“Yeah, whatever.”

I turn onto West Harris and see an SUV pull away from the curb. That looks a lot like the Marinos’ Mercedes. There aren’t many in town. It’s Nick, it’s got to be. Why is he parked down here?

I make a quick left and turn into the parking lot of the café. I jump out and leave Ashely in the car. The bells jingle as I burst through the door. Patty looks at me like I’m a terrorist.

“Dani!” I yell. Everyone is staring at me. Twenty pairs of eyes, none of them hers.

I run back to the car and peel out of the parking lot.

“Matt, what the hell!”

I stab the gas and drive to Dani’s. The SUV isn’t there. Lucy’s car isn’t in the driveway. I remember seeing it back at the marina.

She’s with him.

I sit next to Nick like he’s a stranger on the bus and not my first love. There are so many things I thought I wanted to say, but none of them come to mind. We drive through Pine Hill, past the golf course, and I know where we’re headed. Nick doesn’t drive through the front gate, he drives past the entrance to his house onto a service road. He gets out and unlocks a gate with a key and waves for me to drive through. I don’t drive, but I climb into the driver’s seat and ease the gas until I’m past the gate. I put the car in park and climb back into the passenger seat. The SUV reminds me a lot of my father’s Denali. The same car they were shot in. The car Will shot them in.

Nick locks the gate and returns to the truck. “That was pretty good.”

I ignore the compliment. “What are we doing here?”

“I just wanted to be alone with you. I need you to know what’s going on and that…”

Nick’s cell phone buzzes in the ashtray. He picks it up, looks at the caller ID, and sighs.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” My sarcasm catches his attention.

“Dani, I know you hate me right now. Just give me a chance to explain.”

I cross my arms across my chest. There is nothing he can say to make things right. He’s protecting the man that killed my parents.

“Let’s go inside.”

I open the door and jump out of the SUV. I don’t want to go inside, but sitting in the car brings back too many memories of my parents.

We walk through the winding path of the Marino estate, and I recognize things from the first time I was here. The gnome next to the rose bushes, a row of blue hydrangeas that line the green fence surrounding the tennis courts. I make notes in case I need to find my way out.

We reach the cottage and Nick stops. “Everything’s going to be ok.” He kisses me quickly on the mouth before I can protest and opens the door.

It smells like weed and some kind of incense. A man in a San Francisco Forty-Niner jersey is standing at the counter pouring himself a glass of orange juice. He frowns when he sees me. “What are you doing, nephew? I thought this was handled.” He’s got dark hair, almost black. His eyes look a shade darker than Nick’s, but he has the same smoldering smile.

“Yeah, it wasn’t.” Nick runs his hand through his hair.

I look back at Nick, the first boy I’ve ever loved and the last one I’ll ever trust.

He walks around the counter and pats Nick on the back. He stops in front of me with his hands in his pockets. “Do you know who I am?” Will Walker is tall and muscular, with a swagger you only see in movies. Some people might think he’s good looking. All I see is a murderer.

I nod my head.

“Of course you do,” he says arrogantly.

“Hey Will, she doesn’t…” Nick starts to tell him something, but Will cuts him off.

“Don’t worry, Nicky. I’m not going to hurt her. I just want to see what she knows.”

Will moves his arm around my shoulders and I shrug it off.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” I step back and look at Nick. He doesn’t look at me. His eyes never leave Will. “Is this why you brought me here?” My voice cracks. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

Nick closes his eyes and looks at the ground. “I’m sorry.” I hear his apology, I feel his regret. He’s a fucking liar too.

Will grabs my arm and tosses me onto the couch. Nick flinches and steps towards me.

“What?” Will dares him. Nick stops. He clenches his fist and backs away. His obedience makes me sick. He is supposed to protect me. To love me.

Will runs his clammy fingers down the side of my face and I knock his hand away. I try to get up, but he pulls me back and holds me so I can’t move my arms.

Don’t cry.

Will feels around my coat and pulls my phone out of my pocket. “Hey Paulo,” he calls and another man joins us. He must have been in Nick’s bedroom. I’ve never even been in Nick’s bedroom. “Make sure nobody can trace this.”

Paulo takes my phone to the kitchen. I hear drawers opening then pounding. He holds up what’s left of my cell phone, and Will nods in approval.

“She’s a hottie, we could make some money with her.” Will smiles and looks at Nick. Nick doesn’t react at all. He’s watching Paulo in the kitchen and then turns back to Will.

I’m trying desperately to prevent Will’s hands from exploring my body any further. When he starts to feel up my dress, I elbow him in the stomach and try to stand.

“You little bitch!” Will grabs my arm before I can escape and yanks me back onto the couch. The back of my head hits his chin. “What the fuck is your problem.”

A surge of adrenaline pulses through me. “You are my problem, you piece of shit!”

Will smiles at my outburst. He’s laughing at me as I struggle against him. The harder I fight, the tighter he holds me. He’s got me and he isn’t letting go. He will never let me go. Nick knew that, and he brought me here anyway.

Nick moves closer. I see tears in his eyes. For me. He knows Will is going to kill me. He knows and does nothing. Just like when he found out Will killed my parents and did nothing.

“Will, she didn’t see anything…” Nick finally says. It’s too late for explanations. Even I know that. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t see him. It never did. He knows he did it and he knows he was sloppy. He missed me the first time. He won’t make that mistake again.

“Shut up, Nick!” I scream. “Don’t act like you’re not just as bad as he is.” Nick’s jaw clenches and he looks away. I hate him. I hate them both.

“See Nicky, you got nothing to feel bad about. No regrets. No looking back. We’re gonna run Cali, together.” Will boasts. “Once she’s gone, I got nothing and nobody stopping me.”

“You think killing innocent people makes you a badass? You’re nothing but a coward!” I cry. I’m crying.

“Innocent? I don’t think so,” Will scoffs. “Your daddy took a job and he didn’t come through. Simple as that.”

Will’s words shock me. “My father wouldn’t have anything to do with scum like you.” I think of the picture from my birthday. “He told me you wanted him to take your case, and he refused.”

“I paid your daddy to lose the Devon Brown case, and the lucky bastard won.” His words knock the fight out of me.

The Devon Brown case was huge. He was proud of that win. He saved Brown from a third strike and life in prison. My father would never jeopardize his integrity for money.

“You’re lying!” I swing my fist around and hit him in the ear. He grabs my hand before I can land another blow but let’s my body go. I jump up, and Nick grabs me around the waist. He pulls me out of Will’s reach.

Will stands up with fire in his eyes and slaps me across the face. “This bitch is done.” He reaches around his back and pulls out a gun.

“Whoa!” Nick steps in front of me. I move back towards the door. Paulo jumps up and stops me.

I’m trapped. Nick is my only hope.

“What are you going to do, pop her in here? Cops will be all over this. Let’s go to the beach house. You have the entire ocean as a dumping ground.”