Eliza didn’t seem ruffled at all by Wade’s declaration.

“And you may be surprised by all I know about you and your various business practices,” she said airily. “So, in that regard, no, I doubt I’d be surprised by anything when it comes to you. And that’s quite an ego you have there. Who said you were good-looking and charming? Personally I find you to be a royal pain in the ass.”

Wade’s eyes narrowed at the insult. “What the hell does that mean? What exactly do you know about me? And there are plenty of women who disagree with you,” he added in a silky, mocking voice.

Eliza laughed, ignoring his comeback about other women, who were countless, Anna-Grace was sure. It was a mystery to her why Wade had ever been interested in her on a more personal level than casual friendship.

“I’m a wiz at uncovering information on people that they don’t necessarily want the rest of the world to know. It’s useful in my line of work. It frustrates my computer geek boss—one of them—that I’m better with technology than he is and he knows it even if he won’t admit it.”

Wade’s scowl deepened. “I don’t even want to know,” he grumbled and then turned back to the stove, muttering about all-knowing, interfering women.

Eliza’s eyes were sparkling with laughter when she turned her attention back on Anna-Grace. “Now that we’ve got certain egos in check, I’ll continue telling you about Zack.”

Anna-Grace got the impression that Eliza quite enjoyed yanking Wade’s chain, and even more interesting was the fact that she clearly got under Wade’s skin when not much ever seemed to bother him. He was the epitome of cool and calm, and Anna-Grace had never seen him remotely ruffled.

Eliza’s expression sobered as she reached over to place her hand on Anna-Grace’s. She squeezed lightly in a gesture of comfort.

“Zack specifically asked me—hell, he demanded—that you be protected around the clock and that you not go anywhere if possible, and if you absolutely must, then you were to have a full security detail. And he asked me to tell you that there were things he had to do, things that had to be taken care of and that he would be back as soon as possible. But, and he was very adamant about this, he said to tell you he was coming back—to you—no matter what.”

Eliza hesitated, clear concern marring her pretty features. A sense of dread overtook Anna-Grace as she took in Eliza’s words. And their meaning. Surely . . . surely he wouldn’t. But he’d been so angry—furious.

“Gracie, do you have any idea where he would have gone?” Eliza asked. “I’m really worried about him. I can’t imagine what could be so important that he’d take off—on his own—when his primary focus is—has always been—you. He said nothing, other than he had something he had to do. He didn’t ask for help or backup. And we do nothing without backup. It’s the only way we do things at DSS, which tells me this is very personal and that he didn’t want to confide whatever it is he’s doing in anyone.”

Anna-Grace closed her eyes, shame and embarrassment overwhelming her. How could she tell Eliza—someone who obviously cared a lot about and respected Zack—what she suspected was the thing Zack had to do?

“Gracie?”

Anna-Grace opened her eyes to see Eliza’s imploring gaze locked on her, a silent plea in her eyes.

“You can talk to me,” Eliza said softly. “I know you don’t know me, and I know it’s hard for you to trust anyone. But you can tell me anything. I won’t judge. Nor will I betray your confidence. But Zack is very important to me—to everyone at DSS. And if he’s in trouble, we want to help him. Just as we’ll do everything we can to help you. You’re important to Zack, which makes you important to us as well.”

Tears simmered in Anna-Grace’s eyes and she looked down for a moment, indecision weighing heavily on her mind. Then she took a deep breath and glanced Wade’s way.

“If you want to speak privately, I can ask him to leave,” Eliza said in a voice too low for Wade to hear.

“No,” Anna-Grace said just as softly. “He knows part of it. And he needs to know the rest, or at least what I’ve told Zack. Because he hates Zack because of what I told him sometime ago, and now . . .”

“Now what?” Eliza prompted.

Anna-Grace lifted her head and stared directly into Eliza’s eyes and admitted what had been nagging at her ever since witnessing Zack’s reaction the night before.

“Now I’m not so sure that I was right. Maybe . . . maybe I was wrong.” Tears flooded her eyes and sloshed over the rims, streaking down her cheeks in wet trails. “And if I was wrong . . . Oh God, Eliza. If I was wrong, then I’ve made a terrible, unforgivable mistake. If I was wrong, then I punished Zack for years for a sin he didn’t commit. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

“Oh, hon,” Eliza said, her voice filled with sympathy.

“He’ll hate me,” Anna-Grace whispered. “Just like I’ve hated him for the last twelve years.”

TWENTY-FIVE

ZACK jammed the rental car into park, got out and strode up the walkway to Stuart’s house. Stuart was the weak link in the chain. The one who never had an original thought in his head and went along with whatever the group was doing. And yet Zack wondered just how much persuading and nagging Kevin and Bryan had really had to do in order to get him to participate in their gang rape of Gracie.

Nausea boiled in his stomach all over again and he had to shove back his visceral reaction to what three men he’d called friends had done to an innocent sixteen-year-old girl or he’d lose his tenuous grasp on what was left of his sanity.

If Zack had any hope of getting a confession out of all three—and he’d beat it out of them if he had to—he needed to start here. And in truth he relished the thought of exacting punishment and cold-blooded revenge. Justice for Gracie. And for himself. But most of all Gracie, who’d suffered the most. Lost everything. As had he.

His hands itched, curling into fists as he knocked forcefully on the door. Never in his life had he experienced such an intense need for blood. And more than anything he wanted to know why. What could have inspired men he would have never suspected of such depravity to attack a defenseless young woman in such a horrific, degrading manner?