Darcy
Later, when the fire had burned low and the world had gone quiet around them, Darcy lay close to Burke, the flames casting playful shadows across the room as she listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing. For the first time in years, she felt whole—like every fractured part of her had finally found a place to rest. Home.
He was strikingly handsome—his tousled blond hair catching the flicker of firelight, his shoulders broad, his arms strong and relaxed around her. His warmth lingered on her skin, his aftershave faint and familiar—clean and woodsy with a hint of spice that was entirely Burke. When she shifted slightly, her cheek brushed against him, his quiet steadiness grounding her in a way she hadn’t felt in years.
Her mind drifted through the past eight weeks, her heart swelling with gratitude for the gentle, thoughtful man beside her. He was the epitome of a real man—no bravado, no need to prove himself. His quiet strength said more than words ever could.
Heat rose to her cheeks as she recalled the passion they had just shared—a heady mix of tenderness and fire. His hands had cradled her face, his gaze so steady it felt as though he could see right through her. Every fiber of her being hummed with the terrifying truth—she was falling in love with him.
Should she tell him? The urge sat heavy in her chest, but so did the knowledge that revealing her feelings might mean revealing her secrets. And Burke’s devotion to the law ran deep. She had seen it firsthand.
Nestled against him, her mind drifted back to the night they’d gone riding and he’d been called to search for two missing children. She had watched from his truck as he found them—a little girl of six, her brother maybe eight—huddled on a park bench. Their mother had left them at the swings and never came back. Burke had knelt, spoken softly, and carried the little girl as if she were his own. He’d bought them ice cream before delivering them safely to their grandmother, making sure the mother’s story was understood. Darcy’s heart had soared that night. That was when she knew she loved him.
The memory faded, leaving a soft ache in her chest. Here, now, in Burke’s arms, she felt that same truth humming beneath her skin…
A sudden vibration jolted her from the memory. Her jeans, crumpled on the floor, buzzed. She reached for them and pulled out her burner phone. The screen glowed with one new voicemail.
She slipped into the adjoining bathroom and pressed play. Izzy’s voice came through, low and urgent: “Cate, call me. We need to talk—it’s urgent.”
A cold rush of dread coiled in her stomach. Whatever this was, it could change everything.
She dressed quickly, glanced once more at Burke sleeping, and slipped out, her bare feet silent on the steps.
The night air hit her—cool, sharp. The scent of him lingered, warm and steady, a ghost she couldn’t leave behind.
She hurried to her Jeep, gravel crunching beneath her boots. Once on the main road, she pulled into a gravel lot and dialed Izzy. Her gut told her one thing for sure—whatever was coming would shatter everything she’d just begun to hope for.
Chapter 25
Snare
Izzy
Izzy poured her first cup of coffee, savoring the bitter warmth, and told herself she was fine. After all, the police had called the break-in a burglary, not a threat.
But she didn’t need proof. Every inch of it pointed to Jason. He wouldn’t do it himself—he never dirtied his own hands. He’d send someone else. Probably the guy in the Escalade who’d followed her before.
Luna brushed against her calf, tail flicking. Izzy bent to stroke the cat’s silky head, grateful for the soft, steady purr.We’re okay, baby,she murmured, though she wasn’t sure she believed it.
She’d barely slept—her mind replaying the break-in like a film she couldn’t shut off. The thought that he was already under her skin made her furious. He was trying to get in her head, to wield the same power over her that he’d had over Cate. But he would find out soon enough—she was no pushover. She wouldn’t cower. And she sure as hell wouldn’t run.
Down in the garage, her heels clicked across the cement. The air carried a faint tang of gasoline and cold metal, her footstepsechoing through the cavernous space. A man leaned against a silver sedan two rows over, scrolling through his phone. She barely looked at him, but something in the air felt off—like a held breath she couldn’t see but could sense. The fine hairs on her neck lifted, urging her to move faster.
Izzy kept her head down—avoiding eye contact, sticking to busy sidewalks, moving quickly from one errand to the next. Every so often, she felt it: a prickle at the base of her neck, the weight of unseen eyes. She told herself she was imagining it. She had to be.
That evening, she sat at her dining table, travel sites glowing across her laptop screen. Flights to Asheville blurred past as she adjusted dates and times, looking for the sweet spot between affordable and discreet. The refrigerator’s hum was the only sound, but every settling creak kept her shoulders tight.
She’d been mulling over a trip to North Carolina for weeks, but tonight’s phone call with Cate had turned it from a maybe into a must.
Cate’s voice had been soft but steady when she admitted it—she was falling for someone. Not just anyone…the local sheriff. Izzy could hear the warmth in her tone, could picture the shy smile Cate probably wore as she said his name.
Then Cate’s voice wavered. “After everything that’s happened, Iz…I can’t keep seeing him. It’s too dangerous. I’m ending it immediately.”
Izzy had nearly shouted into the phone. “Are you out of your mind? Cate, you deserve this. You deserve romance, happiness.”
“Iz, you know what’s at stake,” Cate argued. “If Jason?—”
“No. We need to figure this out, and we can’t do it over Messenger or text. We need to talk face-to-face.”
