August frowned. “You don’t want to spend some quality time with your brother?” He feigned a hurt expression.
“I spend most of my time with you,” I grumbled. Hearthstone Security had its own office in a small outbuilding on our parents’ property. It was where I worked, and where I spent most of my waking hours.
August looked back toward the coffee shop. His lips pursed thoughtfully. “As much as I’d love to grab a cup and go, I’m kinda supposed to be meeting Emy.”
I turned toward him. “Then why the hell did you drag me here?” I didn’t need to tag along as the third wheel on their coffee date.
August scrubbed the back of his head. A sheepish grin tugged at his mouth. “Well, the thing is—the reason I was looking for you in the first place—I wanted you to help me scope something out.”
I was completely confused. “Scope what out?”
He hesitated. “More like awho, actually. Emersyn is meeting with someone making a Shadow Stalker documentary, and she’s been…elusive about the details. I was hoping you’d help me gauge who this person is, and whether Emy should trust them.”
My heart quickened. I glanced back at Latte Pages. A Shadow Stalker documentary? I didn’t know why anyone would give that evil bastard more attention. My teeth ground together as I regretted letting August talk me into coming. I didn’t want anything to do with a documentary. No one needed to bring that kind of attention anywhere near my town.
But…Emersyn had been working in true crime for years; she’d dedicated her life to shining a light on cold cases. Her work had finally led to the capture of the Shadow Stalker killer. This documentary could mean big things for her career, her podcast, and her advocacy.
I let out a long breath. “Fine,” I muttered, opening the door of August’s truck and stepping out. I’d help him this once—but if whoever this person was tried dragging my family into it, I wouldn’t let that happen.
August followed behind me, checking his phone. I reached for the coffee shop door, but before my fingers touched the handle, someone yanked it open from the other side. The person rushed out so fast I didn’t have time to react before colliding into them. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her as she squeaked and stumbled, nearly falling. My grip tightened to steady her. Something stirred within meat her scent, my skin tingling as if I knew exactly who she was before even seeing her face.
The woman tensed in my arms. Slowly, she looked up. Dark-hazel eyes met mine, and suddenly all the oxygen vanished from my lungs.
Iknewthose eyes.
Skye Adler stared up at me, her mouth gaping in utter shock. My heart stuttered, as if jolted awake from a very long slumber.
What the hell wasshedoing here?
3
Skye
Icouldn’tbreathe.
Fox Ramsey’s arms were wrapped around me, holding me as tight as he ever had. His gray eyes were wide, reflecting a shock that knotted in my gut. My brain couldn’t process it. As I looked up into his face, I was suddenly eighteen.
He was just as I remembered, and wholly different.
Slight lines crinkled on his forehead. His jaw was stronger and covered in a dark stubble, like he hadn’t shaved in weeks. His body had filled out in a way that made him look all man and none of the boy I had left behind all those years ago.
I sucked in a sharp breath, his scent hitting me with full force. That was different, too. More cedarwood and pine with a hint of that clean laundry smell.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to run.
Most of all, I wanted him to hold me tighter. I wasn’t even sure why.
I blinked once, and that shock melted into raw, unfiltered hurt. My heart squeezed so tight I thought it might crumple under the weight of that look on Fox’s face.
“Skye?” Emersyn’s voice from behind me shattered the silence of our moment.
Fox’s expression shifted, the hurt quickly turning into something colder. His grip on me loosened and he looked away.
Emersyn had followed me out outside. She stood next to August, his arm draped over her shoulders. She looked between Fox and me, her brows drawn tight together.
“Do you two…know each other?” she asked.
I glanced again at Fox. He didn’t look at me, though. The expression on his face was as hard as steel.
