“Yes—please?—”
I thrust once, twice, then bury myself as far as I can go and let go. The release hits like a punch—hot, endless pulses that spill into her, marking her from the inside. I shudder through it, hips jerking, face buried in her neck as I groan her name like a prayer.
We stay like that for long minutes—sweaty, tangled, hearts hammering against each other. I don’t pull out yet. I can’t. Not when she feels this perfect around me.
I lift my head, brushing damp hair from her face. “I want to keep you,” I say, low and rough. “More than anything.”
She smiles, sleepy and sated, fingers tracing my jaw. “I want that too.”
I kiss her again and finally ease out, both of us hissing at the loss. I grab a warm cloth from the nightstand, clean us up gently, then pull her back into my arms, her head tucked under my chin.
Outside, the wind moves through the pines.
She’s safe. We’re safe.
And right now, that’s all that matters.
Morning comes muted and gray,snow still falling.
Kayley is asleep when I get up again, her face soft, hair a mess, lips parted slightly. The sight hits me right in the sternum.
I don’t wake her.
I make coffee quietly, check the perimeter feed, then step outside into the cold for a secure call.
Silas answers on the second ring.
“You awake?” I ask.
“Been awake.” His voice is gravel. “Got something.”
My spine tightens. “Talk.”
“Hanover Falls,” Silas says. “Remember how you wondered if PD was complicit or just useless?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s both,” he replies. “One name keeps popping up—Deputy Mark Renshaw. Suspended two years ago for ‘procedural violations.’ Back on the force after an internal review that smells like somebody paid for it.”
My jaw clenches. “And he’s connected to Damon Ford.”
Silas exhales. “Not directly on paper. But Renshaw’s brother-in-law runs security contracting—shell company vibes. And guess who’s been paid through three layers of subcontracting for ‘consulting’ work?”
“Ford.”
“Ford,” Silas confirms. “Or someone using his credentials.”
My stomach turns. “So the baby’s father has a dirty cop in Kayley’s hometown.”
“And possibly a pipeline,” Silas adds. “Renshaw’s been flagged in a couple anonymous tips over the years. Intimidation. Evidence ‘misplacement.’ A few women filed complaints. All got buried.”
Kayley’s words from last night echo in my head—They smiled, wrote notes, did nothing.
“They didn’t ignore Sophie,” I say coldly. “Theymanagedher.”
“That’s what it looks like.”
I stare out at the tree line beyond the cabin, the snow falling in soft, endless sheets. “Why would they want the baby?”
