Chapter 1
I shoved my brother so hard that he stumbled backward into our living room sofa.
"Tell them what you did!"
My voice cracked, but I didn't care.
Jordan caught himself against the leather armrest and stared at me like he couldn't believe what had happened.
"Are you serious, Maya?"
I pointed straight at his face.
"Don't you dare pretend you don't know!"
Before I could move closer, Mom grabbed my shoulders and pulled me behind her.
"Maya, sweetheart, calm down!"
But I couldn't calm down.
Not when Jordan was standing there.
Not when Dad was watching us.
And especially not when I knew what my brother had on his phone.
Dad stepped between us.
"Both of you, stop!"
His deep voice filled the room.
Marcus Carter rarely raised his voice.
He didn't need to.
At forty-eight, my father was tall, broad-shouldered, and usually the calmest person in our family.
But that afternoon, even he looked frightened.
Mom held me tightly.
"Marcus, Maya said Jordan threatened her."
Dad turned toward my brother.
"Is that true?"
Jordan shook his head.
"No!"
His voice was sharp.
"That's not what happened!"
Mom's expression hardened.
"Then why is your sister crying?"
Jordan looked at me.
For a second, I saw something in his eyes that made my stomach twist.
Not anger.
Disappointment.
"Ask her," he said.
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
Dad folded his arms.
"Jordan, I want the truth."
My brother looked toward the hallway.
Then back at Dad.
"She came into my room ten minutes ago and started screaming."
"Because you threatened me!" I shouted.
Jordan ignored me.
"She told me I'd regret saying no."
Mom tightened her arms around me.
"Jordan, what did you refuse to do?"
He swallowed.
"Something I shouldn't have been asked to do."
My chest tightened.
No.
Not here.
Not in front of Mom.
Jordan couldn't tell them.
He couldn't.
"He's lying!" I screamed.
Mom stroked my braids.
"It's okay, baby."
Her voice was gentle.
Protective.
The same voice she used when I was little and afraid of thunderstorms.
"You don't have to be scared."
I wanted to believe her.
But I wasn't scared of Jordan.
I was scared of what would happen if Dad learned the truth.
Dad raised one hand.
"Enough."
The room went silent.
He looked at both of us.
"I am not going to stand here while my children accuse each other of things this serious."
Jordan nodded.
"Then let me show you."
I froze.
He reached into the pocket of his green varsity jacket.
My eyes followed his hand.
His black phone.
The one he'd been holding when I entered his bedroom.
The one I'd demanded he delete something from.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Jordan."
He didn't look at me.
He unlocked the screen.
"Five minutes before she came into my room, Maya sent me something."
My heart began pounding.
I had forgotten about that.
The message.
The recording.
Everything had happened so quickly.
I had been panicking.
And when people panic, they do stupid things.
I knew that better than anyone.
Dad stepped closer.
"What did she send?"
Jordan glanced at me.
"She can explain it herself."
I shook my head.
"Please."
My voice was barely audible.
Mom looked down at me.
"Maya?"
I couldn't answer.
The room seemed smaller.
The cream-colored walls.
The family photographs.
The afternoon sunlight pouring through the windows.
Everything felt like it was closing around me.
Jordan raised the phone.
"Since she's telling everyone I threatened her, they should hear what she said."
"Jordan, don't."
He looked at me.
"Why?"
Tears filled my eyes.
"Please."
For one moment, his expression softened.
Then he looked at the red marks on his chest where I'd shoved him.
And something inside him hardened again.
"You accused me of threatening you."
I swallowed.
"You don't understand."
"Then help me understand."
Dad held out his hand.
"Play it."
My heart stopped.
Jordan pressed the screen.
My own voice came from the speaker.
"If you tell Dad what I did..."
Mom's arms loosened around me.
I felt her hands slowly fall away.
She turned.
Her eyes widened.
"Maya?"
I couldn't breathe.
Jordan's phone was still playing.
I lunged toward him.
"TURN IT OFF!"
Dad moved between us.
"Stop!"
I nearly collided with his chest.
He held one arm out to keep me away from Jordan.
His expression wasn't angry anymore.
It was something worse.
Confused.
Concerned.
Almost afraid.
I stared at the phone.
"Jordan, please!"
My brother pulled it behind his back.
Dad looked directly into my eyes.
"Maya, what did you do?"
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Mom took one step backward.
Her face had changed completely.
Five minutes earlier, she had been ready to defend me against anything.
Now she looked as if she wasn't sure she knew her own daughter.
Jordan swallowed.
His eyes were wet.
"Dad, there's more."
I shook my head desperately.
"No."
My voice cracked.
"Please don't."
Dad slowly turned toward Jordan.
May you like
"Play the rest."
And as my brother raised the phone again, I realized the secret I'd spent the entire morning protecting was seconds away from destroying my family.
