For all I know, he could be worse than whoever’s watching me.
The thought lands—and sticks.
My fingers hover over the trackpad, ready to close the tab.
I don’t.
Instead, I grab the photograph from the counter and set it beside the laptop.
My stomach twists as I look at it again.
The angle.
The clarity.
The message.
Someone is close.
Closer than I realized.
And they’re not hiding anymore.
I exhale slowly, decision settling in like something heavy and unavoidable.
“Okay,” I say quietly. “Fine.”
I reach for my phone.
Pause.
Then dial.
It rings once.
Twice.
Three times?—
“Cole.”
The voice on the other end is rough. Low. Controlled.
My breath catches.
I wasn’t ready for that.
“Uh—” I clear my throat, straightening in my chair. “Hi. I—my name’s Maddie. I found your—listing.”
Silence.
Like he’s deciding something.
“What kind of trouble are you in, Maddie?” he asks.
No greeting. No hesitation. Straight to it.
My fingers tighten around the phone. “I was calling about the mail-order bride–”
