“Prime!”
I turned at the sound of Serenity’s voice. She was coming down the hall toward Vivica’s office, dressed in something expensive, heels clicking on the marble floor.
“Ren.” I stopped, reaching for her arm. “Hey, you okay?”
She pulled away from me, her eyes cold. “Don’t.”
“Serenity, come on. You still mad about Julius?”
“You cut off my husband’s finger, Prime. Without telling me. Without asking me. So yeah, I’m still mad.”
“He was cheating on you with your best friend?—”
“That was MY choice to make. MY marriage. MY decision.” Her voice cracked slightly. “You took that from me.”
I could smell it on her now. Liquor. Strong. And it was only five in the afternoon.
“Ren, have you been drinking?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“It’s five o’clock and you smell like a bar. What’s going on?”
“Nothing that concerns you.” She stepped around me, heading for Vivica’s office. “I have a meeting with our mother.”
“Serenity—”
“Goodbye, Prime.”
She disappeared through the door without looking back.
I stood there for a second, torn. My baby sister was spiraling. Drinking in the middle of the day. Meeting with Vivica, which never led to anything good. I should stay. Should make sure she was okay.
But Zahara’s voice echoed in my head. The fear underneath the calm. The urgency she was trying to hide.
I couldn’t be in two places at once.
I chose Zahara.
Sprinted down the stairs and out to my car, breaking every speed limit between City Hall and her apartment.
The police tapewas the first thing I saw.
Yellow. Bright. Stretched across the back side of the building like a warning.
My heart stopped.
I parked crooked, didn’t even lock the car, just ran for her building. Pushed past the small crowd still gathered, ignored the officer who tried to stop me, took the stairs two at a time until I was banging on her door.
“Zahara! Open up!”
The door swung open and she pulled me inside, closing it quickly behind me.
“What happened?” I grabbed her arms, checking her over. “Are you okay? Is Yusef?—”
“We’re fine. Physically.” Her voice was shaking now that we were alone. The mask she’d been wearing cracking. “But Prime… something happened. Something bad.”
She led me to Yusef’s room.
