Tobias is glowering in the back of the cab beside me, our fingers gripped together in an effort to calm him down. We’re on our way to where Carla lives with Vance. It’s only the two of us but he wanted to come alone. I told him no way, she’s my cousin. I needed to be here, too. Nobody is certain where she is but knowing Sofia Sol, we had a hunch.

As the taxi pulls onto a street lined with enormous homes Tobias straightens up like he’s about to fly out of here. I tighten my hold on his hand as we both scan the quiet street.

“There she is!” I gasp, pointing with my free hand to my cousin walking across the headlight beams, moving fast.

So he twitches and turns the wheel to pull over to her.

Sofia squints at the approaching lights and is about to duck into the darkness when he honks.

Our driver thinks we’re going to a big party because my cousin is wasted and called for our help, and that’s all he’s going to ever know.

I’ve rolled down the window and as Sofia reacts to the loud noise I call out, “Hey!”

I don’t dare yell her name. If she’s done something, I don’t want her identifiable.

Her eyes narrow and her head cocks.

She sighs and changes course, coming to my side of the cab like she’s annoyed I’m here. I give a warning look to Tobias. His teeth are showing like an animal’s. He wants to know how fucked up things are now, and how much damage she’s done. I know he’s wondering if anyone’s hurt.

But he can’t ask in front of a driver because I already explained in private to him that when Sofia acts alone she doesn’t take the law into account.

I told him, “We need to keep this between us. She’s given us no choice. At least, not a good one.”

She climbs in, her eyes gravely taking in his mood. To the driver she says, “Turn around and go fast. My boyfriend is after me.”

Inwardly I shake my head. The girl is nuts.

Part of me wants to ask if she’s okay, the other part wants to strangle her.

In terrible silence the three of us ride back to the city.

Tobias’s free hand is clenching and unclenching the entire time.

I’m chewing on my inner cheek.

Sofia’s got her arm on the open window, the breeze flying over us as the driver speeds just for the hell of it. They like to do that when they’ve got room to roam, tired of driving slowly around pedestrians every day.

When the car lurches to a stop at the Waterstone, Tobias grunts, “Here’s my room key and your sunglasses. I’ll be back in fifteen.”

“Okay.” I hold his eyes. “Take however long you need…to get that food. You look very hungry.”

“I’m fucking starving,” he growls, meaning he’s dying to get a piece of the truth.

Sliding on Emma’s sunglasses I loop my arm through Sofia’s and we chat and laugh our way to the elevators, nobody noticing anything except a couple of drunk girls coming back from a long night. A common sight.

We’re not alone as we ride to the eleventh floor and I’m having a hard time thinking of meaningless things to say when I want to scream, What the hell were you thinking?!

When the doors close on our level, Sofia and I go quiet. Finally alone. She’s waiting for me to talk but I don’t know where to start.

How can I expect someone to be anyone other than who they are?

My hand is shaking as I shove Tobias’s card to unlock his door. It lights green and we head in. Sofia’s moving slowly now. “Aren’t you going to yell at me?”

“Nope.”

“Okaaaayyyy,” she warily mumbles.

Going for the vodka Tobias bought me, I open it and take a swig, wincing at how strong it is without cranberry juice. She eyes me as I toss it to her. She drinks from it but never stops watching me.

“You want to know what I did?”

Kicking off my heels I cross my arms. “Not yet.”

A knock on the door turns her head. She jogs her thumb at it. “Want me to get that?”

“Why don’t you.”

Statement. Not a question.

Her eyes narrow on me and she tosses the pint back. I catch it without trouble and she heads for the door, muttering to herself, “I don’t like this.”

In strolls everybody except for Tobias and Andy. All of her cousins pass her without acknowledging she’s standing there.

Sofia stares after them and shuts the door.

Boy, it’s fucking crowded in here.

Emma jumps up to sit on the dresser, legs and heels dangling. Her brother Ethan takes the position next to her, leaning on it, his arms crossed, face somber.

Ben walks to the balcony door to my left and looks out, staring off at the water.

My brother dives onto the made bed, his back against the headboard as he kicks off his shoes and gets comfortable.

She has no idea what to make of all this, and her grey eyes are guarded. “So, you’re all pissed.”

Ben’s voice is low, emerald eyes stony as he turns to face her. “You think we’re powerless, Sofia? That we have nothing to offer?”

She frowns, “No.”

Emma cocks her head. “You think you’re all alone?”

“No, I just…”

Gabriel bites off the rest of her sentence, “Think we’re all worthless. Just average people who can’t do what you do.”

She eyes him, shoulders slumping a little. “You don’t know what I do.”

“We had a plan!” I shout, losing my temper and pointing at her. “All of us!’

Ethan growls, “You put yourself in danger and didn’t allow us to back you up!”

Her eyes are darting around now, blinking rapidly. “The plan wouldn’t have worked. And I couldn’t take you with me.”

“How do you know that, Sofia?!” Emma demands. “You didn’t give us a chance.”

Gabriel’s voice slices through. “You think we’re beneath you.”

“I do not!” Sofia cries out.

Angrily he nods like it’s true. “That you’re better than us. Like you can save the world, but we’d just fuck it up. You know how that makes us feel?”

Ethan mutters, “Makes me feel like shit, how ‘bout you guys.”

Mutual agreement all around.

Sofia’s lips are lax and she backs away, running both hands through her hair. Grey eyes flash with fire as she zips her hand through the air around all of us. “Your plan had too many holes in it. There was no way we could trust them to help you and Tobias out, Hannah. My way would work like a charm, and nobody had to get hurt. Well, except for Vance.”

Ben demands, “Did you kill him?”

Her eyes go wide. “No! Of course I didn’t. He’s a putz but he’s not as snake-like as I thought he was. I just…well, I broke his hand. Just a little break.”

We blink at her and my brother struggles to hide his laugh. Ethan admonishes him immediately, “It’s not funny, Gabriel! Don’t let her charm you.”

Sofia side-eyeballs Ethan and crosses her arms, throwing her back against the wall to lean on it. “Like I’m some temptress, Ethan? Gawd. I hear you. If I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same way. But let me just paint this picture for you.” She pauses, meeting our eyes one at a time before she says, “I couldn’t take you with me. Any of you ever sneak into a house? NO. All six of us sneaking in unnoticed? NO. Would you have let me go if I told you I was going to? NO. I don’t think you’re beneath me! Ethan, should I start coding computers tonight?”

“What?”

“You think if there was a meltdown and we needed a hacker, who would we call…me?”

His head goes back like she punched him. Emma’s jaw tenses as she glances to her brother and exhales through her nose.

Beside me, Ben turns to look at the view again, and Gabriel starts picking at his jeans before he mutters, “Fuck.”

“You made your point,” I begrudgingly say. “What did you do? What happened?”

She holds her finger to her lips, ear cocked. We all listen, everyone stone silent. In the hallway approaching us are Tobias and Andy, their deep rumbling voices unmistakable.

“Good,” Sofia says, glancing to one of her chipped nails. “I didn’t want to tell the story more than once.” Meeting my eyes she smirks, “After all, one must be a little modest, even if one is a Cocker.”

Surprisingly Ben says, “Fuck that. Never be modest. Own what you can do. Just don’t be a dick about it.”

Nobody argues.

We all wait as the door opens.

Tobias and I lock eyes as he enters with Andy strolling in behind him, both of them agitated. “What the fuck did you do?” he demands as soon as he sees her.

She just smiles.