My stomach sinks and I slump back in the seat. The trees blurring by my window become even more unfocused. Would they really do that to me? Dangle me in shark-infested water as bait? Sure, they didn’t handcuff me to a giant neon sign with arrows that says “Hey! Remember me, Tony? I’m right here!” but they left a trail of bread crumbs to that sign.

“You sound like a conspiracy theorist,” I say without much conviction.

Aiden glances at me. “Our government’s done worse things.”

If that’s true, is there really anyone I can trust? If they want Tony to find me here, isn’t my presence here even more risky? I’m putting everyone in danger. No matter what I do, I keep grasping for a lifeline that’s just out of reach. How can I take control of this situation? Should I tell Luke the truth? Or leave before Luke gets a chance to contact Tony? At least if I’m not here, Tony won’t know I’m friends with everyone and won’t hurt anyone? Is that grasping at straws? I need to do something.

“I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t like it,” Aiden says, his muscles rigid.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply innocently, unable to look at him.

Aiden takes his eyes off the road for a few seconds to scan my face. “You’re thinking that you’re putting us all in danger and we’d be better off if you left.”

Is he reading my mind? How does he always do that?

He answers my thoughts again. “I know you, Thea, and it’s written all over your face.”

“Can you blame me, Aiden? Luke might as well just kill me himself if he invites Tony here. Plus you guys will be in the cross fire and I couldn’t stand it if—”

My body jerks as Aiden suddenly pulls over on the deserted road and hits the brakes, then shifts the car into Park. He turns in his seat to face me, the emotion and intensity in his eyes hitting me at full force and stealing the air from my lungs.

“You are not going anywhere before you need to. I literally just talked you off the ledge the other day. Let’s talk this through and not do anything rash.”

“But him seeing me in a video is way less risky than him actually coming here! And now that risk is double because of Anna! Why are you so adamant about putting yourself in danger? Just associating with me is a huge risk.”

Aiden’s voice is determined when he says, “Listen to me, Thea. You almost died because of me. My father basically ordered a hit on you.” He looks away from me for a second, as if collecting his thoughts. Tenderness and vulnerability are in his voice and written all over his face when he speaks next.

“Thinking that I almost lost you, that you were in danger because of me, is probably the worst I’ve ever felt in my whole life.”