I shoved my hand through my hair and paced the room.

Letting my thoughts swirl between my ears, I tried to make sense of all that Kendra had said. Madam was behind this. It had her name written all over it. She told Kendra about my son, made sure she let Kendra know that Nora killed herself because of what I did. But how did Sylvia fit the equation?

Turning my gaze back to Kendra, I asked, “When did you see her?”

Kendra sat on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. “Today.”

“Fuck,” I barked. “And you went alone?”

She nodded behind her big puppy dog eyes that threatened to soften me with a single look in my direction.

“How did this happen?” I rubbed the back of my neck.

Kendra dropped her gaze and shook her head. “It never would have if you didn’t stop me from making that drop the other day.”

I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes.

She threw up her hands and showed me her palms. “All I’m saying is if it wasn’t for that, then I wouldn’t have had Madam send me to meet up with Sylvia.”

I stared at nothing in particular for a minute before rolling my neck back to Kendra. “But Sylvia doesn’t work for Madam.”

Kendra’s head snapped up. “She’ll tell you otherwise.”

Shaking my head, I wondered how Sylvia managed to sneak her way between Kendra and Madam.

“Let’s say you’re right.” Kendra tucked her hair behind her ear. “Then how would she know about the deliveries?”

A grave feeling grew in the pit of my stomach. I feared the worst, thinking back to my conversation with Sylvia the other day. The discussion where she warned me that all who were working on Maria Greer’s case would be silenced. Staring at Kendra, I listened to my heart thrash between my ears, wondering how she managed to walk away from Sylvia at all without getting hurt. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

“But she’s right about Maria.”

Slowly, I nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

Dropping her feet to the floor, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Kelly, what is it?”

Remembering what Wes had said—that only three people knew about where Maria’s body was originally found—I couldn’t stop from thinking how Sylvia knew, too. “The only person who would know the truth of where Maria’s body was found is the killer themselves.”

“Please tell me it’s not Wes.”

I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have to say it, but Wes had nothing to do with her death.”

Kendra’s hand flew over her mouth. Her eyes were wide and terrified.

Stepping forward, I hid my hands inside my trousers. “Tell me what else Sylvia told you.”

“Did she kill Maria?”

I inched closer. “What else did she say?”

“Oh, my God. She fucking killed her.”

“I need you to concentrate, Bella. What else did Sylvia tell you?”

Her eyes danced across the floor as she inhaled a deep breath, trying to recall everything. “She was working on a story.” Her head tipped back and looked me in the eye. “I think it was about you.”

The dull pain spread behind my eyes.

“She said she’ll make sure people will blame you for Tonya’s death.” Kendra’s hand couldn’t stop shaking. Then she started to cry. “I wish I had known. I could have done something.”

Falling to the floor in front of her, I smoothed my hands up her tender thighs. “Did she say anything else?”

She sniffed and wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t know. She seemed determined to make sure I knew that she knew Maria’s body was moved from Mint and Wes was responsible for it.”

The pounding in my ears grew louder.

Then her eyes locked with mine. “And if you didn’t want to tell me the truth of what you knew, then I should ask about your son.”

The tips of my fingers dug into her flesh. “You need to stay away from Sylvia.”

“Kelly, I didn’t know.”

“It’s all right.”

“Did she do it? Did she kill Maria?”

My tongue darted out of my mouth and wet my bottom lip. “I think so.”

“But you said this before about Nash. Could you be wrong about Sylvia, too?”

Inside, my emotions raged. But, on the outside, I was calm and collected. “This time it’s different,” I murmured, thinking about the notes I had received.

“How? How is this different?”

I caught Kendra’s wrists and pulled them close to my chest.

“Fuck.” She pulled on her arms but I hung on. “You know something. Something you’re not telling me.”

Dropping my gaze, I closed my eyes and thought about Parker and Sylvia and what role Madam played in all this. Lifting my chin, I said, “You need to start trusting me more.”

“I fucking trust you,” she cried. “Just tell me. I’m next, aren’t I?”

My eyes were open and I was staring into hers but I couldn’t see past the blurry vision.

“It makes sense. First some chick named Maria gets chopped, and we both know what happened to Tonya. She died because of yo—”

I blinked and shook away my tunneled vision. “Because of me.”

“I didn’t say it.”

“But it’s what you were going to say.” My face heated with anger.

“I’m not stupid. I know that my name is up next.” Kendra’s strong spine collapsed. “Angel tells me to be worried, and everyone wants to involve me in these murders. But I didn’t know them. Didn’t have anything to do with them. Until you came along.”

Scooping my hands under her, I picked her up and settled myself back onto the couch with her sitting on my lap. “It wasn’t my intention to get you involved in any of this.”

“It’s not your fault.” She draped one arm around my neck and hung off of me. “And I’m not blaming anyone but myself. I just need to know what exactly is happening so I know how best to protect myself.”

Smoothing my hand over her thigh, I said in a raspy voice, “I’ve warned Giselle to remain vigilant as well.”

“It’s not only me who they might target?”

I shook my head. “All I know is that anyone involved in the Maria Greer case is being threatened.”

She pulled her chin into her neck. “But I’m not involved.”

“Not directly. But silencing you means silencing me.”

“Shit.” Her head hit my forehead and she started crying. “I don’t know why I feel this need to listen to anybody but you.”

Threading my fingers through her long, soft hair cascading down her back, I said, “Because they’re con artists, selling you the story they want you to believe.”

“But why?” Her arm squeezed tighter around my neck. “Why does anyone care about us?”

“Because it’s easier for them if we fight ourselves.”

Kendra’s warm tears pooled on my shoulder as I sat quietly thinking how that was how Madam managed to get Tonya killed. She pinned Parker against me, and then reversed everything back on him. She used us both to do the dirty work for her. That manipulation was exactly what drove me to want to put an end to all this. It was madness. Chaos that needed to stop before someone else was hurt.

“Am I going to lose you?”

“Bella, you need to stop worrying about tomorrow.”

“What’s her end game?”

I pulled my head back and gave her a questioning look.

“What is Madam after? Angel told me Madam won’t get what she wants, so what is she after?”

My hand stopped moving on her thigh and I just stared.

“No more half-truths, Kelly. You fucking tell me the details. If I’m in the crosshairs, I need to know.”

“You need to stop making deliveries, immediately,” I said, fearing who else might know Madam’s business interests beyond me, Wes, and Adrianna.

Her jades hooded. “You know I can’t make that promise.”

“I know. But you must try.”

“I’m laundering Madam’s money, aren’t I?”

“Madam is a drug trafficker.” My hand brushed her belly, getting her to suck in a quick breath.

“Fuck. So, legally speaking, I’m in trouble?” Worry creased her brow.

“Only if you get caught.” I cast my gaze down, not wanting to imagine the implications of what Kendra might face if the law came looking.

She took my face between her slender hands and pressed her lips to mine. “But you’d save me, right?”

Kissing her back, I said, “I’d kill for you.”