Page 37 of Their Wicked Secrets: Untouched, Vol 5 of 6

“Or there could be nothing up there.” I drag in her vanilla scent. “It could be a mark from long before that night. We could be wrong about the location. The meeting place might have been too exposed for William to feel comfortable. There’s any number of possibilities, kitten, but there’s one fact.”

She draws away to look up at me. “What’s that?”

I brush her hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. “There’s only one you. And we’re not big on risking you.”

She catches my hand and presses it to her cheek. “And you’ll do what you need to to keep me safe. I’ll only go as high as I feel comfortable.”

I rest my forehead against hers. “Check where the branches meet. We don’t know what he might have left up there. Or if there is anything up there. No unnecessary risks.”

Harper

Luke comes back with Caden and Jack behind him. I draw away from Eli but don’t step away. Even if they’re being a little too overprotective, I don’t need to push that button right now. Especially since I’m about to climb a tree.

I study the tree, looking for good footholds and seeing how I can make it into the canopy. If I focus on the side facing the quarry, I think I’ll have better luck.

Caden stops in front of me, blocking my view. He tips my chin so I’ll look at him. “I’ll get you up there. Don’t go very high though. I’ll catch you.”

I lunge into him for a hug, and he gathers me in his arms. Jack touches my back, and I open my eyes to meet his. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t need to. My plan is to be safe. To show them that I can do things without them worrying about me, but I appreciate having them spot me.

I may be smaller than them, but that doesn’t mean the tree will hold my weight any better. I just need to be careful. Pulling away from Caden, I move to the tree.

“Here, sweetheart.” Jack hands me a pocket knife.

I take it and open the blade before closing it.

“Whatever might be up there has been there over a decade.” Jack looks at the knife. “You might have to dig it out.”

I push the knife into my back pocket next to the flashlight they gave me earlier.

“Okay.” Caden steps up behind me. “Let’s get on with the show.”

He ducks down and lifts me to sit on his shoulders like he’s done in the pool. When he straightens, I’m already almost up into the tree.

“Go slow. We have time, princess.” Luke stands on the other side of the tree.

I take a bracing breath and push up so my foot is on one of Caden’s shoulders. Eli stands behind Caden to catch me if this goes wrong. This was a lot easier in the pool, knowing the water would break my fall.

Caden holds my hands as I crouch on his shoulders. I straighten and reach out for the trunk. Grabbing onto some branches, I test a thick one near my foot and put my weight on it without leaving Caden’s shoulders.

When it holds, I exhale and move my other foot to another hold. All my attention stays on the tree and climbing it. I check as I get higher for anything noticeable in the V of the branches.

Pulling out the flashlight, I study the area I’m in. The branches get smaller the farther up I go and I’m not sure if they’ll continue to hold me. Something up a little ways catches my eye and looks different.

“That’s high enough, princess.” Luke’s voice is full of command and a hint of fear.

Fortunately, he’s down there, and there’s not a damn thing he can do to stop me from going higher. Besides punish me later. But fuck it, I don’t think they’ve come up with a punishment I don’t enjoy on some level.

I inch higher, aiming for the camouflaged item. I hold the flashlight between my teeth and direct the light at the item. It’s a box. When I’m chest level with the box, I don’t even dare to look down.

If I fall from here, even if they catch me, it’s going to hurt.

So I focus on the box instead. It’s completely green and brown camouflaged with a thick cord like a bike lock that holds it against the tree. There’s a lens on it and, taking a breath, I follow the line of sight.

It’s aimed on the area they think their fathers would have met. The problem is we don’t know how old this thing is. I try to open the box, but it’s locked with a padlock that needs a key. I study the cord.

It’s too thick for me to cut through, but there’s a little combination lock on it. If my dad put this here for my mom to find...

I take the flashlight out of my mouth and settle against a large branch across from the box.