My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

There was nothing I liked about having my uncle sneaking up on me. And, just knowing he was around, I wasn’t sure I was safe anywhere.

Glancing out the car’s back window, I felt like I was being followed. He knew where I was, that I was alone—without Kelly. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been so bold when approaching. And that was what had me most concerned. He seemed to know more about my life, including my whereabouts, than anybody else. More than even Alex or Kelly.

Turning back to face the front, the Uber driver’s curious eyes found mine again. Though he didn’t say a word, it wasn’t hard to read his expression. He knew I’d been anxious since he picked me up. And despite the way he was looking at me now, I wasn’t about to tell him to speed up so I could get out before I really did start to panic.

Turning my attention out my window, I wished Lucky had picked me up. It would have made this journey so much easier. Maybe I would have even been able to open up a little about what had me so freaked. But since it wasn’t him sitting behind the wheel, I dove my hand inside my tote and pushed my fingers past the undergarments I’d bought to wear for Kelly—his surprise. Wrapping my fingertips around the envelope, I yanked the paper Uncle Marvin had so graciously given me and began to re-read my grandmother’s will.

Pinching my bottom lip as I read, I felt my eyes dry.

Spinning in circles, my mind kept going back to wondering how he managed to get his paws on a copy of her will. If my memory served me well, I thought that I was the only one to have the original. And as my eyes scanned each line of text, I still didn’t understand how I was the only one to receive everything my grandparents ever owned.

Lifting my head, my brow pinched as I thought about how I never asked for any of this.

When the driver turned the sun shined in my eyes, causing me to snap them shut. And when I did, all I could hear ringing between my ears was what my uncle said when handing this document over to me. “You have something we all want.”

Money.

My eyes flew open and my heart raced.

It was all my family ever wanted—always in desperate need of. It would be silly of me to think that now would be any different.

“Here?” the driver asked, pointing through the windshield.

Straightening my spine, I peeked over the headrest of the seat in front of me, getting my bearings. “Yes. This will be fine.”

The vehicle slowed to a stop as I gathered my things. I thanked him for the ride as I swung the door open, stepping foot on the dirty concrete sidewalk.

Two blocks away. That’s how far it was to my apartment. And I almost had to laugh at how ridiculous it was for me to still request that I be dropped so far away. Like it made a difference in keeping me safe. My uncle knew where I lived, knew everything, and if he could figure out all that in the short time I knew he’d been back, then anybody could do the same. But it was still habit, I thought as I galloped alongside the buildings with my head held high, thinking of how awful I remembered my family to be.

It would be wrong of me to lie and say I wasn’t the least bit curious to know what my parents were up to—how they were doing, and if anything had changed since I saw them last. And as sick as it was, perhaps I would even delight in the news of whatever trouble they seemed to be in. A sort of retribution for not coming forward and saving me from the hell I’d experienced.

Pushing through the front entrance doors, it didn’t take Mr. Anderson long to greet me with a large smile. “And she’s back.”

I ducked my head and chuckled as I stopped to chat.

“Things must be going well with your new gentleman.” His tall, slim body tipped forward onto his toes. “Hopefully you’re taking time for yourself to assess the worthiness of his company?”

In a flash my smile turned upside-down.

Reading my mood, Mr. Anderson gave a slack expression. “I’m sorry, Ms. Kendra, but did I say something wrong?”

Glancing toward the street, I murmured, “If my uncle ever shows up here again,” my eyes rolled in his direction, “call the cops.”

“Is everything all right?” His bushy brows squished together.

Swishing my bangs across my forehead, I said in a somber voice, “It certainly doesn’t seem that way.” He held my gaze for a solid second before I turned and headed to the elevator without saying another word.

There was no reason to explain in great detail the worries playing out inside my head. Mr. Anderson had enough worries of his own, and as long as he knew the one culprit I didn’t want to ever see in my building again, that was enough for me.

Once inside my apartment, I fell back against the door and breathed out a sigh of relief.

It felt good to be home. The place of security, refuge, and a quiet monastery where I could collect my thoughts. Soon, silence swept over me, bringing a relaxing peace one could only find at home.

Plopping my tote on the kitchen table, I was eager to make a decision. Again, I was split between calling my parents and not. If I ignored them, I feared my uncle would keep popping up when I least expected him. And if I called, I might invite unforeseen problems into my life. I was stuck, not liking either choice.

I opened the fridge, thinking food could damper the stress. It was empty. Deciding I better browse my apartment since it had been so long since I’d been home, I checked the bathroom before moving to my bedroom. Everything seemed to be in its place—it was nearly too normal for me to be able to sit still and relax like I had hoped.

I missed Kelly, I thought as I looked around, hugging my waist.

Missed the smell of his home. Missed feeling like we were a couple. And I missed the luxury we basked in when at his place. My apartment was so ordinary, but I couldn’t deny the small voice in the back of my head wishing that I could go back to how life was before I ever met him.

And that made me sad. Because he was incredible. It was all this other bullshit that I wanted erased. At least with him around I knew he would protect me.

Flipping my hair over my shoulder, I glanced in the direction of where I generally kept a bottle of vodka waiting. And even though there wasn’t one, I couldn’t deny the freedom I had away from the corporate grind. I could drink, stay out as late as I wanted, sleep all day the next morning, and not have to worry about needing to be at an office and keep my performance up. It was incredible. Even past the bullshit of having to work with the Madam, it wasn’t something I was ready to give up. But my stomach hardened when I thought that this dream I’d created, standing next to Kelly, was quickly coming to an end.

Floating across the apartment floor, I soon found myself standing in front of my bookcase, fearing what Madam had planned for me next.

Sliding To Kill a Mockingbird off the shelf, my lips curled into a smile, remembering hearing my grandmother’s voice read the story to me as a kid dozens of times over the course of my childhood. Opening the book, an old photograph of my grandparents fell into my hands.

Why me? I kept asking her.

Soon I found myself on the couch with the book, the old photograph, my grandmother’s will, and my cell phone laid out in front of me. There was little doubt my grandmother would encourage me to talk with my parents. She was the matriarch and was the glue that kept our family together. When she was gone, the foundation crumbled. Family was all we had in this crazy world and I turned my back on everybody who helped raise me to be the woman I was today.

Reaching my hand to the coffee table, I flipped the will over to the phone number my uncle had scribbled on the back.

The truth was, I was curious to know what kind of trouble my parents were actually in. Though I wasn’t ready to make the commitment to help, the least I could do was reach out and begin the conversation. Take the higher road. The road they never took when I needed them most.

“Fuck it,” I said when I swiped my thumb over my cell’s screen. I dialed the number, lifted my phone to my ear, and waited to hear it ring.