“I’m sorry,” Price says after a long stretch of silence.

Lynell looks up to see him staring at her. “What?”

“For . . . for seeing you as nothing but a means to an end. And for—” he stops and swallows, averting his gaze. “For wanting to Register you.”

“But not for Registering me?”

Price shakes his head. “That couldn’t have been avoided. But everything else wasn’t necessary. Kidnapping you, holding you at gunpoint. This,” he reaches up and gently touches her black eye. “I’m sorry.”

Lynell pushes his hand away. “How is Daniel involved?” she asks.

Price laughs. “He’s not. That man is pure through and through. He’d never be involved with the likes of us.”

“Who is ‘us’?”

His eyes flick to the side and he licks his bottom lip. When it’s clear he doesn’t intend to answer the question, she asks, “If Daniel isn’t involved, then how did he know?”

That, apparently, Price has no trouble sharing. “I told him.”

“You did? Why?” Lynell tries to snub the anxious curiosity in her gut, but it burns, threatening to overtake her.

“I honestly don’t know. Moment of weakness? Second-guessing? Pride? Did I want his help, or did I want him to see how cool—how important I am?” Price shrugs and gives a self-deprecating chuckle. He looks back at her then, squinting as if to study her. “I don’t know who I am. Damn,” he shakes his head. “That sounds so lame, but it’s true.”

“You don’t know who you are,” she says, each word monotone and face void of emotion. “That’s a copout. Who are you, anyway? And who are all the other men Registering me?”

Price seems to struggle with himself for a moment before saying, “We all work for the same guy.”

“Who?”

He shakes his head.

“And this guy is the one who wanted me Registered?”

He nods.

“Is he why we’re going back to Dallas? You’re taking me to him?”

Price nods again.

“Did you forget how to speak?”

He laughs and shakes his head. Lynell notices Markus flinch at the laughter, but he doesn’t turn around.

He must be terrified of Price. If these violent men are scared of Price, then Lynell wonders why her own fear seems to be dissolving.

“Why didn’t he just do it himself?” Lynell asks. The idea of a man so powerful he can make others use their Registration on her makes frost fill her chest.

Price reaches forward and grabs all the trash on her tray table. “Didn’t want to leave me anything?” He raises an eyebrow. “It’s fine. We’ll be in Dallas any minute now and I bet there will be a full dinner ready for us.” Price winks at Lynell.

Lynell scowls, but before she can reply, the pilot’s voice echoes through the plane, letting them know that they’ve started the descent.

Lynell watches Markus leave the plane in a hurry. Price doesn’t move from his seat until everyone else has disembarked, then he grabs Lynell’s hand and leads her down the aisle. She’s annoyed to realize that his grip around her arm is more calming than it is unnerving.