Maxwell circled the block and I was on edge about Kelly’s warning about the media.

I looked everywhere for them with only my eyes. My muscles were too tense to move my head. The fear of them getting to me again was real. It was yesterday that those sneaky cameras swarmed Kelly and me like wasps ready to sting. And that didn’t even factor in my surprise run-in with Uncle Marvin.

I nervously picked at my cuticles, stealing tiny breaths of air when I remembered to breathe.

When Maxwell circled the block for the last time, his eyes found me in the rearview. “All clear, Ms. Williams.”

Breaking eye contact, I turned my attention back out my window as I nodded.

Maxwell slowed the SUV to a stop near the entrance.

Feeling the traffic lining up behind us, I gathered my belongings and said, “Don’t worry about getting my door, I’ll get it myself.”

“Ms. Williams.” His voice raised in a last-minute panic just as I cracked the door open.

With my heart hitting the wall of my chest, I turned to meet his gaze.

“Choose a table near the front windows.” He paused. “I need to be able to see you.”

Under normal circumstances it would have been a ridiculous request. And I would have protested it, but not with knowing what I did. I nodded, not having to thank Maxwell for being the eyes and ears of my added security, because he already knew what was at stake.

Pulling my sunglasses over my eyes, my heart pounded as I entered the building.

It was safe to assume my face was recognizable—especially since my name had now made its way into two very popular articles read by thousands of people. Choosing to keep my sunglasses on even inside, I ducked my head any time strange eyes met with mine.

Finding my place in the back of the line, the woman in front of me turned her head and stared.

Holding my breath, I pretended to ignore her inquisitive eyes, thinking that if Mom was right about anything, it was that I was more famous than I would have preferred.

When she turned back around, I released the air I was holding in my lungs and sighed.

Looking across the room, a man stood from his table and glanced at me.

My scalp prickled. His clothes were familiar. Flashbacks to the day Sylvia fooled me into giving Madam’s money over to the wrong person flooded my mind.

Squinting my eyes, heat flushed throughout my body.

If only I could go back in time, then I would have seen it clearly. Instead, those few minutes had me regretting my decision, ultimately setting me up on this impossible collision course to find Sylvia before we ran out of time.

Needing a distraction, I dove my hand inside my purse. Digging around, I pulled my phone out, thinking of Kelly. Checking the screen, there was nothing from him. I hoped that he was okay and knew what he was doing, because I felt useless.

Dropping my phone down by my side, I reminded myself to trust the plan he was putting together. Because only he could break my contract with Madam and get us back to living the life we were meant to live.

I jumped and squealed when my phone started ringing.

The woman in front of me turned around with a concerned brow.

I held up my hand and mouthed a quick apology before answering the call. “Hey, Mike.”

“Kendra, how are you?” Mike Ricci, Kelly’s personal trainer, sounded excited as always. “I was calling to confirm our next appointment.”

Plugging my ear with one finger, the thick whir of a frothing machine made it hard to hear what he was saying. “I’m meeting with Alex now. Is it all right if I confirm with you after?” My voice was as guilt-ridden as my face.

“Perfect. I have a great routine lined up for you two ladies and can’t wait to get started.”

“Listen, Mike, I have to go,” I said when it was my turn at the counter. Ending our call, I greeted the barista and ordered a vanilla latte. Hearing commotion escalate behind me, I turned to find Alex cutting the line and heading straight for me.

My lips curled as I watched her push her way to the front.

She looked smart and sexy in her cute sundress and ponytail.

Smirking, I knew Nash had sexed her up good by the way she was walking and I couldn’t wait to get the dirt on what he’d done to her.

Reaching my arms out, I gave her a quick hug before calling out to the barista to add another of the same to my order.

“I’m exhausted.” Alex’s head hit my shoulder.

Rolling my head toward her, I said, “Mike just called.”

“I’m not ready to get my ass kicked by him.” Her brows raised in thought. “Though I did feel awesome after our last workout.”

Tossing my arm around her, I smiled. “I knew you’d come around.”

Handing the cashier my credit card, our orders followed shortly after. With coffees in hand, we turned to find an open table. “What about that one?” Alex said, pointing to the corner table for two.

Scanning the window seats, a party of three was just leaving. “Let’s take that one,” I said. “I could use some sunshine.”

Alex shrugged her shoulder, too tired to care, and I couldn’t tell her the real reason why I needed to sit in that specific spot. Stepping up the table just as the last person was leaving, I lowered myself down into the chair, looking out the window for Maxwell. He had found himself a parking spot cattycorner from here and, even though I couldn’t see his face behind the glared glass, I knew he could see me.

“So why did you guys leave early last night?” Alex sipped her coffee.

Turning my head, I arched a brow. “So I didn’t look like you do now.” I snickered.

Alex stuck her tongue out at me.

“Did you see Wes?” I was curious to know if he showed his face after his meeting with Kelly. I still didn’t know what that was about or what he and Kelly discussed, but it wasn’t like him to leave Kami alone and unattended.

Alex nodded her head. “But he didn’t seem himself.”

I frowned, assuming it was because of Kelly. “We were only there because Kelly had to discuss something with him.”

“Dressed up just for a quick conversation?”

“Rules are rules.” One side of my face scrunched. “You know I don’t write them.”

Alex cast her gaze to the rim of her cup.

“What is it?”

She flicked her gaze up to me. “Wes pulled Nash away last night.”

Sliding my elbows on the table, I tipped forward with a knitted brow. “What did they discuss?”

“That’s the thing,” she paused to wet her lips, “I don’t know.”

Falling back, I turned my gaze to Maxwell.

“But after that, Nash lost interest in the club, too.”

Swiveling my head back around, I raised my cup to my lips. Letting the hot liquid roll over my tongue, I kept my eyes on Alex. “Then why does it look like you were fucked all night?”

“Nash lost interest in the club.” Alex grinned. “Not me.”

I raised my coffee up and saluted my girl for getting laid.

“What do you think could have been said to make both men want to leave early?” Alex pursed her lips in thought.

“I don’t know,” I lied. There was no way I could tell Alex that Nash helped Wes move Maria’s body the night she was murdered. I knew she didn’t know, and I didn’t want to be the one to tell her, either. Nash was perfect for her. I couldn’t ruin something good. If I ever lost Kelly, at least I could live vicariously through Alex and Nash—continuing to believe that happily-ever-afters existed outside of movies.

Rubbing her hands over her face, Alex grumbled, “I’m sure this has something to do with Nash’s old girlfriend, Maria Greer.”

Hiding the shock that just stopped my heart, I asked, “What makes you think that?”

Shaking her head, she muttered, “Just have a feeling that this is going to follow us for a while.”

Feeling the need to change the subject before I accidentally revealed more than I should, I said, “I ran into my uncle again.”

Alex’s eyes popped. I knew she could see the uncertainty flashing over my eyes. Bringing her elbows to the table, her head pulled toward the ceiling as she leaned forward.

Barely able to look my best friend in the eye, I mumbled, “He said my Mom hired a lawyer.”

“A lawyer?” Her neck craned.

Nodding, I continued, “So then I went to Mom and found out that she did.”

“For what?” The lines on her forehead deepened.

Rolling my eyes, I said, “Inheritance fraud.”

Alex looked down at the coffee I’d purchased for her as guilt reddened her cheeks.

I told her not to worry about it as we discussed what that even meant, and if it was true or not. “The inheritance is true, believe me.” I snickered out a disbelieving laugh. “My bank account doesn’t lie. But, whether I unknowingly committed fraud,” my head tilted to one side, “I don’t know.”

Kendra glanced to the counter and lowered her voice. “Does Kelly know about this?”

I moved my coffee cup between my hands as I nodded. “He does, but he’s busy with more important work.”

“What’s going on?” Alex glanced at me sideways. “Are you two all right?”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I knew that I needed to tell her. “Madam is planning my departure and I’m not sure even Kelly will be able to stop it.”

“But isn’t that what you wanted? To stop working for Madam?”

“Oh, I’ll still be Madam’s first-class whore.”

Alex’s eyes softened just before I watched them go round as I told her about my thirty days being up if we didn’t deliver Sylvia and how I’d mistakenly done something I shouldn’t have and that it was going to cost me. Though I chose to keep some specifics of my story out, I knew Alex understood the severity of my situation. It even weighed her down, so I could only imagine how my own shoulders looked when explaining it all.

“Is it drugs? Guns? What? What could she possibly be doing to make all that money?”

“I know she’s trafficking drugs. But I don’t know anything else.” Really, though, what could be worse?

Alex shook her head, lost in thought.

“I think I’m her runner,” I mumbled under my breath. Besides what we already knew from the papers I’d stolen from my old law firm, the situation now seemed much worse than anything we could have imagined.

“What are you saying?” Alex was slumped back in her seat, brushing her fingers over the side of her cup. “You know, don’t you?”

“Not the specifics.”

“But you know something?” Alex glared at me as if I was purposely holding back information.

“Apparently I’m laundering money.” I flopped back in my seat and said, “But I don’t care about any of that.”

“Kendra? Fuck.” Her face pinched. “Laundering money?”

I could barely hold her stare. Sitting up, I shook my head. “That’s beside the point.”

“Then what is the fucking point?”

“My contract with Kelly is coming to an end and I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Tears watered my eyes. “I’m scared of losing him.” A stone lodged in my throat as I spoke. “Especially with my uncle unwilling to leave me alone.” Dropping my head into my hands, all the emotions I suppressed released at the same time as I cried, “I hate my parents.”

Alex reached her arm across the table and took my hand inside of hers. When I looked at her I just started crying harder. “What happened to you as a child?”

Then, finally, I told her everything. All my deepest, darkest secrets I never wanted her to hear. How not only was my uncle a serial rapist who repeatedly found his way into my room as a child, but also how my parents knew about it and did nothing.

Alex’s eyes shed tears as I told her the stories of my childhood, and by the time I was finished I said, “I need help.”

Nodding, Alex reached inside her purse and pulled out a business card. Sliding it to me, she said, “She’s a friend. Call her, Kendra. See if maybe she’s a good fit for you. I know she’s busy and her schedule is often overbooked, but tell her I sent you and maybe she’ll be able to squeeze you in.”

I stared at the card—the name of the psychotherapist she had always wanted me to talk to—through teary blurred eyes.

“It’s time you talk about what happened with a professional.”