"Dn, it''s me, ra. Please, don''t do this to me."


    No sooner had the words left her lips than she fell silent, watching in shock as he slowly stood up. Her eyes widened-could it be true? Were Dn''s legs really healed?!


    She quickly crawled over, clinging to his feet, swallowing her pride. "Dn, let me take care of you, please."


    In the dim light, she did her best to exude charm, hoping to catch his eye. But then she heard the chilling click of a gun being cocked, and searing pain shot through her leg.


    "Ahhh!"


    She screamed, unable to hold it back, and soon her other leg was hit too. Dn approached, crouching beside her. "Get ra here."


    His voice was casual, like he was talking about the weather. Quinn suddenly found herself speechless as the gun pressed against her forehead. There was a hint of a smile in his voice.


    "You can do it, right? Call her over."


    Fear gripped Quinn. She had thought she wasn''t afraid of death, but now she was shaking all over. She''d do anything to stay alive. Nodding frantically, tears streamed down her face.


    Why, even now, did he want ra? Damn ra, that wretched woman-why couldn''t she just vanish!


    With trembling hands, she fumbled for her phone, terrified that another second''s dy might mean a bullet in her brain. This Dn was dangerous, yet so captivating.


    Her mind screamed in panic, but her fingers dialed Naomi''s number with speed. "Mom, you''ve got to get ra here, tell her Dn needs her right now!"


    Then she hung up, not daring to look at Dn. He was tall, crouching beside her like she was nothing more than a stray dog-maybe less. In his eyes, she wasn''t even worth a piece of trash on the street.


    But Dn was so mesmerizing, even now, Quinn wanted to try onest time. Maybe he was just under some influence.


    "Dn, let me take care of you. I can make you feel good too, and ra''s not innocent anymore. Who knows how many men she''s been with? She''s really not worthy of you."


    No sooner had she spoken than a bullet lodged in her shoulder.


    Terror filled her eyes as she scrambled backward, unable to believe the man before her. This wasn''t the Dn she remembered, the calm and collected one.


    Dn returned to his wheelchair, slowly cleaning the gun, silent. His presence was overpowering. Quinn was in agony but held back her screams. She couldn''t afford to scream; all she wanted was for ra to get there fast, or she''d die here.


    *


    Naomi, panicking that Quinn was really in danger, hurried to find ra.


    "ra, you need to go to Quinn. She''s in trouble. She used your phone to meet


    up with Dn, and now I don''t know what''s happened."


    ra stood up, thinking she must have misheard.


    "What did you say?"


    Naomi couldn''t meet her eyes, guilt written all over her face.


    "Quinn said she wanted Dn, so I gave her your phone. She just called me, crying, begging you to go to her. Something''s definitely gone wrong."