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regret. “I don’t want to hurt either one of you.”
    We’re at a stand-off now. Anthony and his family have no clue what Link will do—what he’s capable of—and that makes for an even worse situation. Desperate people do crazy things to protect their loved ones. And a desperate man can do even crazier things to avenge his.
    “Get up,” Link tells Anthony. The words no sooner leave his mouth before Bethany is sobbing again.
    I can’t watch this. I’m just not made that way.
    “Link,” I breathe. “There’s a better way. There has to be.”
    “What other way is there, Rocky?”
    I glance between the men, my mind spinning. “He said Carter will contact him. We can wait for that to happen.”
    Link shakes his head, his brows crinkling. “You really think he’s going to tell me? He won’t. He’ll tell Bates. And Bates will come for us. For you .”
    I point at Bethany, her hair sticking to her face, wet with tears as she stares at her daughter, so close but so far away. “If you walk out of this house with her husband or child, she’ll call the police. How far will you get then?”
    Link squeezes his eyes closed. His chest rises and falls quickly. “He has to pay for what he did.” His voice is full of misery and indecision. My heart bleeds for him. I understand his need to punish Anthony. I do. I feel it every day for Garrett.
    But this isn’t the way.
    I look into Emma’s sweet, little face—at how terrified she is—and I know she doesn’t deserve this, no matter what her father has done. Link is going too far.
    “Then make him pay,” I say. “But not like this.” I look around the room, taking it all in. There has to be something else we can do. My eyes meet Bethany’s. She reaches over, taking Anthony’s hand. And all I can think about is what Link just told me. How Anthony kicked his hand away from Olivia’s before he raped her. How he tore them apart. How he denied them that last comfort.
    I dip my chin, nodding to Bethany. “Tell her,” I say with certainty. “Tell her what her husband did to you and Olivia.” I look back to Link, meeting his gaze. “I can’t think of worse punishment than the way she’ll look at him for the rest of their lives.”
     

Seven
    Link
     
    The amount of pleasure I take from the thought of Anthony’s wife cringing at his touch is almost scary. I’ve traumatized this woman and her child so much already, but Rocky’s right. Forcing him to face what he did in the form of his wife’s disgust is a much better punishment than death. He’ll have to live with this for the rest of his life.
    “I promise you, nobody will hurt you or your daughter,” I say to Bethany as I pull Emma toward me. “But what I’m about to tell you isn’t meant for a child’s ears.”
    “No,” Bethany cries, unsure of what I’m about to do. My gut twists with her pleas. I realize, in this moment, in her eyes, I’m the monster .
    “Rocky, take Emma into the other room,” I say, my voice scraping like sand paper. “Keep her where her mom can see her, but turn the TV on so she can’t hear what I’m about to say.”
    Rocky nods, taking Emma from me quickly. Though I shouldn’t be, I’m grateful she insisted on coming with me. This could have gone a much different way if she hadn’t.
    I kneel so I can look into Bethany’s eyes as I relay the story of the night my world came crashing down. I want her to see my pain. I want her to know every word I say is true.
    “Please don’t,” Anthony husks. “I’ll go with you. I’ll do what you want. I’ll find Bates. Just don’t…don’t…” He glances at his wife, his eyes wild with fear.
    “Don’t do this,” he repeats, his voice taking on an edge of anger.
    I tighten the knife in my grip, resting my hand on my leg, reminding him of its presence. He winces, pushing his back into the wall. Bethany understandably panics at the close proximity, gasping and crying.
    I stand, taking her arm as I go. I pull her to