With the back of my fist, I pounded on the metal door. Took me six different calls before I finally figured out where she was. Guess I should’ve realized she wouldn’t be all that hard to find because there she was, in the same goddamned place.

Anger and frustration boiled in my blood, inciting a rage that felt impossible to contain. I shifted on my feet and counted to ten before I was hammering the door again.

It jerked open, the pissed-off, “What,” spouted into the air before she caught sight of me standing there. She stumbled back a step, surprise all over her face. “Zee. What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t going to be back for another week.”

I laughed. But there wasn’t anything friendly about it. “You’re really gonna stand there and ask me what I’m doing here?”

My gaze moved over her shoulder, to the trashed out apartment behind her. Anxiety clutched at my chest. I couldn’t fucking believe she’d bring him to this fucking hellhole.

Not after everything I’d done to make sure they were safe. “Pretty sure you need to start telling me what it is you’re doing here, considering I just dropped by your house. Imagine my surprise when I found out that house isn’t yours anymore.”

The words all flooded out between gritted teeth.

She rolled her eyes. “It was my house. I was free to do with it as I pleased.”

My voice dropped, harsh and hard. “That I bought you.”

She shrugged a shoulder and the strap of the satiny camisole she was wearing slid off. I knew her well enough to know it wasn’t an accident. “I needed the money.”

“You have plenty of money.”

“I spent it.”

I angled my head so I could get in her face. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re telling me it’s gone? You don’t just spend that kind of money, Veronica. What the hell did you do with it?”

She gave me one of those looks she’d mastered, big brown eyes set against a dazzling face, all mixed up with the innocent quiver of her chin. It was the same damned expression that always managed to mold any situation in her favor.

It wasn’t so hard to see the cunning behind it.

“You don’t know what it’s like being here alone while you’re off doing whatever it is you do. It’s not fair. You promised me.”

It’s not fair?

I was about two seconds from shouting every reason this bullshit really wasn’t fair in her face.

“And it’s not like you don’t have the money,” she added like her actions didn’t matter in the least.

“This has nothing to do with the money, Veronica. It’s about the responsibility. About the fact you do things you promised me you wouldn’t do. The fact that you should be thinking about him rather than yourself. Now tell me what you did with it.”

A sinking feeling wrung me tight. Wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s none of your business what I did with it.”

“Yes, it is my business what you do with it. Do you think this bullshit doesn’t affect him? I’m warning you, Veronica...”

She scoffed. “And what do you think you’re going to do about it? I think we’ve already established the answer to that is nothing.”

My fists clenched. I was two seconds from coming unglued. From blowing this flimsy understanding between us, every detail in her benefit, twisted in her favor.

Except for one—the one that mattered most.

“You took it too far this time, Veronica.” The words grated, rough in my throat with the threat.

Defiantly, she took a step forward, lifting on her toes to get in my face. “You did this to me.” She drove her index finger into my chest. Tiny daggers of guilt speared me with every jab. “Now you get to play by my rules.”

“He’s not a game. He’s my life.” God, she had me tied. Backed in a corner I didn’t know if I’d ever escape.

“Then you know what you need to do to keep him that way.” Her words rang with a threat, the bitch tightening that noose a little tighter, constricting air and life and the reason for my being.

The words were grit. “Where’s Liam?”

She lifted a defiant chin. “Not here.”

I could feel this insanity wanting to crawl out, this protectiveness that would send me right over the edge. “Where?”

“A friend’s.” Her answer was flippant. Inconsequential.

She had to be kidding me.

Fury stormed through my veins. Darkness. Hate. My laughter was bitter. “I’m finished letting you get away with this shit. I bought that house so he’d be safe. So you’d be safe.”

She snaked her hand out, gripping my shirt, her body pressed to mine. “Then maybe you should come inside and remind me just how much you want me safe. Remind me how much you care about me. I know you miss me. Tell me I’m still your favorite secret.”

I curled my hand around her wrist and pried her fingers free. “Not ever again.”

She laughed a mocking sound and then yanked her arm out of my hold. “We’ll see.”

I stepped back before I did something I couldn’t take back. “Next time I come by, he’d better be here.”

I started backing down the grungy hall. Shouted voices echoed from behind doors in the middle of the night, this shitty side of town alive and well with its sleazy, debased offerings.

Anger struck every nerve, my muscles going rigid and tight.

Looking like sex and trash, Veronica slouched back against the middle of the doorframe, wearing nothing but a camisole and underwear, a smirk on her face. “Don’t pretend like I don’t know why you really come around.”

I pointed at her, hating the way my voice shook. “Next time, Veronica. Next time.”