As my breathing slowed, my vision closed in.

I heard nothing but the sounds of my own breath.

Pellets of sweat formed on my brow as my body overheated with visions of death flashing behind my eyelids.

Tightening my grip on the handle of my gun, I curled my trigger finger and applied more pressure knowing I had the shot.

Just as I was about to pull, Kendra lunged toward Jerome, chopping down his arm with her hand.

A shot rang out and cracked the air.

I flinched and ducked as the dirt near my feet ate the bullet from Jerome’s gun.

Madam grabbed Kendra by the hair and yanked her back to the limo. Kendra yelped and screamed as Jerome backpedaled next to Kendra, using her as a shield.

When I saw the terror in her eyes I raised my gun again, knowing I didn’t have room for error. This was it. Pull the trigger and hit Jerome, or accidentally shoot the woman I loved in the process.

Seconds ticked by like hours as I struggled to make a decision. Then, finally, I pulled back and held my hands in the air.

“Wise decision, Kelly,” Madam said. “I didn’t take you to be one to fall in love so easily.”

“She’s mine,” I growled.

“Wrong.” Madam smirked. “She’s mine.”

Kendra repeatedly hit Jerome’s arm, but the big man didn’t budge.

“You should know the contract best,” Madam said. “After all, you were the one who wrote it. Thanks for the clause that allowed me to end it early.”

Jerome smirked behind the glint of his gun.

“Now, get in the car,” Madam spat to Kendra.

Jerome backpedaled to the door, dragging Kendra along with him.

I didn’t know what to do. It was too dangerous to battle it out. If anyone was to get shot, I would rather it be Jerome or, worst case scenario, me. Feeling like I was letting Kendra down, I heaved through heavy breaths, squeezing my hands into fists. Another broken promise. I had let her down again. The one second I let her out of my sight and this happened.

“Next time, Kelly, Jerome won’t hesitate to take you out. So don’t think that chasing after us will win you any favors.” Madam’s eyes rounded. “I have plans for you, Kelly. We have work to do.”

“What about Kendra?”

“I have plans for her, too.” She folded her body into the vehicle and disappeared behind closed doors.

When the wheels were set in motion, I blinked with disbelief at what just happened. A shot was fired. Guns were drawn. And Madam thought that I would still want to work with her? I didn’t wait for Madam to drive away before I turned and ran to my car.

Looking around, everyone had disappeared. There were no witnesses except for that black man Kendra was talking to. Now, even he was gone.

My arms pumped as I picked up my pace.

When I approached my car, I caught sight of a porcelain face hiding behind the glare of my windshield. Gripping my gun tighter, I hit the brakes and approached with caution, wondering who it could be.

I lowered my head and narrowed my eyes. Suddenly, Angel’s face emerged.

Sliding behind the wheel, I held her stare. She sat calmly in the passenger seat with her hands folded on top of her thigh. That was when I saw it. Angel was wearing the same bangle as the one I’d seen in Sylvia’s apartment—the link to Tonya’s murder.

“Hello, Kelly. Thanks for coming.” Angel smiled.

I kept glancing to the bangle, thinking how she had some nerve attending the funeral of the woman she’d killed.

“What’s with the gun?”

“I know about you,” I snarled.

“Do you?” She raised one eyebrow.

“Tell me, which one of them are you working for. Oscar, or Stone?” I gave her a second to respond and, when she didn’t, I quickly followed up with, “Because, if it’s Oscar, you’re no different than Madam.”

“You really think you have time for this?” She jutted her head in the direction I’d come running from.

“Tell me—Oscar or Stone!” I slammed my fist against the side of the door.

She remained calm, unphased by my growing impatience. “Oscar was just a means to an end. All I had to do was toy with his ego and make him believe I was actually interested in sleeping with him.”

“Are you?”

Angel laughed. “He’s easy. You and Giselle know that, too. Who do you think I learned it from?” She gave me a knowing look before her lips fell flat. “I saw what Madam just did.”

My eyes grew wild.

“Tonya had to die.”

Feeling like I was losing control, I turned my attention forward. Keeping a firm grasp on my gun, I asked, “Why, then, did you make it look like Sylvia was responsible?”

“The same reason we all pass the blame.” Angel continued to look directly at me when she spoke. “With Mario gone, we had to send a message to Madam. Tonya was that message.”

Snapping my head to her, my eyebrows pinched. “I know you’re working with Stone.”

“And Madam is stealing what Stone considers his.”

The car fell silent as my thoughts drifted back to Kendra. I swore that if Madam laid another finger on her, I would kill her myself.

“Oscar is a fool for not realizing he’s sharing secrets with Madam’s sworn enemy,” Angel interjected.

Suddenly, Sylvia appeared to be the most trustworthy one of us all. The irony was, we all had found ourselves fed up with having to deal with Madam’s games. “Why couldn’t you have just told me you were Stone’s contact on the outside?”

“Kelly, I wish I could have. But we needed to be convinced you were on board with his plan to take down Madam.” There was a glimmer of hope twinkling in her eye. “That’s why I’m here, Kelly. To know if you’re with us or not.”

I let out a heavy sigh as I replayed my last conversation with Stone in my head. I turned back to Angel and said, “Exposing Oscar won’t stop Stone’s trial from happening. Even if he’s gone, the assistant district attorney will take his place.”

“And that’s why he entrusted you to protect him.” Angel’s sharp eyebrows raised. “Kelly, Madam just abducted your girl. Think about that for a second. Then think about all the other things she has done to complicate your life.”

Adrenaline rushed through my body as my eyes darted across my windshield. “Tell me that you didn’t plan this.” Bright flashes crossed my vision as I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, thinking how Stone warned me I would change my mind once Kendra was taken from me.

“We all want what you’re after. Madam has to go. And when she does, Kendra will be back in your arms.” Angel’s voice was convincing. “What choice do you have besides to trust Stone’s plan?”

Feeling trapped, I kept quiet.

Did I really need Stone to complete the mission Wes and I had developed? Or could we complete this on our own?

“Kelly, meet with Stone.” Angel opened the car door and, with one foot on the ground, said, “When he tells you his theory about how your wife actually died, I think you might change your mind.”