“You should have let it go,” he says as I reach for the machine. “But no, you had to go digging, didn’t you?”

Dammit, I should have known better. They never give me anything without there being strings attached. “So what? You gave me this laptop so you could monitor what I do online? Do you have any idea how fucking sick that is? What are both of you doing here? Get out—now! I never want to see either of you again!”

“Just hold on, take a breath.” Colt gets between us. “You still don’t know how dangerous it is to fuck around with things you don’t understand, Leni. So yeah, that’s why we’re here. Making sure you didn’t dig up anything you’re not supposed to know about.”

“You guys need to go,” Piper tells them in a quiet but firm voice. “Now.”

I hear her, but there’s something else in my head. Something louder. “What happened to your mother?” I demand, my gaze bouncing back and forth between the two of them. “Obviously, it’s a big enough deal that I’m not even allowed to Google her without you coming all this way. How did she die? Tell me the truth. We’re not in the house now. Nobody is stopping you.”

Nix rolls his eyes. “Our father didn’t kill her if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking, now that you mention it.”

“Because she’s not dead.” When my head snaps up at Colt’s admission, he lifts a shoulder. “She’s still alive. And I’ll tell you everything, I really will. It’s safer for you to know than for you to get caught digging around. But you have to listen to us.”

“I don’t need to know that badly.” I fold my arms, shaking my head. “Absolutely not. I am not leaving this room with the two of you. You need to leave now. You do not belong here, and you were not invited.” But dammit, they’ve got a key. I should have known! Maybe we can get the lock changed.

“I’m not letting her leave with you, either.” Piper steps up next to me and puts an arm around my shoulders. That’s just what I need right now because I might seem big and tough on the outside but on the inside? I’m crumbling. I need her support more than I’ve ever needed it before. If she wasn’t here, I shudder to think of the lengths they might go to get me out of this room.

They exchange a look, and finally, Nix shrugs. “Whatever. Some people can’t be helped.”