Page 65 of I Should Hate You-but I Don't

Kenna's passion to find Dad opened a Pandora's box of questions and doubt. At this point, she had no idea who her dad was. What was his real name? What was his crime? Why were she and Kenna lied to?

Every day, she was caught between jubilation at his existence and fear of knowing what kind of man her father was.

"No." On impulse, she hugged Lori. "Thanks for caring. I'll be fine."

Lori frowned. "If your sister didn't create the sadness in your face, it must be Zane."

She stiffened. "What would make you say that?"

"Anyone within a half mile can see you love that man." Lori leaned closer. "And he loves you."

"I'm not so sure about that," she whispered.

"Every relationship has troubles now and then." Lori patted her cheek. "Just remember that love will fix everything."

She nodded, taking her advice to heart, and picked up the sack. "Thanks, Lori."

"See you tomorrow."

She left through the bar's back door and walked toward the house. Kenna was asleep in the bedroom after spending all day at the campground with her. Even though they knew Kingsley stayed outside the cabin to keep an eye on her, Kenna continued working at the computer, trying to find out any information she could on death row inmates. By the end of the day, she'd hoped to learn her father's legal name, but they were no closer to figuring it out.

And that's if her dad used a different name. It was hard to know which direction to believe because all she'd known was lies.

The Dad she remembered could never be the person who now sat on death row.

At the front door, the rumble of motorcycles grew louder. She looked up the hill at the clubhouse. Six or seven riders approached the building. Forcing herself to turn away, she opened the front door.

The silence within the house made the hollowness inside of her echo. She walked into the kitchen and put the bag on the counter. Getting two plates, she divided the food.

Kingsley strolled into the room. "Dinner?"

"I only got enough for Kenna and me." She grabbed a couple of sheets of paper towels.

She walked past Kingsley, feeling bad for not offering to get him any food at the bar, but she wasn't feeling nice.

At the top of the stairs, she used her elbow to push down on the doorknob and open the door. Kenna stood by the window, no longer asleep.

"I got us dinner if you're hungry." She set the plates on the dresser.

"There's a lot of smoke above the trees over there." Kenna continued to look out the window.

She hadn't noticed anything when she was outside. "Toward the campground?"

"No."

Curious, she went to the window and gazed out. Gray billowy smoke rose into the sky. That was no campfire.

"It looks like a forest fire." She turned from the window. "Zane needs to know—"

"Kenna. River," yelled Kingsley.

They both rushed toward the bedroom door and hurried down the hallway. At the top of the stairs, they stopped. Kingsley stood in the foyer with Big John and Razz.

"There's a new fire. Go over to the bar with Razz and stay there." Kingsley motioned them down. "I need to go and direct the firefighters on the location of the fire."

She returned to the bedroom, grabbed her backpack, and hustled down the stairs. "Is it close? Is Gem Haven in danger?"

"Not if I can help it." Kingsley stepped outside with them and turned to Kenna. "Stay in the bar. Don't move your ass. I'm serious, Kenna. If you so much as step out the door, I'll—"

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