Now she was going to get eight needles, and she was sure they were long as an aardvark’s nose, jabbed into the base of her spine.

Ryker’s voice said, Find a happy place and hide there until it’s done.

Except there was no such thing as a happy place when you were being stabbed.

The first injection felt like she was being run through with a lance. Tendrils of white-hot fire sped up her spine, exploding in her brain. Her fingers and toes curled. Her lungs constricted. Before she could expel her held breath, the next needle slid deep into her.

Again and again and again, the two doctors stuck her.

But she did not cry. No matter what any doctor had done, violating her in more ways than she could ever have imagined, she refused to shed a tear in front of them. Her body might be weak, but her will could break a football lineman in half.

* * *

Andrew dropped his magazine on the floor the second he saw Kate walk into the waiting room. Her lips were pulled tight, her eyes glazed. She saw him rise and turned her attention to Kelly, the receptionist, telling Kelly in a strained voice that she needed to make an appointment for the following month. Kate took her appointment card, slipped it in her pocket, and headed for the door. He went to touch her back to give her support, and she hissed.

He didn’t ask why. Not in front of everyone in the waiting room, all eyes glued to the woman who looked like she was about to break apart.

Careful helping her into the car, he buckled her in and raced to the driver’s side.

What did they do to her now? he thought.

When he started the engine, Kate said, “Go slow. And watch for bumps. Please.”

She closed her eyes and settled her head against the seat. A lone tear trickled down her cheek.

It was a twenty-mile drive back to the house. He’d take it at a snail’s pace if he had to and ignore the bevy of honking motorists behind him. Jersey drivers were not known for their patience.

Merging onto the Garden State Parkway as smoothly and slowly as possible, he said, “Honey, what happened in there?”

She opened her mouth to answer, then stopped, waving him off. A small sob escaped her lips.

“It hurts so bad,” she said, whimpering.

Every muscle in Andrew’s body tensed.

He felt helpless, impotent, shut out. A million questions bubbled inside him, but he couldn’t give voice to them. Not while Kate was in this kind of pain. He’d have to go against every emotion he was feeling and wait for her to explain everything.

As they got off onto Route 9, Kate said, “I think I can breathe now.”

Andrew’s grip on the steering wheel relaxed slightly.

“Where’s the pain?” he asked.