“Will you come with us, Rosa?” I ask, not wanting to exclude my friend again, but to my surprise, she shakes her head.

“No. I’m going to the city,” she explains. “Señor Esguerra”—she glances at Julian—“said he’s fine with that as long as I take one of the guards with me. I don’t need as much security as the two of you, so I figured I’d use the day to explore Chicago.” She pauses and gives me a concerned look. “You don’t mind, do you? Because I don’t have to go—”

“No, no, you should definitely go. Chicago is a great city. You’ll have fun.” I give her a big smile, ignoring the sudden wash of envy. I want Rosa to have this kind of freedom; there’s no reason for her to be stuck in the suburbs.

There’s no reason for her to be confined like me.

The drive to the park takes less than thirty minutes. As we approach, I realize where we’re going, and my stomach tightens.

I know this park.

It’s the one where I was walking with Jake the night Julian kidnapped me.

The memories that come are sharp and vivid. In a dark flash, I relive the terror of seeing Jake unconscious on the ground and feeling the cruel prick of the needle on my skin.

“Are you okay?” Julian asks, and I realize I must’ve gone pale. His eyebrows come together. “Nora?”

“I’m fine.” I attempt to smile as the car comes to a stop at the curb. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.” His blue eyes narrow. “If you’re not feeling well, we’re going back to the house.”

“No.” I grab the door handle and tug at it frantically. The atmosphere in the car feels heavy all of a sudden, thick with memories. “Please, I just want some fresh air.”

“All right.” Apparently sensing my state, Julian motions to the driver, and the door locks click open. “Go ahead.”

I scramble out of the car, the anxious feeling in my chest easing as soon as I step outside. Taking a deep breath, I turn to see Julian climb out of the car behind me, his face taut with worry.

“Why did you choose this park?” I ask, trying to keep my voice even. “There are others in the area.”

He looks puzzled for a second; then understanding displaces worry on his face. “Because I had already scoped out this place,” he says, stepping toward me. His hands close around my upper arms as he gazes down at me. “Is that what’s bothering you, my pet? My choice of location?”

“Yes, somewhat.” I take another deep breath. “It brings back certain… memories.”

“Ah, of course.” Julian’s eyes gleam with sudden amusement. “I guess I should’ve been more cognizant of that. This just happened to be the easiest park to secure, since I had all the schematics from before.”

“From when you stole me.” I stare up at him. Sometimes his total lack of repentance still catches me off-guard. “You scoped out the park two years ago for my kidnapping.”