Inside Kara’s car, the smoke was becoming thicker, the clicking louder. She opened her mouth, but no words escaped, instead she inhaled a mouthful of smoke. She coughed several times, nearly missing Ethen’s next words.

“I was already going to be rescued,” Ethen said, speaking so rapidly he stumbled over his words. “He would have come. That’s why you-you made a mistake. It was a mistake for you to come. A m-mistake for you to take him from me… so why-why did you?”

Love blinds people to the truth.

“You haven’t answered a single question yet. What the hell happened?”

* * *

Though Bartholomew’s laughter was weak, it was still there. Laughter which clearly and plainly told Kara that this had been his backup plan for...

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