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Samantha didn’t know that part.

As far as she knew, Carter was her niece. Avery’s daughter by some nigga who decided he didn’t want to be a father and disappeared.

Whole time Carter’s daddy had been sitting at family functions holding her.

Me.

The really fucked-up part was Avery had Carter two weeks before Samantha had Serenity.

I remembered being at the hospital when Sam had Serenity and everybody joking about the sisters having babies damn near together. Samantha thought it was cute. Talked about how Carter and Serenity were going to grow up close because they were basically the same age.

She had no fucking idea how close.

They weren’t just cousins.

They were sisters.

My phone started vibrating against the counter.

I ignored it.

It stopped.

Started again.

Avery looked toward it while I was still in her guts. “Somebody blowing you up.”

“They’ll be all right.”

She glanced at the screen.

Then looked at me.

“Heather?”

Shit.

I reached over and flipped my phone facedown without pulling out.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Why the fuck Heather calling you?”

“Probably need something.”

“Something from you?”

“Avery.”

“That’s my cousin.”

“And?”

“And why my cousin blowing your phone up?”

“Ask her.”

Her eyes narrowed.