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his.
    â€œWhy not?” He shrugged with a smile. “You came all this way to be with me. I wanted your visit to be special.”
    The old Jessie would have beaten herself up with guilt. She hadn’t come back to Chicago for Seth alone, not exactly. Even though she had missed Harper terribly since his trip to New York, she had another personal reason for coming, and she dreaded having to tell him. But the new Jessie fought the sting of tears and the lump in her throat, accepting Seth’s beautiful gift.
    No one had ever done something so thoughtful for her. And before she met Harper, she never thought she deserved to be happy. Her abused past had been a lifetime prison sentence, without the possibility of parole. But seeing herself through Seth’s eyes had allowed her to hope things could change. Maybe it was okay to let someone good like him into her life.
    Maybe she had a chance at being normal if she let it happen. Harper was a heaping helping of normal compared to her crazy standards.
    â€œI want you to be happy.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck, as if he’d read her mind. “Actually . . . I was hoping that if you liked it, you might want to . . . move back to Chicago and live here with me. I’ve missed you, Jess.”
    She turned and looked him in the eye. Now his nervousness made sense. Seth had more on his mind than spending a few days with her.
    â€œI’ve missed you, too, Harper.” She heard the catch in her voice. “But I need to tell you—”
    She wanted to explain the main reason why she’d come, but Harper stopped her. He touched a finger to her lips and pulled her close.
    â€œYou don’t need to tell me anything. Not tonight. I just want us to be together. Keep things simple, you know?” He kissed her forehead. “I’m not pressuring you. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”
    â€œI will. I promise.” She nestled into his arms and breathed him in.
    The truth was that she had thought a lot about moving back. She’d never gotten used to living in New York City. She was a Midwest girl, and Chicago felt more like home.
    Until Harper came along, she’d never thought about putting down any real roots. Her old South Chicago apartment had been more of a self-inflicted wound. She never thought she deserved better, but Harper made her want . . . more.
    â€œBut if I move in, what will your roommate say?”
    â€œAbsolutely nothing. Beggars can’t be choosers.”
    â€œSo where is he?” she asked.
    â€œI banished him for tonight. I wanted you all to myself.” When he grinned, his cheeks colored pink. “You can meet him tomorrow.”
    Jess didn’t have the heart to tell him she wanted to be on the road early. The trip to La Pointe, Wisconsin, would take most of the day. The police chief would be expecting her, but after seeing everything Seth had done, she kept that information to herself for a while longer. He’d asked to keep things simple, and she knew what he meant.
    For one sweet night, no drama.
    When morning came, she’d find a way to tell him. Harper would want to go with her, but this was one trip she had to take alone.
    Mexico
    Last night, Ramon Guerrero had awakened fifteen-year-old Estella Calderone in the middle of the night, the way he usually did lately. He took what he wanted like an animal, without saying a word.
    When he was done, he forced her to get dressed and come with him, ignoring her questions. When they got outside his hacienda near Juárez, two cars were waiting in front with headlights blazing. And his men were nothing more than dark silhouettes, without faces.
    â€œYou ride with them.” He waved a hand, barely looking at her. “Watch over the American in the back. He’s your responsibility.”
    Guerrero gave his order and told her to ride in the van. That was the first time she had seen the wounded