One last nervous glance over my shoulder, and I pushed my way inside my apartment complex breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

The cool air hit my face like a winter breeze nipping at my nose. Shaking off the feeling of being followed, I pushed my hair out of my eyes and fixed them forward. I shortened my stride in an effort to calm my rattled insides still jumping with each step. Despite the successful delivery for Madam, I still had that feeling like I was being watched.

Everything inside me said that sending Sylvia’s story to the media was the right thing to do.

She hit us, and we struck back harder.

Maybe it would wake her ass up into thinking that what she’d done was the beginning of her end. The only way for her to stop it from getting any worse was for her to return the money she’d stolen from Madam.

Mr. Anderson caught my gaze as he turned to face me.

My legs loosened and I suddenly felt lighter on my feet.

There was no better feeling than coming home after an extended stay away.

It felt like forever since the last time I was here. A sense of calm washed over me as I marched up to a smiling Mr. Anderson. Diving my hand inside my bag, I yanked out my cell, turning my screen to him.

His old eyes squinted into the device before recognition flashed across his irises. “I still remember the days before smartphones,” he said, shaking his head at the ingenuity of the Doorman app.

“It’s the only reason I’m back.” The crown of my head pulled to the ceiling.

He lifted his head up from behind his counter with a frown.

“And to see you, of course.” My smile hit my eyes.

He wagged his finger at me. “Nice save.” Then he went back under to fetch my mail. When he popped up with a box, it had Madam’s signature style all over it. A thick expensive box, beautifully wrapped, and screaming money, money, money. “Your man sure does know how to treat his woman.”

I snapped my lips shut as I swallowed down the lump that caught in my throat.

“Oh.” Mr. Anderson’s bushy brows knitted. “I’m sorry.” He glanced to the package. “It didn’t occur to me that this could be an apology gift.”

Extending my arms out, I took the package into my hands. “It’s not that.”

“If you need someone to talk to—”

I gave him a wary look, again thinking that everyone could see my misery. “I’m just exhausted.”

“The beginning of a relationship can do that to a person.” He gave a curt nod.

Feeling the stone I’d just swallowed harden in my stomach, I felt closer to the end of my relationship with Kelly than to the excitement we’d had in the beginning. Then I thought how maybe Mr. Anderson was the exact person I should be talking to. He was a neutral party, didn’t really know anyone I was involved with, but had also earned my trust. “Have you ever been married?” I asked, stealing a quick glance to his ring finger.

He must have known what I was thinking because he splayed his fingers and touched the place a wedding band would normally sit. “Once.”

His response surprised me.

“Widowed.” His watery gaze had me reaching out to latch onto his arm.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“It’s been a long time.” He forced a thin-lipped smile.

“It’s not Kelly who has me down. I mean, it is. But mostly it’s my parents.”

“I didn’t know they lived in the city.” His voice was back.

“We have a rocky past.” I shrugged, knowing I didn’t have it in me to share any more than that with the kind, gentle soul that made up the Mr. Anderson I had grown to adore. Glancing down at the package, I said, “Well, I better not take up all your time. Besides, I’m in desperate need of a shower.”

Mr. Anderson smiled. “Maybe sometime I can tell you more about my wife.”

“I’d like that.”

I wondered what she was like as I made my way to the elevator. I bet she was a loving woman—kind, loyal. Thinking of my own love life, I opened up my phone and listened to Kelly’s message for the second time since receiving it.

His deep baritone filled my ear and it was impossible not to smile.

The elevator doors opened and I stepped inside, pulling the phone away from my ear.

A sharp pang of sadness hit me when I thought about how Alex never said that I shouldn’t leave him. Her choosing to remain silent spoke volumes for what she thought. Though I had a million different reasons why he was the perfect man for me, I only needed one excuse to call it quits.

Before I knew it, I was stepping inside my tiny apartment and unpacking my gym bag. My head was full of thoughts as I reflected on where my life was heading. Then, suddenly, as if forcing me back to the moment, I felt my fingers brush over the cold metal of Kelly’s gun.

I pulled it out with wide eyes and gently set it next to the package on my kitchen table.

Falling heavily into the chair, I sat with a curved spine, glaring between the two items.

Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes to hours, before I finally had the courage to open the lid and see what Madam had waiting for me inside.

With bags of exhaustion pulling down my eyes, I peeked inside to find two roses.

One black. One white.

Death. And eternal light.

Beneath them was a note.

Sliding it out from under the thorny stems, I held my breath before opening it.

Darling, Kendra—

You did a great thing today and your loyalty will not go unnoticed. Once that story gets published, it will certainly get the attention of the woman who went behind your back and gave your Uncle Marvin the details of your inheritance.

My head snapped up as my blood sped through my body.

I cursed Sylvia and stared at the gun. She’d better hope that I didn’t cross paths with her, because I would kill her if I did.

A second folded piece of paper fell out of the first note and stopped my heart.

I quickly opened it and began reading.

But I must warn you…

Despite the certainty I have that the contents of the flash drive will lure Sylvia in, I cannot guarantee that Kelly will ever open his heart to you. I say this with nothing but respect and love for you both. But the man is broken. His past is a nightmare that will plague him until his final breath. No matter what he says, you will never be able to replace them.

With tears pooling in my eyes, I flipped over the photograph of Kelly, Nora, and Patrick.

This, you should keep to yourself.

Sincerely, Madam.

With thick streams falling down my cheeks, I clenched my fist and screamed into the silent walls until they shouted back. Then I picked up the empty box and tossed it across the room. The walls closed in and an ominous cloud of depression fogged my vision as I paced between the kitchen and living room, crying uncontrollably.

Inside, I felt empty.

My heart, broken.

I was sick of Madam’s games. I didn’t know what or who to believe anymore. My chest swelled until I thought it might explode. I needed to talk to someone but no one would understand.

Not Alex.

Not Mr. Anderson, my Mom, or even Drake.

I was completely alone in all this, and that was the worst feeling of all.

No one cared about me—they only wanted what I owned.

I found myself staring at the gun, muttering to myself, “No one would know I was gone.”

A step closer, and I repeated those words like a mantra.

I inched closer, thinking how my parents could have my money.

Another inch and I thought how I could disappear and save Kelly from having to split his heart in two by having to decide who he loved more—me or Nora.

Lowering myself back to the table, I took the gun into my hand, wrapping my finger around the trigger. My chin quivered as tears gushed out of my eyes. My entire body began to shake as I reached for my phone with hesitant hands and hit the call button, hoping someone would pick up before it was too late.