Page 1
Prologue
Odessa, Texas – January 9, 2027
The moment she opened the trailer door, Skye stopped dead in her tracks.
Because there, leaning against the piped arena fencing, a box of to-go coffee and a bag of bagels in his hands, was TJ, the man she’d tried so hard to forget.
For one awful moment as their eyes met, Skye considered running. She could lock herself in the trailer and pretend that he wasn’t there. As appealing as the thought was, Skye didn’t dare retreat. She had always promised herself that when she saw him again, she’d act indifferent. And after the previous night’s drunken escapade, she had some major ground to recover.
It didn’t help that her heart was tapping furiously against her ribs or that, despite everything, TJ was as handsome as ever – maybe, she thought bitterly, even more so. He’d changed in two years. But his longer hair, leaner body, and hard green eyes, absent of his signature laughter, only made him look more dangerous, more appealing.
As if her thoughts weren’t treacherous enough, Bandit – the traitor – ran to him instantly. The dog yipped with excitement and wagged his tail a million times a minute.
TJ pinched the bagel bag in the same hand as the to-go coffee so that he could reach down to welcome the dog, but he never took his eyes off of Skye.
She stepped out, closed the door behind her. ‘What do you want, TJ?’
‘Can’t an old friend stop by for a catch up?’
‘We’re not friends.’
TJ just nodded. ‘No. I don’t suppose we are.’
Feeling tired and vulnerable, Skye stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. She walked to where he stood, mimicked his lean against the arena, as if to say: See, you don’t bother me.
He didn’t try to touch her, didn’t so much as shift closer or angle his head to look down at her, just said, ‘Last night wasn’t how I imagined it would happen.’
Skye hated that she wanted to poke at that, wanted to ask how he had imagined it happening and how often. ‘Look,’ she said instead, ‘we had a fling ages ago. It ended. We both moved on. There’s nothing to talk about. And there’s certainly nothing to rehash.’
‘Glad we agree on that,’ he replied casually.
Skye ground her jaw as her anger bloomed. ‘Yup.’
‘I half expected you to be pining after me all this time.’
Fury burst through her instantly. She tipped her head back to glare at him. ‘Do not fucking push me.’
TJ’s eyes glinted with a dark and twisted triumph. Leaning close, he whispered, ‘There you are, my reckless Skye.’
PART ONE: RUN
Chapter 1
Highland Park, Texas – December 13, 2024
Skye saw the slap coming.
But then again, she always did. Holden Beauford Marchant would never use his fists on a woman. Fists left obvious bruises, whereas an open-handed slap with a good wind-up could spread that pain over five points, delivering a stunning strike – but leaving very little evidence of physical damage.
The force of it sent her to the floor.
Skye landed awkwardly, her right hand spread, her left hand twisted beneath her body. She refused to cry out when her middle and ring finger gave beneath her weight.
Blood trickled from her split lip, staining the white tiles.
She instinctively tried to swipe it, to clean it up, then stopped. Not this time, she reminded herself.
Her father came to stand over her, the disappointment on his handsome face backlit by a streak of lighting that illuminated the foyer of the Marchant’s immaculate Highland Park house. ‘You know I don’t enjoy punishing you, Skye. But if you think you can come into my house after leaving the way you did and try to pollute my own wife against me, you have another think coming.’
