Well, now that you’ve guessed it it isn’t
Nick
It might still be. What time is your break?
I glance at the clock, and as I do, two men enter through the beach door that make me squint. I almost set down the phone. The sight of them is bizarre. I’ve never seen anyone on the island who looks like them—apart from Nick and Jax.
Both have long, blond, straight hair that falls gracefully by their narrow faces. Eyes dark and sunken as if they’ve never had a wink of sleep in their lives. Their hands are tucked inside their long, navy blue coats. There’s something about them that makes me squint, has my hair standing on my neck, and not in a good way.
Even the air seems to have changed.
I feel Jasmine nudge me at the same time that I go to nudge her, and she leans in close.
“Do your boys have cousins?” she mutters.
“I mean they haven’t mentioned anyone, but…”
I tap my phone screen again to text them.
Do you two have cousins in town?
The reply is so immediate that my phone screen doesn’t have the chance to darken.
Nick
What do they look like?
Jax
We don’t have family.
I hold my phone up and discreetly snap a photo as Danielle approaches them to let them know to take a seat wherever.
Except when I look at the picture, their faces are slightly blurred. Like they’re moving so quickly that the camera can’t quite catch them.
It’s blurry but these guys. Sorry, I must need a new phone.
The photo sends, and before I can set my phone down, Nick is calling me.
“Hey,” I answer, frowning.
“Don’t talk to them,” he says, and I hear the panic in his tone.
I turn around, shuffling toward the corner so I’m out of earshot. “I have to talk to them. They’re in my bar,” I counter.
“I’ll be there soon. Can you take a break?”
My phone begins to beep, and I take it from my ear to see that Jax is calling me, too. “I… Yeah, when you get here, I will. What’s wrong? Who are they?”
“Juniper, listen to me. There’s something… Something Jax and I have to tell you. Whatever those two say to you, don’t listen. If they try to make a deal, even if it’s just about drink choice or a now-then statement, don’t listen to them. Don’t agree to anything.”
“Nick, what the hell is going on?” I ask, stomach bottoming out. “What haven’t you told me?”
“Just wait for me, okay? Don’t go anywhere without me. I… Please, angel.”
I gulp and glance over my shoulder, finding the two men moving through the tables toward the bar. One of them glancesmy way, and I don’t know why I feel a sense of dread when he smirks at me.
“Okay,” I finally say to Nick. “I have… Jax is calling me.”
