“Okay,” I said, reaching for the book again. “Let’s just keep reading.”
“Wait!” His lips slowly curved into a grin. “Maybe we can enjoy some outside time.”
“Sounds good.” I stood, letting my gaze sweep over the greenery. “Let’s explore.”
Mattie took my hand and we wandered towards the edge of the property, where the trees grew thicker and the air felt distinctly cooler. Leaves crunched beneath us. Sunlight filtered through branches in uneven patches, dappling the ground like a moving mosaic. It was peaceful.
Mattie kicked at a pinecone. “Why do trees lose their leaves but not the needles?”
I explained photosynthesis in the simplest terms I could manage for a boy his age, grateful for the distraction. He nodded like this was vital information he’d been missing his whole life.
Then he glanced up at me with his brows crinkled. “What was my papa like when he was little, Ren?”
The question caught me off guard. I recovered quickly, too quickly, but I stumbled before I could catch myself. I smiled down at Mattie’s curious expression. “I didn’t know him when he was little like you. I knew him when we were both younger than we are today. We were in college.”
He thought about that for a second and nodded. “What was my papa like when you knew him?”
Smart. Funny as hell. Warm. Mine.I didn’t say any of that, of course. “He was charming,” I said instead. “He was incredibly smart and he liked to ask plenty of questions.”
That made the little boy grin. “Am I smart like him?”
My smile widened at that question. “You might be smarter but it’s hard to say because I only just met you.”
He laughed louder this time, doubling over, but that answer seemed to satisfy him. “Smarter,” he said through his laughter. “I’m smarter than papa?”
I nodded, working hard to suppress my laughter.
That was when I heard it. Voices. They were off in the distance but not so far that I couldn’t tell they were human voices. One male and one female, or just high-pitched.
My body reacted before my mind caught up. I took in a sharp inhale, my muscles tightened while my heart slammed against my ribs. I stopped abruptly and instinctively drew Mattie closer, my hand firm on his shoulder.Protect him at all costs.I had no idea where that thought came from but it was a welcome reminder.
The voices drifted again, carried on the breeze. Unfamiliar.
My thoughts raced, wondering who it could be.Security patrol? No. They’d announce themselves and I hadn’t met any female guards. Enzo? He was inside. Luca? Back in California.
Fear crawled up my throat in slow and icy steps. I scanned the tree line, trying to pinpoint direction without making it obvious. My heart raced so quickly that it muffled the voices that seemed to be getting closer.
Mattie noticed immediately. “What’s wrong, Ren?”
“Nothing,” I answered too quickly to be believable. “I’m just listening.” I put a finger to my earlobe, encouraging him to do the same.
Mattie strained his head toward the noise, his eyes widening when he heard the voices. “Who is that?”
I shrugged and pulled him closer just as two figures emerged from the trees with backpacks, ball caps, and hiking poles in each hand. They were dusty and sunburned—so ordinary I was immediately suspicious. “Hey,” one of them called out. “Sorry to bother you, but we seem to have gotten turned around.”
Yeah, right.They were definitely turned around, but I had no idea where the property ended or began, or what was on the other side of the property line. “This is private property,” I said, keeping my voice even. “Where are you trying to go?”
The woman smiled—too bright—and slid a glance to her male counterpart. “The map says this trail cuts through to the creek.” She held up the paper map in her hand, which was suspicious as hell.
“This is my house,” Mattie called out, his tone friendly and his smile wide.
Shit. My stomach clenched at the way he’d accidentally given away too much info. I kept my smile fixed in place, working hard to look like nothing at all was wrong. “I’m not sure exactly how to get there, but the Lucky Star Creek is on the other side of the lake.” I lifted my phone like I was trying to look at the map, instead snapping a quick photo of thehikers.
The man nodded. “Ah, okay. Thanks. I guess we’ll head out.” Neither of them asked more questions; they didn’t even flick a gaze to the giant house behind us, and they didn’t come one step closer.
I nodded. “Good luck,” I called out, waving at their retreating forms. I held my breath until they disappeared back into the trees, and that’s when I realized my hands were shaking violently.
Mattie tugged on my shirt. “Why are you so scared, Ren?”
