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While Grandma and Liz watched over her, I drove to an outdoor table at Java Jitters in downtown Providence. Yolanda and I had been there a few times when we were teens. The café had been renovated, looking more spacious.

The late lunch crowd had died down. There was a group of three sitting a few tables from me. Otherwise, the outdoor seating was empty.

Yolanda arrived wearing a floral summer dress, her brown hair was tied back into a ponytail. Removing her sunglasses, she sat down and smiled at me as though nothing had happened within the last twenty-four hours.

“I’ve reserved a vacation for us in Fiji for next week. You’ll enjoy it.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” I stared at her in disbelief. “What’s wrong with you?”

Her expression transformed, and I didn’t recognize the cousin I’d grown up with. “She’s going to die. Why are you still hung up on her? What does she have that I don’t?”

I tried my best to hold my composure. I didn’t know what Yolanda would do if she knew Kiera was on the mend.

“Even if Kiera weren’t going to make it, I wouldn’t choose you.” I met her gaze. “You’ve always been a sister to me. I’m not attracted to you.”

“You never gave us a chance.” She pursed her lips. “Everything I’ve done is for you.”

“What have you done?”

“I thought if there were lawsuits toward the apothecary, you’d stick around Texas to resolve them. I wanted you to spend more time in Texas with me andVó. Love takes time to build. You just needed time, baby.” She reached to touch my face, but I grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

Yolanda wasn’t well. She’d gotten sick somewhere along the way.

“I’m a lot prettier than her. Haven’tyou dreamed of fucking me? We’d be so good in bed.”

“Stop it!” I slammed a hand on the table, and she jerked in her seat. “You tainted Grandma’s herbal concoctions just to get her sued? Do you know how serious that is? What if Grandma got convicted? Do you want to see her sitting in a jail cell? What the fuck, Yolanda?”

“That wasn’t going to happen. I just wanted you there. I would’ve paid them off once you realized you wanted to stay in Texas with me andVó. Besides, there’s nothing to worry about now. I’ve paid the two women to shut up and told themit was my mistake. They agreed and withdrew the lawsuits.”

“Were you responsible for the explosion at Holistic Farm?”

She nodded. “I wanted you to stay in Texas—closer to me. At all costs.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but it all made sense. Her twisted love for me created this disaster.

She flicked me a gaze filled with disgust. “You took her to Brazil and brought her to your private space—a placeIwanted to go, but you never took me.”

Her statement shot my blood beyond boiling. “You’re responsible for Kiera’s attack?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I wanted to cut up her face, but then you showed up. It washerfault you got hurt with the knife from Pedro.” An evil smile slithered onto her face. “Pedro’s dead now for hurting you.” The way she smiled told me she was used to killing.

A narcissistic person always blamed others for their mistakes. Who was this woman?

“I didn’t like that Grandma invited her to dinner.” Yolanda fumed. “Dinner had always been us three. No strangers were allowed. She didn’t even invite my boyfriend when she knew I had one.”

Did Yolanda hear her own words? She had a boyfriend, and yet, she still clung on to the delusion of being with me.

The pieces of the puzzle connected, forming an ugly picture. “You orchestrated Kiera’s abduction?”

“I just escalated something that was going to happen anyway.” She leaned into the table. “I work for powerful people who run a successful trafficking business. Bruno was supposed to deliver her and the model, but he said he could replace them with new girls. He didn’t want to go through with it. I guess he liked Kiera and Olivia. He’s weak.” She waved a hand. “But not me. I didn’t want Kiera to join us for dinner, so I told my men to abduct her earlier.”

Bruno.I always knew he was associated with criminals. When I’d called him to inquire about Kiera, he said he didn’t know anything. The fucking liar.

“How do you know Bruno?”

“I work with his father. Red Venom is an elite member of the organization. Speaking of which, you should join us. They’d appreciate your talent.”

What the fuck? Bruno was Red Venom’s son? Now I knew why I had an inexplicable distaste toward the man when I’d first met him.