Sierra’s face when I scared her this morning keeps replaying in my head. She needed to know the severity of the situation. I owed her that much.

My phone pings from my pocket, and I open it to find a message from the marketplace app that Murph helped me list my bike on.

Will you take $8,000?

I roll my eyes. The nerve of these people. It’s an insult.

It’s worth far more than what I’m asking. 10 is the lowest I’ll go.

Because ten grand is what I owe my supplier, but I’m not going to tell him that. Truth be told, I’m desperate to sell it, but dreading the affirmative reply that comes a minute later.

I’ll take it. Can I come check it out in the morning?

Heaving a heavy sigh, I answer with my location and a good time. Then, I peer back at the pamphlet on my lap. At first, I try to convince myself that this will be a fresh start. Debt-free. Drug-free.

Sierra-free.

It hardly feels like a new beginning and more like a bitter end. Even if I do get my life together, she’ll still be too good for me.

Suddenly, my phone pings again. Expecting it to be the buyer again, I’m nearly shocked off my stool when there is a picture of Hale and Sierra on my phone. He’s got his arm tight around her neck and his tongue against her cheek. The look of terror on her face makes my skin crawl.

“Everything okay?” Murph calls from the front of the shop.

I don’t respond. I can’t exactly say yes.

A pounding at the back door makes me jump again.

“Logan!” Her familiar voice has me pulling the door open in a panic. Sierra is standing at the back door, looking distressed and scared out of her mind. Without hesitation, I pull her into my arms and look around for any sign of Hale behind her. But she seems to be alone.

“He found me,” she stammers. “He was with my parents.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper into her hair.

It was a warning. To show just how much power he has and how much he owns me. If anything, it was further proof that my time working for Hale is over. I’m selling my bike and giving him the money, and I’m done.

Quickly, I pull out my phone and text the guy on the marketplace app.

Any chance you could come today?

16

Sierra

“I hope you’re done pushing me away now,” I say to him over my cup of coffee.

We’re sitting two doors down in the almost empty bookshop. The small coffee shop in the back gives us enough privacy to talk.

“I never should have let you get this involved.” His head is hanging, so I reach out and intertwine my fingers with his.

“Well I am, so now we can get through this together.”

When he lifts his head, I get lost in those piercing blues again. His eyes are full of remorse. So I join him on the small couch and pull his face up to mine. Kissing his lips slowly, I try to make him feel this connection between us. That we are stronger together and that I won’t leave so easily.