Just when Eli figured ra had finally let it go, she spun around and gave her order, voice cold as ice.


    "Beat him within an inch of his life, then toss him back in the slums."


    With that, she headed straight for Megan''s room.


    The two rooms were only about fifteen meters apart-close enough that anything happening on Eli''s side was sure to be heard in Megan''s. But Megan didn''t move, didn''t flinch. She just sat there on the couch, waiting.


    ra walked in, and Megan finally got to her feet.


    "ra, who''s that guy who''s always with youtely? Are you in some kind of trouble?"


    ra shook her head slowly. She crossed to the coffee table, reached for the water ss, but hesitated, fingers stopping midair.


    "Megan, have I ever told you anything about where Ie from?"


    "No, never. Why? Is there something you want to say?"


    ra smiled a little and pushed the ss away.


    "It''s nothing. I''ve just been having issues with Ryantely. He''s suddenly gotten way too good at lying, so I had to set him straight. You know, sometimes you wear a mask for so long that when you finally rip it off, it takes some skin with it. Hurts like hell."


    Megan''s face almost slipped. She had no idea what ra really meant-was ra hinting at something? Had Megan let something slip? But ever since meeting Beck, she''d been careful. Beck had yed it cool, too, keeping his head down, never making eye contact.


    Except maybe that very first look...


    But there was no way ra could figure things out just from that. If she were


    really that sharp, Simon wouldn''t have been able to mess with her for so long.


    Megan felt herself rx, letting out a quiet breath.


    "Ryan''s your brother. Whatever''s going on, just talk to him."


    ra stood up, waving dismissively.


    "I''m heading out. Don''t mention tonight to anyone."


    Megan nodded, watching her leave.


    Out in the hall, ra let out a quiet sigh before heading back to her car.


    She didn''t have to wait long. Soon, Eli came out, Beck slung over his shoulder like


    a sack of potatoes.


    He dumped Beck in the backseat without a second thought, then slid into the passenger seat.


    "The kid says it was all Eden''s idea."


    ra drove, her face unreadable.


    They reached the edge of the slums. Eli took a quick look around for cameras, then shoved Beck into muddy ditch next to a stinking stream.


    He expected ra to drive off right away, but she just kept the car running,


    parked a short distance away, not moving.


    He nced over. "ra, what are you waiting for?"


    They sat through the night, from


    dusk till sunrise. Nobody came


    Beck, In the end, it was a groueret


    of


    street kids who found him.


    SWI


    ra''s lips twitched. "I just wanted to see if anyone would show."


    Eli yawned. "There''s always someone around here. He was bound to be found. You don''t ope


    ???


    actually want him dead—you just want to know who was calling the shots. But this Eden... I get the feeling he was just trying to set her up."  ?wnovel


    Before Eli had even finished, ra pressed down on the gas.


    "If he''s trying to frame her, we''ll find out soon enough."


    *


    Eden never expected to run into ra on her way home. Her eyes went wide, and


    the first thing she blurted out was-