooner had he cut the engine than I heard a car door opening and slamming shut. Footsteps rang out in the stillness, but neither Will nor I moved a muscle. I could still see his house in the distance if I looked back the way we'd come. I swallowed as a shadow fell over me, but kept my eyes straight ahead.

"Malia." A deep, gruff voice filled my ears, stopping my heart and stealing my breath. "Get out. Now."

I heard Will inhale before speaking, his voice steady. "Look, Declan, I'm sure we can—"

No sooner had the last syllable left his mouth than a fist punched through the passenger side window, showering me with glass. I screamed as Declan's hand reached in, unlocked the door, and then threw it open. Will shouted my name when Declan roughly grabbed my arm—the arm that had been injured in the wreck months ago—and hauled me out of the vehicle. I tasted blood in my mouth as a bloodcurdling cry broke from my lips. I immediately began thrashing in his grip, trying to free myself, but he shook me so violently my head spun.

"Not so fast, Lia." The sound of Will's nickname for me on Declan's lips—something so personal being used so derisively—made my vision go red. "You're not going to get away from me this time."

The next few moments happened in rapid succession, yet simultaneously in slow motion. I saw a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye as Will rammed into Declan and tackled him to the ground. When the latter lost his grip on me, I lunged for the driver's side of the car and slid inside, locked the doors, and grabbed my phone.

I tried my hardest to block out the sounds of the men fighting in the background as I dialed 9-1-1. I let out a muffled sob when I heard a voice on the other end of the line. "9-1-1, what is your emergency?"

My voice trembling, I hurriedly provided the dispatcher a rundown of what was happening: what kind of car Will and I were in, where we were, and who was with us. The woman, whose name was Vanessa, listened carefully and told me to stay on the line. By some miracle, Will's phone had fallen out of his pocket and was resting on the driver's seat.

I grabbed it with shaking hands and texted both Julie and Skye. SOS. When Will shouted my name, I couldn't help the whimper that slipped from my lips. "Malia! Lia, run!"

No sooner had the sound finished echoing than I heard Vanessa's voice on the other line. "Malia, the police are on their way. Are you still in the car?"

I didn't think twice. Grabbing my crutch in one hand and wedging my phone between my shoulder and my ear, I got out of the car. I could move quietly or I could move quickly—but not both at once. Fear gave me the shot of adrenaline I needed to hobble back to the Callahans'.

It wasn't far—ten, maybe twenty feet away—but it may as well have been on the other side of town. Hysterical, frantic sobs burst out of me as I came upon their house. "Help!" I shouted, my voice breaking. My breath turned sharp and ragged as tears coursed down my cheeks. "PLEASE! Someone help!"

I jumped when Vanessa's voice came from the other line. "They're coming, Malia. Is anybody hurt?"

My head snapped up when I heard Liv and Julie's voices. "Malia? Are you okay?"

"Malia? Where's Will? Is he okay?"

I instinctively shied away when I felt hands on me. Julie was in front of me, her hands touching my face, my hair, my body. Liv was beside her, eyes wide as they scanned me from head to toe. I was shaking so violently I felt like I was going to crack. Vanessa was still speaking on the other line, but her words were muffled. "... you hear me? Malia, are you still there?"

The sound of a car door slamming made me flinch so violently that I lost my balance. My crutch tumbled to the ground, but Julie quickly pulled my arm over her shoulder. I heard Skye's voice, faint but getting closer with every second. "Malia? What happened?"

My words were broken and ragged, tripping over one another as they fell out of my mouth. "Will, he's... he's still there with Declan. Will told me... he told me to run, but I... I didn't want to leave him. I tried... I tried to fight Declan off, but he was... he was too strong." I heard my voice break as more tears fell down my cheeks. Julie and Liv's faces swam in my vision, and I blinked hard. I couldn't pass out. Not now.

Julie spoke then, her words and tone brooking no argument. "Olivia, you and Skye take Malia into the house. Don't let her go to sleep until we find out if she has a concussion. I see Will's car. I'm going to help him."

Julie took off, her figure getting smaller and smaller until she was just a speck in the distance. Liv and Skye each pulled one arm over their shoulder and slowly—agonizingly—helped me into the house. They eased me onto the couch, Liv throwing a blanket around my shoulders while Skye bent down and took my hand. I stared into my friend's eyes, pleading with her to understand. "Will... he's still there with Declan. Will told me... he told me to run, but I... I didn't want to leave him. I tried... I tried to fight Declan off, but he was... he was too strong."

I knew I was rambling, but couldn't seem to stop myself. Shock and pain had shoved rational thought aside and taken over. I wasn't in control of my body, much less my mind or mouth. Skye's voice was soothing as she spoke, her gaze filled with compassion and understanding. Her hands gripped mine. "I know, Malia. I know. You did everything right. Mrs. Callahan's gone to help Will. He'll be okay. Are you hurt anywhere? Did Declan hurt you?"

Violent shivers wracked my body, sending spasms up and down the left side of my body. I couldn't stop hearing Declan grunt as Will tackled him. "No... He pulled me out... out of the car, then wouldn't let go of me." My eyelids fluttered closed, but I forced them open again. I knew I didn't have a concussion, but I was so tired. The adrenaline had worn off soon after I'd arrived at the Callahans', leaving a bone-deep weariness that pulled me under with every breath.

My heart stopped, then started again at twice the pace as Will's deep voice filled the living room, relief etched in every word. "Malia. You're okay."

I couldn't stop the cry that slipped free as Will walked over to me and pulled me into his arms. I clung to him, shaking as pained sobs wracked my body. "Shh, Lia," Will said, stroking my hair. "I'm here. We're both okay."

Were we, though? I'd known Declan would most likely try to find me eventually, but I don't think anyone could have seen this coming. He was clearly desperate to get me to come back with him. The only question was, how far would he go to achieve that?