“Almost two,” the woman says.

Lynell smiles and waves at Carla. “Good morning, Carla.” The little girl hides behind her mom’s legs but waves gently even as she does.

“Sorry, she’s a bit shy.”

“It’s fine,” Lynell stands, crossing her arms. “She’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you.”

Before Lynell can reply, she hears Price thanking the receptionist and turns just in time for him to grab her arm and say, “Making friends?”

Lynell nods, glaring at him in a silent challenge to forbid her from being kind to strangers.

Price holds out his hand and the woman takes it, shaking it respectfully before pulling away and grabbing her daughter’s hand. “Thanks for keeping my wife company, but we really must be going.”

“Good to meet you,” Lynell says before Price tugs her away from the woman. “Have a good day, Carla.”

“Bye!” the little girl shouts. Lynell’s chest tightens.

Price ordered another car that’s already waiting outside when they leave the hotel.

“Today then?” she asks five minutes into the drive.

“Hmm?” he mutters, staring at his phone.

“You’re doing it today? Completing the Registration?”

He shrugs, his fingers dancing along the screen of his phone.

Lynell reaches over and tugs the phone out of Price’s hand. “Can you at least pretend to care about this?” she asks, voice harsher than she thought capable. She’d assumed her anger would fade into acceptance and resignation.

Price curls his hands into fists. “Give me back my phone, Lynell.”

“One question,” she says, holding the phone behind her head.

Price looks like he could strangle her. “Excuse me?”

She puffs out her chest and meets his gaze with as much confidence as she can muster. “I’ll give you back your phone if you answer one of my questions truthfully.”

“You’re joking, right?” He looks from her to the phone before making a lunge for it. She dodges and pulls a leg up onto the seat between them.

“No, I’m not,” she says. Price looks murderous, and she begins to wonder what could be on his phone that would get him to react like this. Answers to her questions maybe? Messages to the person who hired him?

Messages from Daniel?

Price sits back. “One question.”

Lynell grins and relaxes some. She purses her lips, considering all her options.

“Any day now.”

Lynell scowls. “Fine.” She fully intends to ask why he Registered her, but before she can stop herself, a different question escapes. “How do you know Daniel Carter?” She blinks at her own question, internally kicking herself.

It doesn’t matter how her Registerer and her ex know each other. It shouldn’t matter. And yet, it does.

Price has the nerve to chuckle. He shakes his head and rubs his eyes with his fingertips.

“What?” Lynell says, defensive.

“You’re sitting in a car with the man who Registered you, you have no idea when exactly in the next twelve days or how or where your life will end, and the most pressing question on your mind is that?” He looks at her with so much amusement in his eyes that Lynell shoves him before crossing her arms.