The past. I sat up straight, surprised by the sudden realization that Gran wasn’t living in some fantasy world, she was living in her own past, when her daughter was alive. So, who were the kids she’d mentioned when I’d first met her? If Nikki was real, surely they were real, too. Did Kris, Kori and Kenley have other siblings they hadn’t mentioned? Cousins? Could I piece together an understanding of their lives by filling in the blanks in their grandmother’s memory?

As bad as I felt for Gran and her dementia, it was good to know I wasn’t the only one unsure of who I really was and what I was doing in that house. I was starting to believe the Daniels family and their friends were almost as messed up as I was.

Six

Kris

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Kori shoved pale blond hair back from her face as I closed my bedroom door behind us. “She’s not a threat. We have to let her go.”

“Not yet. She may know something about Kenley.”

“She doesn’t.” My sister sank onto the end of my unmade bed, her eyes even darker than usual with exhaustion. And fear for Kenley. And probably anger at me. “Sera was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that got her kidnapped by some jackass who follows his dick as if it points true north.”

“It’s not like that—”

Kori rolled her eyes. “Don’t even try it. I see the way you look at her, but you can’t keep her just because you want her, and the longer you try, the more she’ll hate you.”

“I’m not looking at her in any particular way.” I wasn’t going to deny that Sera was beautiful. But... “This isn’t about sex. She’s not even my type.”

“Oh, please. Your type is ‘conscious.’”

My type was Noelle. Since I was eighteen years old, I’d never wanted more than a single night with anyone but her, and that hadn’t changed when I’d realized she was gone. Losing Elle didn’t make me want someone else. Losing her made me want to push everyone else away.

But Sera was different. I’d known that from the moment I first saw her. Noelle was dead, and Sera was the first clue I’d found to the secrets that were born on Elle’s lips and died in my notebook. But beyond that, Sera was important in her own right. She needed us. We needed her. I wasn’t clear on the hows and whys, but I knew the answers were there. Sera had them.

I could have them, if I could earn her trust. But I couldn’t do that if Kori sent her away.

“You said it yourself, Kor.” I pulled out my desk chair and sat backward in it, facing my sister. The room was so small I could have reached out and touched her—I’d given the larger rooms to the couples. “Julia never would have let her in the house if she wasn’t important, but if she’s important, they wouldn’t have been willing to kill her. Something’s going on there. We’re missing something.”

Kori shook her head. “I said Jake never would have let her in the house, and I assumed Julia would do the same. But I could be wrong. Maybe she’s taking all her meetings at home, so she can control the venue, to minimize risks.” I started to argue, but my sister talked over me. “And maybe it’s not Sera who’s important—maybe it’s killing her that’s important.” She shrugged. “Maybe Julia was just hoping to kill two birds with one bullet.”

“They used way more than one bullet...” I mumbled. But I couldn’t find fault in her logic. “Fine. Maybe they want to kill Sera. But if that’s the case, don’t we have an obligation to protect her? You know, the whole enemy-of-an-enemy thing?”

“Do I look like a Boy Scout to you?” Kori scooted back to sit yoga-style on my rumpled blue comforter. “I only give a shit about three things right now. Getting Kenley back, unharmed.” She ticked off the points on her fingers. “Breaking every binding keeping Julia Tower in power. And protecting the people I care about. And I don’t care about Sera-whatever-her-last-name-is. I don’t even know her. And neither do you.” Her gaze narrowed on me. “She’s not going to sleep with you, Kris. You fucking kidnapped her.”

“I’m not trying to...” Not that I’d turn her down. But that wasn’t the point. “And I didn’t kidnap her. I—”

“Save it. We’re letting her go.” She stood and headed for the door, and I stepped into her path.

“Sit back down. We’re not done here.”

Kori blinked at me, more curious than truly angry. “What the hell is going on with this girl, Kris?”

“We can’t let her go.” When I was sure she wouldn’t stomp out of the room without hearing me out, I sank onto the end of the bed facing her. “I think she’s important. We might need her.”

Kori frowned and sank into the chair I’d vacated. “Need her for what?”

“I don’t know. I just know that I was supposed to take her, so I took her.”

She crossed both arms over the back of the chair. “Kris, what the hell are you talking about?”

I hesitated. I hesitated so long my sister started to look at me funny. “Okay,” I said finally. “I’ll tell you what I know, but you have to promise not to—” call the men in white lab coats “—laugh.”

“No way. That’s a sister’s most sacred birthright.”

“Shut up and come here.” I scooted to the front of the unmade bed, next to the nightstand. My hands started to sweat as I pulled open the drawer and lifted out the notebook.