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“She is in more danger around me than you,” Vero throws back, cackling at himself.

“Fuck, you dried-up, old sperm! Your mother should have swallowed you and done us all a favor,” the woman in black snaps.

“Vesper,” Kayla chastises. “What have we talked about?”

Vesper rolls her eyes. “Sorry, I won’t be mean to the crusty sperm you keep as a pet in the bar.”

“Ignore them, this is their love language. I think they are just secretly best friends and won’t admit they like each other,” Kayla whispers to me.

Vero scoffs. “I heard that and don’t accept it. I tolerate her because of Brawley.”

“He is too good for you,” Vesper snaps, and Vero pokes his tongue at her just as the bar door opens.

A jester walks inside. I swear it’s so weird here, most people are in character all the time.

Vesper stands. “That is my cue to leave. Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any worse, the island imbecile walks in.”

The guy dressed as a jester orders a coffee and takes a seat, ignoring the drama that has played out around him.

Then Noa orders us some food, and we sit at the bar while Kayla works on the coffees, and Vero narrates all the reasons he doesn’t like Vesper. He tells me how he once accidentally killed one of her spiders, and if she found out, he would be dead.

After we finish breakfast, Noa walks me to my car, kisses me sweetly, and tells me to drive safely. The drive home casts a gray cloud over my mood. I’ve never wanted to avoid going home before, at least not like this.

When I pull up, I see Rowan sitting on the front steps, and my stomach drops. It’s unlike him not to just let himself inside.

“Where the hell have you been?” he snarls before I even close my door.

“Out. Why are you here?”

He gets up, and I can tell his mood is off simply by the way he stands. He is agitated, and normally I only see this version of him when he is desperate for money.

“Steedy called last night.”

“And?”

“He is not happy, Valli. There’s someone sniffing around, asking questions about him and his guys. He thinks it has something to do with you, and he told me that if they don’t back off, I’m as good as dead. You need to fix this.”

“Fix what, exactly?” I cross my arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ro.”

“Whatever you did or whoever you talked to . . .” He steps closer. “This is on you.”

“It’s not on me,” I spit out, my anger rising faster than normal. “I didn’t send anyone. I don’t even know who Steedy is beyond what you’ve told me. This is your mess, so fucking fix it.”

“Watch your mouth.”

“Or what?” I push him, though I know I should stop. But this has gone too far. “I’m not fixing your problems anymore. I spent years protecting Leni from you, from this, but she’s out of the house now and I am done cleaning up your shit.”

He crosses the space between us, and before I can step backward, he grabs my arm hard enough to bruise. “You think you’re better than me now?” His eyes drag over my neck. “Yeah, looks like someone is taking real good care of you.”

“Let me go.” I shove at him, and it takes both of us by surprise. I’ve never pushed back before.

For a second, something flickers across his face, and I can see the brother I used to know. The one before the drugs and the debts. Then it’s gone, and he slaps me.

My head snaps sideways with a sharp sting, and the taste of copper floods my mouth.

I stand shocked, my hand held to my cheek.

“Fix it,” he says again. “Or we both pay the price.”