“Crewe,” she whispers.
I can’t speak.
I just stare at the frozen image of a man I buried without a body.
Nash’s voice stays steady. “Dean thinks Dad’s been forced underground. He thinks someone’s been controlling him—using him. Or keeping him hidden because he knows something that could destroy them.”
Mack’s voice is rough. “Who?”
Nash exhales. “We don’t know yet. But we have leads. Enough to start pulling threads.”
My throat finally unlocks. “Why now?”
Nash looks at me. “Because Dad surfaced. Because somebody slipped. Because there’s movement. And because Maddox doesn’t chase ghosts unless he can catch them.”
Mack drags a hand down his face, trying to hold himself together. “So what. You want us to drop everything and go hunting?”
“Yes,” Nash says simply.
Mack’s jaw tightens. “Crewe’s still Air Force.”
Nash glances at me. “Not for long. His contract’s almost up. He can leave clean.”
My gaze flicks to Riley.
A month ago, that sentence would’ve made my chest tighten with dread. Now all I can think is:leaving means leaving her.
Riley doesn’t flinch from the weight of it. She leans closer, her thigh pressed to mine, and her voice is quiet but unwavering.
“Go,” she says.
My chest aches. “Riley?—”
She shakes her head, eyes bright. “You can’t ignore that. Not when you finally have a chance.”
My throat tightens. “What about you?”
Her smile is small and fierce. “I’ll be here. And I’m not helpless, Hawthorne. I rebuilt my life after they tried to wreck it. I can handle you chasing the truth.”
Mack watches us with something softer in his expression. “She’s got you bad, huh?”
“Yeah,” I say simply.
Riley squeezes my hand under the table like she likes hearing me admit it.
Mack leans back and exhales. “Okay. So… I’m in. But I’ve got a quick assignment first.”
Nash’s eyes narrow. “Mack?—”
“It’s already on my board,” Mack says, holding up both hands. “Heartline Security doesn’t love when you vanish mid-contract. I’ve got a client in Cupid City for the Valentine season.”
He glances toward the window, where Cupid City glows bright and ridiculous in the night. “Famous supermodel. Indigo Lyric.”
Riley’s eyes widen. “Indigo Lyric is inCupid City?”
Mack smirks. “Doing a Valentine Lingerie Showcase.”
I lift a brow. “Of course she is.”
