Ruddy found Clara in the Wiley mansion. She was sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up inside the jacket she had taken from George. Tear streaks lined her face. She looked so tiny and vulnerable, like a broken doll.

  The once-neat room was ransacked—furniture smashed and piled up in corners. The word “whore” was graffitied on the walls in smears of brown ... Ruddy hoped it was paint.

  He wrinkled his nose at the smell of urine where someone had left their mark. “Jesus! What happened here?”

  Clara wiped her eyes. “Everyone hates me.” She shook her head. “Even your friends think I’m a whore.”

  He cleared his throat. “No they don’t. They … well, Teri doesn’t know what to think. She’s got some ... some things going on. But that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to make sure you’re okay, you know, after ... uh ... what George did to you.”

  Her eyes teared up again. “I’ve been through worse. I know I shouldn’t have let him, but I learned to please them or regret it.”

  “The things that happened to you are not your fault,” Ruddy said. “It’s over now.”

  “Is it?” She glanced at the graffiti on the wall. “From what I can see, I’ve traded one set of abusers for another. I’ll never be safe. But … you could protect me.”

  He hesitated. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, but Teri says you didn’t try to stop George … that you came onto him.”

  “So what if I did?” she said. She stepped close to him; he could feel the heat radiating from her. “As long as I do what the people with power want, they take care of me.” She frowned. “What choice do I have? You made it clear you didn’t care what happened to me.”

  “That's not true,” Ruddy said. “I almost killed George when ... what more do you want?”

  She nuzzled into him. “I know. What you did ... Ruddy, you’re my hero. I won’t be afraid anymore, not with you here.”

  He could feel her breasts against him. She shifted, maneuvering her hips so they rubbed against his groin.

  “Um … I don’t ...”

  She sobbed against him. “Ruddy, please. I need you.” She ran her hand down his back. “We could be so happy together. I could make you happy, and you could protect me.” She pressed her wet face into his chest. Her tears soaked through his shirt.

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  “I … I don’t know about this,” he said. He wrapped his arms around her.

  Something inside told him this was wrong. But he couldn’t leave her here, could he?

  Why couldn’t he take her with them, at least to Albuquerque? Corey’s friends could get her back to Penatuka where she’d be safe until they could be reunited.

  He relaxed and stroked her hair. “I’m here for you. Don’t worry.”

  She looked up at him, beautiful even with her face red from crying. “Thank you, Ruddy. You won’t regret it.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. He leaned in to meet her lips. Everything dissolved from his mind as they kissed. How could he have ever even imagined leaving her behind?

  She needed him.

  Ruddy, I need your help!

  Ruddy moaned as Clara’s hands roamed over him. God, Teri! Can’t it wait?

  No! It’s Xeke. Something’s wrong with him. He won’t wake up.

  “What?” He took a step back from Clara. What happened?

  He collapsed … he’s barely breathing.

  Where’s Corey?

  He’s on his way ... but I’m not sure he can help, he hasn't had any time to recover, and I’m so tired. I need you here, Ruddy … please.

  I’ll be right there. Just hold on.

  Ruddy took Clara's shoulders and held her at arm's length. “I’ve got to go. I’m so sorry. I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise.”

  Clara clung to him. “Where are you going? You can’t leave me here!”

  “I have to. Xeke’s hurt. Teri needs my help.”

  She grabbed his arm. “What? That’s not fair. You’re just going to run to her every time she calls? You don’t need her!”

  “No, but she needs me,” he said. “You don’t know what she’s been through.”

  “What she’s been through? Are you kidding me? I’ve been a slave here since I was twelve. She shows up and they rearrange the whole world for her. Adrian treated her like fucking royalty.”

  “What?” Ruddy’s jaw dropped. “How can you say that? They had her chained to a psychopath.”

  She glared at him. “You don’t know anything. Can’t you see she’s using you? Stop being such an idiot.”

  “It’s not like that,” he said. He edged toward the door. “I really have to go.”

  The anger left Clara’s eyes. “No. Please. Don’t leave ... I can be anything you want me to be.” She pulled open her jacket.

  Ruddy swallowed.

  “I can do things you can’t even dream of.” The jacket dropped off her shoulders and piled onto the floor at her feet. She closed the distance between them, swaying her hips. “You don’t need that little girl.”

  “Wow.” He took a step back. “You don’t even care, do you? I told you my friend is hurt, and you don’t care.” He turned away from her. “Put some clothes on.”

  Her face twisted into a snarl. “So that’s how it is. First you take advantage of me and now you’re going to leave? You’re worse than Adrian.”

  “What? I didn’t take advantage ...”

  Clara’s voice rose to a scream. “Fine, asshole. Run to your little bitch! I don’t ever want to fucking see you again!” She grabbed something off the counter and hurled it at him. He tried to duck, but he was too slow. A clothes iron pinged off his head as he fled the room.