“I’m not making it out of here.” The hazel in his eyes sharpened like always when he was passionate about something, usually me. “No matter what happens, stay away from Dad.”

My jaw unhinged. I was speechless.

“I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything,” he said, “but you want him. And I’m not stupid. He wants me dead.”

“He was your best friend! You don’t have a clue what our lie started all those years ago. People have died because of it. Rafe’s not the same guy you knew before we sent him to prison.”

“I only know one thing for certain. Shelton got me out of that Mexican prison. He brought me here so Rafe could kill me inside that cage. The guy hates Dad’s guts.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true. I overheard his guys talking. This is about revenge, and we’re all playing into his hands.”

“I heard what you told Rafe in that barn. You weren’t shy about your hatred.”

“What else was I supposed to say? I hate his guts, Lex. He took away the only thing I care about in this world.”

“I’m not a thing.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No. I think you said exactly what you mean. You’ve always seen me as a thing, a piece of property.”

He hung his head. “Then let’s get this over with. Let him have his shot at me.”

Panic seized me. I didn’t know for certain that Rafe would kill him, and I had a hunch that Zach was feeding me a line of bullshit, preying on my vulnerability. He’d always been a master at manipulating me. Even so, I didn’t want Rafe to go down this road. Not if I could stop it. I’d witnessed how getting his hands dirty had affected him—it was the reason he’d bolted six months ago.

And as much as I hated to admit it, even to myself, I didn’t want to see Zach dead either.

Another fist rattled the door. “He’s got ten minutes, then the boss wants him in that cage. Make it happen.”

“I’m working on it!” Footsteps faded, and my gaze darted between the only window in the room and Zach’s bound form slumped in the chair. I deliberated for a few seconds, my gaze swerving back and forth, indecision warring in my heart. As I hurried across the room and began working on the knots in the rope, a voice within screeched its objection.

What the hell was I doing?

Saving Rafe.

“What are you doing, Lex?”

I shot Zach a startled look. He’d grabbed the question from my mind and had spoken it aloud.