"It was just a dream!" I insisted. "You know, those pictures in your head you can't control?"

"That come from your subconscious, and betray your deepest desires?" He paused. "And fears. Do you still fear me, Carrie?"

A thrill of frightened excitement raced up my spine. "No. I don't fear you."

"You're lying."

He was coming in for another kiss when the door behind my back released. I tumbled onto the sidewalk in a heap. My head collided painfully with the concrete and bursts of light blurred my vision.

Before I could register what had happened, Cyrus exited the car as well, clearly not under his own power. I heard him offer up a feeble excuse—or was that an apology?—then he was silenced by the dull snap of flesh pounding flesh.

I struggled to my feet. I must have bitten my tongue in the fall, because I tasted blood. My vision cleared as I swayed in place, and I saw Cyrus pinned to the raw brick of the building, with Nathan's thick forearm across his throat. Nathan's fist connected with Cyrus's nose, and a sickening wet snap crack through the air.

I stood transfixed by the sight of Nathan losing control, lashing out. I'd never seen him like this, even when he'd been fighting Cyrus for my life. Cyrus's eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped in Nathan's grasp.

The pain in my head was unbearable. Cyrus's bleak thoughts entwined with my own dread, and I screamed at Nathan to stop. I hated the pleading in my tone, but I would have bargained, offered anything, to keep him from hurting Cyrus further.

On my knees, I wept and begged for his life. For Cyrus, the man who'd tortured and abused me, who'd wanted to kill me, who'd sent my heart like takeout to his deranged father.

A change came over Nathan. He released Cyrus, letting him slide to the ground, unconscious. Nathan's face held a mix of emotions, and for a second I thought he felt real remorse for his actions. It disappeared as he came nearer and seized my upper arm, his fingers digging into my flesh.

He dragged me toward the door and I resisted, unwilling to leave Cyrus behind. My legs twisted and I couldn't get on my feet as Nathan hauled me up the stairs, every step digging painfully into my back when I slipped and fell. I finally stopped resisting, letting him pull me into the bedroom. He shoved me through the door and slammed it shut. I yanked on the knob, but Nathan held it from the other side.

My reason fled. I needed to get to Cyrus. The certainty that if I didn't get to him, if I didn't protect him, he would die, consumed me. "Let me out!"

He didn't answer.

"Nathan, let me go to him! He'll die out there!"

"Let him burn!" I heard the floorboards creak as he settled with his back to the door.