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“Only one girl who makes Shane look like that,” East agrees.

“Fuck off. All of you,” I say, climbing out of my seat. I’m sure as hell not answering this call with the guys around.

I walk into the bunkhouse, but when I answer, there’s something rustling on the other end of the line.

“Harloe?”

“Who are you?” I hear her say, but it’s distant, and her voice seems off. “Ah⁠—”

Her scream ends suddenly as the line cuts out, and my blood freezes in my veins. I try her again, but it rings and rings.

She doesn’t answer.

What was I thinking leaving her alone at the hospital? Even with her brothers on constant rotation, I know better than to take my eyes off her right now. I let her out of my sight, and now something terrible has happened.

What have I done?

37

HARLOE

“Harloe.” My name sounds like it’s coming through a tunnel.

Between being hit in the back of the head and some sweet chemical scent that made my brain foggy when the burlap sack was thrown over my head, I blacked out.

“Harloe.”

There’s my voice again, but it sounds so far away. Mumbled and fuzzy.

I blink, my face no longer covered. But when I try to wiggle my hands, I can’t move my wrists. They’re tied behind my back.

Something sharp pokes my bare legs, and I squint, glancing down at the hay scattered on the concrete floor. My boots have been stripped off, and my ankles are tied like my wrists. Something hard and splintery presses against my spine.

I shake my head but can’t cut through the fog. It’s like I’m in a bubble. I struggle against the ropes holding me, but they have no give.

“Harloe.”

Zander?

I recognize his voice this time and blink again. My mouth is dry; my lips stick together. I try to wet them, but it’s like my mouth is filled with cotton. Looking around, I can make out big shapes, but details are blurry. It takes a few more blinks to spot movement nearby.

Only once my vision clears does Zander’s face come into view across from me. He’s tied to a post like I am.

“Zander.” His name comes out hoarse, and it doesn’t sound like my voice. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” he grumbles, standing. Like me, he’s secured to a post so there’s nowhere for him to go, but he has the strength to pull himself to his feet. “I was climbing into my truck outside the general store, and everything went dark. I woke up here.”

“How long have I been out? And where are we?” I ask, sitting up straighter but not finding the strength in my legs to stand like he is.

“I woke up about a half hour before you, if I had to guess. No idea where we are. Never seen it.” He shakes his head.

His blond hair is slicked back with sweat, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Zander so messy. Hay sticks to his pant legs. Dirt and scratches mar his face.

Glancing around, I take in the barn again with clearer eyes. It’s messy but not dirty. The stench of manure and horses is strong in the air, so I doubt this is an abandoned building, just empty right now.

Zander struggles against his restraints and nearly falls. A string of curses comes when he stumbles, and I can’t figure out why anyone would want to kidnap me and Zander together. We aren’t in a relationship anymore. We don’t even associate with each other.

I tug my wrists, but they’re bound tight, so I trace the knot, trying to identify the pattern with my fingers. My mind is fuzzy. The knot isn’t intricate, but without being able to see it, I can’t make much progress undoing it.