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HARPER

“You owe me,” Cam snapped

Hearing my brother’s voiceme to his release date I hadn't needed any reminder The date was etched in my brain, and every time I looked at the calendar, I saw it creep closer

Owe him? Owe him money for what he did? My hand shook as I held my cell to ain Even after a new cell number I was stupid to think that would have worked to keep him away

“For what?” I asked, my voice shrill I tried to sound calon me, even from behind bars

“All that money you have is because of me”

I paced to the s that overlooked the busy street I’d just moved into the apartment, so there were only basic white blinds for privacy, but I kept them up to let in the weak Dece Caed at the cord, pulled one down Then the next and next down the length of the wall until I couldn’t see out, until I was in ht I wrapped my arm about my waist, suddenly cold Alone

“You gavedebts,” I countered, running a hand overinto a reasonably artful twist for work, but with one swipe of my palm, I’d messed it all up

I didn't want to rehash what he'd done because he ell aware of it, but he didn't think itbox sitting on my desk A plant was stacked haphazardly on top of a bunch of office supplies, and I set it doith a hard thunk on the bare surface It needed water after sitting neglected for over a week

“Yeah, and nothing happened to you except getting a fuck-ton of Mommy and Daddy's cash”

Nothing happened? I pulled the phone away fro, and a dull ache took up residence at the back of my head

“They attacked me in an elevator”

“They didn't rape you or anything”

Rape was his baseline for whether so about Cameron made me sick Asout for things like handsy boyfriends He’d been a little shit since rew out of it We’d never once played together as kids, hadn’t even gone to the saa in the back seat on a road trip

Instead, he considered iven to two men I'd escaped theht The case was still open, and they were still out there My brother wouldn't reveal their na he'd be dead if he snitched I should've had Cam arrested, too, for his involvement, but no

My parents had only thought of Ca-fueled habits They'd forced me to keep quiet about his whole “sisterly sell-off,” and I had a huge stash of hush money in the bank as extra incentive to prove it

I'd been too trauiven Cahto outside, but he'd been du offender and went to jail anyway All on his own Nothing dear old Mom and Dad could do about that one

“Leave me alone,” I said, my voice flat

His upcoain He'd knohere I’d lived, and with hih, he’d be able to shoith anyone Anytime

No, this place was safer than h-end building Three floors, only three apartht security Not only did my landlord, Grayson Green—one of the hters—live on the top floor, but another guy who he trained had the unit across froyuys ouldn't hesitate to even the score for me At least that hat my friend, Emory, had told me I'd lived on the same block as her before she moved in with Gray, her fiancé

“Leave you alone? Wire me the money, and I will,” Cam snapped “And Harper—”