I’m having the best dream. My sisters and I are hanging out by a swimming pool, laughing and joking around. My mom is lounging in a chair, reading a book, and my dad’s grilling on the barbeque. Everyone is so happy and the sad part is, it really isn’t a dream. It’s a memory from before my mom died. A happy moment. At least I think so until a strange man shows up, dressed in a black suit, along with my dad’s partner. They exchange a few words and then my dad pales as he goes out in the front yard to talk to them.

“What’s going on?” I ask my mom. “Who’s that man in the black suit?”

She sets her book down and smiles at me, but worry reflects in her eyes. “A man your father works with.”

“That guy’s a cop?” I ask, climbing out of the pool.

She smiles and pats the chair beside her. “Why don’t you come sit down by me and dry off? Then I’m going to tell you a little story about a girl who was so strong she could do just about anything.”

For some reason, I think she might be lying to me about the man, but I don’t know why she would.

Besides, my mom isn’t a liar. Neither is my dad…

My eyelids lift open and I awake to a dark room. At first, I experience one of those panicking moments where I have no clue where I am. It doesn’t make me feel any calmer when I realize someone is lying beside me with their arm tucked under my head.

I start to roll away in fear, but then moonlight casts across their face.

Blaise? I slept beside Blaise?

The previous few hours of events rush back to me. How I broke apart in front of Blaise, sobbed my eyes out. I must have fallen asleep during my breakdown.

Lovely.

I should probably get up, run home and hide after crying in front of him. Instead, I lay very still and watch him sleep. He looks so peaceful with his lips parted, his breathing soft. I’m unsure why I do what I do next. And if anyone asks me, I’ll deny it ever happened. But I find myself reaching forward and combing my fingers through his hair. I instantly understand the fascination he has with playing with my hair. It feels good playing with his hair, in a really weird way. Comfortable even.

That revelation sends panic rushing through me, and I start to pull away when his eyes abruptly open. He blinks a few times, then stares at me with question marks filling his eyes.

“Um…” Warmth floods my cheeks as I struggle for an excuse to give him as to why I was petting him like a dog while he slept.

He starts to smile, his lips parting to say who knows what—something that will probably get us arguing. Fortunately, my phone starts ringing.

Quickly sitting up, I dig my phone out of my bag, but by the time I get it, it’s already stopped ringing.

Blaise sits up beside me, rubbing his eyes. “What time is it?”

“Just after five.” I tap open my missed calls, wondering who’d be calling me this early. Then my heart leaps inside my chest. “Londyn.” My fingers tremble as I call her back.

“Hey!” she answers after one ring. “Why aren’t you at the house?”

“I’m next-door…” I trail off. “Wait, how do you know I’m not at the house?”

“Because we’re there right now, freezing our butts off,” she says. “So get your ass over here and let us in. Then you can tell us why in the heck you’re sleeping over at the Porterson’s house.”

I’d be more embarrassed, but they’re home! My sisters are back in my lives!

But my excitement fizzles as I wonder… “Wait, why are you guys home?”

“Yeah, I’m not really sure why,” Londyn replies confusedly. “This lady just showed up about an hour ago, said we could go home, and then she drove us here and dropped us off. She didn’t even wait to see if we got inside… It was so weird.”

Weird and sketchy, especially with everything going on.

“I’m headed over right now. Stay where you are.” I hang up and jump to my feet.

Then I grab my bag and sling the handle over my shoulder as Blaise rises to his feet, looking at me for an explanation.

“My sisters are home,” I explain, slipping on my shoes, which is weird because I can’t even remember taking them off.

“Really?” He ruffles his hair into place, his forehead furrowing. “How did that happen?”

“I literally have no idea. They just said some lady picked them up, said they were good to go home, then drove them here.” I sigh heavily. “I’m super excited and glad that they’re home, but it’s a little weird, isn’t it?”

“Definitely.” His puzzlement deepens. “Maybe I can call Darla a bit later and see if I can get more details about what’s going on.”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I know, but I want to.” He offers me a small smile and gratitude overwhelms me.

Maybe I’m just really tired. Or perhaps yesterday, a day that in the future I’ll refer to as the day that changed my life forever, messed with my head. Whatever the reason, that gratitude gets the best of me and I wrap my arms around him, giving him a hug, warmth flooding my chest and making my heart act stupid again.

“Thank you for everything.” Then to add to my insanity, when I move back, I place a soft kiss on his lips, shocking both of us.

“Thanks again,” I stupidly repeat.

Then I reel around to bolt, but he snags my sleeve, spins me around, and tows me toward him until our lips brush. Just a feather soft kiss, yet I feel it all the way through my body.

“You always kiss me first, stubborn girl,” he mutters then leans back, his lips quirking. “I thought I’d mix it up a bit.”

All I can do is bob my head up and down. “Good idea.” I smash my quivering lips together to keep my breath from nervously rushing out, then throw him a wave and scramble out of the house.

This time he lets me go, but I can feel his gaze burning into me even after I exit the house.

But the second I step outside, all of my attention centers on one thing.

Jumping off the steps, I sprint toward the house where my sisters are waiting in the driveway, dressed in their pajamas. I can tell they’re exhausted, but when they spot me, they wake up a bit more. Then we’re running toward each other.

We meet near the fence, and I hop over and throw my arms around them.

“I missed you guys so much.” I hug them tightly, tears pooling in my eyes, but it doesn’t bother me as much as it normally does.

“We missed you so much too.” Bailey hugs the crap out of me.

Londyn wraps her arms around Bailey and me. “This can never happen again,” she whispers. “We can never be split up again.”

“I promise it won’t.” And I’ll do just about anything to make good on that promise.

“Can we just get inside? I’m freezing,” Payton mutters grumpily.

I become aware that she hasn’t hugged me yet, and that she’s standing a ways away, near the porch.

“What’s her deal?” I whisper softly enough that Payton won’t hear.

“She’s been acting like that for the last few hours,” Bailey whispers, glancing worriedly at Payton. “I’m not sure why.”

“I think something might’ve happened to her,” Londyn mumbles. “But I’m not sure what. And getting her to talk about it is impossible.”

“What do you mean something happened to her?” Worry grasps my chest. “Like she got into a fight or something.”

“Maybe.” Londyn shrugs, stepping away from our little hugging circle. “Either that or someone said something to her that pissed her off.”

I glance in Payton’s direction and she rolls her eyes.

“Would you guys stop whispering about me and just let me into the house before I decide to break the lock?” She stomps up to the door, crosses her arms, stares at me, and impatiently taps her foot.

“Jeez, she’s on one.” Bailey collects her bag from off the ground and heads toward her twin sister.

I start after her, but Londyn grabs my arm.

“I’m supposed to give you this,” she whispers then bends down, unzips her bag, and hands me a large envelope.

I take it from her, noting the old-school wax sealing on the back. There’s a mark molded into the wax, the shapes and angles similar to the Porterson’s crest branded on my wrist, but not exactly the same.

“What’s in it?” I ask, smoothing my finger over the wax.

Londyn shrugs then swings her bag over her shoulder. “The woman who dropped us off said to give it to you. I asked why, but she wouldn’t say much.” She glances at the envelope. “Are you going to open it?”

Nodding, I take out my phone and snap a picture of the mark in the wax. “Just in case I ruin it when I open the envelope,” I explain to Londyn when she gives me a funny look. Then I slide my finger underneath the flap and take out the contents inside. A stack of papers giving me guardianship to my sisters, not signed by my dad but… “This is mom’s signature.” I shake my head, shock lashing through me.

Londyn leans over and scans the papers as I sift through them. “No, those signatures have to be fakes.”

“Maybe.” It’s not like I remember what my mom’s signature looks like. If I can find something she signed, though, I could compare them. But my dad threw a lot of stuff of hers away.

Besides, if she did sign them, it was over eight years ago. Why would she do that? How would she know I would need guardianship of my sisters?

Tears fill Londyn’s eyes and she hurriedly wipes them away.

“Are you okay?” I ask, rubbing her back.

She shakily nods. “It’s just been a really long day.”

Yes, it has. One of the longest days I’ve ever experienced. And yes, I realize all days are the same length, but this one somehow felt longer.

I nod at her to follow me as I start toward the house. “Come on. I can look at this stuff inside.”

She dabs her eyes with her fingertips and rushes for the door.

Once we’re all inside, I lock the door and we pile inside, dropping our bags and flopping down onto living room floor. It feels good for us to be under the same roof again, and all of them have an easy time passing out on the floor in a pile of blankets they tossed down, since we don’t own a sofa. Me, I lean against the wall and slowly look through the papers again, wondering how it’s possible. That I obtained guardianship of my sisters. That my mom’s signature is on the papers.

When I reach the last of the papers, I pause. It’s not part of the guardianship papers, but a note:

Hadley,

I hope these papers find you when the time is right. Although, if they find you at all, it means your father lied to me. If so, I’m deeply sorry, sweetheart. I truly am. I wish things could’ve been different, but sadly, not everything turns out the way we hope.

Please forgive me for everything.

Love,

Mom.

I clutch the note in my hand, tears spilling from my eyes. When did she write this? And what is she sorry about?

My heart hurts so badly.

Before I can break down completely, though, my phone vibrates from inside my pocket. Quickly wiping the tears from my cheeks, I fish it out, check who the message is from, and cringe.

August: Tonight at exactly ten o’clock, you’re to go down to the docks with the package. Make sure to remove your license plates from your car and make sure no one knows where you’re going. Once you get to the docks, park near the trees on the right. Wait there until I give you further instructions. Do NOT open the box until I tell you to. And remember, your sisters’ safety is riding on if you pull this off.

Pull off what? He didn’t even tell me what I’m going to be doing. And I hate taking orders, especially when I’m not even sure what the orders are.

But as my gaze drifts to my sisters, cuddled up on the floor, comfortable and peacefully sleeping, I know I’m going to do it. I’m going to do everything I need to do to get this debt paid with August and Axel. And then I’m going to make sure that they have the best damn lives possible.