But I never make it to the door.
A hand yanks my arm, hard, pulling me sideways between the narrow space of two buildings.
“What the hell—” I start to shout, but I see him.
And the sound dies in my throat.
Chase.
My ex.
He looks just like he used to. Jeans, smug grin, leather jacket he probably can’t afford.
But there’s something sharper about him now.
More wired. More mean.
“Well, well,” he drawls, eyes dragging over me with disdain. “You always did have a thing for mountain men stories. Guess you decided to skip straight to the flannel fantasy.”
I try to yank my arm back. “Let go of me.”
But his grip tightens.
“Relax, Nova,” he says, voice low and taunting. “Just wanted to see who you ran off to. Tracked the card you used at some donut place. Took a day or so, but... here we are.”
I freeze.
Thesharedaccount.
I forgot the stupid card is the one saved on my phone. The one I tapped without thinking.
He smirks like he won something. “Been checking the inns and motels since yesterday. You’re not exactly hard to spot. Small town. People talk.”
He glances down the street. “So that guy? The one who looks like he eats nails for breakfast? He your new daddy now?”
“Leave me alone,” I snap, trying to push past him.
He blocks me with his body, eyes flashing. “You tookmymoney, Nova.”
“I tookmyloan,” I shoot back. “You wanted it to pay off your gambling debt—”
“You owe me,” he growls, face suddenly too close. “You don’t get to play little house in the woods while I’m left scraping by.”
His hand curls tighter around my wrist. My heart slams in my chest.
He leans in again, voice quiet and cruel. “So here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna give me what you owe, and then maybe I forget I ever saw you.”
I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out.
Across the street, the Waffle Den glows warm behind frosted windows.
Maverick is in there.
He has no idea.
Chase’s fingers dig into my wrist, and I can’t even get air into my lungs.
Then I hear it. Boots on snow. Slow. Heavy.
