e considered the help. She threw the bedroom door open, the wood banging again

cost more than most people's cars. Her eyes scanned the

her heels digging into the plush carpet. "I was af

smoothing the fabric with precise, cal

to you," Ka

strides and kicked the duffel bag. It slid of

her mouth curving

She took a slow brea

she said. Her

y house aggressively? You're a felon, Iris. You're lucky my brother did

ersonal space. She smelled of overpow

e keys," sh

t ke

ve to the grocery store. It's a family asset. You do

p, just a fraction. She let Kamala see the co

. But her arrogance was a reflex. She

e me the key

was muscle memory, ingrained from years of tr

he caught Kamala's wrist. Her fingers clamped down over K

er knees buckling. "Let

d calmly. "If I wanted to break

way. He looked from Iris to

Let h

bled back, clutching her wrist

ala screamed. "Did you

g to throw, something to hurt Iris with

ped at the corners. It held a faded photo of Iris's mother. It wa

lunged

sh this piece of

ged. The temperature see

ed between Kamala and the table, her movement so f

e, blue and white, sitting on a pedestal. Hunter had bought it at auct

h the photo

ris's mother's picture. She looked at Iris, a

ing into the room. "Put that

. She tilted her he

fear for the porcelain. He cared more about the vase than he did about

er. She smiled. It

terest on four years

ened h

ll. It seemed to fall in slow

as

w across the room like shrapnel. A piece skittered across the f

g back, clutching her l

ble that used to be his pride and joy. His face wa

up her mother's photo and tucked it gentl

ked up the bag. She w

ock than pain. Hunter was blocking the exit, st

estroyed it,"

," sh

e shock wearing off. "You're not leavin

as shorter than him, but in that

on't get out of my way, the next thi

ad never seen before. A threat. A promise. And for t

epped

wn the long hallway, and out the

button. Her heart was bea

Thump

her phone and

s," she said.