“And what if that’s true? Do you love her enough to protect her even if she doesn’t love you as much as you love her? Do you love her enough to fight for her?”

Vanessa tied her robe at her waist and planted both hands flat on the counter between us. “Kori, my dad sold me into the skin trade as a teenager,” she said, and for a second, I couldn’t think beyond the horror that thought brought with it. “Your sister is one of only two good things to happen to me since I was fifteen. The other was Cam Caballero. I lost my best friend when he left, and Kenley is the only thing I have left. I would do anything for her.”

I smiled in relief. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”

“Should I be worried?” she asked, pouring grounds into the filter.

“Terrified. We all should be.” I took a deep breath, then launched into a quick summary of the trouble my sister and I were in. “If I can’t get Ian Holt to sign with Jake in the next couple of days, I’m under orders to…make sure he can’t sign with anyone else. And if that happens, Jake will have me executed.” Though I doubt I’d be lucky enough to score a simple bullet to the brain. “But not before he puts Kenley in the basement. He’s going to make her pay for my failure.”

Vanessa dropped the bag and coffee grounds spilled out onto the counter. “I assume you have a plan?”

“Not much of one. I need you to stay with her today and text me if there’s so much as a knock on the door. Text me if you guys go anywhere and let me know who he sends as security.” Because Kenley wasn’t allowed out alone. “And if her guard gets a text or phone call, let me know.”

“Why?” Vanessa scooped most of the spilled grounds into her cupped palm, then dropped them into the trash. “Why today?”

“Because last night I messed up, and if Holt tells anyone, we’re all screwed.”

“Okay, so why don’t we just run? Or hide, if we’re not allowed to run,” she said, and I had to remind myself that Vanessa was unSkilled, and even though she worked for and was bound to Jake, she wasn’t as familiar with my world as she should have been. As she’d need to be, to help protect Kenley.

“Because if Jake tries to get in touch with Kenley and can’t find her, he’ll know something’s wrong and he’ll send them after us. Why set off an alarm when we may not have to? Holt obviously hasn’t told anyone yet.”

“Do you think he will?”

“I don’t know. And it may be worse if he doesn’t.” After what I’d told him, I couldn’t imagine Ian being willing to sign with Jake, no matter what he hoped to gain in the negotiations. And him refusing to sign would be much worse than just tattling on me. “But either way, if someone comes for Kenley, I need you to take her and run. Don’t look back and don’t stop for anything. Don’t use public transportation or credit cards. And destroy your phones. Steal whatever you need, and get out of town, then call me from a pay phone. If I don’t answer, call my brother. Kenley knows his number.”

“What if he doesn’t answer?”

If Kris didn’t answer, that would mean Jake had already gotten to him, too. He wasn’t syndicate, so he’d be harder for Jake to find than I would be, but Jake would find him, and he’d use Kris to get to Kenley.

He’d use anything and anyone to get to Kenley.

“If Kris doesn’t answer, keep running and don’t look back.”

Vanessa nodded solemnly. She looked scared but determined, and I felt a little better knowing that I’d made the right call in enlisting her help. Other than me and Kris, no one would work harder to protect Kenley.

The shower stopped running in the bathroom, and I leaned closer to Van over the counter. “Don’t tell her about this unless you have to run,” I whispered. “She’ll put herself in Jake’s path if she thinks it’ll help me.”

Vanessa nodded again, and this time she wasn’t just watching me, she was studying me. “I never had a sister…” she said, and I wondered how her life would have been different if she’d had someone to look out for growing up. Or someone to look out for her.

The bathroom door opened and Van blinked, then slid the filter into place above the coffeepot.

“Hey,” Kenley said, and I turned to find my sister standing in the doorway wrapped in a towel, her hair dripping on the floor. “You staying for breakfast? I’m thinking omelets.”

“Can’t. I gotta grab a shower, then head out.” I brushed past her into the hall, then stopped and tugged her into my tiny bedroom with me. “Why didn’t you tell me about Vanessa?”

Kenley frowned. “That I’m gay, or that she’s my girlfriend?”

“That you’ve been together for three months. How could you get so serious with someone without even telling your sister you’re dating?”

“We’re not really dating, exactly.” She flushed and glanced at the ground, where her toes had curled into the carpet, a nervous habit she’d had since she was a kid. “And I didn’t know if it would go anywhere at first. Then you disappeared, and I couldn’t tell you.”

“I’ve been out for two weeks, and you never mentioned it.”

“Yeah, I don’t have an excuse for that part.” Kenley shrugged, holding her towel closed at the seam. “And I really don’t know how serious this is. It still feels new.”