Feeling light as a feather after my hot night with Kelly, my head was still spinning.

After he left, I dozed in and out of orgasmic dreams for another few hours before finally fully waking. The sun was blasting through the blinds with thoughts of my parents.

Their faces also managed to appear in my dreams, and simple reminders of them were everywhere I looked. From the legs I took from my mom, to the complexion of my father.

Tucking my arm under my head, I rolled onto my side.

I debated calling my parents as I stared at my cell phone silently resting on the nightstand.

It’d been forever since we’d talked. I couldn’t even remember what their voices sounded like sometimes. Nor could I recall what our last conversation was even about.

I gnawed on the inside of my cheek feeling flustered for having to deal with a less-than-ideal situation.

They didn’t know anything about me. Didn’t know what kind of person I was or that I had received a degree in law and made my way in this tough world all on my own. The school of hard knocks was where I came from—the reason I grew into the woman I was today. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Grandma’s inheritance fast tracked my pursuit, but I swore when I received those monies that I wouldn’t let it change me. Only my parents would know if it had.

My cell phone continued to tempt me with making the call. Realizing I didn’t even have my parents’ phone number memorized, I finally tossed off the covers and got out of bed.

The air was cool against my naked body as I dragged my feet toward the walk-in closet. Stepping over the mess of clothes from last night’s fuckfest only drew a smile to my face. I’d had fun last night. Kelly made me feel relaxed and I liked his willingness to share the adventure my body craved. It seemed like that was my only way at getting off lately. It had to be extreme, rough, and highly passionate. Anything less wouldn’t cut it.

Flipping on the light as I entered the closet, I bent down to open the dresser drawer. Stopping short of grabbing the envelope, it was clear to me that it had been tampered with.

My heart froze as a quiver rolled through my stomach.

Kelly had seen it. Probably this morning. Though he didn’t say anything about it, I didn’t know what to make of him knowing about my inheritance or that I had a copy of the will here, inside his apartment.

Shaking my head, I pulled it out along with a fresh pair of underwear and a bra.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to keep this a secret from him forever. I just needed some answers before fully letting him in on the family drama that was sure to follow.

Turning the paper over, I had a bad feeling the moment I glanced at the phone number. I couldn’t call. Didn’t have it in me. Not before I learned more about the reason Tonya was killed. That was the more pressing matter. Not my parents.

After a quick shower and getting ready for the day, Maxwell was waiting for me out front. “Ms. Kendra,” he greeted me.

“Good morning, Maxwell.” I smiled.

“What will it be for you today?”

“Madam’s place.”

His forehead wrinkled.

I nodded. “I know you know the way.”

“That I do.” He tipped his head forward, closing my door.

I appreciated his lack of protest. I wasn’t sure what kind of instructions Kelly had given him this morning. But I was certain that this was Kelly’s way of keeping tabs on my whereabouts, as well as what I was up to when he wasn’t around.

We drove much of the way in silence, leaving me plenty of time to think about what Kelly now knew about me. It wasn’t that he didn’t know I didn’t have my own money before. But I never told him how much, or how it had come to me. Now he knew, and I figured it best that I bring it up before he found a way to get to it first.

When Maxwell pulled in front of Madam’s, I thanked him for the ride and said, “That will be all, Maxwell.” I pulled the handle, opening the door. “I’ll be finding my way home from here.”

“I can wait,” he said over his shoulder. “It’s not a problem.”

“I would prefer it if you wouldn’t.”

He gave me a questioning look.

“I know you’re here to spy. And I don’t blame you for doing your job.”

He let out a heavy sigh.

“If Kelly asks, you can tell him I’ll be here.”

“And after here?”

I ducked my face and glared at him under a sunken brow. “Don’t push it.”

Shutting my door, I stepped away from the vehicle just as Maxwell took his foot off the brake. I watched him slowly drive away with a determined face. I liked how he respected my wishes. It couldn’t be easy dealing with me, especially when guessing what Kelly’s reaction would be when he learned I insisted Maxwell leave. But I didn’t know how long this would take, and Madam didn’t even know I was coming. Today, my visit was a complete surprise.

Locking eyes on Janine, I entered the building with questions swirling between my ears. I burned to talk with Angel, to learn what she knew about Tonya, when the last time it was she saw her. Ever since Ty Lemon’s gala, Angel had become much more of a central figure in the questions I had about what the hell was happening around me. She knew exactly who Timothy Parker was, but did she also know more than I did about Madam? It made me sick to think that I had to ask my nemesis if I should be worried about my own future. But that was exactly what I was hoping to accomplish.

“Hold up, Kendra,” Janine said with a squished brow.

I shortened my stride but never stopped to wait.

“I don’t see you on the schedule.”

“Are you looking at Jerome’s?” I said with a bite of attitude.

She stuttered through confusion.

“That’s who I’ll be seeing first.” I turned my back and kept walking with a wide grin stamped on my face.

I didn’t have an appointment with Jerome, and was certain he didn’t even have a schedule to have my name on. But it wasn’t a lie. Because as soon as I hit the top step on Madam’s office floor, there the big man was, waiting at the door, looking bored as ever.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” I asked as I approached him.

Jerome gave me a sideways glance.

“What is it you do exactly?”

“This.” His answer was classically short.

“That explains a lot.” I nodded. “Is she in?” I pointed to Madam’s closed door.

Clamping his big hands around my arm, Jerome towed me away, leading me down the hall.

“Hey! What the fuck? Let go! You’re hurting me,” I cried as Jerome pushed me into an empty room.

“I’ll get you when Madam’s ready.” He shut the door.

I lunged forward and shook the door handle. It was locked. And without a way out I paced the small empty room, letting my curiosity go wild. Something was happening. Something Madam didn’t want me to see. Needing to know before my chance escaped, I marched back up to the door, rapping my palm against the wood, demanding to be let out. A second later the door flung open.

“She’s ready.” Jerome allowed me through.

Following me down the hall, I peeked inside the waiting room to find Madam’s door now open. Jerome stopped in his usual spot in the hall and turned his back.

“What the hell is going on?” I said when entering Madam’s office.

Madam stood from behind her desk. “What a pleasant surprise.”

Looking around, my senses were on high alert. “Who was just in here?”

Madam’s eyes brightened as she subtly shook her head like she didn’t know what I was asking. “What brings you in? Is it about Kelly?”

I fell into the empty seat across from her desk. My visit had nothing to do with Kelly, my contract ending with him, or the deliveries I had to make for her. “I assume you heard about Tonya—”

Madam closed her eyes. “Yes. Sad.”

I didn’t have to ask. I knew Tonya worked for her. Was another girl in her harem just like me. And I couldn’t escape my thoughts that it was possible Madam also had her killed. “What did she do to deserve the punishment she received?”

Madam lowered herself in her seat, folding her white-gloved hands on her lap. As she stared at me, my gaze drifted to her ears. All I could think about was how I saw the same tanzanite earrings Madam given to me dangling off of Tonya’s ears the day I made my last delivery to Emmanuel’s new salon.

“What is it, dear?”

Rolling my eyes back to hers, I said, “Tonya was there with Timothy Parker. I saw them together.” But I wasn’t telling her anything that she didn’t already know.

“How is Kelly doing?” Madam changed the subject.

Feeling offended, my face tightened. “No. You can’t do that.”

Madam’s expression pinched. “Do you think that Kelly’s assault charges just disappeared without a reason?”

Falling back into my chair, I didn’t know. I was too consumed by my parents and what my uncle insisted I should learn about them. I should have asked Kelly what he knew, but didn’t want to risk tainting the fun night we’d shared. And on top of that, I was afraid to tell him what I saw that day for fear he would demand to know more about the deliveries I was making for Madam.

“What?” I felt the beginnings of a headache coming on.

“Well, do you?” Madam turned her head to the side.

I was sure Angel set Tonya up with Parker the night of Ty Lemon’s party. This couldn’t have been a coincidence. But did Madam orchestrate it from the beginning, knowing that she would later use it to get Kelly’s assault charges dropped?

“Everything happens for a reason,” Madam responded before I could answer.

“How did you do it?”

Over the next few minutes, Madam told me how Kelly used photos of what I saw that day at Emmanuel’s to blackmail Parker. “Apparently, Parker didn’t take the news so well.”

Closing my eyes, I thought back to that day and remembered seeing what I thought was paparazzi taking my photo. Was I wrong? My blood boiled. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Baby doll, it’s best you stay out of this.”

Madam’s lack of empathy for Tonya made me furious. What did Tonya know that upset Madam so much to have her killed? Because that was what I was hearing. That Parker learned Kelly had damaging photos of him getting it on with one of Madam’s escorts and decided to take matters into his own hands.

My stomach flipped, sickened by Madam’s response. “How could you?”

“Kelly Black needed me. Just as he always has.”

Shaking my head, I stood, thinking that wasn’t what I was getting at. What I wanted to know was how Madam could let someone dangerous like Parker get through her screening process.

“Going so soon?” Madam’s voice sang.

“I came here to ask you where I could find Angelina Davis.”

Madam dropped her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “Kendra, darling—”

I lifted my gaze back to hers.

“If I were you, I would keep your theories about what might have happened to yourself.”

“Why?” My brows pinched as my heart raced. “Am I in danger?”

Madam’s tongue slid over her cherry red lips as I openly stared, not knowing who the Madam was. And with a racing mind, I couldn’t stop thinking how my uncle’s surprise visit was too clean to be pure coincidence. I wouldn’t put it past her to have arranged that meeting as well.

“Oh, dear,” she clapped her hands together and glanced to the corner of her desk, “I nearly forgot.”

I watched her reach for a package. My heart sank. I was not in the mood to do another delivery. But that was exactly what it was as I reluctantly stepped forward and took it into my hand, tucking it under my arm.

“Instructions are inside as always.” Her eyes flickered.

Glaring, I looked away.

“You’re safe dear.” She batted her lashes. “I would never let anything happen to you.”

But I had heard that same promise before with my parents. And look where it got me now. “Did you give Tonya the same reassurance?” I snapped back.

“Don’t be naïve, young child.” Madam narrowed her eyes. “Unlike her, I chose you for a reason.”