My shit luck follows me into the Hard Rock Casino. I’ve folded twenty hands in a row, but my mind isn’t on the game. It’s back in the suburb on the doe-eyed brunette who is probably getting murdered in her sleep, but I can’t do anything about it because she more or less told me to fuck off. And for whatever insane reason, I’m respecting her wishes. Even Renzo wasn’t happy about that.

“Who cares what she wants? It’s for her protection,” he said earlier today, when I finally got him on the phone.

“She’ll see the situation differently when she gets the package. She needs something tangible. All she has to go on is my word.”

“She didn’t believe you?”

“Maybe, a little.” Amelia knew I’d told her the truth. I could see it in those big lost eyes, she believed me. She just didn’t want to believe me. “But she needs more. She needs irrefutable proof.”

“I’ll make sure it gets there first thing in the morning,” Renzo promised. “And once that happens, get her out of Tampa. Bring her here to New York. I’ll set her up in her own apartment with ’round the clock security until we can create a new identity for her.”

“So you’re not planning to keep her close?”

“Not a chance. The best thing for her is to start over again. New name, new life, with zero connections to me or the rest of the family.”

I blink.

His plan defeats his purpose. She’s already been through all of that once. If it were me, and this were my daughter, I’d never want to let her out of my sight.

But hey, it’s his decision. Not my place.

“I’ll talk to her, but she’s stubborn. She just got a job at this big tech company—she may not go for it.”

“Do whatever it takes, Casper.”

Yeah, sure. No pressure. “I’ll do my best.”

Ever since that conversation with Renzo, I’ve been on edge. I rub my temples, then straighten my sunglasses. Let the other players think it’s a tell. I’ve finally got a good hand, a pair of queens. I battle it out with another player, shoving all-in at the last moment. A queen comes on the turn, and I win the hand. The pot is a hefty two grand, which means I’m done playing for the night.

On the way out, I work my way through a flurry of people. Clubs and bars line the walls of the massive casino, the crowd partying into the early hours of the morning. Maybe I’ll stop for a beer somewhere. It is my night off, thanks to little Miss Enjoy Your Free Time. Might as well make the most of it. Maybe find a girl to take my mind off the one I should be watching. A quick meaningless fuck to let off some steam.

I glimpse a familiar face and stop, frowning.

Baby Serra’s dirtbag boyfriend.

He’s standing at a bar, a curvy blonde hanging on his shoulder, and he’s leaning down, whispering something into her ear. With the mood I’m in, I’d like to go over there and beat the smug grin off his face. Every muscle in my body is itching to do it; my hands curl into fists at my sides. But I force myself to look away and keep walking. Now that I’ve seen him, I can’t stay. I’ve got to get out of here before I change my mind. Not my business.

I’m here to make sure she doesn’t get killed, not played.

The next morning, I wake up to a text from Amelia.

Got my dad’s package. Can you meet me at Penelope’s Café?

I quickly type back a yes, then ask her what time. She tells me to be there in an hour. I silently thank Renzo for whatever he put in that package, and rush to get in the shower.

An hour later, I’m sitting inside of Penelope’s, a mug of Sumatra black roast resting between my palms. The café has a colorful, hipster vibe with its rustic tables, and artwork lining the walls. I’d bet my life the art is what drew Amelia here.

Bells jangle against the glass door as she storms in, looking far from her usual put-together self. Her dark brown hair is left down, hanging just past her shoulders in loose waves. The sun shines in her direction, bringing out the warm hue of her eyes as she searches the room for me. I go still, having already forgotten how her arresting beauty has the ability to paralyze me. I haven’t felt this attracted to a woman since…no, I won’t let my mind go there.

She sits across from me, nodding hello to her coworkers who wave from behind the counter.

On the drive over, I came up with a list of arguments to convince Amelia to leave Tampa. But I don’t have to use any of them. The first thing she says is, “I need to get out of here.”

I blink once. “Here, as in, Tampa?” Can I really be that lucky?

“Yes, exactly.”

Thank God. My list of arguments was complete crap. Points one and two were both me screaming about how someone is trying to kill her, and she’d be insane to stay. Point three was that it’s too hot to live in this city anyway. Then, if that didn’t work, I’d go back to points one and two.

Amelia extracts a manila envelope from her purse, dumping a stack of pictures on the table. She rifles through them with shaky fingers. There’s something off about her; I notice the circles beneath her eyes. The jitteriness. “You’ve been up all night, haven’t you?”

She nods and lets out a heavy breath. “I googled my parents like you suggested. That was fun. Picture me staring at my mother’s corpse for several hours in horror…yeah.”

Shit. “God, I’m so sorry.” I rake my fingers through my hair, silently cursing myself out for making that suggestion.

“Then I went through my grandmother’s things from top to bottom, trying to find, I don’t know. Something. One shred of her former life. All I have is an old album I found the other day. The pictures inside match up to the people in the pictures my dad sent in his package. He also sent my original birth certificate. And this.” She pushes a piece of paper across the table—a note written in Renzo’s handwriting.

Amelia stares at me expectantly.

“Can I see it?” I ask, unable to suppress my grin.

“See what?”

“The birthmark.”

She snatches the paper out of my hands. “No, you can’t see it.” She coughs, uncomfortably. “He mentioned it as further proof. It’s in a spot not many people know about.”

“How many people know about it?”

Her eyes flash. Then she sees I’m teasing, and visibly relaxes. “You’re making fun of me.”

“Trying to lighten the mood.”

She tries to smile but fails miserably. “I’d like more than a note…after all these years, you’d think he’d give me more than this. A phone call, at the very least.”

“Your father is still in the public eye. He owns a construction management company in New York. He doesn’t keep in regular contact with any of the Serras for their own protection.”

Her eyes turn glassy, and she blinks, looking away. “Still.”

This is about more than a phone call. She’s hurt, and as much as I’d like to fix it, Renzo is the only one who can heal her pain.

“He’s probably giving you time to take it all in.” Even as I’m telling her that, it sounds like a dumb excuse. “I’ll tell him to call you.”

“No—don’t do that.” She sighs, resting her elbows on the table to prop up her head. “I need coffee.”

“We’re in the right place. What do you want? I’ll go order it for you.”

“Thanks, but that’s my coworker coming with my usual.”

A tall Hispanic, twenty-something walks toward us, carrying a mug covered in girly, frothy shit. “Thank you, Hector.” Amelia offers him a smile that brightens her face.

“Welcome. Let me know if you and your friend need anything else.”

“Will do.”

She sips from the rim of the mug, closing her eyes in what looks like pure pleasure. “Mmm…I’m coming back to life.” She moans—literally fucking moans. Then she licks froth from her full, pink lips, and I’m suddenly wondering what she tastes like. My whole body leans forward, and I have to shake myself to stop.

“Um, Mila.” I rub the back of my neck. “What did you mean when you said you need to leave?”

She opens her eyes. “I’ve got to meet them, of course.” She holds up one of the old pictures. Renzo is sitting bare-chested by a pool, cradling the baby version of Amelia with the twin boys to his right, and Viviana, who was just a toddler at the time, to his left. My throat tightens seeing Junior standing there next to Leo, chubby cheeks and sparkling eyes. So full of life.

“These are my siblings. I’ve been cheated by not getting the chance to know them, by not getting the chance to grow up with them.”

I don’t like where this conversation is headed. Renzo doesn’t want her getting anywhere near the rest of the family. Even if I don’t agree, I still have to respect his wishes and convince her she’s better off for it.

“Look, I get it. You were cheated. But the only reason you had any semblance of a life is because you were split up. It wasn’t easy for anyone in the Serra family, least of all your father, but it had to be done.”

She sets the picture down, leaning back in her chair. “Even you were able to get time with my brother. Time I’ll never have.”

“Do you want to end up like him? Because it’s still a possibility.”

She shrugs. “When it’s our time, it’s our time.”

Renzo sacrificed everything to give her a chance to survive, and that should count for something. “That’s a bullshit thing people say at funerals to make grief feel less painful. Fate won’t save you from stupid decisions.”

She arches a brow. “You mean like walking in front of a semi?”

I stare at her in disbelief. “You would have died if I hadn’t been there.”

“But you were there, and I didn’t.” She looks at me, notices my death stare, and sighs. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful for my dad’s sacrifices. I’m still feeling bulldozed by all of this. I’m just…I don’t know.”

Hurting. “I get it.” My voice softens. “More than you know.”

Her warm brown eyes lock with mine. “You’ve lost someone, haven’t you?”

I nod once, but this is about her, not me.

She looks down at the pictures again, her fingers tracing over their faces. “Are they in hiding?”

“They were, but as they got older, they grew tired of it. Leo works for your dad’s company. He controls the London office. Viviana isn’t hiding, but she keeps a low-profile. She also lives in London with your aunt and uncle.”

She sets the picture down. “London, huh? That’s not exactly close.”

“No, it’s not.”

It’s breaking my goddamn heart to see her like this. She’d be better off with Leo and Viv. They can show her the family ropes, teach her how to survive. Now that her grandmother is gone, she has no one. But Renzo will never see it that way.

Her eyes tighten at the corners. “If anyone can help me, if anyone can understand, it would be them. I’d rather it be my dad, but by the tone of his note, it doesn’t sound like he wants to meet me.”

“He’s concerned about your safety.”

“What if we’re safer together?” She looks at me, conviction pouring out. “The killer still found me, Casper. It’s easier to catch the lone prey than it is the entire pack.”

I don’t say anything.

I can’t say anything—because I agree with her.

And I can’t agree with her because her dad will have a shit-fit if he finds out I’m going along with this madness.

But then I look at her hopeful face and notice how tightly she’s squeezing her coffee mug. Another face fills my mind, and I think about how I would love the chance to have just one more day. Fuck, one more minute.

Renzo is going to kill me.

“Okay.”

She eyes me skeptically. “Okay, what?”

“Okay. We’ll go to London.”

I’ll take her there myself. If she’s going to do this, I’ll make sure she gets there intact.

Because I’m a fucking idiot. Because I’m running full speed toward the edge of a cliff. Because when I look at her, I want to help. That simple.

She sucks in a sharp breath. “You’re saying you’ll take me to them?”

“No offense, but I’m ready to be done with this job. Your dad won’t be happy about it, but you’re right. The three of you have better odds together. Win-win in my book.”

“You could just tell me where they are. It’s not like I need you to hold my hand.”

“This coming from the girl who swims with sharks and jumps out in front of semitrucks?” I shake my head. “No, I don’t need more shit from your pops than I’m already due for. I’ll make sure you get to your brother and sister. After that, you’ll be their responsibility.”

Several long moments pass. Amelia is still eyeing me. Then out of nowhere, she smiles. Even bigger than when she smiled at Hector, and something inside me stirs, something I haven’t felt in years. This insane need to gather her face between my palms and pull her lips against mine takes over.

Get it together. This girl is off limits.

“Okay then.” Mind now made up, her questions are firing rapidly. “When do we leave? I need to call the movers, put my things in storage, figure out what I’m going to pack. Oh, and find my passport. Gosh, there’s so much to do.”

“Sounds like the coffee kicked in.”

“I’m excited,” she says, drumming her fingers on the side of her mug.

“We leave as soon as possible. Tomorrow wouldn’t be soon enough.”

“But I need to give Penelope two weeks’ notice.”

A maniacal serial killer is after her, and she’s worried about giving a notice? “Priorities, Mila. Your job or your life? Tell her there’s been a family emergency, and you have to leave.”

“Are you going to keep calling me that?”

“We’re going to London; so yes, you will need your passport—Mila.” I grin as I say the last part.

“London.” She looks out the nearest window, dazedly. “Never been there. Who am I kidding? I’ve never been anywhere.”

“We should get going. I need to book the flights.” I set some cash down on the table.

Amelia opens her purse. “You don’t have to pay for me.”

“Put it away. I won a really great hand at poker last night while under your orders to keep away.”

“In that case, you’re welcome.” She sips her coffee once more, then stands, warily eyeing the front counter. “Guess this means I need to talk to Penelope.”

“Good luck. I’ll meet you out front.”

She disappears into the kitchen, and I go outside to call Renzo, deciding to get that uncomfortable conversation out of the way, too. He starts yelling like I’ve never heard him yell. I knew he wasn’t going to be happy about this, but he’s beyond not happy. He’s livid.

“You wanted her out of Tampa, didn’t you?” I say, trying to calm him down. “This is what gets her out.”

“To connect her to more Serras! I told you to bring her to New York.”

“This means a lot to her.”

“Who is calling the shots here? You—or her? After everything I’ve done for you, I expected more than this.”

I’m holding the cell to my ear with one hand, and rubbing my temple with the other. He’s going for the jugular, a.k.a. The Guilt Trip. I knew he’d try using it against me. Luckily, I came prepared.

“I’ve been here almost two months. Everything you asked me to do, I’ve done. She just lost her only living relative. Let her have this.”

“Absolutely not. She has a shot at having a real life, but only if she stays far away from the rest of the Serras.”

“I’ve already told the girl I would take her. Don’t make me break her heart, Renz.”

“I’m damn well ordering you to do it! Do you understand me, Casper? Matter of fact, I don’t need you anymore. I’ll send someone else down there to get the job done.”

“Go ahead, but it’s not going to change anything.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

At this point, I don’t know what else to say. Nothing is going to change the stubborn man’s mind. I grip the phone tight in my hands. “It means I’m taking your daughter to London. She deserves to meet her brother and sister.”

“You son of a bitch,” he gasps. “I don’t care if you’re Griffin’s son, I will destroy you—”

Renzo’s voice cuts out as I hang up the phone. He’s not going to like that, but Amelia is heading out of the café now, and I don’t want her to overhear her dad having a meltdown, especially not after seeing the way she reacted to his note earlier.

The bells on the door jangle as she steps outside. “Everything okay?” I ask, shoving my cell in the pocket of my jeans.

“Yep, Penelope took it surprisingly well. She’s sad to lose me, but understands. She’s been expecting this for a while now.”

“The Oltek job,” I say, realizing her meaning.

“They called on my way here, but I didn’t answer. I’m turning it down.” She shrugs, without feeling. “It was a bad idea anyway.”

There’s something she leaves unsaid; I’m guessing it has to do with her boyfriend. He’s part of the bad idea, but I wonder if she knows that.