Chapter 12 · She Knows Ivy's Dead Name

The screen says: I know who you were.

My hand's shaking so bad the tablet almost slips. Rena grabs my elbow but I can't look away from Mara's face on the monitor. She's still smiling. Still holding that phone up like it's a gift.

Behind me one of the rescued women is crying. Another one's asking Rena if we're safe yet. We're not. We're so far from safe I can taste copper on my tongue.

Mara tilts her head. She types something new on her phone and flips it around.

Come alone or I tell him you're alive.

"Ivy." Rena's voice is low. Steady. The kind of steady that means she's two seconds from dragging me out by force. "We leave. Now."

I should. I know I should. Cole's out there buying us time with his blood and I'm standing here staring at a woman who just threatened to burn my entire life down.

But Mara's the fifteenth name on the list. The one they moved. The one who's supposed to be another victim.

Except she's not tied down. She's not screaming. She's sitting in that surgical chair like she owns it.

I look at Rena.