Inside, the place buzzes with locals and tourists. The smell of butter and grilled seafood fills the air. I scan the room while I smile down at Sadie. A bartender wipes glasses behind the counter. Two waitresses weave between tables. A man in a faded polo shirt sits at the end of the bar, eyes sharp as he watches the crowd. I note every face, every exit, every shadow that feels off.
We get a table on the deck overlooking the water. I pull Sadie’s chair out and sit close enough that our knees touch under the table. She orders lobster tails and a glass of white wine. I choose the grilled catch of the day and keep my voice light as I lean in.
“You look beautiful tonight,” I say loud enough for the couple at the next table to hear. My hand rests on the back of her chair, fingers brushing her shoulder.
Sadie tilts her head and gives me a smile that almost looks real. “You clean up pretty well yourself, fiancé.”
The food arrives. I eat slowly and keep scanning. The man at the bar glances our way again. I squeeze Sadie’s knee under the table. She doesn’t pull away this time. Good.
She takes a sip of wine and studies me over the rim of her glass. “I have never seen you so serious,” she says quietly. “Not like this.”
I keep my expression easy for anyone watching, but my voice drops. “I’m working. Every person in here could know something about Liotta. About what happened to Nash and Sin. About where my father might still be. I need clues that bring mybrothers home. That bring my dad home. So I watch. I listen. I stay ready.”
Her hand finds mine on the table. This time she threads our fingers together on purpose. The touch feels different now. Warmer. Real enough to make my chest tighten.
I scan the deck again. A waitress laughs with a group of fishermen. The sharp-eyed man at the bar stands and heads toward the back. I file it away. Later I’ll find a way to ask the right questions without blowing our cover.
For now I lean closer to Sadie and brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Smile, baby. We’re supposed to be crazy about each other.”
“What did I say about nicknames?” she whispers close to my ear.
I lean back to look her in the eyes. “You said to use them. Often.”
She blushes. And for a second, with the lights twinkling over the water and her hand in mine, it doesn’t feel entirely like pretending. The danger still waits somewhere in the shadows of this town, but right here at this table, the tension between us burns hotter than the grill in the kitchen.
I squeeze her hand once more and keep watching. My brothers need me sharp. And Sadie needs me alive. I plan to give them both exactly what they need.
6
Sadie
We finish the last bites of our meal and push back from the table at the Lobster Shack. The bill sits paid between us, and the warm evening air welcomes us as we step outside. Jace keeps my hand firmly in his, fingers interlaced like we’ve done this a hundred times. The marina lights twinkle across the dark water like scattered stars, reflecting off the gentle ripples.
“Walk on the boardwalk?” Jace suggests, the charming tone back in full force. “We can sell the couple thing a little longer. Maybe even make some of these locals jealous.”
I nod and squeeze his hand once, trying to ignore the way my stomach flips at the contact. “Lead the way, fiancé. Just remember this is all for show.”
We stroll along the wide wooden planks that run parallel to the harbor. Gentle waves lap against the pilings below us with a soothing rhythm. The air feels thick with the smell of salt, fried seafood from nearby vendors, and the faint coconut scent of sunscreen left behind by the day’s beachgoers. Couples stroll past us arm in arm, while families point excitedly at the boatsrocking gently in their slips. Children chase each other with ice cream cones dripping down their hands. I match my steps to Jace’s longer stride and focus on the solid feel of the boardwalk under my sandals instead of how natural his hand feels wrapped around mine.
A group of beautiful women walks toward us from the opposite direction. They look like they stepped off a magazine page. Tall blondes with sun-kissed skin glowing under the string lights, flowing hair that catches the breeze, and dresses that hug every curve with effortless confidence. They laugh loudly, heads thrown back, drawing eyes from every direction as they glance around with bright, flirtatious smiles.
Jace’s head doesn’t even turn. Not even a little bit. His gaze stays forward, occasionally flicking to the shadows between the shops and docks, always scanning.
“Something wrong?” I ask him.
“Just thought I saw that guy from the bar.” He squeezes my hand. “Let’s walk a little faster.”
My heartbeat kicks up as I keep up with his stride. Someone could be following us and all I can think about is the group of blonde women who just walked by.
Danger at every turn, but I truly can’t help myself. The words tumble out before I can stop them. “I bet those women are your type,” I say, keeping my voice light and teasing even as curiosity burns in my chest. “Blonde, beautiful bombshells who know exactly how to turn heads and keep a man’s attention.”
Jace glances down at me, one eyebrow raised in that arrogant way of his. “That what you think of me, Sadie? That I chase after every face that walks by?”
I shrug and look straight ahead, watching the lights dance on the water. “I can tell you’re a flirt. The way you smile at cashiers, the way you throw around pet names like it’s nothing. You probably date a lot. Women probably throw themselves at the charming bodyguard with the killer smile and the hero complex.”
He slows our pace a little, the boardwalk lights casting a soft golden glow across his sharp jawline and messy hair. “My job leaves little to no time to date,” he says quietly, his thumb brushing once over my knuckles. “I haven’t had a serious girlfriend since I got back from overseas. She tried, but she wasn’t the one. Deployments that lasted months, long assignments where I disappear for weeks, moving around constantly from one high-risk job to another. It isn’t fair to drag someone through that kind of life. I watched too many buddies lose relationships that way.”
I study the side of his face, searching for the usual playful spark in his eyes. It dims for a moment, replaced by something more honest. “What’s your version of the one, then?” I ask, my voice softer than I intend. “The woman who could actually keep up with all of that?”
