ASH FELT LIKE CRAP in a cup as she headed downstairs the next morning. The email reply from her father echoed in her head.

I don’t have a lot of time, but I can fit you in around 11:15.

She was surprised he made room in his schedule for her at all, without putting her off for a week.

Last night, she stepped outside hoping Mischa could convince her she was wrong. That he wasn’t looking out for her simply because he felt bad for her. That there was more to them than her being a broken toy.

She was pretty sure he’d tried. Her past and insecurities reared twin heads she thought she’d severed ages ago, and they refused to let her believe him.

That was the one thing she couldn’t say to him. He didn’t deserve to be stuck with someone like her, who hated herself enough she refused to let anyone else love her.

She’d never thought of it in those words before, but now that she saw it for what it was, she didn’t know what to do about it. Except let something with amazing potential skate in the other direction.

She adjusted her purse on her shoulder, smoothed out her work clothes, and prepared herself for the next round of whatever this was. As she walked toward the kitchen, voice drifted to meet her, making her pause. Kelly and Mischa. Right. She still had to break this to her sister. Ash’s gut twisted in on itself.

“...volunteered you,” Kelly said. “We get extra credit. I hope that’s okay.”

What was she talking about? Another thing for Ash to feel bad over. Despite her reservations when they moved in, Kelly didn’t spend all her time hiding in the downstairs apartment. She was upstairs a lot, for meals, to skate and play video games, and to hang out.

But Ash wasn’t spending as much time with her as they used to. Ash was too fixated on her own issues.

“It’s fine.” Mischa’s voice was kind. Of course. “Especially if you need the extra credit.”

“I don’t. But I wanted to-show-you-off.” Kelly’s last few, run-together words were so quiet, Ash had to strain to hear them. “I’ve never been able to brag before. Dad’s work is boring. Ash’s is... I don’t really know. I mean, she works hard, but it’s kind of hard to say this is my sister, and she does whatever needs to be done and sometimes it’s cool, I guess.”

Ash didn’t know what to make of that. She should also stop eavesdropping. She finished walking into the kitchen, unable to look at Mischa. “I didn’t think you did career days in junior high, Kel-Bel.”

“That’s not quite it. But we get a grade letter bump if we have someone we admire come and talk to everyone. It’s a modern careers thing for US History.”

Ash grabbed her mug out of the cupboard—it was so odd that this already felt like home, and soon it wouldn’t be—then poured herself coffee. “Sounds fun.” She did her best to avoid Mischa, while not looking like that was what she was doing. She mixed milk and sugar into her drink, and lingered near the fridge, staring at the swirl of coffee around her spoon.

“Anyway. It’s in a couple days, if you have time.” If Kelly saw anything was up, it didn’t reflect in her voice.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mischa shift his stance, putting him in a position to see both of them. “I’ll make time. Tell me when and where.”

Of course he would. Because he was just that kind of a good guy. Ash swallowed a gulp of coffee, ignoring the way it seared down her throat. Maybe she should have waited a few seconds for it to cool.

“Are we really going to do this?” Mischa asked.

She looked up to see him watching her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right.” He spoke through clenched teeth. “No room for discussion. Fine.”

Kelly dropped her spoon, and it clattered against her cereal bowl. “If you two are fighting, I’m not above throwing some kind of tantrum to make you stop.”

“Kel-Bel.” Ash stared Kelly down, hoping the warning in her voice was enough.

Kelly was unfazed. “Ashy.” It took several heartbeats before she pouted and turned her attention back to her empty bowl. “Can I get a ride to school?”

There was plenty of time to catch the bus. Since Ash had been going into work with Mischa, she suspected this was the start of Kelly’s tantrum. “I’ll drop you off. I need to drive myself today anyway.” She glanced at Mischa, waiting for an argument.

He sipped his coffee, not looking at her, but a faint tremor ran through his hand to his mug.

Good. She had to believe that, or she’d question everything she was doing... more than she already did. “Grab your stuff when you’re ready.”

Kelly scowled. She hopped from her stool, rinsed and dropped her bowl in the sink, and headed to her room.

“I have to take an early lunch today, if that’s all right,” Ash said when she was gone. “Ten thirty or eleven. I won’t be gone more than an hour.”

“That’s fine. Put in your eight hours and be reasonable about it.” Mischa’s reply was ice sliding along her skin.

Ash drained the last of her coffee, hiding her wince when it hit her stomach like a rock. Skipping breakfast seemed like a good idea. “Thanks.”

“Ready.” Kelly was back, and subdued.

Crap, this was going to be harder than Ash thought, and she’d expected a serious level of resistance. “Let’s go.” She pushed away from the counter.

Kelly followed her, pausing halfway across the foyer to glance over her shoulder. “Bye, Daddy Mischa.”

Ash gritted her teeth until her jaw ached, and headed outside, tempted to make Kelly catch the bus after all.

She slid into the driver’s side of the car, and her sister hopped in as well. It was the first time Ash had driven since breaking her wrist, and adjusting to not gripping the steering wheel with one hand was awkward. Fortunately, the car was an automatic, and she could still brace her bad arm against the wheel for traction.

“You guys aren’t really fighting, are you?” Kelly asked as they drove toward the school.

Ash didn’t want to get into the details. She’d have to soon, but one battle at a time. Once she’d talked to Dad, and knew how much this was going to cost her—whatever he demanded, as long as it wasn’t Kelly—she’d have more answers. “You do remember it’s not a real engagement, right?”

“I remember that’s what you told me. But come on, seriously? You two are always all googley-eyed around each other.”

“It’s all part of the show.” Ash had to keep saying that. It was the only thing that helped take the sting away. Not that it helped much.

Kelly sank lower in her seat, arms crossed over her chest. “Whatever, dork.”

Ash was happy to make the rest of the drive without conversation, though she was hurt when Kelly hopped out at school, without so much as a goodbye.

When she reached the office, Mischa’s car was already there, though not many others were. It was still early.

The timing was perfect for Ash. She’d hide in her cubicle and get her work done until it was time for her appointment.

Focus wasn’t her friend, but she forced the job anyway. Checking on ads, then switching to her DBA tasks. When her email chimed, she felt an unsettling mixture of hope and nausea, wondering if it was from Mischa, and how cold the note would be.

It was from Tristan, but he’d copied Mischa.

Whatever you’re doing over there, it’s working. Two new leads this morning, from that form thing you set up.

Keep up the great work.

The praise was almost enough to make her smile, but it didn’t take the fog from the cloud surrounding her.

A little before eleven, she collected her thoughts as best she could, and headed out to make the appointment with her dad.

She wasn’t surprised he kept her waiting in Reception until nearly twenty minutes after her appointment. He finally had his assistant show her back.

“Georgia. So many meetings in so few days. It’s wonderful.” His flat tone didn’t match the words.

She gave him the sweet smile she’d spent her teenage years perfecting, and took a seat across from him. “It is, isn’t it?”

“I don’t have a lot of time, but what can I do for you?”

She could do this. She knew how he operated and what he’d want to hear. Please let her groveling be enough. “I’ve come to ask a favor. And I know, you don’t care for nepotism, but I’m willing to negotiate. Whatever you want, within reason.”

“What kind of favor?”

“Give Mischa a break with this contract. It doesn’t even have to be a big one. A grace period. Ten business days.”

“Hon, I already told him and you were there—I can’t do that for family. It’ll look like I’m playing favorites.”

“He’s not family. He and I aren’t engaged anymore.”

She’d expected at least a flicker of surprise, but his expression and posture didn’t shift at all. “I don’t think I can do business, especially something like a contract leniency, with the kind of man who breaks promises. Especially something as sacred as an engagement,” he said.

“He didn’t. I did.”

“That doesn’t seem like your wisest move, hon.” He leaned in, forearms on his desk and fingers steepeled. “But if that’s true, why do you care what happens to him?”

“I don’t.” She forced out the lie, and hoped her hesitation didn’t show. “This impacts my employer. It’s a good job, and I’d hate to see it hurt the firm. I know, they signed the contract, and I understand that by doing this, you’d still be doing family—me—a favor. But...”

She hadn’t thought this argument through as well as she should have. “What do I need to do?” She let the pleading leak into her voice. If he wanted to humiliate her, fine.

“Your sympathy bid—this entire conversation—might carry more weight if I thought your relationship with him was anything to begin with.”

Surprise flickered through Ash, and his smirk said she hadn’t hidden it well. “Of course it was something.” At least that was true. As much as she didn’t want it to be.

“You stole my baby girl. I don’t keep an eye on you twenty-four seven, but I haven’t let this go unchecked. You weren’t dating anyone.”

“We were keeping it secret.” She couldn’t believe Dad had them watched. Fucking asshole. “Largely for Kelly’s sake. What do you want, and I’ll yield. Name it. Just give him a little more time.”

“He’s had plenty of time. I don’t offer leeway on contracts. Not that any of this matters to you—it doesn’t involve you. It’s Mischa’s business.”

“So that’s it.” She could beg some more, but experience told her the conversation was over. Why had she bothered?

“That’s it.”

“I’ll let you get back to work.” She stood. “Thank you for your time.”

“Georgia.” The edge in his tone made her pause. “You’ve done a good job of staying off the radar, but I have a good idea of what you’ve subjected your sister to. The kind of poverty she’s been living in. I want her back in a safe and stable environment.”

Stable? She choked off the mocking retort before it could make its way out. “I’ll leave that decision up to Kelly, but you won’t like her answer.”

“That’s part of the problem. You’ve been leaving decisions up to Kelly. She’s fourteen. You’re not her legal guardian, and if you make me take the legal route to bring her back home, I will.”

“Why? After all this time?”

“Because this most recent fiasco makes it apparent you’re not providing her with a real life. I was hoping you’d figure that out on your own, but I can’t wait anymore. Not for her sake.”

Ash wanted to scream. Losing her cool with him would only prove his point, in his twisted mind. “We’re living with Mischa, and she’s happy there. It’s as stable as an environment gets.”

“Mischa is your ex-fiancé. Isn’t that what you came here to tell me? How is that healthy for her?” Smugness lingered in his expression and lined his words. “Tell her she’s coming home. I expect her back with me in the next couple of days. You won’t like the legal repercussions if you refuse.”

“I refuse.” Ash turned and walked out, before he could stretch this painful conversation any further.

With each step she took toward the car, the adrenaline pumping through her faded a little more. She was shaking and weak when she collapsed into the driver’s seat, but she refused to let anyone in this office see how much this bothered her. She drove a few blocks, and found an empty spot at the back of a parking lot, to pull into. Shutting off the engine, she rested her forehead against the steering wheel, and sighed.

What was she supposed to do now? Dad wouldn’t really come after Kelly, would he? He’d let it go for almost five years. What did he have to prove by pushing the issue now?

She didn’t have the answer, but she was terrified she was about to find out.