I woke alone.

It shouldn’t have felt so odd since I’d spent most of my life waking up alone. Or alone enough. Joelle and I still – or we had – shared a room, so why did it feel so strange to be lying there alone now?

Maybe because it was Kian’s bed.

Maybe because it was Kian’s big, huge, soft bed that wasn’t made for one girl alone.

Maybe because I remembered how good it had felt to fall asleep in his arms, and some part of me had slept thinking I’d wake in his arms too.

But he was gone.

Sliding from the bed, I pulled on the t-shirt that lay draped over the footboard and padded out of the room. It didn’t take long to ascertain that not only was he not in the bedroom, he wasn’t in the house.

I couldn’t find a note, either.

He’d just…left.

Sniffing, I tried to pretend it didn’t hurt. I was lying to myself, but I’d been doing that most of my life, so what did one more little white lie matter? He’d talked about helping me last night, and it had been sweet of him, but maybe in the cold, hard light of day, he’d realized what I already knew. This was my problem, and there wasn’t much anybody else could do to fix it.

I made my decision. Although I told Kian I was going to the police, I woke up knowing I needed to try something different first.

Now, I just needed to woman up and do it.

I was going back to my father’s home to see if he’d possibly brought my sister back. I wasn’t betting on it, but I needed to know. Then, I’d offer Papa the money – everything I had – and tell him I wouldn’t go to the police if he let Joelle go. If Ephraim needed a bride, he could have me.

I’d make that deal, and if I got Joelle safe, then I’d consider it a worthwhile sacrifice. I’d have to bluff my way through the conversation because, once I mentioned the cops, things might get ugly.

But this was my best bet, and I knew it.

In Kian’s room, I dressed.

Last night, the scent of his soap on my skin had been tantalizing, but today it served as a reminder of something I couldn’t – something I shouldn’t – have. A part of me wanted to hurry into the bathroom and rinse it all off, but I didn’t have time.

Joelle didn’t have time.

I called for an Uber, and by the time I was done getting dressed, it was out front waiting for me. With one last look back at Kian’s house, I slid outside, locking the door behind me.

It had been a brief, bittersweet interlude, but now it was over.

I had a sister to save.

I spent the drive back to the house brooding and thinking. No other miracle plan came to me, but I hadn’t been expecting one to tumble into my lap. There hadn’t ever been a lot of choices.

Where was Joelle now?

Was she safe?

I just hoped the marriage hadn’t already happened, although I didn’t think it was likely.

We didn’t do things without a lot of fanfare. From births to weddings to funerals, life occasions were something the Rom tended to make into an event. Events took more than a few days to prepare.

They could put together a wedding quickly, but not overnight.

It was the one thing I was taking solace in.

I wracked my mind, trying to think of where Papa might be hiding Joelle. If I could just figure it out, I might be able to sneak her out. If I had to pick a few locks, then I would. Once I had her, the two of us would get into a car and just drive. Maybe we’d go to Nicco and Catherine.

Maybe we’d drive until we ran out of gas and then hope for the best.

Anything would be better than being here.

But without knowing where she was, it was pointless to even consider. So, I had to find her.

The Uber driver stopped in front of my house, and I paid him, grimacing at how much it cost, but it wasn’t like I could have walked from where I was. Just a little more money that couldn’t be used to help me and Joelle get away from here.

I fought off a laugh of hysteria as I climbed from the car. I wasn’t actually expecting anything about this to be easy, was I?

The heels of my boots crunched over bits of gravel and dried grass as I made my way up to the front door. The sign in the window was off. For a moment, I stared at the dim sign, hating it with everything I had in me. Then I grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, shoving my way into the house.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

The living room in front was empty, the lights off. All of my pictures had been removed and the sight of the walls, all naked and bare, was like a blow to my heart. The one part of the house I could have called mine. Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them back. I wasn’t going to cry over this. He’d done it just to get at me. Just to hurt me. Damn if I’d let him know he’d succeeded.

I could always draw more.

Walking through the door, I followed the light that spilled through the door at the end of the hall. My heart raced in my chest.

He was in there. From the way he sat, he’d been waiting for me.

“Hello, Papa.”

He had a beer in hand. By the looks of him, it hadn’t been his first…or his second or third.

He shifted his gaze toward me and smirked. “Back again. I knew you would be.” He curled his fingers toward me and nodded at the seat. “Come, Suria. You will sit.”

“I don’t want to sit. Where is Joelle?”

With a snort, he said, “You don’t need to worry about her. She isn’t your problem any more than she is mine.”

“Joelle isn’t a problem!” I snapped, advancing on him a step. “She’s my sister, and this is not going to happen, Papa. Where is she?”

His eyes took on a crafty gleam. “What isn’t going to happen, Suria? The marriage? You think to stop it? How?”

I really didn’t like that look on his face. But I wasn’t going to be bullied by him.

“Joelle is sixteen. She isn’t legally allowed to marry anybody, Papa. I’ll call the authorities if that’s what I have to do.” I jutted my chin up at him, challenging him. Challenging this whole bloody mess. I was so tired of everything being the way it was – of having to live a life that I hated. I was going to get my sister out.

“Oh, daughter.” He heaved out a hard sigh. “You shouldn’t say such things.”

“I’m not just saying it. I’m ready to do it.”

His eyes flickered, looking behind me just as I caught the sound of a door opening.

The smile that spread across his face made the bottom of my belly drop out.

Slowly, I turned, and that sinking sensation in my gut got even worse as I saw Vano step into the kitchen, followed by three more of the clan elders. The elders spread out to frame him as the clan leader came walking toward me, the corners of his mouth tipped up in a smile.

“Suria, love,” he said, arms spread out.

I stood there woodenly as he came closer and planted his hands on my shoulders, leaning in to kiss my left cheek, then my right.

“You look so unhappy, but it’s a happy day. Happy times…” He pinched my cheek with enough force I knew it would bruise. “Your sister will marry my good friend Ephraim soon. We should all be celebrating.”

I had the fleeting notion that I might puke, right then and there, all over the Italian leather shoes he so often wore.

“What do you think about the wedding, Suria?” Vano asked, his eyes lingering on my face. “Are you happy for your sister?”

My throat felt frozen. Vano continued to watch me, clearly waiting for an answer.

When I didn’t offer one, he stepped away, nodding.

He gestured toward two of the elders, and as they stepped toward me, my head started to spin.

Oh, shit. Oh, shit.