I ran straight up to the door and pounded my fist against it.

Maxwell killed the engine and I turned back to glance at him.

He hadn’t liked my plan at first, thought that we needed to consult with Kelly before heading south. But when neither of us could reach him, I told Maxwell he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

Maxwell kept a watchful eye on me as I turned back to the door and sent my fist flying against it again.

Not a second later, Mom opened the door with a reddened face and sharp brows.

“Where is he?”

“Jesus, girl. You’re knocking on my door like you’re the damn cops.”

“Show him to me. I want to see him.”

Mom’s chin tucked into her neck as she looked at me like I was crazy.

I pushed past her and made my way inside, not having time for formalities of invitations. Mom started to shut the door but stopped short when she caught sight of Maxwell. She eyed him for a minute before finally closing the door and turning back to me.

“Is that your new boyfriend?”

“What?” I breathed.

“That man outside.” Mom marched up to me with narrowed eyes. “Is that one of your customers?”

The hair on my nape stiffened as I put my face in Mom’s. “You have some nerve accusing me of something I’m not when you keep having your brother stalk me.”

“Marvin is loyal to this family, unlike some of us.”

My breathing grew louder. “You have my number. You can call. Yet you keep choosing to violate my privacy by sending your brother to do your dirty work.”

“I don’t approve of your lifestyle, Kendra.” Mom sighed and pointed to the door.

“It’s not your decision to make.”

“Maybe not, but as your mother,” she reached up and touched my arm, “I will do whatever it takes to get you off the streets.”

“I’m not on the streets.” I threw my hands down by my side and cried. “I want to see Dad.”

Mom turned her back and stepped away.

I watched her move to the kitchen table with her head down.

Turning my neck, I glanced to the back room I assumed Dad to be resting in.

“Now is not a good time.” Mom stood behind a dining table chair and gave me a hard glare.

There was something on her mind, and I feared that it had something to do with what my uncle said. But I hoped to God that it wasn’t about the money and instead something about Dad. “Now is the only time,” I barked.

She diverted her eyes and angled her head to the side. “Your father is in bad shape, baby.” Her eyes found mine once again. “His body isn’t functioning the way you remember.”

Arching a brow, I moved closer to the table and asked, “How is his mind?”

A sparkle twinkled in her eye. “His mind is as strong as ever.”

Dropping my gaze, I was drawn in by what Mom had spread over the tabletop. My feet were heavy as I dragged them closer to the magazine headline I couldn’t look away from. “What is that?” I began to panic.

Mom glanced to the table. “I suppose there is no sense in waiting to tell you.”

My heartrate spiked and I couldn’t stop myself from moving closer.

“But I had a lawyer draw up papers to take back the money given to you by your father’s mother.” She picked up the papers and held them between her hands. “I told you I would do whatever it took, and I’m afraid that I learned some terrible news in the process.”

I kept my eyes on the supermarket tabloid, barely listening to what my mother was saying. My muscles quivered and I wanted to explode in a fit of violence.

She held out her hands and said, “Take it. This is your copy.”

I swatted her hand away and turned the magazine around to read the article.

“You’re guilty of inheritance fraud, Kendra.”

My eyes widened when I tipped my head back up to meet Mom’s stare.

She inhaled a shaky breath as I thought how I would have helped. But this wasn’t the way to go about it. I hated the manipulation that surrounded me. I despised how this was what our relationship had come to. My parents didn’t know how to love and, because of them, neither did I. Our definition was skewed to benefit ourselves, and it all started with Mom and Dad not being there for me when I needed them to protect me against Uncle Marvin as a child. They had all known what was happening but turned a blind eye because it was the easy thing to do. And now they expected me to forget all that and just hand over the money that was given to me? Unbelievable.

“No. What is that?” I jabbed my index finger into the middle of the article.

Mom looked down to my face printed on the page of Hollywood Reporter and frowned. “Another missed opportunity.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Mom glared. “I heard what your boyfriend did to Marvin’s pictures. He shouldn’t have deleted those.”

My jaw dangled on its hinges.

“You’re famous, baby.” Her lips stretched to her ears. “They could have made us some serious cash.”

A bitter tang filled my mouth with resentment as I glanced down to the article Sylvia had written. It was our picture, but the story was mostly about Kelly. I continued to read, and the further I worked my way through the story the closer I was to hyperventilating.

“Is it true?” Mom asked.

Closing my eyes, I didn’t know why she cared.

“That’s why you didn’t invite him in, isn’t it?” Mom folded her arms over her chest. “Because he’s guilty of killing that girl, Tonya Craig.”

Shaking my head, I sighed. “Mom, that’s not who’s outside waiting for me.”

“Mm hmm. Figures.” She set herself down in a chair. “According to that article, that man Kelly Black,” her eyes drifted to Kelly’s face in the photo, “has his sights set on killing the woman he’s currently dating …”

“It’s not true,” I whispered.

“That’s you sweetie. Isn’t it?”

My chest tightened and I felt trapped. Sylvia had used me. Pulled me in and convinced me that Kelly was the bad guy when it was she who was gearing up to attack us both. “This is such bullshit.”

“I would have agreed with you—”

I lifted my head to stare at Mom.

“—except this came in the mail and convinced me otherwise.” Mom unfolded a yellow piece of paper and handed it over to me.

I opened it with a faint pulse and reluctantly read it.

Your daughter is in grave danger. The monies she received in the inheritance will be gone if you don’t get control of it first. Act fast, Ms. Williams. You don’t have much time.

My stomach flipped. I felt sick. “So this is why you’re coming after the inheritance?”

“Is it true, baby?” The crown of Mom’s head pulled to the ceiling. “Are you in danger?” Her brow furrowed.

I felt my eyes close and as soon as they did, Tonya’s face flashed in the front of my mind. I didn’t want to be here. I wanted to be with Kelly, have him comfort me and promise me that he could make this all disappear. But I knew that was only a wish. The truth was, word was spreading like wildfire that I was laundering money for Madam and it was only a matter of time before what I was doing caught up to me.

Folding the note back up, I stuffed it in the crease of the magazine and rolled it up as I stood. “I have to go.”

Mom gave me a look. “What about your father?”

But I barely heard her as I stormed out of the house, realizing that all this time I wasn’t just being paranoid. My intuition was right.

I was next on the list to die.