And then—
Someone clears their throat.
It’s deep. Rough. The kind of sound that doesn’t ask for attention—it takes it.
Bekki spins around.
So do I.
And my breath catches.
Two men stand in the doorway.
Both enormous. Both built like violence wrapped in expensive clothes.
One of them is broader, darker, with shoulders that look like they’ve carried more than their fair share of weight—physically and otherwise. His presence feels steady. Grounded. Like he’s the kind of man who doesn’t move unless he means to.
The other…
The other is pure danger.
Tall. Lean. Tattooed arms visible beneath his jacket. His eyes are sharp, assessing, and when they land on Bekki, something cold flickers there—like he’s already decided how much trouble she’d be to erase.
My heart starts to pound.
I don’t know who they are.
But every instinct I have tells me they are not men you lie to.
The broader one—him, the one who cleared his throat—doesn’t speak. He just watches.
It’s the other one who steps forward.
“I’ve known Langston a long time,” he says calmly. Too calmly. “And the only woman I’ve ever heard him say he needs…” His eyes flick to me, then back to Bekki. “…is his wife.”
He takes another step into the room.
“And if you make her upset,” he adds, pointing directly at Bekki, “we’re gonna have a problem.”
The air goes tight.
Bekki’s face drains of color.
She opens her mouth. Closes it. Looks between the two men again like she’s finally realized she misread the room entirely.
She grabs her folder, spins on her heel, and all but flees—heels clicking fast as she disappears down the hall without sparing me a single glance.
Silence crashes down after her.
The broader man finally steps forward, offering me a hand.
“Callum Rizzoli,” he says, warm smile, firm grip. “This is my cousin, Cross.”
I shake both their hands, still trying to get my bearings. “Sabrina.”
Cross grins. “Yeah,” he says, dropping onto Langston’s couch like he belongs there. “We know.”
I glance toward the door Bekki fled through. “Langston isn’t in town. You’ll have to come back—”
