Once he got that look in his eyes, resistance wasn’t an option. It wasn’t even a concept. Which was why I’d stayed so far away from him for so long. If I hadn’t, it would have been impossible for me to sustain our breakup. My body responded to him without bothering to consult my brain.

“Would you two please cut that out?” Ethan snapped, elbowing me in the ribs.

He sat on my right, with his fingers in his ears.

Marc pulled away from me long enough to growl at Ethan, but then his tongue was in my mouth before I could chime in with my own two cents. He’d final y figured out how to shut me up. I’d have to congratulate him—as soon as I regained the ability to speak.

“Seriously, guys,” Parker said. If it had been anyone else, Marc would have snarled again, but he took Parker seriously. Marc let me go, and I glanced at the rearview mirror to find Parker staring back at me.

My face flushed and I laughed. But my smile froze in place as the first muffled notes of the Nokia ring tone met my ears. From my pocket. Eric’s phone was ringing in my pocket, and I had no idea whether or not to answer it.

I dug the phone out and stared at it as if it would tel me what to do. But it didn’t. Phones aren’t very helpful in that respect. The number on the display was unfamiliar. “Does anyone know Ryan’s cell phone number?” I asked.

Ethan stared at me as if I’d just spoken in tongues. “Okay,” he said, glancing around the van. “Raise your hand if you knew Ryan had a cell-phone before this morning.” No hands went up.

“Okay, point taken. No one knows. You could have just said that,” I snapped.

“Someone cal Daddy.” No one moved. “Now!”

Six hands dug in pockets for cel phones. Marc won. He had Daddy programmed in under “boss.” I should have guessed. “Greg, it’s Marc.” He paused, listening, and Eric’s phone stopped ringing. Damn. “Do you have Ryan’s cell-phone number? Someone just cal ed Eric’s phone, and we don’t know who it was.” Another pause. “Oh. Already?”

I couldn’t hear Daddy over the highway noise, and not knowing was driving me crazy. See? No patience.

“Okay, here she is.” Marc handed me the phone, his hand over the mouthpiece. “It was Ryan. He’s at the ranch. Your dad wants to talk to you.”

I took the phone. “Hi, Daddy.”

“Ryan just got a cal from Miguel.” His tone was al business.

“What did he say?”

“He was just checking in. They’re about two hours from Oak Hil , but coming from the opposite direction, so you shouldn’t run into them on the highway.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Good. We’l beat them there by over an hour. Have you spoken to the Taylors yet?”

“Yes. Everything’s set. Carissa and her mother left with four of their enforcers this afternoon. Brian wil be there to let you in. He’s happy for the opportunity to stay and help.” Brian was one of Carissa’s brothers. Her father was at the ranch with the other Alphas.

“Okay. That sounds good.”

“Faythe?”

“Yes, Daddy?”

“Be careful.”

My heart beat a little harder, and I swal owed. “I wil . I promise.”

“Good. Put Marc on the phone so I can threaten to flay him alive if anything happens to you.”

I laughed. “I’m in charge, Daddy, remember? You should be threatening me.”

“I’ve already done enough of that to last a lifetime. Just be careful.”

“You already said that.”

“I know.” He sighed, and I pictured the lines on his face deepening as he frowned down at his desk.

“It warrants saying twice.”

I smiled, feeling strangely warm and fuzzy, considering my destination. “Don’t worry.”

“You always were one to ask for the impossible.”

“Yeah, and to make it happen too. So stop worrying.”

“I’l do my best.” He paused. “Listen, Ryan says Miguel gave him a message for you. Do you want to hear it?”

My stomach clenched around airport lasagna, threatening to expel it. “I don’t know. Do I?”

“I haven’t heard the message, but Ryan says it isn’t pretty.”

Great. But what the hel . Words couldn’t real y hurt me, and maybe if he pissed me off, I’d fight better. “Yeah, put him on.”

Here he is.”

I heard scratching sounds as the phone changed hands, then Ryan spoke into my ear. “Hey, I told Dad you wouldn’t want to hear this, so don’t shoot the messenger, okay?”

“What do you think I’m going to do, reach through the phone and snap your neck? I think you’re pretty safe, at least until I get home.”

Marc laughed and mimed snapping someone’s neck. I didn’t think it was very funny, but apparently I was in the minority.

“Thanks,” Ryan said. “That’s very comforting.”

“Just spit it out. What did he say?”

“That you’re going to pay for his face. This next part’s a direct quote. He said he’s gonna ‘beat you until you beg for mercy, then fuck you until you bleed.’”

My mouth went dry. Fear clutched my lungs, making it hard to draw a deep breath. And for a moment I thought the low rumbling sound was my stomach preparing to heave. Then I realized it was Marc growling, his expression so fierce I couldn’t stand to meet his eyes.