Table of Contents

Title Page

Other Titles by LP Dover

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Epilogue

Recipe Time

Acknowledgments

About the Author

ALSO CHECK OUT THESE EXTRAORDINARY AUTHORS & BOOKS

NO LIMIT

Copyright Notice

CIRCLE OF JUSTICE SERIES

Trigger

Target

Aim

TBA (Bryce’s story – December 2017)

TBA (Reed’s story – April 2018)

SECOND CHANCES SERIES

Love’s Second Chance

What He Wants

Trusting You

Meant for Me

Fighting for Love

Intercepting Love

Catching Summer

Defending Hayden

Last Chance

Intended for Bristol

GLOVES OFF SERIES

A Fighter’s Desire: Part One

A Fighter’s Desire: Part Two

Tyler’s Undoing

Ryley’s Revenge

Winter Kiss: Ryley and Ash (A Gloves Off Novella)

Paxton’s Promise

Camden’s Redemption

Kyle’s Return

ARMED & DANGEROUS SERIES

No Limit

Roped In

High-Sided

SOCIETY X SERIES

Dark Room

Viewing Room

Play Room (September 2017)

ROYAL SHIFTERS SERIES

Turn of the Moon

Resisting the Moon

BREAKAWAY SERIES

Hard Stick

Blocked (October 2017)

Playmaker (Feb 2018)

FOREVER FAE SERIES

Forever Fae

Betrayals of Spring

Summer of Frost

Reign of Ice

STANDALONE TITLE

Love, Lies, and Deception

Grace

It was late.

Judging by the lack of light coming through the window, and the heaviness of my eyelids, I’d already worked more hours than I cared to admit. Even though I enjoyed being the Event and Marketing Manager at one of the top hotels in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I was way past ready for a break. As soon as I got home, I was going to have a generous glass of wine . . . or four.

My phone rang and I smiled when I saw who it was. “Hey, girl. Just in time. I was about to leave for the night.” Mya Jenkins was my best friend since kindergarten. We both went to college in New York, then came back home to Wyoming. She was more like a sister than anything. Our fathers had even been partners on the police force for a while, until my dad became the Chief of Police.

“Seriously? You’re still at the hotel? Shouldn’t you have been home over two hours ago?”

I glanced at the clock and groaned. I was supposed to leave at six and it was closing in on nine o’clock. No wonder my stomach had been growling relentlessly. “Not all of us work from eight to three every day,” I teased. She was a high school English teacher, not to mention, an amazing artist. I had several of her paintings decorating my walls at home.

“You could too, if you wanted to. I’m sure Jared would give you whatever hours you wanted. The guy’s in love with you.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not going to happen, and he knows that. We’ve worked together for a long time and he’s never crossed that line.”

“What about Ian? He’s tried to get you to go out with him for a long time now. I don’t know why you keep turning him down. He’s cute, funny, and everything a lot of men aren’t, especially around these parts.”

“Hey,” her husband shouted in the background. “What am I, chopped liver?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Alex was one of the good guys. Mya was lucky to have him, and vice versa. Giggling, Mya called out to him. “Sorry, babe. You know I love you.”

“Ian’s just a friend,” I lied, hating the way my heart jumped at the mention of his name.

It was true, Ian Chandler was an extremely good-looking man, and a blast to be around. I’d always managed to run into him everywhere. The only problem with being the tattooed, sexy, bad-boy was that every woman wanted him. I barely had the time to eat three meals a day, let alone compete against a horde of cock-thirsty women. My job was my life.

“Yeah, right,” Mya teased. “I’ve seen the way you are around him. You light up every time he opens his mouth. Plus, didn’t you tell me a few weeks ago that you let him kiss you after we left the bowling alley? That doesn’t sound like friends to me.”

Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut. “I was hoping you were drunk and wouldn’t remember that.” I hadn’t seen him in the three weeks since our night out. He was out of town on business—again. Taking his schedule and mine into consideration, there’s no way we could have a solid relationship.

“I was drunk, but sorry, babe. There’s no way in hell I’d forget something like that.”

“If Grace is looking for a good guy to date,” Alex called out, “I can always hook her up with Patrick.”

Mya laughed again. “That could work. What do you say, Grace? If you don’t want the bad boy, we can hook you up with a good one.”

I never had time to date. Maybe I was due to be with someone normal and sweet, like Patrick. Ian made me nervous. He was everything I wanted in a man, but then again, every woman wanted him too. I didn’t want my heart broken. Letting him kiss me was a poor lapse in judgment.

“Fine. Set it up. Patrick’s a good egg.” One date wouldn’t kill me. I’d met Patrick at one of their parties. He was a nice guy, very smart, and a little on the dorky side, but it was part of his charm. Unfortunately, he didn’t excite me like Ian did.

“Awesome,” Mya squealed. “We can go on a double date this weekend. Do you want to come over and eat spaghetti? I made it last night, but it tastes much better today.”

My stomach growled. “Yes, I’d love to. I’m starving.”

She burst out laughing. “I know. I can hear your stomach through the phone. I’ll fix you a salad too. Just call me when you’re on your way.”

“Will do. Let me finish up and shut down my computer.”

“Okay. Talk to you in a minute.”

I hung up and closed my eyes. The words on the computer screen started to jumble together. I finished typing the last of my monthly report and looked up to see Jared Beckett, the hotel owner’s son and fellow manager at Snow Creek Resort, giving me that sexy smirk all the women in the hotel absolutely loved.

Don’t get me wrong, he was an extremely good-looking man in his mid-thirties, dressed impeccably in his gray suit with his perfectly coifed dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes. However, I knew not to mix business with pleasure. Jared had the same work ethic, even if he did love to flash that smile of his around.

“Ready to call it a night?” He leaned against the door frame.

Sliding away from my desk, I stood and rolled my neck. “I should’ve called it a night two hours ago. What are you still doing here?”

“I’m here to deliver a message,” he said, grinning ear to ear.

I grabbed my purse and smiled back. “And that would be?”

“Drinks at the Wild River Grill. My father wanted to make sure you came.” His eyes twinkled mischievously. “I think the mention of a promotion came up.”

Mouth gaping, I stared at him in disbelief. “You can’t be serious?”

He nodded toward the hall and I followed him out. “You deserve it. My father and I have been impressed with you. Your marketing skills are top notch. Without you, we wouldn’t have had the spike in revenue this past year.”

It was just what I needed to hear. I’d worked hard getting our hotel into the number one spot for top vacation resorts in our area. Ever since then, we’d been booked solid for months. Pulling out my phone, I sent a quick text to Mya.

Me: Raincheck? I’m meeting the owner at Wild River! I’m getting a promotion!

Mya: Hell yeah! Call me later! I want deets!

Me: Definitely! :)

“Everything all right?” Jared asked, glancing down at my phone.

I slid it back into my purse. “Of course. I was going to eat dinner with Mya, but I told her I needed a raincheck.”

“I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to take you away from your plans.”

I waved him off. “No worries. If I’m getting a promotion, it’s all worth it.” We turned the corner and I could hear people talking in the lobby. “By the way, how’s your sister doing? The last thing you told me was that she was in Paris trying to build her portfolio.” I’d graduated with Lauren Beckett and she had always been a beautiful girl. It didn’t surprise me when Jared told me she was a high-fashion model.

Jared smiled. “She’s doing great. She flew into town about a week ago. I’m sure she’ll be at the restaurant tonight. You two can catch up.”

Entering the lobby, I recognized one of our guests standing by the desk, talking to our front desk manager, Emily Parks, and one of our housekeepers, Zoe Henderson. I’d checked him in earlier, and he flirted with me just like he was doing with Emily and Zoe. They both tried to grab his attention by taking over the conversation. Andrew seemed to enjoy their attention. Typical man. It was one of the reasons why I hated dating. I couldn’t trust anyone to keep their eyes on me.

Turning her focus to me and Jared, Emily cleared her throat and smiled happily. “Hey, you two.”

I joined them behind the desk. Emily was thirty years old—two years older than me—with bright blonde, wavy hair and a gorgeous smile. Her sister was a dentist, so her teeth were perfect. Zoe had dark red hair and creamy skin with freckles across her cheeks and nose. As far as personalities went, I enjoyed Zoe’s down to earth demeanor over Emily’s tendency to be self-absorbed, but they were both pleasant to be around.

“Andrew Davies . . .” Jared smiled and waved, stopping in front of the desk. “Damn, brother, it’s good to see you. You’ve been in town for weeks. Been too busy to see me?” He gave him a hug.

Andrew was around thirty-five years old with bright blond hair, greenish-brown eyes, and a muscular build. He glanced at me and smiled before turning his attention back to Jared. “I have been. I stayed with Marcus up in Montana for a few weeks, then came down here so I could visit Daniel. He’s heading out for a couple of days, so I thought I’d stay here.”

“Good deal. I haven’t seen Marcus in over a year. How the hell is he?”

Andrew shrugged. “Same as always. Loves to drink and has a new woman every week.”

“That he does. I’m assuming you’re all checked in?”

He nodded and pointed at me. “This lovely woman was kind enough to show me around.”

Jared nodded appreciatively. “And that’s why she’s getting a promotion.” He slapped his hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “Andrew and I graduated college together. We were in the same fraternity.”

Andrew chuckled and nodded back at Jared. “Of course, this guy always liked to get in trouble. I bet we had to do at least five-hundred hours of community service.”

“That was a long, long time ago, my friend.” Jared laughed.

I couldn’t help but smile. I’d never been in a sorority during my college days at Cornell, but I always had a blast with my friends. In fact, I still kept in touch with several of them. It was hard though, considering most of them sought jobs in New York, while I’d headed home to Wyoming. “Sounds like you all had quite an adventurous college life.”

Jared’s face brightened. “We did. Our frat was the wildest one on campus. I was president our senior year.”

“I was VP,” Andrew added. “And our friend was back up VP. Daniel refused to be anything less.”

They both laughed. “Did Daniel say where he was going?” Jared asked.

Andrew’s smile slightly faded. “No, he didn’t tell me.”

The conversation took on a personal tone, so I sat down and Emily joined me, while Zoe waved goodbye and wandered down the hall. Grabbing my phone out of my purse, I sent a quick text to my mother, so she’d know I was okay. It was something I did if I knew I’d be late; I didn’t want them to worry.

“Another promotion, huh?” Emily said quietly. “Congratulations.”

Excitement bubbled in my chest. “Thanks. I definitely wasn’t expecting it.”

She shrugged. “You’re good at what you do.”

“So are you,” I assured her with a smile.

Emily and I weren’t close, but I enjoyed working with her at times. She was just a little too into herself for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, it was interesting hearing her stories about traveling the world and working in different hotels, but she always had a way of turning every conversation into something about her.

“Ready to go?” Jared asked, drumming his hands on the desk. “You can ride with me if you want. Andrew’s going to join us as well.”

I shook my head. “Thanks, but I’ll meet you there. I want to take my car, so I can go straight home afterward.”

He shrugged. “All right, sounds good.”

Swooping up my purse from the front desk, Emily winked at me. “Good luck tonight.”

“Thanks,” I replied nervously. It was a good nervous feeling though.

I followed Jared and Andrew into the parking lot. The night air was chilly, but that was to be expected, since it was only the first week of May. There was still a bunch of snow on the mountaintops, glittering in the moonlight.

Jared’s little red sports car was right beside my silver SUV. “Your husband’s not going to mind you having drinks with us, is he?” Andrew asked, his eyes twinkling in the lights.

He’d flirted with me earlier, and I wasn’t going to lie, it felt good to be noticed. My life tended to be lonely at times, but after being cheated on by the man I thought I was going to marry, my heart was guarded.

“I’m not married, Mr. Davies.”

His grin widened. “Great. Maybe on your day off you can show me around?”

Jared cleared his throat. “All right, Drew. I didn’t invite you to come along so you could hit on her.”

Chuckling, Andrew opened the passenger side door of Jared’s car. “There’s nothing wrong with trying to make friends.” He winked at me and got in the car.

Jared sighed and shook his head. “Sorry about that. It’s hard for him to resist when he sees a beautiful woman.”

I shrugged. “No worries. He seems nice enough. I just wish I had the time to date.”

He nodded. “I know the feeling.”

Getting in my car, I remembered I needed to call my parents. After digging through my purse, I couldn’t find it. I could’ve sworn I put it back in my purse after I texted my mother. Making sure I had the car keys on me, I hopped out of my car and hurried back inside the hotel.

Emily hung up the phone and held out my cell. “I figured you’d be back in to get it. I was going to run it out to you once I got off the phone.”

I took it from her, clutching it to my chest. “Thank you. It must have fallen out of my purse.”

She scooted me away with her hands. “You better get going. Don’t want to keep Mr. Beckett waiting.”

“No, I don’t.” I waved and hurried out the door once again.

Stopping at my car, I was about to call my parents when I noticed a dark figure come up behind me in the reflection on my window. I gasped and turned around, only to feel pain shoot through the back of my head. My vision blurred and my knees buckled. There was so much pain. I wanted to scream for help, but the darkness came swiftly.

Ian

“We’ll be out back in about twenty minutes. When you get a shot, go for it,” Bryce whispered low. Sweat poured down my back and it wasn’t even hot in New York City this time of year. However, being on the rooftop of a downtown hotel was a different story.

I set my sights on the restaurant’s back door. “Will do, brother. I’ve already interrupted the hotel’s video feed. We should be good to go.”

“Roger that. Be safe out there.”

“You too.” With dread settling into the pit of my stomach, I hung up.

Bryce was my twin brother, and an FBI agent just like me. More importantly, we were a part of the Circle of Justice, a group of assassins who targeted those who escaped the system. We were currently going after a mob leader—our favorite type of hit. These jobs were more complicated than the others, as these men were always prepared for a fight.

For the past year, Bryce had been working undercover, cut off from our family, except for me. He was in too deep. I’d promised to help him in any way I could.

Time ticked by, but my aim never swayed from the back door of the Italian restaurant. Being a part of the mob was like being in a whole new world. I hadn’t personally been stuck on the inside, but I’d seen it through Bryce’s eyes. He’d done so much to gain their trust; I wondered if he’d ever be free again.

The back door opened and my heart raced, like it always did when I made a new kill. I got into position, but the first person out—a rotund lady with dark, curly hair—wasn’t my target. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow, before sliding my finger away from the trigger.

I didn’t enjoy killing people, but it was my job. The only satisfaction I got was knowing I rid the world of a worthless human being, one who couldn’t harm others anymore. Most of the notorious mobsters stuck to murdering their own people when they felt betrayed. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the way they all were. The man I hoped to snare in my sights today was not only guilty of murdering innocents, but he was the leader of a pedophile ring. He spent most of his time trafficking young girls and boys as sex slaves for overseas. The fucker had gotten away with it for far too long.

The back door opened again and I slid my finger over the hairpin trigger. Bryce walked out in a crisp, gray suit, followed by two other men. They looked out of place walking through the dirty alley. My brother had changed so much in the past year, I almost didn’t recognize him. His light brown hair was gelled back and he strutted down the alley like an arrogant douche.

None of these men were my mark. “What’s going on, brother?” I mumbled to myself.

The target’s name was Tony Greco, a middle-aged man with a wife and two daughters. Knowing he had teenage girls, I couldn’t see how the scumbag could sell kids as sex slaves. It made me so goddamn sick, I didn’t feel bad about taking his life.

“All right, motherfucker, where are you?” I growled, ready to get it over with.

The back door opened and he walked into the moonlight, rubbing his belly with a smile on his face. Rage consumed me and I pulled the trigger, wiping the smile off his face with a bullet to the forehead.

Shouts echoed through the alley, and I wasted no time in getting out of there. In a matter of minutes, his henchmen would no doubt pinpoint the direction of the shot. I secured my rifle inside a hidden compartment in my suitcase, then charged for the door to the stairs. By the time I made it down to the lobby, I turned the corner just as Bryce and the other men stormed through the front. Bryce looked exactly like one of them, and I prayed to God he’d get out before he stayed that way.

“Good luck,” I whispered, watching him disappear up the stairs. Turning on my heel, I hurried out of the door to the bustling streets. Once I was secured in a cab and on my way to LaGuardia, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. I was more than ready to get back to Wyoming. Three weeks was too long in the big city.

My phone rang and I thought it’d be Bryce, but it wasn’t. “What can I do for you, Chief?”

Colton Myers was the chief of police back in Wyoming. His call wasn’t unusual, because they often called me and my brothers when there were cases the local PD couldn’t solve. “I need your help,” he replied, his voice shaking.

The cab driver pulled up to the airport entrance and I passed him a wad of bills before getting out. “What’s going on? I’m about to get on a flight to head home.”

“Good. I’ll drop these files off with Reed, so you can see them when you get back.”

The din of the bustling city made it hard to hear him, but I could tell he was distraught. “Files for what?”

He sighed heavily. “You know how there’ve been missing hikers in Montana?”

“Yeah, I saw something about it before I left for New York.” It wasn’t uncommon for tourists to sway from the hiking trails or test their limits by doing stupid shit. Most of those people found themselves dead. I liked to climb the cliffs, but I was good at it.

“We’re missing people here too,” Colton confessed.

“It happens every year. Why does this case shock you?” I’d been gone for three weeks, so I hadn’t even paid attention to what was going on in Wyoming.

He huffed angrily. “About three weeks ago, eight men supposedly went missing in our mountains. Just this morning, I couldn’t get a hold of Grace. Her boss also called me and said she never showed up at their meeting last night. Her car is still at the hotel. It’s like she disappeared.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I growled low.

Grace was his daughter and a good friend of mine. Hell, I’d wanted to be more than that for quite some time. I only held back from pursuing her out of respect for her father. She was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever known.

“Please, Ian. I have to find her.”

Hurrying through the doors, impatience flooded through my veins. “We’ll find her, if it’s the last thing I do . . . I swear.”

Colton’s truck was at the ranch when I arrived. Inside, he and Reed were at the kitchen table, files scattered across it. Reed was frustrated, running a hand through his dark hair as he paced back and forth. He’d grown up so much over the past couple of years. Now, at age twenty-six, he was an assassin, just like me and the rest of our brothers. Colton looked up from the table, uniform wrinkled, his gray hair in disarray.

I dropped my suitcase and hurried over. “I got here as fast as I could.”

Patting Colton on the back, I could feel him shake as he picked up a picture of Grace. Every time I’d talked to her in the past, it was easy to get sucked under her spell. She was beautiful, sure, but the adventurous side of her made her even more desirable.

I gently took the picture from Colton. Grace’s golden, hazel eyes stared back at me; an urgent need to find her brought my blood to a boil.

“She’s the only female missing,” he murmured sadly. “Her car is still at the hotel.” Lips trembling, he closed his eyes. “Some of her blood was found on the ground just outside the driver’s door, along with her purse and phone.”

“Is she seeing someone?” I asked. Before I left for New York she was still single. But anything could happen over three weeks’ time. “Maybe she’s with her boyfriend?”

Colton shook his head. “She’s not dating anyone. I’m sure she would’ve said something.”

“Have you checked the video feed at the hotel to see if she left with someone?”

“My men are on it right now.” A tear slid down his weathered face. “I just want to find her.”

Reed met my gaze and huffed. “I don’t get it.” He pointed at the files on the table. “Half of these missing people are from around this area. It’s not like they’re tourists being idiots.”

I picked up one of the files and opened it. The man’s name was Chuck McEntire, a computer salesman at a local tech shop. You could tell he wasn’t active by the size of his beer gut. If he was hiking the Grand Tetons, he wouldn’t have gotten far.

“Any signs of a struggle?” I asked, glancing at Colton.

Colton blew out a breath. “Nope. Chuck’s car never left his driveway. His wife got home from work and couldn’t find him. It’s like he disappeared into thin air.” He scooped up the rest of the files and handed them to me. “In fact, all these cases are the same. No struggles, or any indication of foul play. Other than the blood found outside Grace’s vehicle.”

I stared down at Grace’s picture. “Maybe she’s not connected to the others.”

“I sure as hell hope not. The others haven’t been found.” Colton swallowed hard and turned his head away from the picture. “If anyone hurts my little girl, I’ll goddamn kill them with my bare hands.”

I squeezed his shoulder. “You and me both. Let me know what your guys find. I’ll see what we can do in the meantime.”

He nodded. “Thanks, Chandler. I know you have to remain inconspicuous around here, but any help you can give would be appreciated.”

“Anything for you.” He shook my outstretched hand and left.

Taking a seat, I searched through all the files for the next few hours. There were no clues, no leads, nothing. It was as if I was looking at ghosts.

Grace

Fingers tingling and legs numb, I jerked awake when someone let loose an ear-deafening scream. The back of my head throbbed from where I’d been hit. I tried to move, but my hands were tied behind my back, and my legs at the ankles. I initially thought I’d dreamt the scream, but then the blindfold over my eyes brought me back to reality.

It smelled like I was in a barn; the scent of horse shit and urine hung in the air. Judging by the hay under my body, my inclination was right. Mouth dry, and stomach growling, I had no clue how much time had gone by.

The man screamed again and I gasped, my voice raspy and low. I barely had the energy to speak, much less scream.

“Let me out of here!” the man shouted, his voice reverberating around the room.

He sounded close. Taking a deep breath, I tried my best to crawl across the floor. I couldn’t see anything, so I had no clue where I was going. “Hello?” I called out.

Breathing hard, the man shifted in what could only be surprise. He then cried out, “Who’s there?”

I swallowed hard. “Grace Myers. Who are you?”

“Chuck McEntire. I have to get out of here. They’re going to kill me.” He was so frantic, I thought he’d have a heart attack.

Chills ran through my body. I’d never felt true fear before, but this situation had me terrified. “Who’s going to kill you?” I asked, feeling my eyes burn behind the blindfold.

“I don’t know. I recognized one of their voices, but I can’t think straight right now. They said they’re going to let me go and hunt me down, just like all the others.” He started crying.

I jerked my hands back and forth, hoping to break free of the rope that bound me together. All it did was rub my skin raw. “What about me?” I asked, terrified.

“They’re going to kill you too. It’s what they do. Someone clearly wants us dead.”

Frozen in shock, I couldn’t comprehend the thought. Someone wanted me dead? Why? I hadn’t done anything to anyone to make them want to kill me. Terror ripped through my core, but I held back any further cries, my tears silently soaking into the blindfold. This kind of thing happened in the movies, not in real life. How the hell did I end up in this mess?

“Someone’s coming,” Chuck whispered.

The only thing I could hear was my pulse pounding in my ears; it was deafening. Holding my breath, I laid perfectly still on the dirt floor and small piles of hay. I’d always been a strong woman, but in that moment, I felt weak and vulnerable.

The hinges on the barn door creaked open. Footsteps sounded on the wood as they approached. Then, I heard his voice. “Ready to play, Chucky boy?” I’d never heard the voice before, all dark, deep and sinister. It sent chills down my spine.

“Who are you?” Chuck shouted, the sound of him scrambling around on the floor reached my ears.

The laugh that escaped the captor’s lips made me tremble in fear. “I’m not the one who wants you dead, but you’re about to find out.” Another scuffle, and Chuck screamed. Squeezing my eyes shut, I blocked out his cries until they were muted from something being put over his mouth.

“Ready to meet your maker?” the captor asked.

More muffled screams. Then, everything went silent. I held my breath, not wanting to miss a thing. I had to know what was going to happen to me. The sound of footsteps drew closer and Chuck’s screams turned into outright anger. I could hear the rage even though he couldn’t voice his words.

“All right, gentlemen, this is how the game works. Chuck, I’m going to untie your ankles. Then all you have to do is run.”

Run? What the hell was going on? Chuck had said they were going to hunt him down like all the others. Was this some Game of Thrones type of shit?

“Run, Chuck!” the captor shouted with a laugh.

A few minutes passed and an engine roared to life, almost like a four-wheeler or dirt bike. Dread settled in my gut because I knew the hunting had begun. It was a game that obviously no one won, except for the hunter. Each second that passed, I felt sicker and sicker. I swallowed down the bile, feeling as if I was going to puke, but I knew there was nothing in my stomach.

It wasn’t long before I heard the gunshot, and then another, along with yips of joy.

Chuck was dead . . . and I wasn’t about to be next. One way or another, I had to find a way to escape.

“Gra-ace,” the captor sang out tauntingly.

It felt like I was in a haunted house, where the monsters had learned my name and kept calling it out. I sucked in a silent breath and laid still. The doors to the barn creaked open and I heard him draw near. It was like I could feel his body next to mine as he stood over me. His expensive cologne wafted through the air, muting the stench of the barn.

“I know you’re awake. No use in pretending otherwise.” He hauled me up by the arms, causing me to gasp. Because of the blindfold, I couldn’t see his face. “I’m glad to see you’re okay. At first, I worried I might’ve hit you too hard last night.”

Last night? That meant I’d been gone for a while. Surely, my father would have the whole PD out looking for me by now. “What do you want with me?” I spat, working hard on turning my fear into anger. It was what my father had taught me to do.

“Feisty,” he teased. His fingers grazed down my neck and over my breasts.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” I tried to jerk out of his hold, but he was too strong.

“I’m going to enjoy having you around for a while,” he said, bursting with laughter. “You’re very entertaining.”

“And you’re going to die once my father finds you.”

He grabbed my chin hard and I cried out in pain. “No one’s going to find me, or you, for that matter. Enjoy your last night.”

I hissed when I felt a pinch on my arm, followed by an overwhelming sense of warmth through my veins. The sensation had me needing to vomit. Then a sense of peace washed over me, but I knew that wouldn’t last for long.

Ian

“There’s nothing!” Colton shouted through the phone.

I hurried into the basement where Reed was lifting weights in our gym. “What do you mean there’s nothing?”

Reed dropped the weights, brows furrowing as he stared at me. I pressed the speakerphone button and held up my phone so he could hear. A door slammed in the background.

“The surveillance videos at the hotel were messed up. Everything’s running along smoothly, until Grace walks out of the hotel the second time after being with Jared and Andrew. After that, there’s nothing until she’s gone. I talked to Brad Sawyer, the head of security. Nobody other than him and the owners are allowed inside the security room.”

My pulse spiked. “Have you talked to the hotel owner?”

“Yes. His name’s Charles Beckett, and he’s a good friend of mine. I know he loves Grace like his own.” His voice trembled. “I’m in the process of interviewing the hotel staff now. So far, everyone seems genuinely shocked. I’m not picking up on anything amiss.”

“Maybe they’re just that good,” I huffed. “You and I both know how fucked up people can be.” Reed agreed with a nod.

“True. But that’s what makes this so hard. I know a lot of the hotel staff.”

I met Reed’s gaze and sighed. “Let me know how the rest of the interviews go. Reed’s good at finding things other people can’t. Maybe there’s something that just hasn’t been found.”

Colton blew out a heavy breath. “I sure as hell hope so. I’m getting desperate.”

He hung up and I pocketed my phone. “Think you can find something?”

Reed wiped the sweat off his forehead with the hem of his T-shirt. “I’ll get right on it.” He charged up the stairs and sat down on the couch with his laptop.

Ever since he was a young boy, Reed had always showed interest in electronics. There was nothing he couldn’t grasp. You could hand him a new gadget and he’d figure out how to use it within five minutes. The FBI took notice of that when he joined and they gave him special computer training. He could hack into any account in the world, breaking through the most hardcore protective software. The guy was a genius.

Time dragged on as I watched the sun disappear behind the mountains. I wanted to do something, but wasn’t sure what help I could provide. The only thing I could think of was to get inside the hotel and talk to the staff myself. No one in my town knew I worked for the FBI, or that my father was the infamous Glenn Chandler, owner of a multi-billion-dollar company and former FBI agent who started the Circle of Justice.

To retain some anonymity with the FBI, Bryce, Reed, and myself had moved back to our family’s land in Wyoming. It gave us the freedom my oldest brother, Wade, didn’t have. He’d stayed in Charlotte and inherited the company. It suited him well. Which was good news for me. I wasn’t a suit-wearing kind of guy.

It’d been almost a full twenty-four hours since Grace went missing, and it pissed me off there was nothing I could do. This was different than hunting people on the list. But someone at the hotel had messed with the video feed, which meant Grace’s abduction was planned.

“Anything yet?” I called out to Reed.

His voice echoed down the hall to my study. “Possibly. I’m looking into something else right now. Give me one more minute.”

My desk was cluttered with all the missing persons’ files. The disappearances had started about a month ago. With the exception of Grace, all of them were men who’d worked in various jobs and had no ties to one another. There were no similarities.

My cell rang and I huffed, dropping Grace’s file onto my desk. “Yeah,” I answered, not even paying attention to the name on the screen.

“Good evening to you too, son,” my father laughed.

Sighing, I rubbed a hand over my face. “Sorry, Dad. I’ve had a bad day.”

“Everything okay? It’s not Bryce, is it?” With Bryce being gone for over a year, my father endlessly worried about him.

“He’s fine,” I assured. “I just got back from New York. He’s in deep right now.”

“I wish you could’ve talked some sense into him. He needs to come home.”

“It wouldn’t work, even if I tried.” Sadly, it was the truth. My brother was a do or die kind of guy, no different than the rest of us.

“I just want him to be safe. Those mafia boys are a different breed.”

I scoffed. “I know. He’ll be okay, though. Bryce is smart.”

“That he is,” he said, voice sad. “I’m assuming that’s why your numbers went down over the last couple of weeks? Peter said you haven’t hit a mark on the list in a while.”

The list was a database of target names for us to hit. Every time we made a kill, we took them off the list. Peter Johnson was my superior, and the leader of the Circle of Justice, now that my father had retired.

“I haven’t,” I admitted. “I wanted to focus on Bryce since he needed my help. And now, I have another problem.”

“What’s going on?”

“There’s been a few disappearances in Montana, and I just found out that we’re missing eight people here too. Grace Myers is one of them. Her father is the chief of police.” I released a heavy sigh. “I know her pretty well.”

“And you want to help find her?” he asked curiously.

I stared down at her picture. “I do. I know I wasn’t assigned to the case, but she’s a good friend of mine. I promised her father I’d help. There’s something sinister going on out here, and we need to put a stop to it.”

“Do what you feel is right, son. The COJ will be fine if you take a break.”

Holding his laptop, my brother appeared in the doorway. “Reed can always pick up my slack in the meantime,” I said, smiling wide.

Reed snorted and sat his computer on my desk. “Always doing your dirty work,” he grumbled jokingly. He’d only been a part of the COJ for a year, and he’d already killed thirty targets. His passion was finding things no one else could. That was what made the Chandler family a force to be reckoned with. We were notorious among the FBI ranks.

“Either way,” my father spoke, “you both stay safe, and I’ll talk to you soon. Let me know if you hear anything else from Bryce.”

“Will do.” I hung up and leaned forward, turning Reed’s laptop so I could see the screen. “Find anything?”

Reed grinned, nodding at the computer. “A few things, actually. When I tried to hack into the video surveillance program at the hotel, there was nothing there, just like Colton said.” He held up a finger. “Luckily, I tapped into another video feed. Take a look.”

On the screen was a long shot view of the hotel parking lot. “What camera is this?”

Reed sat back in his chair. “It’s from the grocery store across the street. The video’s a little grainy, but you can kind of see what happened.”

A few minutes ticked by and I watched Grace exit the hotel with two other men. They got into the red sports car beside her SUV and drove away. She got in her own car, then hopped right back out and made a beeline into the hotel. Not long after, she walked out and went straight to her car. That was when a figure in black came up behind her.

Eyes wide, I moved closer. “What in the hell?” The man hit her over the head, and Grace fell motionless in his arms. “Son of a bitch.” The video wasn’t clear, but by the looks of the assailant, he had dark hair that was shaved close to his head.

Reed tapped the computer. “He drives away in a black truck. To me, it looks like a Ford F250. I couldn’t zoom in to find out for sure.”

The truck sped by and I nodded. “You’re right. It is a Ford. We have something to go on now.”

Picking up my phone, I called Colton.

“Hey,” he answered on the first ring.

“Reed found something you need to see.”

“I’ll be right there.” He hung up quickly and I focused back on the computer.

Reed circled around my desk and typed away. “Look what else I found.”

Another screen popped up, showing dozens of old profiles. Judging by the hairstyles and clothing, they were from many years ago. “What’s this?” I asked.

“Those are people who went missing forty years ago, all reported as missing hikers in the Grand Tetons. They’re all dated around the same time frame. Only three of the bodies were found, but they were unrecognizable. DNA tests were done to prove their identities.” The records said they were mauled by bears and found by Larry Bradfield, who was the chief of police at that time, along with some of his deputies.

“Motherfucker.” I stared at each picture, all men. “The same shit’s happening now.”

“Exactly,” Reed agreed. “We just have to figure out why.”

Grace

The barn had chilled down and I could smell the rain as it pounded on the roof, along with the scent of smoke. It permeated the air. I felt groggy and not myself. Whatever drugs I was given, made my head heavy and my speech thick. The only thing I knew for certain was that my time was running out. Even with the blindfold over my eyes, I knew it was night by the sound of crickets. It was a sound that used to soothe me as I sat on my back porch. Not tonight. Possibly not ever again.

I had come to the realization I needed to fight. If I didn’t get away before the hunt, I was dead. But my muscles were sore, and I could barely feel my fingers. The odds were stacked against me.

I’d focus on the positives. Even though it’d been years ago, I’d played around with my father’s handcuffs hundreds of times. Mya and I used to have competitions on who could get free the fastest. Being the daughters of police officers, we’d learned many tricks. The only problem was, those times were long behind me. My body wasn’t as limber as when I was nine.

Rolling my shoulders, I took a deep breath and stretched my legs as good as I could with them being tied up. I knew what I had to do, I just hadn’t done it in a long time. Laying down on the floor, I pulled my knees to my chest, but then a car door slammed just outside of the barn.

My stomach clenched when I heard the captor speak, his voice sounding different from before. He was almost panicked. “Hey. What are you doing out here in this weather?”

“Do you have her?” the other man growled angrily. I’d heard that voice a million times. It was Charles Beckett, owner of Snow Creek Resort, and the man who was supposed to give me a promotion. I felt sick and betrayed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the captor snapped back.

Holding my breath, I laid completely still. What the hell was going on?

Charles’ voice boomed, making my whole body shiver. “Don’t lie to me, boy. I know the kind of stuff you’re up to, and I want to know what you’ve done with Grace.”

“You’ve lost your fucking mind. Now get the hell out of here before I call the police.”

Charles burst out laughing, but there was no humor in it. “Go ahead. I’m curious to see what they find. All I know is that people are missing, including Grace. And I’m not going to let her be a part of this sick game. I thought it ended forty years ago. So, whoever wants her dead will have to go through me.”

It was too much to take in all at once. A part of me was relieved Charles had come to rescue me, but then again, he also knew what was going on. I’d never be able to look at him the same ever again. Everything went silent, only the rain pattering against the barn made any noise. Hope flooded through my veins, then disappeared with what happened next.

“Sorry, old man, but that’s not going to happen.”

Charles grunted in pain, and soon after, there was a scuffle, followed by sputtering, choked breaths. I wanted to run out there and help him. Hot tears soaked into my blindfold and I held in my cries. Heavy footsteps pounded in the mud, heading away from the barn. A car door slammed, and then another, before the engine roared to life and slowly drove away. Whatever happened to Charles, I knew it wasn’t good. If he died trying to save me, I’d never be able to forget the sounds of his last breaths.

Heart racing and adrenaline pumping, I knew I had to use the endorphins to my benefit, and get the hell out of there. Pulling my knees to my chest as hard as I could, I stretched my arms, fighting the pain as the ropes tore into my wrists. All I had to do was get my hands in front of me, so I could untie my ankles and take off the blindfold.

The skin around my wrists was on fire, and my shoulders felt as if they’d dislocate at any moment. Clenching my teeth, I stretched my arms harder, barely squeezing them over my ass. Once my arms were in front of me, I breathed a quick sigh of relief, then ripped off the blindfold. Not wasting any time, I worked on the binding around my feet. Thankfully, they’d made it an easy tie to undo, as they probably weren’t anticipating my arms getting free.

I stood slowly, feeling the blood rush down to my feet. My head throbbed and I swayed, steadying myself against the side of the stall. It was so dark, I could barely see. Once my eyes adjusted, I was right in my assessment. The barn was old with ten stalls. It made me wonder how many other people had been stored inside them. The stall door creaked when I opened it and I cringed, waiting for someone to come storming inside the barn.

Everything was eerily silent and the rain had stopped. When no one came, I slowly made my way to the door, tugging it gently to see if it was locked. It wasn’t. Sucking in a breath, I opened it slightly and looked around. There was total darkness, but if I had my guess, it was probably a wall of mountains and forest. A faint light shone around the corner of the barn so I snuck a peek to see what it was. In the distance, there was a house, but I couldn’t tell what it looked like. The only thing I knew was that I wasn’t going to get close to it.

Taking a deep breath, I looked out into the dark. If I was going to die, I sure as hell wasn’t going to give anyone the satisfaction of killing me. I’d rather take my chances with the wilderness.

Ian

The entire night, I drove around the city, seeing if I could spot the black truck. There were numerous black pickups on the road, but none of the drivers fit the description of the man in the video. I’d even parked in the hotel lot for a while, and nothing.

With no luck, I walked through my front door as the sun started to peek across the horizon. Reed was in the kitchen fixing breakfast. “Any luck?” he asked as I sat down at the bar.

“Not a fucking thing.” He set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me. “Thanks,” I said. My stomach growled and I ate it all. Each of us Chandlers knew how to cook some delicious food.

“Has Colton called you?” Reed asked, taking the seat across from me.

I shook my head. “We passed each other on the road last night. He was probably out looking for the truck like I was.”

“Speaking of looking around, I pinpointed the locations where those three bodies were found years ago. We can get to there by the Hidden Falls trail.” He finished his food and placed his plate in the sink. “Maybe we can get an idea of how they wound up in those spots.”

Nodding, I glanced down at my watch. “Sounds good. Let’s get our backpacks filled up and we’ll head out.”

I grabbed our hiking gear out of the hall closet and packed a few bottles of water and snacks. With it being early May, there’d still be over five feet of snow at the falls. Once our bags were stocked, we hopped in my old, blue truck and headed down our gravel driveway. We didn’t get far before my phone rang. It was Colton.

“We have a problem,” he said as soon as I answered.

I stopped my truck. “What happened?”

“I need you to meet me at Old Mill road. There’s something you need to see.”

Pressing the gas, I spun out of our driveway. “Be right there.”

“What’s going on?” Reed asked.

I shrugged. “Don’t know. Colton wants us to meet him at Old Mill road.”

“Has he said anything about this same shit happening forty years ago?”

“He hasn’t,” I replied, glancing over at him. “I’m shocked the media hasn’t brought it up, especially now that word’s out about the missing people.”

It was all a huge, mysterious clusterfuck. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. If the police or the FBI couldn’t solve the case all those years ago, how the hell could I?

When we arrived at Old Mill road, there was a fire truck and multiple police cars. “What the hell happened here?” I said, pulling over to the side of the road. Colton hurried over just as the tow truck pulled a blackened sports car up from the ravine. It was burnt to a crisp, but there was no mistaking the charred body still inside. “Jesus Christ. Whose car is that?”

Colton scrubbed a hand over his face. His eyes were red and it looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “It’s Charles Beckett’s car. I’m assuming that’s him in the driver’s seat. He lives about a mile down the road.”

It only took me a second to realize why the name sounded familiar. At some point, Colton had mentioned it was Jared’s father. “Charles is the owner of the hotel Grace works at.”

Colton nodded, his face growing paler by the second. “I don’t like this, Chandler. First, people go missing. Then, my daughter is nowhere to be found and her boss winds up dead.”

A woman toppled out of a cop car behind us and made her way to the tow truck. Halfway there, she screamed and fell to the ground. It took me a second to realize the woman wearing a light blue robe was Charles’ wife. Jared and a woman I’d never seen before tried to console her. Colton jerked around and hung his head with a sigh.

He pointed to the grieving trio. “You already know Jared, and Charles’ wife. The young woman is Charles’ daughter, Lauren. She was on her way home when she saw the fire in the ravine. She’s the one who called it in, not realizing it was her father in the car.”

I couldn’t imagine seeing something like that, only to find out later it was a loved one. “What do you think made Beckett run off the road?” I wondered out loud.

Colton shrugged. “Not sure, but I’m sure we’ll find out. Right now, my focus is on Grace. I can’t worry about this other shit right now.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t blame you, but please . . . I have a question.”

His brows furrowed. “What?”

“Did you know this same thing happened forty years ago? Twelve people went missing, here, in this very place.”

His eyes widened in shock. “What are you talking about? How did you hear about this?”

Reed held up a hand. “I found it in our FBI database. However, back then, three bodies were found by Larry Bradfield and his team. Larry was the chief of police at that time.”

Colton nodded and glanced back and forth at us. “I know who he is. He’s long since dead. But it’s funny. When I moved here and saw him around, he never said a word about it.”

“That’s why we’re going to do our own searching,” I claimed.

He shook my hand and I could feel it trembling. “Thanks, Chandler. I appreciate you doing this for me. I know you probably need to be handling other things.”

“I’m happy to help,” I replied.

Taking a deep breath, he looked over at the carnage. “I’ll continue looking for the black truck. It’s been almost two days. The chances of finding her grow slimmer every day.”

I squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll find her. She’s a fighter.”

A sad smile spread across his face. “Yes, she is. I made sure of that.”

We made it to the Hidden Falls bridge in record time. I’d been right when I guessed there was five feet of snow still on the ground. At the end of the bridge, there was a wall of snow. Everything on that side of the bridge and beyond was buried under it all.

I climbed onto the bridge’s wooden rails and up onto the snow. There were holes in various parts of the snow where you could see the tops of the fence beneath. One wrong step and you could easily get trapped below. That was one of the reasons tourists were told not to hike when the snow was that deep. However, there were still footprints from where people had attempted to continue on.

Reed stopped and opened his map. There were three red dots where the bodies were found. He pointed north, past the falls. “One was found half a mile that way, and the others are a little further.”

There wasn’t a trail leading to those spots, so we trekked carefully across the forest floor. I didn’t want to damage the natural beauty of the park. It pissed me off when people stepped off the paths at Yellowstone just to get a closer look.

Once we got to the coordinates of the first victim, nothing odd stuck out. And then again with the other two sites. How the hell did they get there in the first place? Brows furrowed, Reed focused on the map.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” I asked him.

He looked up at me. “Probably. Just wondering how the victims got here. Makes no sense.”

“Can I see the map?” He handed it to me and I studied it. The Grand Teton National Forest covered 310,000 acres of land, being forty-five miles from north to south, and twenty-six miles in width. If only we knew which way the victims came from. There were a lot of different scenarios.

The sun grew fainter by the minute. “We need to head back,” Reed suggested. “Unless you want to be stuck out here all night.”

I gave him the map back and we headed toward the main trail. “We live on the eastern side of the park. The victims could’ve easily ventured inside from the south or the west.”

I glanced back at Reed and he shrugged. “It’s possible. They would’ve had to travel about ten to twelve miles of forest to get where they were. Not everyone could do that.”

“Obviously, considering only three were found. Maybe they were the most fit out of the other victims.”

“They were also the first three to go missing,” Reed added.

Stopping mid-step, I turned around to face him. It was as if the clues clicked into place. “Sounds like they were true hikers that got lost, or maybe the killer was sloppy in the beginning.”

Reed nodded. “True. Most serial killers evolve.”

“And that might be why none of the others were found.”

“It’s a good theory,” he said with a sigh. “Too bad it doesn’t get us anywhere.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t.

“Where are you going?” I asked Reed. We’d been home for a less than an hour.

He opened the refrigerator and brought out a bottle of water. “I’m going to work. Someone has to pick up your slack.” Turning around, he reached for an apple out of the fruit basket on the counter and took a bite. “There’s a man in Pocatello who needs to be dealt with. It’s only two and a half hours away. I figured, why not.”

It was hard to face the fact that he was like me now, regardless of the fact he was only five years younger. Bryce and I had been the ones who watched after him when our mother and father moved to Charlotte; we’d trained him to be a killer. You’d think killing people would be the hardest thing to do, but it came naturally to us. Over time, you grew immune to the shock of it. I slept soundly each night, knowing the fuckers on our list wouldn’t be able to hurt any more innocents.

Reed finished his apple and started for the door.

“Be careful,” I called out.

He chuckled. “Yes, Dad.”

Once he was gone, I fixed a sandwich and sat on the couch. Flipping through the TV channels, everyone was talking about Grace and the other missing people. It’d been two days since she went missing. Over the years, I’d seen what happened to women in kidnapping situations. To think of anything even close to that happening to Grace made me goddamn livid, and restless.

Shutting off the TV, I grabbed my keys off the counter and hurried outside to my truck. The man who took her was out there. I couldn’t just sit around and wait for something to happen. If I had to search every night for that fucker, I’d do it. I opened my truck door and was about to get in when a thump came from the back porch. Every year, we’d have a bear or two that’d venture into the yard, but I didn’t like them feeling like this was their territory.

Slowly, I walked around the side of the house, peeking past the corner. What I saw definitely wasn’t a bear. Stumbling toward the back door was a woman, her clothes covered in mud and her chocolate-colored hair matted with blood. I knew who it was without even seeing her face. Heart racing, I ran over.

“Grace!”

Eyes wide, she turned around, only to fall over. I was there to catch her before she hit the ground. Her body shook, but the second she saw my face, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Ian?”

I lifted her in my arms. “Yes, it’s me. You’re safe now. We need to get you to the hospital.”

She grabbed my shirt, her eyes wild and tired. Judging by the way they kept trying to roll into the back of her head, I was about to lose her. “I’ll be fine,” she rasped, swallowing hard. “Don’t tell anyone I’m here.”

I carried her inside and laid her on the couch. “Why?”

A tear fell down her cheek and her eyes closed. “They’re hunting me.”

Grace

I was so warm, I didn’t want to wake up. There were times I thought I was dead, but then the pain would rear its ugly head. I remembered waking up and someone being there to lift me up so I could drink water, but then I’d fall into the darkness again. Squeezing my eyes shut, it felt like my lids were made of sandpaper. My mouth felt like the Sahara Desert.

“Grace,” a voice called out softly. It was a sound I thought I’d never hear again.

I opened my eyes and my father collapsed beside the bed, his warm arms wrapping around me. “Daddy,” I cried. “I never thought I’d see you again.” Looking over his shoulder, I didn’t know where I was.

Then, I remembered Ian’s face from right before I passed out.

My father sobbed as he held me. It was the first time I’d seen him cry since my grandmother died seven years ago. “How do you feel?”

I glanced over at Ian, who stood in the doorway, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. I would never forget how safe I felt wrapped in those arms. “Tired,” I replied, focusing back on my father. “How long was I out?”

His gaze saddened. “A full day. I have a press conference to be at in an hour, to talk about the disappearances. Your mother’s meeting me there.”

“Does she know I’m alive?”

Jaw clenched, he looked down at the floor. “Not yet. If she knows you’re alive, she’ll act differently. I need her to be distraught in front of the cameras.”

The thought of putting my mother through more pain broke my heart. “I understand. She’s going to kill us when this is over.”

He nodded. “But hopefully, this will give us more time to find who took you.” His hand closed over mine, brushing against the bandages wrapped around my wrist. I was scared to see what my skin looked like underneath. “I really think you should get checked out, sweetheart. That way, if you were,” he sucked in a ragged breath, voice warbling, “if you were violated, we could figure out who took you.”

“Dad, no,” I said quickly, squeezing his hand. I glanced back and forth between him and Ian. “I wasn’t raped, I promise.”

“What about the person who took you? Did you get a look at them?” Ian walked the rest of the way into the room, piercing me with his intense stare.

It was as if the bad dream I’d lived through came flooding back. The fear I’d felt in the dark. I could still hear my captor’s voice, not deep and seductive like Ian’s, but smooth, with a long drawl, like a country boy.

“It was a man, but I never saw him,” I replied, my voice a whisper. “I just remember the way he sounded, cold, yet humored by the fact he took me, so someone else could hunt me down. It’s what he does.” Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “I can still hear Chuck’s screams.” I opened my eyes at the next memory and gasped. “And Charles. My boss was there.”

My father’s eyes widened in shock and he cursed under his breath. Ian continued the line of questioning. “What was he doing there?”

I remembered every single word, the struggle. “He was angry. He asked my captor if I was there. When the guy said no, Charles didn’t believe him. He eluded to this type of thing happening before, that he knew what was going on. He—he demanded I be freed.” Tears fell down my cheeks and my chest tightened. I was worried about him. “And then, they fought. I don’t know what happened.”

Ian and my father shared a look that sent my stomach up into my throat.

“Please tell me he’s okay. He’ll be able to tell you who took me.” Deep down, I knew I was asking for too much from the situation. But hope was the only thing that had gotten me through the last two days. It was hard to let go of.

My father shook his head. “He’s dead, Grace. The accident looked as if he ran off the road, and his car exploded when he went over the mountain.”

Tears flooded my eyes and my shoulders shook with my sobs. Whatever Charles’ connection was to everything, he didn’t deserve to die. He’d tried to save me. I loved the man.

With a heavy sigh, my father met Ian’s gaze. “With this recent information, it doesn’t look like it was an accident at all.”

“You’re right,” Ian agreed. “But if you start investigating it as a homicide, the person who’s responsible could tuck tail and run.”

“The same thing goes for me,” I blurted. “If he finds out I’m alive, he’ll come back. Also, he’s not the only one involved. I was there when Chuck was murdered. Someone else showed up and hunted him down.”

My dad sat on the bed, his chest rapidly rising and falling. “You saw Chuck?”

I shook my head. “I was blindfolded. But he was tied up in the barn with me. He kept saying he was next; that he was going to be hunted down, just like the others.”

My father stood and ran his hands down his face. “This is worse than I thought.”

Ian knelt next to the bed and I could smell the soap on his skin. “How did you escape?”

I glanced down at my bandaged wrists, my vision blurring from the tears. “After hearing the scuffle with Charles, I knew something bad happened to him. Knowing no one else would be coming to save me, I decided I had to be strong and escape. I was in the barn, my wrists were tied behind me, and my ankles were bound together. I nearly dislocated my shoulder getting my hands in front of me, but I was able to manage it.

“After that, I took off for the woods. Having my wrists still tied, slowed me down and made me clumsy. Every now and then, when I needed a breather, I would stop and use rocks to cut myself free. I would rather have died running than being shot by someone who hated me.”

“Who would do that?” my father blurted incredulously. “You don’t have any enemies. Everyone loves you!”

Ian sighed. “Maybe that’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He stared right into my eyes. “If everyone loves you, someone’s going to be jealous of that.”

Who was this man in front of me? He didn’t even look like the man I’d kissed a few weeks ago. He was different.

My father glanced down at his watch and huffed. “I have to go, sweetheart, or I’ll be late for the press conference.” He hugged me again and kissed my forehead. “I love you. Oh, and I snuck some clothes out of your house. The bag is on the chair by the window. It should last you a few days.”

“Thanks. I love you too.” He started for the door and I stopped him with my next question. “Wait, am I going to stay here?”

Turning around, he looked at Ian and got a nod in return. “You’ll be safe with Ian. He’ll protect you better than anyone else. There’s a lot you don’t know, so you’re just going to have to take my word on it for now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

My father nodded toward Ian. “He’ll tell you everything in due time. Until then, rest up. Once we find the bastard who took you, we’ll need your help.” He walked away and I heard the front door slam.

Ian stood and lifted my bag onto the bed. “If you want, you can take a shower while I cook us some dinner.” Holding out his hand to me, I grabbed it and he helped me out of bed.

I’d missed seeing him around the past few weeks. “Where have you been?”

“Why, did you miss me?” In true Ian fashion, he had to make a joke. It was nice. I needed his lightheartedness.

“Honestly, yes. I missed everyone. I didn’t think I was going to make it.” When I’d collapsed on his back porch, I had no clue it was his house.

He slid his fingers to the bandages and carefully unwrapped them, exposing my torn skin. I hissed when the air touched me. “I was on my way out to search for you again when I heard you on the back porch.”

“Again?” I asked.

He nodded. “I told your father we’d find you. Turns out, you found me.”

A small smile spread across my face. “I got lucky.”

I took the longest shower of my life. The water ran red and brown as it flowed over my skin. It burned the second the soap touched my open sores.

I had to wash my hair three times to get all the dried blood out. When I felt clean enough, I turned off the water and the smell of barbeque chicken wafted into the shower. Drying myself off, I walked into the bedroom and there was a bottle of water on the dresser with a note that said Drink Me on it. It brought a smile to my face.

I looked through my bag and found a pair of purple, flannel pajama pants and a T-shirt to put on. There was also a hairbrush, so I ran it through my wet hair. Grabbing the bottle of water, I downed it all by the time I reached the kitchen. Ian pulled out some sweet potatoes from the oven and a slight grin spread across his face when he got a good look at me.

“Nice pajamas.”

My cheeks prickled as a blush rushed up my neck. I hadn’t worn my purple flannels since I was in high school. “I don’t think my dad realized I don’t wear these anymore.” I ran my hands down the soft fabric.

Ian shrugged. “They look cute on you. Will it make you feel better if I wear mine?” He winked and I smiled.

“Maybe. I’m sure you have a pair of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pajama pants laying around here somewhere.”

“I’ll never tell.” His attention veered to my wrists and he nodded toward the seat at the bar. “Let me put some ointment on those and get you wrapped up.”

Sitting down, I noticed there was already a set of clean bandages on the counter. There was also a gun.

Ian sidled up beside me and I turned to face him. “Hold out your hand,” he murmured. I did as he said, and he gently rubbed the medicine on my skin. Even though it hurt, I also trembled with his touch. It wasn’t the first time he’d snuck chances to touch me. Chills broke out on my arms and he smiled. I pretended to be oblivious, just like I had every other time.

Once I was all bandaged up, I pulled my arms back. “Thank you.”

He smiled, the devilish tilt of his lips an indication he knew I wasn’t immune to his touch. “You’re welcome.”

I had to get it together. Focusing on something other than the gorgeous hue of his eyes, I turned back to the gun. “Is there a reason you have a gun on the counter?”

“Does it bother you?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m used to guns. It comes with the territory of being a police officer’s daughter.” I looked at the gun again. “But you told me you were a web designer. Why do I get the feeling that’s not true?”

He glanced at the gun and blew out a heavy breath. “Because it’s not. There’s a reason I never told you what I do.”

Heart racing, I was intrigued. “You can trust me, just like I’m trusting you to keep me safe.”

His emerald green eyes locked onto mine. “I’m an FBI agent, Grace. Mainly undercover work. That’s why I was gone for the past three weeks.”

“Wow,” I gasped. “I was wondering if I was ever going to see you again.”

He moved closer. “Did you think I was avoiding you?”

Shrugging, I lied. “I don’t have time to stress over things like that.”

“What a shame, because I couldn’t stop thinking of you the whole time I was gone.”

My whole body lit on fire from the inside out. It was like he could see right through me. “That must’ve been boring,” I countered, trying my best to change the subject. “I guess with you being in the FBI, that’s why my father trusts you with my life. I never would’ve guessed with all the tattoos. Then again, I don’t know anyone with the FBI.” It was strange how, in the matter of a day, a person could appear completely different—body language and all. There was another side of him I didn’t know.

A serious expression passed across his face. “Nobody around here knows what I do. That’s why I’m trusting you to keep it to yourself. I don’t want people knowing who I really am.”

I held up my hands. “You know me, Ian. I’m in your debt for keeping me safe.”

“Good. Dinner will be ready in five.” He got up and walked around the island to pick up the fresh lettuce he must have just brought in from the garden.

I watched him fix our salads, feeling like I should contribute. “Want help?”

Lifting his head, he glared at me. “You just escaped death, Grace. I think I can handle cooking dinner for the evening.” It was different seeing him so serious. Every time I’d been with him at the bars, he’d joke around. “Speaking of which,” he narrowed his gaze at me, “how did you survive out there? You had to have hiked a good distance. You weren’t as dehydrated as I thought you’d be.”

I glanced down at my feet; they were covered with sores. “I must have walked about ten miles, only stopping for a few minutes to eat. I wanted to get as far away and as fast as I could. I didn’t even know where I was headed.”

Ian nodded as he walked over and set down my salad bowl, along with a plate with a piece of barbeque chicken and a sweet potato on it. He sat across from me and passed the salad dressing. “Do you think you could retrace your steps?”

I shook my head “There’s no way. I had no clue if I was going in circles. The whole time I was out there, I was in a daze. That’s why I kept going and refused to sleep.”

“What did you eat and drink out there?”

I cut a piece of my chicken and closed my eyes as I chewed, the flavor bursting on my tongue. It was a hell of a lot better than the stuff I’d eaten recently. “Since it rained a good bit, I drank it from the leaves. As far as food, I found a patch of Miner’s lettuce and Golden Currant. It’s not the best tasting stuff in the world, but it helped.”

“You’re a smart woman. I’m impressed.”

“My father taught me at a young age how to survive in the woods.”

Ian snorted. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

Memories of those hiking trips would forever stay ingrained in my mind. They were some of the best times of my life. “My dad and his old partner, who also happens to be Mya’s father, used to take us backpacking. You might remember her. She’s the woman with the curly, blonde hair who came with me to the bar the night I beat you in pool.”

He chuckled. “I remember.”

Thinking of Mya made me wonder how she was handling my disappearance. I couldn’t wait to see her and my mother when it was over. “We’d stay in the woods for a week, only bringing small snacks. Our fathers wanted us to learn what you could and couldn’t eat in the forest. And they figured we’d be less picky, and better students, if we were hungry.”

Ian stared at me, clearly fascinated. “I knew you were an outdoor kind of girl, but I didn’t realize you’d done all of that.”

Averting my gaze, I swallowed another bite of my chicken. “Neither did the man who took me.” The room fell silent and I could feel Ian’s eyes on me.

“Are you sure nothing else happened I should know about?”

“No,” I replied with a shake of my head. “I’ve told you and my father everything I can remember.” Eyes burning, I met his gaze. “When do you think Charles’ funeral will be?”

“Probably in the next couple of days.”

Tears fell. “I wish I could be there. He died because of me.”

“No,” Ian growled. There was a fierceness to him I’d never seen before; it gave me chills. “He’s dead because he knew what was going on. I know you cared about him, but believe it or not, he was a part of this shit.”

It was true. Charles knew there were people being hunted. He obviously wasn’t the man I thought he was, but he still treated me like a daughter. He had a big heart. Ian waited for a response, but I couldn’t muster up one. My chest ached, and it felt like everything began to crumble around me.

“Grace,” Ian called softly. When I looked over, I could see his turmoil. “I know this can’t be easy, after everything you’ve been through.”

I shrugged. “I’ll be fine. It’s a lot to take in. I never dreamed I’d be in this situation.” It was strange to think I’d almost died. “What bothers me the most is knowing there’s someone out there who hates me enough to want me dead. I can’t think of who it could be.”

“I know where to start.” He never got to explain, as the front door opened. The man who walked in had dark brown hair, and there was no mistaking the familiar green eyes. “What’s up, brother?” Ian called out.

His brother walked over and slapped Ian’s shoulder. “Just got done with,” he looked at me and cleared his throat, “work. Just got done with work.” He held out his hand and smiled. “I’m Reed, Ian’s brother. I see you’re doing better.”

“I’m alive,” I agreed, shaking his hand.

“Do we know anything yet?” he asked, glancing at us.

Ian nodded. “Yes, which is why I’m glad you’re here. I need you to stay with Grace tomorrow. There’s something I need to do.”

“What?” I blurted.

He finished his chicken and guzzled the rest of his beer. “I know you don’t want to think about this, but I’m certain someone at the hotel played a part in your abduction. Those cameras didn’t disconnect themselves.”

“But who could’ve done it? I know all the people at the hotel.”

Ian’s eyes softened. “Our closest friends tend to be the ones who betray us first.”

Ian

The door to the guest bedroom opened the next morning and I heard Grace’s soft steps walking down the hall. She slowly turned the corner to the great room and saw me sitting on the couch, reading the front-page article about how she was still missing.

Running a hand through her smooth, dark hair, she closed the distance, wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a T-shirt. She looked sexy as hell, with the tight fabric hugging her curves.

She glanced down at her clothes and sighed. “Any way you can sneak me by my house to get some clothes? With your FBI ninja skills, surely you can get us in without anyone noticing.”

That brought a smile to my face. There were a million things I could do that she had no clue about.

She picked at her shirt. “I love my father to death, but he’s clueless.”

“I can sneak you in there tonight,” I told her.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she sat beside me, her attention landing on the picture of her on the front page of the newspaper. “If only people knew what happened.”

Folding it up, I sat it on the coffee table. “They will soon. There’s also an article about Charles in there, if you want to read it. His funeral’s in two days.”

She nodded, her chin trembling slightly. “Who are you going to speak to at the hotel?” she asked curiously.

I shrugged. “Usually, on my missions, I go in blind and wing it. I’m not a planner.”

Her brows furrowed. “Isn’t that kind of dangerous?”

“It hasn’t hurt me yet.”

The hint of a laugh escaped her lips and it was the sexiest sound I’d ever heard. “So reckless, Ian Chandler. From the first time I saw you at Wild River, I could tell you were a troublemaker.”

“How’s that?” I asked incredulously, pretending to be offended. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard something like that. Most women loved that about me though.

She laughed again, only this time it was more pronounced. “I don’t know. It’s the way you look. There’s always a smile on your face, like you’re up to something.”

I chuckled. “Most of the time, I am.”

Her smile faded. “Do you think you’ll be able to find who took me?”

“Finding people is what I do, Grace. Even if it takes weeks or months, I won’t let them get away.”

“What about me? I can’t stay here that long. I don’t want you having to look after me. It’s not fair to you.”

“Actually, I’m kind of looking forward to it. I’ll have you all to myself.” It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. That was my problem. I said things before thinking.

Grace bit her lip and turned her head, but I could see the corners of her mouth tilt up. As much as that turned me on, it wasn’t the right time. From the beginning, we’d always had sexual tension between us, that wasn’t new. I was attracted to her, and she was to me. But work always got in the way. Either I was away on a mission, or she was at the hotel.

Clearing my throat, I stood and went straight to the kitchen. I could feel Grace’s eyes on my backside. I was more than happy to keep her safe, but it was going to be hard as hell to keep my distance. Her father didn’t put her in my protection for me to fuck her.

My dick twitched and I gritted my teeth. It’d been so long since I’d had sex. And being in close quarters with Grace didn’t help.

“You okay, brother?” Reed asked from his seat at the kitchen table, a mammoth bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats in front of him.

I glanced at him over my shoulder and nodded. “Getting ready to leave. You all set for today?”

“Yep. I figured Grace could keep me company and help with the horses.”

With Grace’s wrists and feet still sore, I didn’t think it’d be a good idea, but by the sound of her gasp, I held my tongue.

“I’d love to! Horses are my favorite,” she called out. A couple of seconds later, she appeared in the kitchen, eyes twinkling.

A part of me wanted to be the one to show her the horses, but I had a job to do. “Sure you’re up for it? They can be a handful.”

She waved me off. “I had some when I was younger. I know how to handle them.”

“All right,” I said, grabbing my keys. “Just be careful.” I started for the door and stopped at the sound of her voice.

“Who are you going to see today?”

I dreaded this part. “Zoe Henderson.”

Her eyes widened. “Why are you going to see her? She’s one of our housekeepers.”

Sighing, I opened the door. “Not anymore. She’s now the Events and Marketing Manager of Snow Creek Resort.”

“How’s Grace doing?” Colton asked.

I pulled into the hotel parking lot and shut off my truck. “Good. She’s going to help my brother with the horses today.”

“She’ll love that.” I heard him start up his car. “Look, I’m really sorry for the inconvenience, Chandler. I can pay you to watch her. I know with doing this on your own time, it’s costing you money.”

If he only knew how much my family was worth. “No worries, Chief. I’ll be okay. Having Grace at the house gives me the forced break I’ve needed for much too long.” I’d spent years killing people on a regular basis. It felt good to do something different for a change.

“Thank you again,” he replied earnestly. “I’m just so relieved she’s alive. Although, I think I’m going to have to bring Grace’s mother to your house. I can’t keep her in the dark anymore.”

I couldn’t blame him. If my mother was still alive, she’d have gone insane if something happened to me or my brothers. “Bring her by. I’ll be home this afternoon. Right now, I’m at the hotel to talk to Zoe Henderson. She’s the woman who took over Grace’s position.”

“Good. Grace always said nice things about her, but you can never be too careful.”

“Have you started looking at Jared Beckett?”

“Yep. I got my men on him. He’s always either at his house or the hotel. Nothing suspicious, as of yet. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Sounds good.” It was almost time for my meeting, so I hopped out of the truck. “Text me when you’re on the way over tonight.”

“Will do.”

There were two ladies at the front desk when I walked in, one with bright blonde hair, around my age, and an older woman with short, black hair. The blonde noticed me first and smiled. “Good morning. Can I help you?”

Her nametag said her name was Emily. “Hey, Emily, my name’s Ian Chandler. I have a meeting with Ms. Henderson at eleven.”

She perked up, her smile bright. “Of course. Let me get her.” Picking up the phone, she punched in a few numbers. Then her smile faded. Clearing her throat, she hung up and tapped on the number pad again. “Sorry about that. I called the wrong extension. I’m used to Zoe answering from another line.”

I nodded. “It’s okay.” Stepping back, I turned around and feigned interest in the large landscape painting of the mountains on the wall. There were also a couple of deer and bison heads displayed above the desk.

“Zoe,” she said low. “I have a Mr. Chandler here to see you.” A few seconds passed. “Okay, I’ll tell him.” I turned around just as she hung up the phone. “Zoe’s on her way to the front.”

“Thank you.” I sauntered around the lobby, which wasn’t exceptionally large, considering it was a luxury hotel. The floors were hardwood, with a massive bearskin rug by the corner fireplace, and the whole place smelled like sandalwood. I focused back on Emily, who strutted around to the front of the desk, swaying her hips while she dusted the counter.

“I’m sorry about the owner,” I stated. “I saw everything on the news. It also looks like another one of your employees is missing too. It’s been a rough week for you guys, huh?”

She faced me and I could see the turmoil on her face. Setting the duster down, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Yeah, that’s an understatement. I hope they find Grace. If they do, she’s going to be so upset when she finds out about Mr. Beckett. They were really close.” The muscles in her jaw clenched, but they smoothed out quickly. “So were Grace and Jared.”

I could sense the jealousy in her tone, and even see it in her eyes. I was starting to think I should investigate her, instead of Zoe. “Jared is Mr. Beckett’s son?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded. “He’s been distraught over this whole thing.”

I wanted to know more about Jared and Grace’s relationship. Was she sleeping with him? Had she turned him down? There were so many factors that could implicate him.

“Mr. Chandler?” A woman with long, red hair approached and held out her hand. “I’m Zoe Henderson, it’s nice to meet you.”

I shook her hand. “Likewise.”

She nodded toward the hallway. “Shall we go to my office?”

“Lead the way, Ms. Henderson.”

“Please, call me Zoe,” she replied, smiling wide. I followed her to her office, but there was no mistaking Grace’s name still on the door.

But inside, there were pictures of Zoe rock climbing, and there was already a wooden placard with her name and title on it. They certainly moved fast in the hotel industry. I sat down in front of her desk and watched how she handled herself. There was an arrogance about her in the way she sat and looked at her paperwork.

“I see you want to have a company party here,” she announced, her voice smooth, almost seductive. I stared her down and that made her nervous. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. The only way I was going to get any information out of her was to get close. There was no time to take it slow.

“Yes, I do. What can you do for me?”

Her gaze dropped to my lips and she cleared her throat, looking away quickly. “That depends, Mr. Chandler. How big is it?” Her eyes widened in embarrassment, and she tripped over her next words. “I mean, the gathering . . . will it be large?”

I threw her a cocky smirk. “Huge.”

She shifted in her chair and blew out a controlled breath. “What about food? Would you be interested in our catering services?”

“Of course. I’ll also need accommodations for my guests as well. Will you be able to block off a few rooms for me?”

“Definitely. Just let me know how many you think you’ll need.” She wrote down a few notes. “Would you like to tour the facility?” When I nodded, she stood. “Follow me.” Her hand brushed against my arm in passing.

We walked around the hotel and she showed me the ballroom, where my party was going to be held. There wasn’t going to be one, but she didn’t need to know that. “What do you do, Mr. Chandler?” She leaned against one of the ballroom tables, pushing her chest out slightly. The woman had a nice body, but she wasn’t what I was interested in.

“We’re web designers,” I lied. “My co-workers are stationed across the nation. Every year, one of us is picked to host the party. And it’s fallen into my lap this year.”

Her eyes flitted down to my groin and back up. “Well, I’m certainly glad it did. We offer many services. I’d be happy to assist you in any way I can.”

“I might have to take you up on that, Zoe.”

Lips pursing, she nodded to the door. “I’m about to head out for the day. Would you like to join me for lunch? We can go over the different menus we have available.”

As always, my charm never failed. “I’d be happy to.”

Grace

It felt strange leaving Ian’s house for the first time. I hadn’t stepped foot on the grass since I’d showed up on his back porch. However, it was the perfect day. The breeze was warming up and there wasn’t a cloud in sight to hide the crystal blue sky. The mountains were magical, still covered in snow. It was like I was seeing things differently for the first time. Closing my eyes, I breathed it all in. I was alive.

“Grace, you okay?” Reed shouted, his voice echoing in the wind.

I opened my eyes and squinted against the sun. Reed stood by the barn door, his concerned gaze on me. I waved and started toward him. “I’m fine. Just taking it all in.”

From far away, his body resembled Ian’s, all toned and muscular. His clean-shaven face was what set him apart from his older brother. Ian always had a five o’clock shadow that made him look rugged.

The closer I got to the barn, the more my stomach clenched. Reed waited for me by the door and by the look on his face, he noticed my hesitance. “It’s okay, you don’t have to come inside. I should’ve thought about it. This can’t be easy for you.”

I shook my head. “I’m good. We all have to face our fears, right?” Without another word, I walked past Reed and into the barn. It didn’t smell like death, like the other barn had. The second I saw the three horses, I was in heaven. “Oh my God, they’re beautiful.”

Reed chuckled and joined me. He pointed at the black horse. “That one is Bryce’s. His name’s Charger. He’s the fastest of the three.”

“Bryce is Ian’s twin, right?” Ian had told me about having a twin brother in one of our conversations a long time ago. I’d just never met him. I couldn’t imagine there being another man out there who looked exactly like Ian.

Reed nodded. “Bryce is different from Ian though. He’s more serious. Right now, he’s undercover. He hasn’t been home in a year.”

“Oh, wow,” I gasped. “He’s part of the FBI too?”

His smile widened. “We all are.”

“No wonder my father wanted me to stay here. You’re all equipped to protect me.”Reed smirked. “I’m sure some of it was Ian’s doing as well.”

My heart jumped. “What do you mean?”

He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “He clearly wants you. I could see it on his face this morning when I said I was going to show you the horses. He wanted to be the one to do it.”

Cheeks flaming, I tried not to show interest, but he could see right through me, judging by the grin on his face. “Ian seems like a great guy,” I said. “We’ve hung out before. I’ve always been able to count on him to make me laugh.”

“That’s what the ladies love about him.” He walked over to the stall that had a giant brown and white horse.

“Is he seeing someone?” I asked curiously.

Reed shook his head. “Not for quite some time. Our line of work can be hard on relationships. We never know when we’re going to be away for a long period of time. Take for instance, Bryce. He’s been gone for a year, with little to no contact with family and friends.”

“I see.” Disappointment welled in my chest. “What do you do for the FBI?”

He averted his focus to the horse. “Unfortunately, it’s not something I can discuss.”

“Top secret, huh?” I joked.

He smiled, but there was no humor in it. “Something like that.”

I knew the ins and outs of the police force, but something told me, I didn’t know anything about the FBI. I could only imagine the kinds of things they had to do, the secrets they had to keep. It was intriguing.

The brown and white horse nudged Reed with its nose.

“Who is this beauty?” I asked.

Reed rubbed the horse’s face. “Her name’s Wildfire. She’s mine.”

I smoothed my hand down her neck. “I love it.” Then my gaze caught the white mare staring at me from the stall across the barn. She whinnied and I smiled. “I take it that’s Ian’s?” I walked over and she rubbed her face against mine.

“She likes you,” Reed said.

I rubbed both sides of her face, my eyes burning the entire time. “She reminds me of the horse I had as a child. Her name was Sandie.”

Reed patted her neck. “This one’s Ellie.”

“Hi, Ellie. I’m Grace. You are such a pretty girl.”

Reed’s phone rang and he stepped back. “Ian, what’s up?” Heart racing, I tried my best to listen to the conversation, but I couldn’t hear anything from the other end. “All right, we’ll see you later.” Reed hung up and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

“What did he say?”

“He’s going out to lunch with that Henderson woman.” Reed walked over to one of the saddles on the wall and took it down. “Want to go for a ride?”

Sighing, I bottled up my mounting questions and glanced up at Ellie. “Can I ride her?”

Reed grabbed another saddle and chuckled. “Of course. I don’t think she’d have it any other way.”

Ian

“I think that about covers it,” Zoe said, sliding the menus back into her folder. “Do you have any questions?”

“I do. What can you tell me about security? I heard about the recent abduction in your parking lot. I want to ensure my co-workers are safe.”

She waved me off. “Our security team is top-notch. I can assure you nothing will happen to your guests. More cameras will be added around the hotel property, to ensure maximum safety. Jared Beckett, the former owner’s son, decided all of this today, as a matter of fact.”

“Such a tragedy about his father. Will you be at the funeral?” I asked.

“Of course,” she replied sadly. “Are you going?”

It was the perfect way to study the people, and to stand in place of Grace. I knew it killed her not being able to attend. “I am. I didn’t know him personally, but he was a well-respected man.”

“That he was. Jared’s determined to make the hotel better in his father’s name.”

“Good.”

“Any other questions?”

I shook my head. “I think we’re all set. Just email me the contract tonight, and I’ll make the down payment tomorrow.”

Her face brightened. “Excellent. We won’t let you down.”

“Great.” Leaning in, I lowered my voice. “Now, how about we talk about something other than business.”

She bit her lip. “Like what?”

I sat back in my chair. “I don’t know. I guess that depends on whether you’re seeing someone or not?”

“Not at the moment. Are you?”

“Nope.” There was a certain dark-haired beauty I was interested in.

“Well, if you’re not seeing someone, and I’m not, we should go out sometime,” she suggested, leaning over the table so the tops of her breasts would show. Under normal circumstances, that’d turn me on, but she didn’t do a damn thing for me.

“I agree,” I said, leaning on my elbows. “So how long have you been a manager at the hotel?”

Her smile faded, but then it perked back up. “I got the promotion recently. I’m loving it.”

“Congratulations.”

She glanced around the restaurant, then down at her phone. “Looks like we’ve been here for a few hours.” Her gaze lifted to mine and she smiled. “How about heading over to my place for a while? It’s more comfortable.”

A deep chuckle escaped my lips. “Sounds like a good time, but I have to get back to work. Raincheck?”

“Sure,” she replied, the disappointment showing on her face. She wrote her number down on a napkin. “Call me when you get a chance.”

Taking the napkin, I put it in my pocket. “See you soon.” I ran a hand down her arm and she trembled. I was ready to get the fuck out of there and back to Grace.

When I got home, Grace was sitting on a bale of hay, feeding Ellie apple slices. I figured Ellie would walk over to me as I made my way to the barn, but she stayed with Grace. “Trading me in for someone else, Ellie?” I called out teasingly.

Grace laughed and continued to feed and pet her. “She obviously likes me better.”

I walked over and patted Ellie’s back. “Ellie’s good at reading people.”

Grace looked down at her wrists. They were unbandaged and still raw. “I’m sure she could sense my distress. My horse, Sandie, was the same way. She’d follow me everywhere on the ranch, until I went inside.”

I sat beside her on the hay bale. “How’d it go with my brother? He didn’t flirt with you too much, did he?”

She shook her head and laughed. “You do enough for the both of you. Speaking of flirting, did you bring on the charm with Zoe?”

I could sense a hint of jealousy in her tone. I loved it. “Does that bother you?” I asked, my arm brushing against hers.

Her chin lifted as she focused on Ellie. “Not in the least. I’ve seen you around town. You flirt with everyone.”

“And yet, you never see any of them going home with me, do you?”

“I’m not around you twenty-four-seven,” she said, not backing down. “How do I know they don’t?”

I tapped her chin and she turned to me. “Because I would tell you. There’s only one woman I’ve shown true interest in. And now she’s stuck with me.”

A slow smile spread across her face. “Unfortunately.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad,” I said, bumping her shoulder. She snorted and it made me smile. “Although, I do have to wonder about you and Jared. Zoe told me you two were really close. I thought you didn’t mix business with pleasure. At least, that’s what you always told me.” I’d asked her about Jared before, when I caught him staring at her at the bar.

Grace sighed and shook her head. “It’s not like that. Yeah, I think Jared has some feelings for me, but he’s never acted on them, and I’d never let it get that far. I’m sure some people at the resort think I got my promotion because I was sleeping with him.”

“So, you haven’t?”

She smacked my arm. “Of course not. I don’t like him that way.” Her smile faded as she averted her gaze to the ground. Ellie stomped her foot and butted Grace’s arm. “To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about Jared anymore. If his father knew what was going on, who’s to say Jared didn’t? He could’ve saved me if he wanted to.”

I nodded. “That’s what your father’s investigating now. As you know, only the security team and the resort owners have access to the security room. He could’ve easily been the one to interrupt the news feed.”

“Not unless someone else got past unnoticed,” she added. “Brad’s not always in that room. There’ve been times I could’ve easily walked in there.”

Groaning, I ran a hand through my hair. “This makes everything much more complicated. There’s no telling who went in the room.”

The wind blew Grace’s hair around her face and my fingers ached to brush it away. A few minutes passed by and all she did was sit there with her eyes closed. I’d indulged in many women over the years, and could always get any of them I wanted, but not her. Grace was the one I could never get.

“Ian?” she whispered, opening her hazel eyes. She looked over at me, her face serious. “If I would’ve given in to you before, would you have told me the truth about who you are?”

“That depends.” I answered honestly. I couldn’t go around telling every woman I’d fucked who I was.

Her brows furrowed. “On what?”

“On how close we were.”

She brushed the hair off her face. “What if we were intimate?”

Thoughts of her spread out beneath me ran rampant through my mind. My dick lengthened, and I could feel it pushing against my pants. Willing my erection away, I placed my hands on her cheeks, causing her to suck in a quick breath. I’d never touched her like that, and it felt so damn good to be close to her. I wanted her so fucking bad.

“There are things you still don’t know about me. If we were intimate, I’d tell you when the time was right, and hope like hell you’d understand the reasons why.”

“I trust you, Ian. I just figured since I’m going to be here for a while, fighting the tension between us is going to get more difficult by the day.”

I pulled her close and she came willingly, closing her eyes as I was about to kiss her. “Don’t I know it,” I murmured against her lips.

My phone beeped, interrupting the moment, and I clenched my jaw. I already knew who it was without even looking. Grace opened her eyes, brows furrowed as I pulled out my phone from my pocket. “Tension isn’t the only thing going on between us.”

She cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

I held up my phone so she could see there was a text from her father. “He’s not going to like us being together. The man respects me, but he’s not going to want his daughter getting involved with someone like me. What I do is dangerous.” I was a killer, but I couldn’t tell her that.

“What my dad does is dangerous too.” Her gaze dropped down to my lips and she smiled. “Besides, when were you afraid of a challenge?”

“You just done messed up, girl. If your father kills me, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life. Good luck trying to get a date with another man with a ghost following you around.”

She burst out laughing. “I could totally see you doing that.”

I laughed with her and grabbed her hands, gently helping her up without hurting her wrists. “I would say we could take a walk, but there’s something else that requires your attention.”

Gaze narrowed, she looked up at me and smiled. “What?”

The sound of her father’s car could be heard coming down the gravel driveway. I stepped out of the way so she could see him pulling up. “He brought your mother.”

She gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. The car hadn’t come to a complete stop when her mother burst out and ran toward us. Grace’s eyes filled with tears and she took off running, jumping into her mother’s arms. Colton came up behind them and wrapped his arms around them both.

Reed came out from the house and passed the huddle. Nodding at Colton, he walked over to me. “How did it go today?”

I turned around and sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know yet. Zoe strikes me as being the devious and manipulative type when it comes to men, but I don’t see her being a killer. I’m going to talk to her more at the funeral.”

Reed nodded and a sly smile broadened his face. “Good deal.”

“Why are you grinning like that?” I asked, staring at him.

He chuckled and patted my shoulder. “Looks like you’re going to get the girl after all.”

That brought about an involuntary roll of my eyes. “She’s not mine yet. I need to concentrate on finding who tried to kill her first.”

He snorted. “Good luck with that. I don’t see you two being able to hold out a few days, much less a week. I saw you two down here.”

I glanced up at the house, where Grace had sat with her parents on the front porch. “If things get serious, I’ll have to tell her what I am. How do you think she’ll take it?” It was one of the reasons why I never cared about getting serious with anyone.

Reed sighed and focused on Grace. “She’ll understand. Her father’s a cop. She knows the kind of shit that happens in this world. Hell, she lived through it. She’d probably put a bullet through the fucker’s head who took her if she could.”

Grace wasn’t a killer, but if she wanted to do it, I’d make sure she had the chance.

Grace

“I’m so sorry we made you suffer. It broke my heart keeping you in the dark.”

“Oh, baby, it’s okay. I’m just so thankful you’re alive.” My mother hugged me hard, sniffling in my ear. I could tell she hadn’t taken care of herself over the past few days. Her brown hair was stringy and unkempt, and her eyes had dark circles beneath them.

“Me too.”

She let me go and I sat down on the bed, while she glanced around at the guest bedroom Ian put me in. The window on the opposite side of the room had the most glorious view of the Grand Teton Mountains in the daylight. I could stare out that window for hours. Even now, at night, I could see all the stars in the sky.

My father was outside with Ian and Reed, most likely talking about the case. I didn’t want to stay hidden forever, but the thought of looking over my shoulder every minute of the day, not knowing who wanted me dead, didn’t appeal to me.

My mother walked around the room. “Ian’s such a good man, he’s taken you in and cared for you. I’ve always enjoyed his company.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “So do all the women he’s around.”

She smiled. “He’s a charmer, that’s for sure.”

“Have you seen Mya at all?” I asked, changing the subject from Ian.

Her lips tightened and she nodded. “She came over yesterday and brought us dinner. The poor girl looked horrible. Not that I can talk.” She picked up a chunk of her hair and let it flop down. “Now when I go out in public, I have to pretend to be distraught. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good problem to have. But hopefully, I’m a good actress.”

I patted the bed and she sat down. “You’ll do fine.”

“Oh, before I forget, I brought some of your things to you.” She jumped up and reached inside her purse. “The night you were taken, you dropped your purse. I have your wallet and house keys, but not your phone. The police have it right now, however,” she pulled out another a phone, “here’s a prepaid phone your father got from the store. That way, you can call me anytime you want.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll call you every day.”

She hugged me again. “You better.”

The front door opened and I heard the guys come inside. “Jenny, you about ready to go?” my father called.

I walked my mother to the door, where my father waited. Ian smiled at me and I tried to ignore my erratic heartbeat, but failed miserably, heat rising to my cheeks. “Bye, Dad,” I said, hugging him tight.

He kissed my head. “Stay safe, sweetheart. I’ll let you know if we find anything new.”

Ian and I followed them outside and stood on the porch so I could watch them drive away. “I see your mother gave you a phone,” he said.

“Yep.” I held it up. “I’m only going to use it to call her and my father. She also gave me my house keys. At least, we don’t have to break in now.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he said with a laugh. “Speaking of which, we should probably go while it’s dark.”

I glanced down at my frumpy clothes. “I’m good with that.”

We jumped in his old blue truck and it rumbled to life. Luckily, we didn’t have to go through the city to get to my house. “Is your mom okay now?”

I nodded. “Yep. It’s a load off my mind, but I’m still concerned about Mya. I know she’s sick with worry. I hate keeping her in the dark.” I trusted her, but I knew she wouldn’t be able to keep it from her husband, and he tended to talk too much when he drank. I couldn’t risk word getting out.

“You’ll be able to tell her soon enough,” Ian assured me.

We arrived at my house and the kitchen light was still on from the last time I left. Ian parked in the back and we entered through the patio door. “It won’t take me long,” I whispered.

“I’m going to look around, and make sure everything looks okay.”

I nodded, then hurried off to my room. The bed was still made, not a single wrinkle in the purple comforter. Mya’s landscape pictures still hung on my walls. There were so many things I wanted to take with me. Grabbing the largest suitcase out of my closet, I packed as many clothes as I could, along with a picture of me and my parents, and another with me and Mya. I even included a few pieces of lingerie I’d never had the chance to wear.

“Everything looks normal,” Ian announced, entering my bedroom. He looked around with a smile on his face. “So, this is where you dream about me, huh?”

I rolled my eyes. “You wish.”

He walked around while I went into the en-suite to grab my toiletries. When I came out, he had a picture in his hands. “Is this your ex?”

The last time I saw that picture was the night before I was taken. I’d thrown it in the trash, ready to be rid of it forever. Clearing my throat, I stuffed my toiletries into my suitcase and zipped it up. Thinking about Trey brought back lots of painful memories.

“Yes.” I glanced over at the trashcan beside my bed, where all his things still sat, ready to be discarded. But I’d never gotten the chance. There were other pictures in there too, along with letters he’d written, and a couple of his T-shirts.

Ian threw the frame back in the trash and took a step toward me, his gaze guarded. “What happened between you two? You never told me.”

I shrugged and avoided his stare. I felt stupid for trusting Trey for all those years, only to be made a fool. “What’s there to tell? We were together for four years, engaged, and then he cheated on me. I guess that’s what happens when you have a long-distance relationship.”

“No, it’s not, Grace.” Closing the distance between us, he cupped my chin. I had no choice but to look up at him. “Someone like him would cheat on you even if you shared a house. He was just too stupid to realize how good he had it. You deserve a whole hell of a lot better than what that dildo could do for you.”

That was for damn sure. I just wished I’d figured it out before giving him my heart. “It still hurt,” I murmured. “I gave him four years of my life. After that, I buried myself in work.”

He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ears and moved back. “Is that why you turned me down? Afraid you’d get hurt?”

“Trey was one of the bad boys,” I said, meeting Ian’s gaze. “He was smart, funny, charming, and good-looking . . . everything a girl could want. But it turns out, every guy I’ve met since Trey have all turned out to be douchebags. By the time I finally met you, I was already done. All I wanted was to find a nice, average guy who wouldn’t get hit on by every woman in a ten-mile radius; someone who could stay faithful. And you, my friend, are clearly not average.” I sighed and shook my head. “He was supposed to move to Wyoming, but he kept putting it off. Turned out there was a red-headed Broadway dancer he wanted more than me.”

Ian pulled me into his arms and I melted against him. “I’m sorry, Grace. If it makes you feel any better, there was a girl I fell in love with in Charleston.”

“What happened?” I asked, looking up at him.

“She died in a car accident. I was only eighteen, but I cared about her. After that, I devoted my time to training and school, so I could join the FBI. You see,” he placed his hands on my face, “although it’s not the same, we’ve both lost people we cared about. The good thing is, we can heal. We can make sure our pasts don’t define us. We can move on. I joke around and it may piss you off at times, but I do know one thing.” His lips were so close to mine.

“What?” I whispered.

He kissed me gently, and I opened up to him, begging him to take more. His hands clutched my face tighter, and I moaned when his tongue explored my mouth. He pulled away first and I was glad. It wasn’t the right place or time. Resting his forehead to mine, a deep chuckle escaped his lips.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to do that?”

“Probably just as long as I’ve waited for you to do it. But what were you going to say before we got distracted?”

His thumb brushed over my lips. “I said that I may piss you off at times, but I didn’t spend all my time trying to break down your walls just to hurt you. You trust me with your life, so I’m hoping one day, you can trust me with your heart.”

“Spoken like a true romantic. Who would’ve thought you had it in you?” I teased.

He smirked and it turned me on even more. “You haven’t seen nothing yet. Now let’s get home so I can take a cold shower.”

Rolling my eyes, I chuckled and watched him carry my suitcase out. I was going to need a damn ice bath.

Ian

The funeral was the longest ceremony I’d ever had to suffer through. I didn’t know Charles Beckett personally, but he was obviously loved by many. Hell, Grace still cared for the guy, even after knowing he’d held knowledge of people being murdered.

The rain stopped by the time the graveyard service came around. Everyone piled around his final resting place and listened while the preacher said one last prayer. When he was done, the guests were encouraged to say their goodbyes to the family.

Colton gave his condolences to Jared and the rest of Charles’ family, while I watched everyone who passed by. Charles’ wife, Madeline, sat in a chair, completely despondent as everyone tried to talk to her and hug her. She was no doubt drugged up on medication.

“Are you going to give your respects?” Zoe linked her arm with mine and it took all I had not to shrug her off. Tears fell down her cheeks and she wiped them away.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow and smiled. “I was waiting for the right time.”

“Great, we can go up together.”

The line thinned out and we made our way toward Jared. I held out my hand and he shook it, his face devoid of any emotion. He looked like complete and utter shit. “I’m sorry for your loss,” I said.

He nodded. “Thank you for coming.”

Lauren shook my hand next and hugged Zoe. “Are you coming to the grill tonight?” she asked her.

Zoe placed her hand on my arm. “Is it all right if I bring my date?”

Lauren glanced at me with a small smile. “Of course. The get together is just for the staff and their guests.”

Zoe hugged her again. “We’ll see you there,” she said softly.

We walked off and I carefully pulled my arm away from hers and stuck my hands in my pockets. “What’s this get together tonight?”

Zoe nodded over at Jared. “Now that Jared’s the owner of the hotel, he wanted to assure everyone that the hotel will be fine and we’ll get through this loss. I think Lauren’s going to come in and help for a few weeks, until we all acclimate.”

“I see. And you want me to come with you?”

She sheepishly bit her lip. “I’d like for you to. If you can’t, it’s fine. It starts at seven at the Wild River Grill; just dinner and a couple of drinks.”

It wasn’t something I wanted to do, but it’d give me a chance to observe Jared. I was about to tell her I’d go, when Brad Sawyer passed my line of sight. He was headed straight for the parking lot, where a familiar blonde waited by a silver SUV. It was Emily, the front desk manager at the resort. She glanced around, then they kissed before he opened the door for her to get in. Brad never said anything to the police about having relations with a fellow co-worker. That changed things.

“Hey, isn’t that Brad Sawyer?” I asked, furrowing my brows.

Zoe glanced over at the car and scoffed. “Yep. How do you know him?”

“I think he dated my sister,” I lied. I didn’t even have a sister. “Looks like he’s found someone else.”

Her eyes flashed with anger. “He and Emily have been screwing around for a while now. Not surprising. She’ll sleep with anyone to get what she wants. When I was still working in housekeeping, I caught them having sex in one of the vacant rooms.”

“Interesting,” I said, watching Emily drive away. “I’ll have to let my sister know to stay far away from him.”

She snorted. “That’s for damn sure.”

I turned back to her. “So, for tonight, do you mind if I just meet you at the restaurant?”

Her face brightened. “You’re coming with me?”

I nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

“Of course. You can meet me there. I’ll wait for you in the parking lot.”

“Sounds good. See you then.” I forced a smile and walked to my truck, meeting Colton’s gaze in the process. Once on the main road, I called him.

“What’s going on, Chandler?” he asked.

“You won’t believe what I just found out. Guess who’s fucking each other at the hotel?”

When I walked inside the house, I found it empty. Looking out back, I found Grace on the back porch swing, reading a book, and Reed laying in the hammock with his cowboy hat covering his face. I snuck outside and was about to knock Reed out of the hammock when he lifted his hat, a broad smile stretching across his face.

“You weren’t planning on knocking me out of the hammock, were you?”

Grace jerked around and grabbed her chest. “Oh my God! I didn’t hear you sneak up.”

Chuckling, I slapped Reed’s back as he stood. “Just making sure you’re alert.”

He glanced over at Grace. “I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. We just got done with the horses and it was time for a break.”

Grace nodded. “We’ve been working hard. I was trying to stay busy while you were gone, to keep my mind off things. How’d it go?”

“Long,” I replied. “There’s a dinner at Wild River for the hotel staff. They’re allowed to bring a guest and Zoe asked me to go.”

“You’re going?” she asked.

“Yep, and here’s why. Did you know Emily and Brad are fucking around?”

Grace’s eyes widened. “As in having sex?”

I nodded. “Zoe found them in the act not too long ago. According to her, Emily sleeps around a lot.”

She snorted. “That’s an understatement. I’ve caught her flirting with a lot of the hotel guests. I love her to death, but she doesn’t think twice about spreading her legs.”

“So, what are we going to do?” Reed questioned.

I glanced at them both. “Hopefully, figure this shit out.”

Grace

“I’ll be able to hear everything as it’s going on?” I asked, watching Ian secure the cufflinks to his blue button-down.

Nodding, he pointed to one of the small, silver cufflinks. “This one’s an audio transmitter. You can hear what’s going on, but I can’t hear you. I know these are your people, so if there’s something you feel I need to ask them, just text it to me.”

“I will.” He folded up the sleeves. The action hid the cufflink from view, but showed off his tattoos. “So, your plan is to find Emily and work your charm on her?”

Sighing, he pulled me into his arms. “Does that bother you?”

I shrugged. “There are a lot of things that bother me right now. I always knew Emily was a little jealous of me, but what if she’s the one who wants me dead? I can’t wrap my head around it. We’ve worked together for a long time.”

He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “Like I said before, sometimes, those closest to us are the ones who’ll betray us first.”

“I know,” I said, holding his hand to my cheek. “Just don’t flirt with her too much. I don’t know how much I can handle. The thought of it alone pisses me off.”

A mischievous smile spread across his face. “Imagine how I felt watching Jared do the same thing with you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

His eyes took on a dangerous glow. “I know. Because if he had anything to do with what happened to you, I’ll kill him.”

A part of me believed him. But then, my father would be right along with him. Hell, I wanted to face the people who kidnapped me. If given the chance, I wondered if I’d be able to kill them.

Lifting on my toes, I kissed him. “When you find the people who wanted me dead, I want to be there.”

He nodded. “I’m a good hunter, cupcake. I’ll find them.”

“Cupcake?” I asked with a laugh.

“What? You taste sweet. I’m hoping to get a little more tonight.” Grinning from ear to ear, he bit his bottom lip. “I shouldn’t be gone too long.”

“Ian,” Reed shouted, “we’ve got a package.” We walked to the living room, where he’d pulled three small boxes out of a larger box and set them on the coffee table. “Pretty sure it’s our watches,” he added. They each grabbed one of the smaller boxes and opened them up to reveal black watches.

“Those look nice,” I said. “Did you get them on the internet?”

Reed’s focus shot over to Ian and they both chuckled. “No,” Ian replied, hooking it around his wrist. “These are special order.”

Reed pressed a button on the side of his. When he did, Ian’s beeped.

“What do they do?” I asked.

Reed handed me his watch and Ian explained. “A woman we know designed these. It took a while to get the tracking software just right.” Ian tapped his finger on the watch face and it came to life. “These three watches are connected. If one of us is in trouble, we can alert the others and find their location. It also has voice to text, so messages can be sent easily.”

Fascinated by the whole idea, I checked out its features. It was some real James Bond-type shit. “This is insane. I didn’t know the government had this kind of stuff.”

“You wouldn’t believe the kind of things we have access to,” Reed said. He opened the last box and strapped the watch to his wrist.

Ian took the watch from me and slipped it around my wrist. “This is Bryce’s, but for the time being, why don’t you wear it? That way, I’ll know you’re okay.”

“Are you sure?” I gasped, looking down at the watch. It had to be worth thousands of dollars.

Ian smiled and my body melted. “I’m sure. If Reed has to leave for some reason, and something happens, I’ll be able to find you.”

Reed shook his head. “I’m taking tonight off. I want to be near my computer in case you find something. Plus, I need some sleep.”

Ian slapped his back. “That you do, brother. You look like dog shit.”

“Thanks, asshole.” Chuckling, he flipped him off. Leaving the room, he soon came back, laptop in hand.

I’d noticed Reed hadn’t had time to sleep, with being gone at nights and being with me during the day. It made me wonder what he was doing. Ian told me they had secrets, and I wasn’t going to lie, I wanted to know them.

Placing his hand on the back of my neck, he pulled me close and kissed me. “I won’t be gone long.”

Reed typed away on his computer. “We’re all set. You’re connected,” he called out.

Ian winked and headed for the door. I could hear his footsteps through Reed’s computer as he walked to his truck.

“Want to order a pizza tonight?” Reed asked, sitting back on the couch.

I sat down beside him. “Sure. I’m not picky. I can eat any kind.”

His smile broadened and he got back up. “That was easy.” He walked away and called it in while I listened to Ian sing along with Bruno Mars on the truck radio. I couldn’t help but laugh. Reed came back and sat down, shaking his head incredulously at his brother. “He was always the life of the party.”

I giggled. “I can see that. What’s Bryce like? I know you said he and Ian were different from each other.”

“Definitely different. Bryce is more serious and doesn’t play around, while Ian can look death in the face and laugh. It’s like he’s not afraid of anything. Some might call it reckless, but I think he’s just fearless because he has nothing to lose.” He cleared his throat. “Until now.”

“What do you mean?”

“He has you. When he found out you were missing, it was like something snapped inside of him.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know him that well, but even I could tell he was a different person when I woke up yesterday. I’ve never seen him look so serious.”

He held up his hands. “All I can say is, give him a chance. I don’t know what all he’s told you about us, but what we do is unpredictable. We never know if we’ll be gone for a night or three months. It all depends on the case.”

“Is that where you’ve been the past couple of nights? On a case?” I asked.

Averting his gaze, he turned back to the computer. “Something like that.”

And there it was, a closed door; one of the secrets Ian told me about. I wasn’t about to pry further, so I let it go. “I’ve always liked Ian,” I confessed. “As long as he doesn’t break my heart, we’ll be fine.”

Reed grinned. “He may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I know he’s not that stupid.”

“All right, I’m here.” Ian’s voice interrupted our conversation, his voice coming from the computer. I hated that we couldn’t see what was going on. All we could do was listen.

Reed pressed one of the side buttons on his watch and said, “We’re listening.”

I watched the words type across his screen, then my watch buzzed and the same words showed up on its screen. “Amazing,” I breathed.

Ian’s truck shut off and I could hear him pulling the keys out of the ignition. “Got your message. It’s show time.”

Zoe shouted his name, all flirtatious and sexy. Groaning, I leaned over on my elbows and stared at the computer. “It’s going to be a long night.”

Reed chuckled. “Don’t worry, she has nothing on you.”

I smiled. “Thanks. It’s been hard to trust people after my ex cheated on me. Seeing women fawn all over Ian isn’t going to be easy.”

The doorbell rang and Reed jumped up. “Pizza’s here. I’ll be right back.”

I got up and grabbed us two plates out of the kitchen, along with two glasses of tea. All I could hear was Zoe, talking about how happy she was he agreed to go out with her. I hadn’t realized until now how irritating and grating her voice could be.

Reed set the pizzas on the coffee table and opened both boxes. “I got one with practically everything on it, and another with just plain cheese.”

I snatched up a piece of each. “Looks good to me.”

As we ate, time slipped away. I listened to Ian and Zoe eat dinner and talk about mundane things. Ian was there to find Emily, but so far, I hadn’t heard her voice anywhere.

“Excuse me for a minute,” I could hear Ian say.

“Sure,” Zoe replied.

Next, he spoke under his breath. “Emily’s here, but she’s nowhere near Brad. I had to get away. Going out the back door to get some air.”

Reed scoffed. “I would’ve gotten away a long time ago.”

“What kind of women do you like?”

He shrugged. “All sorts. But I prefer outdoor girls who don’t mind getting a little dirty. Women like Zoe and Emily hold no interest for me.”

“That’s what shocks me with you and Ian,” I said. “My ex wasn’t like that. He always wanted me to be put together all the time. My makeup had to be on and I had to wear the expensive clothes he bought me.” I shook my head. “That wasn’t me. For a while, I thought I could live like that, but then, reality hit. I’m so glad I made the decision to move back home.”

“It’s a good thing you did.”

“Getting ready to go back to the party,” Ian mumbled. The music got louder as he went inside.

Grabbing mine and Reed’s plates, I took them to the kitchen. I needed a refill on my tea.

“Want another drink?” the bartender asked. I recognized his voice. His name was Chris and he always made sure to add extra vodka to my drinks.

Ian sighed. “Gin and tonic, please. I need it.”

Another person entered the conversation. “I would too, if I had to deal with your date.”

The second I heard his voice, I dropped the plates in the sink.

“You all right in there?” Reed called out. When I didn’t answer, he stormed into the kitchen, his expression concerned. “Grace, what’s wrong?”

Swallowing hard, I walked past him to the computer. I sat down in his spot and stared at the screen, focusing on the voice. The more I heard the man speak, the more I knew it was him. “That’s him, Reed. The man who abducted me.”

Ian

“And you are?” I put my hand out to the guy who’d taken the stool next to me.

The man shook my hand and smiled. “Daniel Bradfield.” He looked to be around my age with black hair and green eyes. I hadn’t ever seen him around, but the name was familiar. He glanced back at Zoe, who sat at another table with employees from the hotel. She waved and I waved back.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ian Chandler,” I said. “Any relation to Larry Bradfield?”

He smiled. “That was my grandfather. He passed away a few months ago, left his ranch to me.”

“Sorry for your loss.”

His brows furrowed. “Did you know him?”

I shook my head. “Not personally. I just remember hearing his name somewhere. I know he was a former chief of police.”

“That he was,” he said proudly.

Zoe sauntered over, swaying her hips. “Hey, guys.” She put her arm around my shoulders, staring directly at Daniel. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I was invited.”

Zoe scoffed. “And who would do such a thing?”

He grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Zoe turned her back on him, running a hand up my chest. “After my boss makes his announcement, do you want to come over to my place?”

Sighing, I glanced down at my watch. “I have an early wakeup call tomorrow. Maybe another night?”

She slid a finger down my cheek. “Sounds good to me. I’ll be right back.”

Once she was gone, I tossed back the contents of my glass.

“She’s got a mouth on her,” Daniel said. “If anything, I’d take advantage of that. I wouldn’t get the dipstick wet though, she’s bound to give ya something.”

“Don’t think it’s worth it, man.”

Daniel burst out laughing. “I hear you. I don’t see how Jared puts up with her at the hotel.”

Speaking of Jared, he was marching over and had his sights on Daniel. “We need to talk, now,” Jared hissed at him.

Daniel’s jaw clenched and he turned around. “What do you want?”

My watched vibrated and so did my phone, multiple times. I pulled out my phone just as Jared and Daniel walked away.

Reed: That’s him!

Reed: Grace confirmed. He’s the fucker who took her.

So many emotions ran through me at once, but rage was winning out. I couldn’t believe I’d sat there, joking around with the bastard I was hunting. Getting to my feet, I slammed money on the bar for my food and drinks. I had to keep my eyes on the target. Jared and Daniel appeared to be arguing, then Daniel stormed out, followed by Jared. Fists clenched, I hurried to the door. I wanted to kill him and Jared both. The cocksuckers knew each other.

I pushed my way outside, only to see Jared staring at Daniel as he sped away in a gray sports car. It wasn’t a black truck, but that didn’t matter. Jared huffed and charged to the door.

“Everything okay?” I asked, clenching my fists tighter. It took all I had not to slam him down on the ground and beat the shit out of him. I wanted answers.

“Yeah,” Jared snapped, slamming open the door and going back inside.

Grabbing my keys, I hurried to my truck, knowing Reed and Grace were still listening. “On my way home. We need a game plan.”

By the time I got home, I was so livid I couldn’t see straight. Zoe had texted a million fucking times, but I didn’t give a shit about her. I should’ve never let the fucker get away. I stormed through the front door and Grace was right there. Pulling her into my arms, I held her tight. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, she threaded her fingers through mine and brought them down. “Hearing his voice, his laugh.” She shuddered. “I remember fearing and hating it at the same time. What makes it worse is knowing Jared’s friends with him.”

“They had an argument before Daniel stormed away. I don’t know what it was about.”

She pulled my hand. “Look what we found.” I followed her into the living room and sat on the couch.

Reed had several different tabs opened on his computer. He moved it to the middle of the coffee table. “Check this out,” he said, enlarging one of the screens. “Once we knew Daniel was Larry Bradfield’s grandson, I was able to pull up the address to his estate.” On the computer was an aerial view of a house and barn. “Who would’ve thought the former chief of police was in on this shit?”

“And with Charles knowing what was going on, there’s no telling how many people are in on this.” I shook my head in disgust. It was a huge fucking mess.

Grace pointed at the barn. “That’s where I was kept. I’m sure of it. I escaped out this door, and remembered looking at the house back that way.” She glided her finger across the screen. “Then I took off across the meadow and into the woods.”

“And she’s lucky she went east, then cut south,” Reed added. “The three people found years ago turned north and died from the weather before they could be found.”

Grace squeezed my hand and nodded at Reed. The next picture that came up on the computer was one of Daniel with Jared and two other guys. Grace pointed at one of the other men. “This guy’s name is Andrew Davies. He was the guy who checked into the hotel the day I was attacked. I was on my way to meet him, Charles, and Jared at Wild River when I was taken.”

It all clicked into place. “So, he was the guy who walked out with Jared that night. I saw them on the video feed.”

Reed clicked out of the picture and pulled up some of Daniel’s personal documents. “According to his records, it looks like Daniel lived in Montana before coming down here. He owns a company called Extreme Hunting Expeditions with the other guy in the picture. His name’s Marcus Hill.”

It was as if everything clicked into place. “A hunting company in Montana? Sounds like they’re doing a lot more than killing elk.”

“What are you going to do?” Grace asked. “You can’t tell my dad just yet. He’ll go after Daniel.” Yes, he would, just like any avenging father. I couldn’t blame him. However, I wanted to be the one to kill him.

Reed met my gaze and nodded. He knew exactly what I wanted to do. “I’m going to find a way to get inside.”

Grace’s eyes widened. “Seriously? How do you plan on doing that?”

“I have an idea. In the morning, you’ll come with me. For now, we keep this information to ourselves. If someone else goes missing, we’ll go right after Daniel. He’s the one we know is in this for certain.”

Grace

“You doing okay?” my mother asked.

Propping the phone up on my shoulder, I opened the oven to check on my biscuits. “I’m fine, Mom. Just got done making biscuits and gravy for the guys.” I’d gotten up early and made breakfast. I wanted to give back in any way I could.

“I see,” she said with a snicker.

“What’s so funny?” I pulled down three plates out of the cabinet and grabbed the orange juice from the refrigerator.

“Nothing, sweetheart. I’m just getting the impression you like being there. I can hear it in your voice.”

“I guess I can’t hide anything from you.” I’d finally allowed myself to get close to Ian, and I’d found a friend in Reed. I had a new purpose in life, and it didn’t involve working myself to death. This experience had taught me there were more important things than moving up the corporate ladder.

“I’m glad. You’ve neglected yourself over the past year.”

“Guess it took facing death to make me see things differently.” The sausage and gravy was done, so I took it off the burner.

“Just be safe . . . and I mean that in all ways, Grace. Ian’s a handsome young man and consequences happen as a result of not using—”

“Mom, stop,” I blurted. “Ian and I aren’t together like that.”

She giggled. “Okay, whatever you say. Take care of yourself, baby. I’m more than ready for this to be over.”

“You and me both.” We said our goodbyes just as Ian turned the corner, dressed in another pair of his sexy, ripped jeans and a T-shirt. He’d stayed up most of the night with Reed, researching Daniel and the others. Not having him next to me as I’d planned, only made me crave him even more.

“Damn, that smells good,” he said, coming up behind me. Squeezing my waist, he kissed my neck, the stubble on his chin making me giggle. “I missed you last night.”

My body tightened. “Same here.”

He slid his lips down to my shoulder, kissing me tenderly. “Don’t worry, buttercup. We’ll have some fun tonight. But first, we have work to do. I think you’ll like where we’re going.”

Turning around, I handed him a plate. “Buttercup? I thought it was cupcake?”

He winked. “Tomorrow it might be sweet cheeks.”

Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Where exactly will we be going? Will I be seeing people?”

Grabbing two biscuits, he spooned some gravy over the top of them and popped his eyebrows up and down. “Yep, but we can trust them.”

Reed walked into the kitchen, taking a deep breath in and holding his stomach. “Holy shit, I’m hungry. I could smell the food all the way in my room.”

I passed him a plate and filled up my own. “There’s a ton. Eat up.”

Reed ate quickly and put his plate in the sink. “I have to head out to Boise for the day. I’ll be back later tonight.” I watched him give Ian a look, before he threw a smile at me.

“Let me guess,” I said once Reed had left the room, “he’s going on a secret mission?”

Ian stared back at me, regarding me curiously. “Why do you say that?”

I shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s the way you two looked at each other before he walked away. I’m intuitive, Ian.”

“That’s good,” he agreed.

“Where he’s going, does it involve me?”

Sighing, he stood and pulled me into his arms. “No. What he’s doing involves something else entirely.” A slow growing smile spread across his face. “But now, me and you have somewhere to be.”

Ian helped me clean up the kitchen, and we were on our way. It felt incredible to get off the ranch for a while. It was a beautiful day, with the sky covered in wisps of white clouds. The air was warmer, and I knew the beginning of tourist season was upon us. Then it hit me.

“What’s going to happen to my house if I don’t pay my bills? If I’m not working, I’m not making any money. And if I’m supposedly dead, I can’t make my payments.” It was the first time I’d ever thought about it.

Ian patted my leg and laughed. “You’re not going to lose your house. If you need money, I can give it to you.”

“No,” I blurted out incredulously. “I’m not taking money from you.”

“Why not? You can pay me back with sexual favors.” He burst out laughing and I smacked his arm.

“Seriously, what’ll happen?”

“Nothing,” he replied, squeezing my hand. “If my plan works, you’ll be back home in a couple of weeks. However, with the media knocking down your door, you might want to stay with me until everything dies down.”

“Is this your way of keeping me around longer?”

His lips tilted slyly. “Maybe. You got something wrong with that?”

I shook my head. “Not at all.”

Deep down, I didn’t want to leave. I loved being at Ian’s house, riding Ellie whenever I pleased. It was a whole different world. Ian’s truck slowed down and we turned onto a paved road, lined with trees. A beautiful ranch-style house sat off in the distance. I’d driven by it numerous times, but never had any clue who lived there.

“Who lives here?” I asked.

Ian chuckled. “Do you know who Hadley Rivers is?”

Heart stopping, I stared at him, frozen in shock. When my voice failed me, I resorted to nodding.

His smiled widened. “She lives here.”

I couldn’t move, and I sure as hell couldn’t breathe. I was about to meet Hadley Rivers, mega country star, and one of my favorite singers. I knew she lived around my area, but I never suspected it was so close.

Ian opened his door and hopped out. Walking around to the passenger side, he helped me out, fingers entwining with mine.

“Are you saying you know Hadley-freaking-Rivers?” I choked out.

He chuckled. “Yep. Although, she’s now Hadley Rivers Evans. Her husband’s like me. There was a time he had to be her bodyguard. Do you remember when everyone thought she was dead?”

Eyes wide, I gasped. “Yes. Now I remember. Her story is almost like mine. Someone was after her and she disappeared.”

He nodded. “The only difference is, the person who hunted her didn’t want her killed. He just wanted her.”

We walked up to the front door and I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d meet Hadley Rivers. The door opened and I recognized the chiseled man who stared back at us. He was always by Hadley’s side in the tabloids. A smile lit up his face and he held out his hand.

“Chandler, it’s good to see you, man.”

Ian shook his hand. “Likewise. I’d like you to meet Grace Myers. Grace, this is Blake Evans.”

Blake smiled at me and shook my hand. “It’s good to meet you. I’m sorry about what you went through.”

I shrugged. “I’m alive.”

“That’s all that matters.” He opened the door further. “Come on in. Hadley’s in the play room with our daughter. She’ll be right out.”

We walked inside the living room and I held my breath. Ian chuckled beside me and I glared at him. “Stop it. I can’t help I’m nervous.”

He put his arm around me. “No reason to be. Hadley’s just a normal person.”

Blake tried to hide his grin and failed; my cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Connor’s outside. Why don’t we go ahead and get started?” he suggested.

Ian squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll be outside. You can stay with Hadley. I know she’s excited to meet you.”

I sat down on the brown, leather couch while Ian and Blake disappeared out the back door. Hadley’s voice echoed down the hall as she talked to her daughter. Even if I was blindfolded, I would’ve recognized her voice.

“Grace?” she called out. I jumped to my feet just as she entered the room, her long, blonde hair in a ponytail, with no makeup on her face whatsoever. She looked like a normal, everyday woman, holding her daughter on her hip. The little girl was a miniature version of her. “Hey, how are you?”

I laughed. “Great, actually. It feels like I’m in a dream.”

She held out her hand and I shook it. “It’s nice to meet you. Blake told me everything that happened. I’m glad you have the Chandlers keeping you safe.”

“Me too.”

The little girl in her arms squealed and buried her face in Hadley’s shoulder. Hadley tried to coax her out. “Amelia, this is Grace. Can you say hi?”

Amelia peeked at me and I waved. “Hi, Amelia.” She was a little over a year old with a mouthful of tiny teeth.

Hadley giggled. “She’s playing shy today. Aren’t you, you little booger?” She tickled Amelia’s cheek and the little girl squealed in delight. “Want to go outside and talk?”

“Sure,” I said, following her out the back door. There was a playset with a baby swing in the yard, and I watched as Hadley put her daughter in the swing. “I’ve never seen you around town.”

“That’s because my husband is a little overprotective,” she said with a laugh.

“Do you plan on doing any more tours? You’ve been out of the spotlight for a while.”

She turned to me and smiled. “Having kids can make you see things differently. Don’t get me wrong, singing is my passion, but I love where I’m at. I don’t want Amelia growing up on the road.”

“I’m not a mother yet, but I can only imagine how precious your time is with her.” Ian and Blake were just outside the barn, talking to a man who towered over them. He had on a cowboy hat with arms bigger than my thighs. “Who’s that?”

Hadley walked behind the swing and gave Amelia a gentle push. Her eyes squinted against the sun as she looked at the guys. “That’s Connor, he used to be my bodyguard. And before that, he used to be a part of the Irish mob, so he stays here to hide from them. It’s a long story.”

I snorted. “Trust me, I get it. My own story’s complicated. I never thought I’d be hiding from people I thought were my friends.”

Amelia giggled every time Hadley pushed her. “You’ll be safe with Ian. He’s such a good guy. Are you two seeing each other?”

“That depends on your definition. He’s asked me out numerous times before this whole situation went down, and I always said no. I guess I was afraid he’d hurt me. Now that I’m staying with him, I can see he’s different than I thought. We’ve gotten . . . closer.” I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks.

Hadley snickered. “I know what that means. I’m sure he treats you a lot better than Blake did me when I was forced to stay with him.”

I gasped. “What do you mean?”

She burst out laughing. “Oh, honey, Blake was horrible. He didn’t want to be my protector when I went into hiding. He thought I was a spoiled brat. Needless to say, I had to prove him wrong.”

“What did you do?”

“Everything he believed I couldn’t,” she explained. “He made me do chores, like clean the horses’ stalls. So, I did it without complaint. The man tried to make my life a living hell. Then, after time, he realized I wasn’t as bad as he thought.”

I glanced over at Ian. He looked so confident as he talked to the others. “Ian’s not like that.”

“No, he’s not,” she agreed. “He might look rough and tough with all the tattoos, but he has the biggest heart of any man I know. I’m just glad his job hasn’t changed who he is, like it has with Bryce.”

“How would it change him?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Being an undercover agent requires a lot of time, patience, and mental strength. Sometimes, they have to be people they’re not to get close to the bad ones.”

I’d never thought about it that way. “Ian hasn’t told me about the cases he’s been on. I know he has secrets, but I’m hoping one day he’ll tell me.”

She gave me a small smile. “I’m sure he will. He’s probably waiting for the right time. If you two are just now getting intimate, he’s not going to want to scare you off, especially if he cares about what you think.”

“After everything I’ve been through, there’s nothing he could say that would scare me.” Ian and Blake walked toward us and I met his sparkling, green gaze.

“Why don’t you tell him that?” Hadley whispered. “And if you want to know who he is, all you have to do is ask the right questions.” Grinning mischievously, she moved closer. “I’ve learned a few things over the years. I know exactly what you can do.”

Grace

It was already dark when we headed back to his house. “You and Hadley seemed like you got along great. See? There was no reason to be nervous.”

We pulled into his driveway and I hopped out of his truck. “I know. She’s a normal woman just like me. I hate she’s not singing as much these days, but I understand why. Family’s important.”

“That it is.”

I walked in the house and everything was quiet. “Reed already gone?”

“Yep.” He locked the door behind him and tossed the keys on the kitchen counter. “We have the house to ourselves for the night.” Glancing down at his phone, he tapped on the screen and smiled. “He’s in Boise right now.”

I looked at the watch on my wrist. “Technology is so fascinating. I’m kind of attached to this thing. I almost hate to give it back.”

Ian sat on the couch and pulled me onto his lap, my legs straddling his waist. “Once I know you’re perfectly safe, you won’t need it anymore. Besides, you’ll have me to protect you. That is, if it’s still what you want.” He stared into my eyes and I trembled.

“Of course it is.”

“After hearing what you said to your mother, I wasn’t sure.”

Brows furrowed, I sat back, but he squeezed my hips, not allowing me to move far. “What do you mean?”

His gaze was so raw and full of heat. I couldn’t look away. “You made a comment on the phone earlier today, saying it wasn’t like that between us, and it had me wondering.”

Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut, already feeling embarrassed. “My mother was referring to us using protection, and she got a little carried away. I had to assure her there would be no grandbabies anytime soon. That’s when I said things weren’t like that between us. What I meant was, things weren’t that serious.”

“They seem pretty serious to me,” he countered without a hint of a smile on his face.

“I was referring to the baby part, Ian. Yeah, we’re together, and the way I feel about you is something I haven’t felt in a long time. But before we move to the next step, I need to know more about you.” I had to avert my gaze, as his penetrating stare was intense. It was like he could see right through to my soul. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see his.

He tilted my chin up with his fingers. “The secrets I keep are to protect you, to protect your innocence. I don’t want you seeing me differently than how you see me now.”

I leaned into his touch. “That’s just it. There’s a wall between us. You know so much about me, where I come from, who my parents are . . . but you’ve always evaded my questions. I didn’t realize it until today.”

With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes. “You’re right. I avoided them on purpose.”

Leaning my forehead against his, I breathed him in. “Not anymore.”

He opened his eyes. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, it’s time for a game. You up for it?”

Realization dawned on his face and he groaned. “Let me guess, Hadley talked you into this?”

A sly smile spread across my face. It was called Draw of Truth. All I had to do was ask the right questions. “She did. Are you scared?” One of Blake’s FBI friends had made it up and it had become a popular card game within their circle. Apparently, they took it seriously.

He tapped my hip, signaling he wanted to get up. I slid off his lap and he made his way over to an end table in the corner of the room. He opened a drawer and pulled out a deck of cards. “I’m not scared, buttercup. I just want you to know what you’re getting in to. This game goes both ways. You have to answer the questions truthfully as well.”

I nodded. “I’m an open book, Ian. I don’t have anything to hide.”

He didn’t look convinced. “We’ll see about that. But why don’t we up the ante?”

Gaze narrowed, I said, “How?”

He shuffled the cards and smiled. “Let’s call it Draw of Truth or Dare. Whoever gets the higher number is safe, and gets to choose whether they ask a question or submit a dare. If truth is picked, the other person has to answer the question honestly. If dare is chosen . . .” His grin grew wider as his eyes trailed up and down my body. “Then, the other person has to discard a piece of clothing.”

I circled around the coffee table and knelt across from him. “Sounds good to me.” Glancing down at my clothes, I briefly wished I’d put on more. Holding out my hand, I said, “I think I’ll shuffle the cards though. I don’t know if you can be trusted. Your deck, your house . . . something’s a little fishy around here.” Chuckling, he handed them to me and I shuffled them good. “I can’t believe you never told me you were good friends with Hadley Rivers.”

“You’d be surprised the kind of people I know, buttercup. Hadley isn’t the only famous friend.” He knelt on the floor and nodded toward the cards. “Let’s get this started.”

I laid a card down in front of him and one in front of me. We each grabbed our cards and flipped them over. I had a nine of hearts, and he had a six of clubs.

“Go ahead. One question,” he said. There was a nervous glint in his eyes, something I’d never seen before.

I lifted a brow. “How do you know I want to ask a question? Maybe my goal here is to get you naked as quickly as possible.”

He barked out a laugh. “If that’s true, we don’t have to play a game to get that done.” He started to take off his belt and I squawked.

“All right! You got me. I need answers first.” He stopped his unbuckling and smiled. “I’ll go easy on you for the first one. Who are the famous people you know personally? And if you paid attention to the question, I made it plural, so you have to mention them all.”

It was as if I’d hit a nerve by the look on his face. Obviously, it was a question he wasn’t expecting. “You have to give me more specifics. The definition of famous can be construed many ways. Are you talking TV actors, billionaires, sports players, politicians?”

“I’m talking everyone. You name it. Anyone who makes over half a million a year and are known by at least half the population.”

Lowering his gaze, he took a deep breath. When he looked at my face, I knew that what was about to come out of his mouth would change things. “Hadley Rivers, you know of already. I’m also close to Brina Carmichael, Noah Carmichael, and Trinity Carmichael.”

I held up my hand. “Hold up. Are you trying to say you personally know the first family? Noah Carmichael’s the President of the United States.” There was no way in hell.

Ian nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” He swallowed hard and his attention never wavered. “I’m also close to Preston Hale, lead singer of Silent Break. He’s the music manager at a big company on the east coast.” I wanted to ask how he knew them, but I’d have to wait until I won again.

“Is that it?” I asked.

He shook his head. “I’m also really close to the owners of that big company on the east coast.”

At first, I was clueless, but then it hit me. “Oh my God. Get the hell out of here. Are you related to those Chandler’s? I interned at a hotel that got bought out by Chandler Enterprises. They saved it from tanking.” That company was worth billions.

His lips tilted slightly. “You can’t ask anymore until you win again.”

Huffing, I quickly laid down two more cards. Unfortunately, he won. But I was ready to answer anything he threw at me. With a grin on his face, he stared at my chest. “I think it’s time for you to take something off.”

I might not have had many clothes on, but I still had my socks and shoes. Grinning smugly, I unlaced one of my tennis shoes and tossed it across the room. “Again,” I said, laying two more cards down. “What the hell?” Growling at my loss, I immediately took off my other shoe without prompting. And after a few more losses back to back, I ended up in just my bra and underwear.

Ian tried to hold back his snicker and failed. “Are you sure you want to continue?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “I want to know how you’re connected to the Chandler’s.”

I still had a little over half a deck left of cards to pick from; I couldn’t lose every round. Taking a deep breath, I turned over two more. Lost again. I was about to take off my bra when Ian reached across the table and grabbed my wrist.

“I want to ask a question this round.”

“Ask away.”

“If you weren’t stuck here with me, would you have ever fully given me a chance? Three weeks ago, you kissed me back, but I never found out what it meant.”

I remembered that night and how bad I wanted to give in to him. For a brief second, I let myself go and it felt great. “That’s because you left without telling me,” I stated sadly. “You texted here and there, but you never mentioned the kiss. I figured I was either bad at it, or you’d given up on me because I wouldn’t put out.”

He scoffed. “Are you kidding? All I could think about was you. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d be gone as long as I was.”

“It’s okay. Your job is unpredictable. I understand it all now. Well, most of it, anyway.” Taking his hand, I brought it to my face and leaned into it. “To answer your question, I’d like to believe I would’ve given you a real chance. Our kiss made me realize I had feelings for you. I just kept them to myself.” I pulled his hand away and threaded my fingers through his. “I feel different now; I view the world differently after being abducted. If I hadn’t been taken, I’d still be working long shifts at the hotel. Also, I wouldn’t have gotten to know the real you. Maybe it wouldn’t have worked until now.”

“I never thought about it that way. Then again, you’re the only woman around here I actually wanted to get to know.”

“But just here, not everywhere else?” I countered teasingly. When he didn’t react the way I thought he would, jealousy hit my stomach hard. “Let me guess, you hook up with women when you’re undercover?” I couldn’t blame him. After all, he was a man with needs. Just like I was a woman with needs.

There wasn’t a hint of a smile on his face. Obviously, I was right in my assessment. “I’ve been single for a long time, Grace. I never had to worry about commitment.”

I laid down two more cards and won with a queen of hearts. “Did you sleep with anyone while you were gone recently?” My teeth clenched, not ready to hear the answer.

Ian grabbed both of my arms and squeezed. The deck of cards fell from my hand. “No . . . I didn’t. And I won’t, as long as I have you. You’re all I need.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I looked down at the cards scattered across the table. “I guess the game’s over.”

“No, it’s not. Look at me.” I met his serious gaze. “I don’t need to lose at cards to answer your questions. If you want to know who I really am, I’m Ian Michael Chandler, son of Glenn Chandler, founder of Chandler Enterprises. I have an older brother named Wade who is now the owner. We’re all part of the FBI.”

Mouth gaping, I stared at him, completely in shock. I didn’t know what to say. It’s definitely not something I expected. “Why aren’t you a part of Chandler Enterprises?”

He shrugged. “I am in some ways, but I wanted to stay out of the spotlight, just like Bryce and Reed. When all this is over, I’ll take you to meet them.” He smiled wide. “Maybe the first family will be around as well. It just so happens my brother married the former first daughter.”

I slapped a hand over my mouth. “This is insane. I can’t even wrap my head around it. I guess I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your life a secret. I wouldn’t want to be in the public eye either.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m not.” He gently squeezed my arms and I stood with him, circling around the coffee table. Our bodies pressed together and he held me in his arms. “I don’t want to hide anything from you, Grace. But if I tell you all my secrets, I’m afraid of what you’ll think of me. Because if you don’t understand, there’s no way anyone else will.”

Leaning up on my toes, I pressed my lips to his. “You have nothing to worry about.”

He pulled me tight against his body. Deepening the kiss, I moaned, earning a deep growl to rumble from his chest. “I’ll tell you everything, but first, I need to feel those legs of yours wrapped around me. My dick’s been hard ever since you took off your clothes.”

I ran a hand down to his groin and palmed his arousal, causing him to flinch in surprise. “Why don’t you take these clothes off and let me do something about it. We can slow it down later, I need you in me now.”

Smirking, he tore off his clothes and threw them on the floor. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

I pushed against his chest until he fell onto the couch, his thick cock laying heavy against his toned and tattooed stomach. I took off my bra and underwear, as he stared at me with hooded eyes. Straddling his legs, I grabbed hold of his length and guided the tip inside. Tilting his head forward, he grabbed hold of my breasts and sucked on both of my nipples, one after the other, while I circled my hips over the tip of his cock, wanting desperately to just take him inside of me.

“You’re killing me, buttercup.”

“You don’t like the buildup, Ian? The anticipation? Aren’t you imagining how it feels to be balls deep in my pussy? Because I sure as hell want to feel the pain and pleasure of your cock splitting me wide.”

He watched his dick intently and gripped my thighs hard, pushing up with his hips. “Christ, woman. You’re going to make me bust a nut if you keep talking like that.”

I lowered down a little bit more, and he went still, except for his chest rising and falling with his quick, shallow breaths. Inch by inch, I sat on him until he was fully inside of me. His hands left my thighs to cup my cheeks. He pulled me down and held me to his lips as he kissed me, sucking my tongue when I pushed it into his mouth.

Circling my hips with him inside me, I rubbed my clit on his skin, causing my stomach to spasm with need. Knowing I would come fast, I rode him hard, raking my nails down his back. The rumble of satisfaction in his chest, and his hands grabbing tightly onto my ass, spurred me on. The faster I bounced, the louder his growls became. I knew he was close when I could feel him getting harder inside of me, lengthening.

“I’m going to come, baby. Let’s slow down. I won’t last if you keep riding me like this.”

Hearing his strangled moan only made me want to move faster, which made my orgasm surface. Moaning, I arched into him and threw my head back, giving Ian access to my breasts. “Oh God, Ian. I want you to come . . . now.”

My orgasm exploded, intensifying when Ian bit down on my nipple and flooded me with his release, gripping his fingers deep into my ass cheeks. He thrust his hips up during the last tremors of his orgasm, and groaned so loud, I’m sure the neighboring ranch heard him. Once the tremors and spasms slowed down, he settled against the couch with a satisfied smirk.

“I needed that,” he murmured heatedly. With everything going on, I needed it too. Lifting me in his arms, he held my legs around his waist, keeping us connected. “Let’s finish this in the bedroom, shall we?”

Grace

Ian and I got up early and he trained with me for over two hours on different self-defense moves. That way, if someone tried to attack me again, I’d have a better chance at fighting them off. My muscles were sore and I could barely walk, but it felt good. Ian was going to stay with me during the day, while Reed spied on Daniel.

“Want to go for a ride?” Ian called out with a knock on the bathroom door.

I didn’t know if my body could handle being tossed about by a horse, but I’d never refuse spending time with Ellie. “Yes, I’d love to. Let me change really fast.” I quickly washed my face and joined him in the bedroom.

He was already in a pair of his holey, fuck-me jeans, with his perfectly tanned chest and tattoos on full display. The man was going to give me a heart attack.

“I think I’m going to miss being here once all this is over.”

“Nothing has to change, buttercup. No matter where you stay, I’ll be with you every night—whether at your house or here.”

The thought excited me. I couldn’t deny the fact I loved being at his ranch, exploring his land and riding his horses. It was like I was in a whole new world. Grabbing my suitcase out of the closet, I pulled out a pair of jeans. I could feel Ian’s eyes on me as I changed into them.

“Are you always this protective with women?” I asked, glancing at him over my shoulder.

His eyes darkened. “Only with you.” Then he winked. “And with my other girlfriend. You’re about to ride her.” Chuckling, he walked out the door and I followed him.

“I’m sorry, I’ve taken over Ellie. She’s such a sweet horse.”

He opened the back door and grabbed my hand as we walked down to the barn. “No worries. I think she likes you more than me anyway.”

Ellie was in her stall and we both rubbed her head, only she nudged him first. “I don’t think so. You’ll always be her favorite.” Ian guided her out of the stall and cinched the saddle nice and tight. I climbed up on her and guided her out of the barn to pace in the pasture while Ian prepared Bryce’s horse for riding.

I could hear Charger’s thunderous steps as he trotted out of the barn. Ian nodded toward the wide-open field. “Let’s go.”

We raced across the meadow, but Charger was clearly faster. Ellie was strong, but she was no match for the young black stallion. Ian waited for me by the edge of the tree line, trying hard to hold back his smile and failing miserably.

“It’s about time you two showed up,” he said, chuckling.

I flipped him off. “Ellie and I were taking our time.” Ellie blew out a breath as if she agreed with me.

“Yeah, we’ll go with that.” Ian laughed and rubbed Ellie’s snout. “There’s a little waterfall not far from here. Want to see it?”

“Of course.”

When it came into view, I gasped. It was small, only about ten feet high at the main point, but the water cascaded down through several levels of rocks. Absolutely breathtaking.

I climbed off Ellie and wrapped the reins around a tree by the bank. Ian did the same with Charger, and both horses lowered their heads to drink the cool water.

Taking my hand, Ian pulled me to the edge of the bank and pointed at a large rock in the center of the creek. “We can sit there.” The rock was large enough for us to lay flat on it. He took off first and hopped along the smaller rocks, until he got to the bigger one. I took the same path. The sound of the waterfall was music to my ears.

“Is this your land?” I asked him.

Ian peered around, eyes twinkling. “Mine and my brothers.”

“What happens if you or the others get married? Who’s going to live at the ranch?”

His green gaze met mine. “Want to get married and find out?”

I slapped his arm. “I’m being serious.”

He laughed and took my hand, bringing it to his lips. “Neither I nor my brothers have been seriously involved with anyone. We haven’t had to think about it.” His lips touched my hand. “But if I were to get married and my wife wanted to live here, my brothers would let me have it. Our family has enough money.”

“And yet, you share a house with two siblings. I think it’s nice you’re close to them. I imagine I’d have been that way if I had some.” I laid back on the rock. It was warm from the sun. “What’s Wade like?”

Ian settled in beside me, still holding my hand. I stared up at the fluffy, white clouds rolling by. “He’s two years older than me, but not as charming. The man’s serious, just like Bryce. They get it from our father. Reed’s a mixture of both my parents.”

“I’m assuming you’re like your mother?” I asked, smiling over at him.

He met my gaze and smiled. “Everyone loved her. She always joked around and knew how to have a good time. I got that from her, but the rest from my father.”

I glided my fingers down his tattooed arm. “What about the tattoos? What do they mean?” He had a skeleton on one arm, intertwined with various other scenes. It reminded me of something medieval. Then on the other arm, there was a sword and scales with a snake wrapped around the hilt, all surrounded by other markings that covered his arm. A date was written on the blade.

Ian glanced down at his arm and sat up, placing a hand over the scales. “I was going to tell you this at some point. At least here, if you try to run away, I can catch up with you.”

Heart racing, I sat up and faced him. The look in his eyes made me nervous. “Why would I run away?”

“You’d be surprised, buttercup. I have a lot of secrets. Ones I haven’t shared outside of my family and close friends.”

“Tell me,” I pleaded. “There’s nothing you can say that’ll scare me.”

He stood and helped me up. “I doubt that.”

Holding my hand, we jumped across the rocks back onto the bank. I untied Ellie and watched him walk over to Charger. “Just tell me, Ian. I might not know what kind of things FBI agents do, but I’m not stupid. I know it can be dark and dangerous. I bet you’ve killed people too.”

He hopped onto Charger’s back, never taking his eyes away from mine as I climbed onto Ellie. “What would you say if I had?”

I shook my head. “Not a damn thing. Is that what this is about, that you’ve killed people? I’m the daughter of a police officer, Ian. It comes with the line of duty.”

“Not like this.” Charger grew restless, his leg muscles twitching. He could sense Ian’s distress. “I kill. It’s what I do.”

“Okay,” I said with a shrug. “Is that supposed to scare me?”

“It should, especially knowing I’ve killed over two hundred people.”

The breath whooshed out of my lungs. At first, I thought it was a joke, but there wasn’t even the slightest hint of a smile on his face. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

He nodded and looked down at his arm. “The scales and sword represent the Circle of Justice. It’s a secret group, formed by my father.” Sighing, he lifted his eyes to mine. “We’re assassins. I kill people who escape the system, people who deserve to be dead. I hunt them down and kill them without a second thought.”

I started to speak, but he held up his hand. “Don’t say anything, Grace. Just think about what I said. You need to know what kind of man you’re with.”

He took off with Charger, leaving me behind. “Ian!” I shouted.

His whistle echoed in the trees and Ellie whinnied, lifting her front feet in the air. I screamed and held on tight as she bolted after him. But Charger was too fast. We made it back to the ranch in one piece, and Ian was nowhere to be found. Charger was alone in the field, so I hopped off Ellie’s back and walked the rest of the way to the house.

He needed to know I wasn’t afraid. The only thing I was afraid of was falling in love with him. But even that was too late.

I found Ian using the tracker watch, but I didn’t go to him. Instead, I went inside the house and took a shower. He wanted me to think about what he’d said, but there was nothing to think about. I couldn’t imagine him being an assassin, but it didn’t make me think any less of him.

Once my hair was dried and I was dressed, I walked out of the bedroom to the sound of the front door opening and slamming shut. I thought Ian would come back to the bedroom to search for me, but he’d gone straight for the kitchen.

I tiptoed down the hall and peeked around the wall. I could see him standing at the sink with his back to me, drinking a glass of water. He put the glass in the sink and started toward me, only he couldn’t see me. When he turned the corner, I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him.

I pressed my forehead to his. “I don’t care what you are or what you do. I’m in love with you.” As soon as I said it, I knew something wasn’t right. He’d gone stiff, and his lips didn’t taste the same. I opened my eyes and stepped back. The man in front of me had the same face and eyes as Ian, but wasn’t the man I loved. “Bryce.”

His eyes widened and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Grace?”

Nodding, I moved further back, cheeks burning like fire. “I am so sorry. I thought you were Ian.” I should’ve known by his clothes, but I hadn’t been paying attention. Bryce was wearing a white button-down with gray slacks, definitely not what Ian had been wearing for our ride.

“And I thought you were dead. How are you here? I’ve seen the news.” I’d never officially met Bryce, but I could tell he didn’t have the joking personality like Ian.

“I escaped a few days ago, but no one knows I’m alive. Ian’s keeping me safe.” I squeezed his arm. “Again, I’m so sorry.”

His lips tilted slightly. “I’m glad you could tell the difference. Most women can’t.”

“I knew you were different the second I kissed you.”

“That’s nice to know,” Ian said, his voice clipped. My pulse spiked. I looked around Bryce’s shoulder and Ian was in the living room, staring at us. His gaze narrowed at Bryce. “What are you doing here? It’s not safe.”

Bryce turned and nodded. “I know, but I had to see you. When I saw the news about Grace, I thought you’d need me.” A harrowing look passed across Ian’s face and the room fell silent. Bryce glanced from Ian to me. “I’ll be outside. I have to leave by the end of the night.”

Bryce placed a hand on Ian’s shoulder in passing and walked out the back door. Ian kept his gaze on the floor, then looked up at me, his green eyes boring into mine.

“I’m so sorry, Ian. The second I kissed him, I knew something wasn’t right. It’s not like I wanted—”

He held up his hand. “You don’t have to explain. I think I’m more surprised he’s here than you are.”

I took a step closer. “Why would he risk everything to make sure you’re okay? What do I have to do with this?”

“Because he knows how I feel about you,” he answered, sighing heavily. “I haven’t cared about anyone since the last girl I cared about died in the car accident. I was distraught over that. Bryce is the one who helped me through it.”

“He really loves you,” I murmured.

Ian nodded. “We look after each other. I was with him those three weeks I was gone.”

“He’s an assassin too?” I asked, keeping my eyes on his. I wanted him to know I wasn’t afraid.

He nodded again. “So is Reed, and my older brother. I had to help Bryce kill a member of the mob up in New York. And that’s why Reed’s been disappearing at night.” With the way he looked at me, it was like he expected me to show fear. Instead, I walked right up to him and clutched his face in my hands. His eyes widened in surprise.

“I’m going to tell you what I said to Bryce.” He pulled me into his body and I melted against him. “I don’t care what you are, or what you do. You could kill a thousand bad guys and I’d still be in love with you.” For a few seconds, all he did was stare at me, until a mischievous grin brightened his face.

“You told my brother you loved him?” he asked, and I nodded, embarrassed. Smiling, he continued. “And you love me?”

“I said it, didn’t I?”

Chuckling, he kissed me, his tongue sliding in deep. I moaned into his mouth and let him claim me. “It’s about damn time you admitted it to yourself.”

“What about you? Have anything to say about it?”

He set me down and winked. “Oh, I have a lot to say, buttercup, but now’s not the time. We have company.” He nodded toward the window, where Blake, Hadley, and Connor stood, talking to Bryce.

“What’s going on?”

“We have to get prepared. If everything goes to plan, the first stage of getting in with Daniel starts tonight.”

Ian

“I never got to say thank you for helping me. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you,” Bryce said, rubbing Charger’s snout.

I leaned against the stall door. I could hear Blake’s tires crunching gravel as they made their way down the long drive. We’d just finished up with our plan for Daniel. Now, all we had to do was wait for the right time. “You’re welcome. Thanks for coming to check on me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Grace hadn’t escaped.”

“I take it she knows what we are?” he asked.

I nodded. “She needed to know. There’s no way I could be with her and not tell her the truth.”

Bryce patted Charger’s back and shut the stall door. There was something bothering him; I could see it on his face. “I get it. You’ve wanted her for a long time.” His phone vibrated and he pulled it out, a small grin tilting the corner of his lips.

“Something you want to tell me, brother?” I asked.

He tucked his phone away, smile fading. Sighing, he walked out of the barn and I followed him to his rental car. “Her name is Layla Costello.”

As soon as he said the last name, I couldn’t believe what I heard. “Are you fucking kidding me? Please tell me she’s not who I think she is.” If my memory served correctly, she was the daughter of the man he was missioned to kill.

Bryce blew out a frustrated breath. “Yes, she’s Anthony Costello’s daughter, and she’s in Wyoming with me.”

“What? Why the hell would you bring her here? Where is she?”

He nodded toward the road. “About three miles south of here. I rented a cabin for a couple of days, before we fly out to Seattle. Anthony trusts me with her. It took a year to gain that. That’s why I had to bring her.”

“Where does she think you are?”

His gaze wandered over to the barn. “I told her I’d find her a horse. We just bought a farm together in Norwich.”

I barely recognized my own twin standing before me. He’d just bought a damn farm with this woman? Judging by the look on his face, there was more to the story. “Do you love her?”

His jaw clenched. “She’s not like her family.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Yes,” he snapped, glaring over at me. “I love her. At first, I was using her to get to her father, but . . . things changed.”

“And you think she’ll still love you when you kill her father? What about when she finds out who you really are?” His silence spoke louder than words. Now I realized why it’d taken him so long to make the kill. “You don’t want to do it, do you?” I knew my brother better than anyone.

“It’s complicated. I’ve lived this life for over a year now.”

“Do I need to go up there and kill the bastard?”

“No,” he growled, his body tense. “I don’t want you anywhere near New York.”

“Then get it handled, Bryce. Your family misses you. Your real family. Don’t forget who we are, who you are.”

He opened his car door and sighed. “I miss it here. When I saw the news about Grace, I had to find a reason to see you. I’m glad she’s okay. I wish I could help you with the case.”

“Me too.”

“Tell Reed I stopped by, and that I’m sorry I couldn’t stick around.”

We hugged, then he hopped in the car and rolled the window down. I didn’t want him to go. “What are you going to tell your girlfriend when you show up without a horse?”

“I won’t be without one,” he mentioned sadly. “I need you to arrange for Charger to get shipped to New York.” I had a feeling that was what he’d want.

“Okay. I’ll get it done. You have my word.”

“Thanks, brother.” He lifted his hand in a wave and took off. “Until next time.”

The front door opened and Grace joined me. “Everything okay?”

Putting my arm around her waist, I shook my head. “I’m afraid this might be the last time I see him.”

She stepped in front of me, her expression serious. “He’s a Chandler, Ian. Whatever happens, he’ll be back.”

I watched him disappear down the road. “I sure hope you’re right.”

Just then my phone beeped.

Reed: Daniel just pulled up at Wild River.

Me: Good. I’ll get the plan in motion.

Once Reed arrived at the ranch to stay with Grace, I was on my way, wire in place. I told him about Bryce, but there was someone else who needed to know what was going on as well. Pulling out my phone, I called him.

“Good evening, son,” my father answered, his voice guarded. “How are you?”

“Grace has been found alive.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “I was afraid you were calling to tell me otherwise.”

“No, thank fucking God. She showed up on my back porch, just fell into my lap. Apparently, people are being hunted and she was one of them. She escaped and told me everything.”

“What the hell,” he growled. “Any leads?”

“Yes, which is why I need you to stay quiet until Reed and I figure all this out. Her father knows already. We’re so close to nailing this guy.”

“Good. If you need me to do anything, just let me know.”

“Will do.” Before he could hang up, I cleared my throat. “There’s something else I wanted to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Bryce stopped by today.”

He sucked in a loud breath. “You saw him? How is he?”

“He looks good. He wanted to make sure I was okay after hearing about Grace. But Dad, he came out here with Layla Costello. And I’m sure you can imagine why they’re together.”

“Oh, no,” he groaned. “Please tell me he hasn’t fallen for her.”

“I wish I could. I’m just hoping he finds his way back home.”

The line went quiet, but I could sense my father’s pain. I couldn’t imagine what it’d feel like to lose a son, especially to the Costello family. “Thanks for telling me,” my father said, his voice low. “If he doesn’t get out, we’ll force him out ourselves.”

“I’m on board. Just say the word.”

We hung up just in time for me to pull into the Wild River bar parking lot. Daniel’s car was there, but so were a few others I recognized, including Zoe’s. Groaning, I got out of my car and walked inside.

In a corner table, Zoe sat with another man. She stiffened when I walked by, but I paid her no attention. And as luck would have it, there was no sign of Daniel, but Jared and his sister, Lauren, sat at the bar, along with Emily. This could actually turn out to my benefit. Emily was the one I wanted to observe. Before I could sit down, Jared took off.

The bartender, a tall, lanky man with glasses, laid a coaster down in front of me. “Care for a drink?”

“Gin and tonic, please.”

The bartender nodded and mixed my drink, stealing side glances at the women. I looked over at Lauren and she didn’t seem to notice the man staring at her. Lauren Beckett was a beautiful woman and she knew it, but no one compared to Grace. She smiled at me and glanced down at my drink. “One of my favorites.”

I held up my glass. “Can’t go wrong.”

Lauren giggled. “My brother says it tastes like pine trees.”

Shaking my head, I took a sip. “Your brother’s an idiot.” I wanted to say much worse, but held back.

Lauren snorted. “Got that right. Do you know my brother?”

“A little,” I said with a shrug. “We have some mutual friends.”

Emily bumped Lauren in the shoulder. “Oh, stop. Your brother’s a sweetheart. I love working for him.”

Daniel walked through the front door and his gaze locked onto us at the bar. Waving him over and pretending to smile was the hardest fucking thing I’d had to do in a long time. I wanted to kill the bastard.

With a wide grin, he came over and sat beside Emily. “Dude, you’re holding out on me over here. You got two lovely ladies all to yourself.”

“You’re such a flirt,” Emily teased seductively. Daniel winked at her and smiled at Lauren.

“That he is,” Lauren agreed. “Uh-oh, skeez alert.” She nodded at me, letting me know someone was coming up behind me.

“I see you don’t know how to return calls,” Zoe hissed.

I tossed back the rest of my drink and glanced at her over my shoulder, clearly unamused. The others looked on, trying their best not to laugh. Now that Zoe was clearly not in cahoots with Daniel, I didn’t see the need to keep stringing her along. “Didn’t think you cared. There looks to be another man at your table.”

She looked at the man and shrugged. “He’s a friend. The least you could’ve done was return my calls.”

Lauren put her arm around me, pressing her breasts into my chest. “He thought you’d get the picture, sweetheart. He’s been busy with me. Sorry.”

Zoe huffed and turned on her heel, storming back to her table.

Lauren laughed and patted my back. “You’re welcome.”

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

She winked. “I’m sure I’ll see you around soon. Maybe I’ll collect on it then.” Her fingers slid down my arm. “I’m heading out, guys. Daniel, it was nice seeing you again. You all have a good night.”

“You too,” Daniel and Emily said in unison.

“So, Ian, I have an elk hunting expedition happening in a couple of weeks. You interested?” Daniel asked.

“Hell yeah. Sign me up. I just need to work on my shooting before then.”

He waved me off. “Come by my house tomorrow and we can practice. It’ll be fun.” Grabbing a pen from the bar, he wrote down his address and handed it to me. The cocksucker had no clue I already knew everything about him. “Three o’clock sound good?”

I nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Ian

“Emily’s the one who wants me dead, isn’t she?” Grace asked.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I hated seeing her upset. Then again, I’d want to know who wanted me dead as well. Given that Emily had left with Daniel last night at the bar, it was like the answer stared us in the face.

“It’d make sense,” I said, pulling her to me. I had thirty minutes before I had to be at Daniel’s to shoot. The wind was light and the sun was bright, almost like the calm before a storm. I rubbed Grace’s back and breathed her in. “Emily could’ve been fucking around with Brad to get access to the security room. You did say you had to watch the front desk for a few minutes while she supposedly went to the bathroom. That could’ve given her the time she needed to get inside the room and tamper with the video feed.”

Sighing, Grace stepped back and stood beside Reed. Both of them were dressed in running shorts and T-shirts. “I guess we’ll find out soon.”

“Whatever you do, don’t lose your temper,” Reed said. He and Grace both had concerned looks on their faces.

I held up my hands. “I’ll be fine. It might be hard not to point my gun at his head, but I’ll manage.” Barely.

Grace threw her arms around my neck. “Be careful. We don’t know what this guy’s capable of.”

“Yeah, we do,” I said, holding her tight. “We know he’ll go after anyone. He’s cold and cruel. Which is just my luck, because I know exactly how to handle sick fucks like that.”

“It’s true,” Reed agreed. “We’ve had to study and hunt men like this for years.”

She kissed my cheek and let me go. “All the same. Be careful.”

I winked at her. “Have fun training with Reed. I’ll be home for dinner.” Turning on my heel, I opened my truck door and got in. I was ready to get this afternoon over with.

When I turned down Daniel’s driveway, there was a gate blocking the path, so I pressed the call button on the keypad. There was a camera at the top of the gate and I waved.

“Just in time,” Daniel called out over the speaker.

The gate opened and I drove through. It was a long driveway with trees all around. Then, everything opened up. A large, well-manicured lawn sat in front of Daniel’s house, which was a large, brick ranch with a circular driveway. There was no sign of a barn, at least not until I pulled all the way up to the house. It was further away in the field, but it was there. Rage consumed me at the sight. All I could think about was Grace being locked up in a horse stall, struggling for her life.

The front door of the house opened and Daniel appeared, waving for me to go in. I shut off my truck and smiled back. “What’s up, man?” I hollered, trying not to clench my teeth.

“Nothing much. Come on inside, then we’ll go out back.”

“Here we go,” I whispered, knowing Reed and Grace could hear me. I walked inside and followed Daniel to his living room. There was a man sitting on the couch I hadn’t seen before. He had a laptop on his knees. Setting it aside, he stood and held out his hand.

“Ian, this is Andrew Davies,” Daniel introduced. “He’s a colleague and friend.”

I shook his hand. “Ian Chandler.” It took all I had not to rip his arm off.

“So how long have you lived here?” Andrew asked.

“Off and on for a few years now. I travel a lot with work.” Daniel handed me and Andrew a beer and I chugged it down. “Will you be going on the hunting expedition too?” I asked.

He nodded. “Oh, yeah, wouldn’t miss it. Last year, we all had enough meat in our freezers to last the whole year.” He opened his beer and took a sip. “Do you hunt?”

I shrugged. “I try to do a little hunting during the season.”

Daniel slapped my back. “Did you bring any guns?”

An eat shit grin spread across my face. “They’re in my truck.”

“Good. Let’s get down to business. Grab ‘em and meet us out back.”

Not many people had the kind of guns I had. With being in the FBI and having a shit ton of money, I could get my hands on anything I wanted. I walked out to my truck and grabbed both gun cases.

Daniel and Andrew were out back, setting up their rifles on the tables. Daniel had his own gun range with a series of metal targets, all scattered at various yards.

“Nice setup,” I called out.

Daniel shrugged. “My grandfather did all of it. He was big into shooting competitions.”

I set my cases down on the ground. “Did he ever win?”

Daniel grinned over at Andrew, then back to me. “All the time.”

“He must’ve won a lot to have all this,” I stated, flourishing my hand around the estate. “Most police officers don’t make enough to afford this kind of deal.”

“My grandfather wasn’t just a police officer,” Daniel said with a laugh. “Most of his money came from the hunting expeditions. People flew in from everywhere to hunt elk and bison. You wouldn’t believe the kind of money people would pay to hunt them.”

That wasn’t the only thing they hunted. I glanced around at the estate. “I think I’m in the wrong line of work.”

Both guys laughed and sat down at the table. Daniel had a Ruger SR556, and Andrew an AR-15. Daniel went first, and hit about ninety-eight percent of the targets. Andrew ended up being around the same. They glanced back at me, grinning arrogantly. Was I impressed? Hell fucking no. They hadn’t seen anything yet.

“Move aside, gentlemen. Let a real shooter show you how it’s done.” I laid my cases down on the other end of the table and pulled out both rifles.

“No fucking way. Is that a JP LRP-07?” Daniel asked, practically drooling over my rifle. Little did he know, he was looking at the gun that’d be killing his ass.

“It is. My father gave it to me. The other is a NightDragon semi-automatic with a night vision kit. It tracks targets up to fifteen miles per hour.” Instead of sitting at the table like they did, I grabbed the NightDragon and took a deep breath. My brothers and I had the best shots out of anyone in the Circle of Justice. Hell, in the FBI for that matter. I never missed my mark.

I pulled the trigger, loving the sound of the dings as I hit every single one of the metal targets.

“Damn, that was amazing,” Andrew said, eyes wide in shock.

“Yeah, it was,” Daniel agreed. I could see the jealousy on his face, but he played it off.

I shrugged. “I may not hunt a lot, but I know how to shoot.”

Daniel walked over. “Think you can hit all of them a second time?”

“Why? You want to make a bet?”

A grin tilted his lips. “A hundred dollars says you can’t. Loser has to pay for dinner and drinks tonight.” Smug bastard.

I pulled out my wallet and set a Franklin on the table. “You’re on.”

The last thing I wanted was to spend more time with Daniel and Andrew, but I needed more information. And I’d won the bet, so it was Daniel’s responsibility to pay for my drinks and dinner.

“Reed, I know you’re listening. Call Connor and tell him to show up at Sixth Street Tavern in forty-five minutes. I’m pulling in there now.” Daniel and Andrew rode together, and I drove separate. Before getting out of the car, my watch beeped.

Reed: Will do.

“Thanks. And Grace, I’m sorry I won’t make it back for dinner.”

Another beep came through.

You owe me.

“That I do.” I got out of the truck and followed the guys inside. The hostess sat us at a table and gave us menus.

“Don’t have a hot date tonight?” Andrew asked me.

Daniel chuckled. “He has Zoe at his beck and call. The girl’s swinging from his nuts.”

“Got that right. She’s annoying as fuck though. There’s someone else I have my eye on.”

“Please tell me it’s not Lauren,” Daniel groaned. “She’s a superficial bitch.”

Grace was going to kill me. “I don’t know. She didn’t seem like that last night.”

“She’s not that bad,” Andrew cut in. “But she’s Jared’s sister, so I think of her like one.”

I stared at Daniel and his jaw clenched at Andrew’s comment. When he looked up, I pretended not to notice, and pushed him a little further. “What happened with you and Jared the other night? Seemed like you two were fighting about something.”

He shrugged. “Just a difference of opinion. He’ll get over it.”

“I know how that goes. I have a couple of brothers. What about Emily? You left with her last night. How’d it go?”

He shrugged. “It didn’t. By the time I dropped her off at her place, I was ready to leave. The bitch wouldn’t stop talking.”

That wasn’t what I expected to hear. If she was like that, there was no way he’d trust her to keep her mouth shut if she was the one who wanted to kill Grace. The same went for Zoe.

Andrew nudged my arm with his menu. “He’s picky about women.”

“That’s probably a good thing. I thought I saw her with someone else a few days ago.”

Daniel nodded. “She’s messing around with some security douche at the hotel. He’s a limp-wristed bitch. Obviously, she wanted a real man.” He grinned and I smiled back, despising the fact I had to be on my best behavior.

My smile disappeared quickly when Connor walked through the door. Perfect timing. Growling low, I made sure to glare at him with as much loathing as I could.

Daniel tapped his finger on the table to get my attention. “Everything all right?”

“It was, until that motherfucker walked in the door.” I nodded toward Connor. “He knocked up my sister and claims the baby’s not his. I know for a fact it is. I’d give anything to fuck him up, but he’s been laying low so I can’t find him.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Daniel and Andrew look at each other. I slammed my glass down. “Sorry, guys. I can’t let him go.” I started to stand, but Daniel grabbed my arm.

“Not smart, dude. There are other ways to deal with this.”

I scoffed. “Yeah, killing him.”

Daniel and Andrew exchanged another look. “Let him go,” Daniel said. “If you want revenge, there might be a way to help you.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” I hissed low, keeping my attention on Connor.

Daniel let my arm go. “Give us a little time to do research and we’ll get back with you. Trust me, you’ll get the ultimate payback.”

“You better be right.”

On the way home, I stopped at the grocery store. I figured since I didn’t make it home for dinner, I could make it up to Grace with her favorite ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and a pack of salt and vinegar potato chips. We also needed more food, since we had three people living there fulltime. Usually, the two of us were out hunting people on the list.

Once I had the ice cream, I snuck over to the alcohol section and grabbed a couple of six packs.

“So we meet again.”

I turned toward the voice, only to find Lauren grinning wide, pushing an empty shopping cart. “How are you?”

“Good. Just picking up some groceries for my mother. She’s barely able to leave the bed.”

“I hate to hear that. How’s your brother?”

She shrugged. “Who knows? He’s been distant lately. That’s why I’m working at the hotel now.”

“That’s kind of you.”

“Eh. It’s a break from modeling. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to Paris. My mom’s in rough shape.”

“You gotta do what you gotta do. My parents have been dead for a while, so I understand the need to spend time with them.”

She slid past her cart to stand next to me. “So, listen, I know you and Zoe aren’t on good terms right now. Would it be okay if I take over your account? That way, you can work with me on your party.”

“That’d be great.”

Her smile widened. “Perfect. I’ll be in touch so we can plan a meeting.” She ran a hand down my arm. Must be her signature move. “I promise, I’ll make it worthwhile.”

Judging by the lustful look in her eyes, I had a feeling I knew how she planned to do that. Who would’ve thought planning a fake party would be such a giant pain in the fucking ass?

Grace

“You don’t have to help me,” Reed said, hammering the wooden rail to the fence post.

Rolling my eyes, I helped lift another rail. “Honestly, I don’t mind. I helped my dad all the time when I was at home.” My hands were dirty and I had mud all over my legs and clothes. The evening had brought a light rain that felt good on my skin. “What do you think Daniel and Andrew meant when they said they had to do research?”

Reed shrugged. “Probably looking into Ian’s past. But they won’t find anything about the FBI.”

“How come?”

He hammered some more. “It’s hidden. If anyone outside of the FBI does a background check on me and my brothers, they’ll see what we tell people. Ian will come up as a web designer who graduated from Drexel University. He has three brothers and a sister, both parents deceased.”

“Wow, that’s crazy. What college did he go to?”

“Michigan State. It’s where Bryce and Reed went too,” Ian called out from somewhere behind me.

I flipped around, surprised by his arrival, only to find his dress shirt sticking to his chest and abs—the rain had done a number to his clothes, and it was sexy as hell.

Ian raked his gaze down my body. “A little dirty, aren’t you?”

I winked. “Nothing a shower couldn’t fix. Wanna help?”

“All right, I think we’re done here.” Reed patted Ian’s shoulder in passing. “I need to go to Colorado Springs tonight. I’ll be back later.”

Ian moved closer. “Normally, I’d find this so fucking hot.” He looked down and cupped my breasts, running his thumbs over my visible nipples—the wet shirt left nothing to the imagination. He continued to rub and pinch, shooting a tingling sensation between my legs. “But not with my brother around.”

I giggled and leaned into his touch. “Reed doesn’t see me like that.”

“He’s a warm-blooded male. Trust me, he noticed.”

“What took you so long to get home?”

Ian leaned in for a quick kiss, gave my breasts one last squeeze, then pulled away. Nodding toward the house, he answered. “I stopped by the store. I bought you something you’ll like. I remember you saying it was your favorite that night we bowled.”

I remembered that night perfectly. He’d wanted to go out for drinks and I said it’d ruin my ice cream plans. It was a bullshit excuse to run away, but it hadn’t been a lie. I was dying to eat my chocolate brownie ice cream.

Before I could thank him, his smile faded and he continued. “I ran into someone while I was there.”

“Who?”

“Lauren Beckett. She’s working at the hotel now.” His eyes fluttered down to my chest and back up. I could tell he liked what he saw. “Apparently, Jared’s not doing good. She wants to take over my account.”

I scoffed. “Of course she does. Let me guess, she flirted with you too.” Letting him go, I walked toward the house. I wasn’t angry with him, just pissed that every damn female wanted him.

“Why are you walking away from me?”

“I don’t know,” I shouted, throwing my hands in the air. “I listened to Zoe practically fall all over you, and now, I have to hear it from Lauren. No guy ever turns her down.”

Ian grabbed my arm and jerked me around, his eyes raw and dark as night. “I don’t want anything to do with her. There’s nothing to be worried about.” He stared at my lips as they parted to respond, eyes meandering to my chest once again. He made a noise in his throat and pulled me flush against his body. His arousal was evident as it pushed against my stomach, making it hard to focus.

The rain came down in sheets, collecting in a pool between our bodies. “That’s not the point, Ian. Everywhere you go, women want you. It’s like you’re a magnet for it. Don’t get me wrong, I want this to work. But I can’t handle having to fight women off left and right. I’m tired of being scared. And with you, I’m terrified.”

“You don’t have to be,” he said, clutching my face in his strong grasp. “It’s you I love.” My heart stopped and I gasped. It had felt like an eternity waiting for him to say it back to me. “And when this is all over, I’m going to make sure the whole town knows I’m taken, and that you’re mine.” Fisting his hands in my hair, he kissed me, spreading my lips apart with his tongue.

My breaths came out in rapid pants. I wanted more—needed it. I raked my nails down his back and he growled.

“Jesus, you’re so fucking hot.” He grabbed hold of my ass and pulled me into his groin. “I want you, Grace. Right here, right now.”

“What are you waiting for?”

Ian groaned deep in his chest and lifted me, my legs wrapping tightly around his waist. He carried me to the back of the house. “Have you ever had sex in the rain?”

Kissing his neck, I bit the flesh behind his ear and shook my head. “No, but there’s a first time for everything. I just don’t want splinters in my ass from the deck.”

Chuckling, he set me down and took off his clothes, tossing them onto the wooden slats. Once mine were off, he laid them on top of his. “Your ass should be perfectly safe now,” he said, causing me to giggle.

Taking my hand, he pulled me to him and lowered us down. The wet clothes were cold against my back, but Ian’s warmth made everything burn. His lips found mine, along with his tongue, as he tasted and explored every inch of my mouth. I moaned and closed my eyes, but Ian’s low growl made me reopen them.

“Don’t close your eyes, buttercup. I have to know that you’re seeing me when I make love to you.”

His hungered green gaze penetrated me deeper than anything I’d ever felt before. It was intense, to the point it was almost scary. There was passion in those eyes, lust, angst, and above all . . . desire. I felt it in his touches, in his kisses. I reveled in it.

“I always just see you,” I murmured breathlessly.

Satisfied with my answer, he lowered his head, kissing his way down my neck, until he got to my breasts. The moment his lips closed over a taut, sensitive nipple, I cried out in ecstasy, yearning for more.

“You taste so fucking good.” He sucked on me as hard as he could.

I knew I would have marks from his lips and teeth, but it didn’t matter—it felt too good. He then trailed his hands down my stomach, making me shiver, before cupping me and slipping a finger inside of me. When I arched my back, he chuckled and pushed in another finger.

“Does it feel good? I can feel you tightening all around me.”

“I’m going to come if you keep doing that,” I breathed as he picked up his pace. Working my hand between us, I palmed his erection, pumping in rhythm with his fingers.

Pushing himself into my hand, he groaned. “Let go for me, Grace. Make it all wet for my cock.”

His words lit up my insides like they were on fire, and I trembled as my release hit me hard and swift. My whole body shook with uncontrollable desire, and looking into Ian’s eyes only made it that much more intense. I wanted more and he knew it.

Grasping his length, he directed his tip to circle my entrance, and teased me by just barely nudging inside. I moaned, wanting more, and he complied, pushing deeper and deeper, until he was fully inside of me.

“I just want to make love to you all night. You feel so damn good wrapped around my cock . . . so wet.” He caressed his hand down my thigh, lifting my leg higher on his waist so he could go deeper. The pleasure and pain of him pushing in further made me scream, but it was muffled by his lips silencing me. I bit his lip in return, and sucked on it hard while he penetrated me with wild and passionate thrusts.

“I know you’re close, baby. I want to feel it,” he demanded.

Tightening around him, I let my orgasm build and rocked my hips along with his, knowing my release was just on the surface. By the sound of the deep groan in his chest and the feeling of his cock pulsating and throbbing inside of me, I knew he was close. I wanted to hold off a little while longer to enjoy the torture, the way it felt as the orgasm built . . . but I couldn’t.

“Ian,” I cried out, “harder.”

Doing as I asked, he picked up the pace, slamming into me. I gave in to my release, screaming out my pleasure. It was even better once Ian took my nipple in his mouth and bit down as he came.

Trembling from the aftershocks of his release, he lifted on his elbows and smiled, his body shielding me from the rain. “Now that was fucking hot.”

“Yes. Yes, it was,” I agreed. “We should do it again sometime.”

“I think that can be arranged.”

Ian

“What do you want to do today?” I asked Grace as she walked in front of me with Ellie, picking flowers as she passed them in the field. It was something my mother used to do when she’d visit.

Grace glanced back and smiled. “Good question. I’ve had two full days with you and no distractions. Maybe more of that?” Ellie kept the pace beside her and Grace patted her back. “I hate that Charger’s gone. You said Bryce wanted it for his mafia girlfriend?”

“Something like that,” I replied with a sigh. Just this morning, Charger had been loaded up and was now on his way to New York. An overwhelming sense of loss plagued me. I couldn’t leave Bryce in New York. It wasn’t where he belonged. “He’s in love with her, but he’s supposed to kill her father. Out of all the years he’s been by my side, a woman has never got to him.”

Grace slowed her steps, but she didn’t look at me. “Just because her father’s bad doesn’t mean she is. She can’t help who she was born to.”

“You’re right. It still doesn’t change the fact that he has to kill her father, or that he’s in love with the enemy.”

We stopped at the fence and she climbed onto it. “What if the situation was different? What if I was the daughter, the same me and everything, and you were the one who had to kill my father?”

I looked up at her and sighed. “I’d probably do the same thing. She may be a good person, but I’m not going to leave Bryce in New York. If he doesn’t find a way out, I will do it for him.”

She ran her hand soothingly through my hair. “If he’s anything like you, he’ll find a way.”

I hopped up beside her and sliced off a bite of apple for Ellie. “I sure as hell hope so.”

“Okay,” she said, slapping my leg. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“Like what? You already know everything about me. I even let you see my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pajama pants.”

She burst out laughing. “True. You looked cute in them too. Your mother had a great sense of humor.” As a gag gift, my mother had gotten me and my brothers all a pair for Christmas one year, since there were four turtles. I’d received the Michelangelo pair because I was the funny one.

“Speaking of parents, have you talked to yours?” I asked.

She nodded. “Nothing new.”

I figured that, since I hadn’t heard from her father lately. Two days had passed with no word from Daniel or Andrew as well. We were stuck in a waiting game; not that I minded having Grace all to myself.

She nodded toward the house. “What time did Reed get in last night?”

“About one in the morning.”

“Hunting people?” she asked, her voice low.

Brows furrowed, I looked over at her. “Does it bother you?”

She took a deep breath and gazed off at the mountains. “No. It’s just strange because when I look at you and Reed, and talk to you, I can’t imagine you being killers. It just reminded me that once this is all over, you’ll be back out there doing the same thing.”

“I just want to make the world a better place, Grace. Surely, you understand that.” She nodded and I could see the honesty on her face. The last thing I wanted was for her to be scared of me. I cut off another piece of apple for Ellie. “At least, I don’t have to lie to you anymore.”

“True.” She bumped me with her shoulder. “How did the Circle of Justice get started anyway? You said your dad did it?”

“Yep, many years ago, when I was a young teenager.” I remembered it as if it was yesterday. “I grew up in Charleston. My dad’s best friend lived a few houses down from us. One night, his wife and daughter were murdered, and no one caught the killer until just recently.”

“Wow, it took that long?” she asked incredulously.

I shrugged. “Some criminals are smart. They know how to play the system and get away. That’s one of the reasons I do what I do. I want the world to be a safer place. Granted, it never will be, but I can help.”

She smiled. “You’re like a vigilante super hero. It’s kind of hot. You remind me of Arrow.”

“Nah, I’m sexier than him,” I said with a wink.

She laughed and leaned against me. I handed her the last bit of the apple and she gave it to Ellie. “I’m not going back to work at the hotel. I can’t do it. If Jared and his father knew what was going on, who’s to say they weren’t a part of it? I don’t want to work for a hotel that was built with blood money.”

We didn’t know how much money was involved with the hunts, but it had to be a substantial amount. I was hoping to find out soon. “Why don’t you build your own hotel?” I suggested.

“Yeah, right. Do you have any idea how much money that would cost? I don’t have billions like your family.”

“I could loan it to you.”

“No!” She gasped, jumping off the fence. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared up at me. “I’m not going to use you for your money. Who do you think I am?”

I hopped down and pulled her to me. “It wouldn’t be using me. It’s a loan. Plus, it wouldn’t be for that much. You don’t have to have the biggest hotel in Wyoming, just the best. I can help you.”

She shook her head. “I can’t do it.”

“You’re not going to stop fighting me on this, are you?”

“Nope.”

One way or another, I’d get her to give in. My phone rang and I pulled it out of my pocket to see Daniel’s number flashing on the screen. “It’s them.”

Eyes wide, Grace stepped back and pursed her lips.

“Hey, man. What’s up?”

“So, Andrew and I have talked, and we thought of something you might be interested in. Think you can come over and discuss it?”

“Sure. What time?”

“How about noon?”

I glanced over at Grace biting her nails. “I’ll be there.”

“Great. See you then.”

We hung up and I pocketed my phone. “What’s going on?” Grace asked.

“I think we got ‘em, cupcake.”

“Thanks for coming,” Daniel said as I walked through his door.

“No, thank you,” I replied. “Although, I am curious as to what’s going on.”

He nodded toward the hallway, walking further into the house. “Don’t worry, I’ll get right to it. I don’t see the point in prolonging it.” We turned the corner to another hallway. “Still ready for the hunt?”

“Of course. Just let me know the date, so I can make sure I’m not out of town.”

Chuckling, he opened the door to what appeared to be his office. Andrew sat at the expensive mahogany desk with his laptop open. “Hey, man.” He stood and came around the front to shake my hand. “Good to see you again.”

“Likewise,” I lied.

Daniel sat down behind the desk and pointed at one of the seats across from him. “Please, have a seat.” I sat down and Andrew took the seat beside me. “You said you’d do anything to avenge your sister, but how far are you willing to go? How bad do you want him to suffer?”

“And we’re talking seriously,” Andrew reiterated.

“I want him dead,” I growled. “He’s a worthless bastard.”

Both of their grins widened. There was a set of papers on his desk and he passed them to me. “Next topic. We’ve expanded the scope for your hunting expedition. Keep in mind, Andrew and I carefully research and pick our candidates by hand, and you fit our criteria. If you agree to our terms, you’ll get to have your cake and eat it too.”

I read over the two-page contract and it was basically a non-disclosure agreement.

“I’m going to need you to sign that before I can explain. If you break the contract, there’ll be consequences.”

Taking a pen off his desk, I signed my name without hesitation. “Like what?” The fucker reminded me of Ramsey Bolton from Game of Thrones. You could tell he was not only the man in charge, but completely unhinged. I handed him the contract and he stood.

“Let’s just say, you don’t want to find out.”

Andrew shut the laptop and put it into a computer bag. “While you two are discussing details, I’m heading back to the hotel.”

“You’re not coming too?” I wondered.

He shook his head. “I’m the brains of the operation. Daniel does the rest.” He walked out, carrying the computer bag with him.

If I could just get my hands on that computer, there was no telling what kind of dirt I could dig up on this whole operation. Following Daniel out the back door, we walked past his gun range toward the barn. The closer I got to it, the more enraged I became.

“I don’t run just any run of the mill hunting expedition. Sometimes our prey are elk, bison, and bear. The usual. But every once and a while, when everything aligns just perfectly, we incorporate a tougher target. One that will bring you a satisfaction that big game could never accomplish.”

He opened the door to the barn. Inside, were eight horse stalls with no horses in sight. It smelled like urine and human waste. At least no one was occupying them.

Daniel walked inside and turned to me and smiled. “What would you say if I found a way to bring Connor into this? Add him to the game.”

“And what, kill him?” I laugh, playing dumb.

He shrugged. “You said that’s what you wanted, right?”

I straightened my face, adding in a hint of eagerness. “Yeah, but how would you get him here?”

“Let me worry about the details. It would be your job to show up and kill the fucker. Most people prefer to chase them down and shoot them, but I’ll leave the logistics up to you.”

I looked around the barn with a grin on my face. Inside, I was dying to rip the son of a bitch apart. “What will you do with him after it’s done? I can’t risk going to jail. That’s what held me back from finishing the guy off a long time ago.”

“We incinerate them. That way, there’s no body to be found.” He pointed to the stalls. “If you say yes, this is where I’ll keep him until you’re ready.”

“And if he escapes?”

He shook his head. “Won’t happen. The only way to escape would be to take the woods. The best of hikers wouldn’t survive out there on their own without food or water.”

I took one last look around. “All right, you got yourself a deal. What all do I have to do?”

“First, there’s a little matter about the fee,” he said, his dark eyes twinkling. “It goes without saying, I risk exposure every time I do this.”

“Damn, how many times have you done this?”

He shrugged. “Enough to where I’ve gotten good at it.”

“How much?” I asked.

“Fifty grand . . . cash. I’m pretty sure you’re good for it.”

“How do you know that?” I had so many hidden bank accounts he wouldn’t be able to find them, even with the best of hackers.

“Andrew found an account holding over a quarter-mill. What kind of web designer makes that kind of money?”

I met his stare with a smug grin. “One that’s good at what he does.” I knew exactly what needed to be done now. Getting my hands on Andrew’s laptop was priority number one. “You’ve got a deal. The money will be sent tonight.”

He shook my hand. “Game on. I’ll call you when everything is set up and the target is apprehended.”

Grace

Ian had been gone for hours, but we knew he was okay because of the tracker watch. Judging by his location, he was at Blake and Hadley’s ranch. “Where are you headed tonight?” I asked Reed.

He sprinkled pepper on the raw steaks. “I’m not. With things progressing with Daniel, I don’t want to leave. Ian might need me.”

I finished scrubbing the potatoes and put them in the oven. “It’s pretty cool how you’ve all got each other’s backs.”

Reed smiled and met my gaze. “It’s what families do.”

I passed him the plastic wrap so he could cover the steaks. A car door slammed outside and he peered out the window, his eyes squinting against the sun. “Who is it?” I asked.

“Your father.” He quickly washed his hands and opened the front door just as the doorbell rang. I thought my father would greet me with a smile, but there was clearly something wrong, judging by the frown on his face.

“Can I come in?” He looked to Reed and Reed nodded.

“Dad, what’s wrong?”

He took off his cowboy hat and stormed inside. “Jared’s missing. I saw his mother at the store. Apparently, he hasn’t returned any of her calls and hasn’t shown up at the hotel.”

Jared was always at the hotel. “Maybe he’s at home?” I suggested. However, there was a feeling inside my gut that screamed foul play. Something was wrong. If Jared was at Daniel’s, Ian might know.

He shook his head. “I rode by there and he didn’t answer. I couldn’t see in his garage to see if his car was there.” Brows furrowed, he glanced around the room. “Where’s Ian?” I peeked over at Reed and it was the wrong move. My father noticed my hesitance. Sighing, he pursed his lips. “What’s going on? I can tell when you’re keeping something from me.”

Ian’s truck rumbled outside, signaling his arrival. I didn’t want to say anything until he came in, so I stalled. As soon as he got a good look at my dad, it was clear it was time to spill the truth. “Did you tell him?” Ian asked, glancing at both me and Reed.

I shook my head. “I thought we should wait on you. You didn’t happen to see Jared while you were out, did you?”

His gaze narrowed. “No, why?”

“He’s missing,” I told him.

“What?” He looked to my dad. “When did this happen?”

My father’s jaw clenched. “It’s been two days since he was seen last. But that’s not what I’m concerned about right now. What the hell’s going on?”

Ian nodded toward the living room. I sat down beside him on the couch, while Reed and my father took the chairs across from us. “We know who abducted Grace. His name’s Daniel Bradfield, the grandson of the former chief of police, Larry Bradfield. Andrew Davies is also involved—he was the guy who left the hotel with Jared and Grace the night she was abducted. There is also a fellow named Marcus Brody, who we think is responsible for the deaths in Montana. They’re all friends with Jared, but not once have they mentioned him in any of the details. I’m not sure how he’s involved—or if he even is.”

My father’s eyes widened. “Jesus Christ. You don’t think they have him, do you?”

Ian shook his head. “I don’t see how. I was just over at Daniel’s house, even toured the barn where they keep the victims. There was no sign of anyone there. Daniel told me everything about their process, from beginning to the end.”

“How long have you known this?” my father demanded, glaring at us all.

I shook my head. “Not long. We didn’t want you to know because I knew you’d go after Daniel. We’re still waiting to see who ordered the hit on me.”

Ian grabbed my hand. “I think there’s a way to find out. But to get information, I’m going to need help.”

“What do you need?” my father asked.

“When I was at Daniel’s, Andrew had a laptop he used to research my background. If he did this with all their other clients, we can see who got involved with them in the past. It might be a way to bust everyone. We just need to get into his room, if he’s still at the hotel.”

My father gestured to me. “Getting access is easy. With Reed’s help, Grace can look through the hotel database to see if he’s still there and what room he’s in.”

“And with your help,” Ian added, “you can get Andrew out of the way. If Jared is actually missing, you have reason to question him, since they’re close friends. As long as you get him out of his room, we’ll be good. Reed can then get in and copy his hard drive.”

“How will Reed know to get out?” I asked.

Ian sighed. “I’m going to set up a meeting with Lauren Beckett to talk about my company party. It’ll give me a reason to be at the hotel and to subtly ask her questions about Jared. Plus, I can request to sit at the bar. I’ll be able to see the entrance clearly.”

My father nodded. “And what will Grace be doing during this time?”

“I’ll be fine,” I snapped. “I’m not a helpless little girl. Give me a gun and I’ll be okay.”

My father didn’t approve, but Ian squeezed my hand. “We won’t be gone long, she should be fine since all of the main players will be with us.” He focused on my father. “I have Daniel going after Connor McCabe. He’s a friend of mine, and a former member of the Irish mob. He knows how to handle himself. Daniel’s supposed to call me when it’s done.”

Blowing out a heavy sigh, my father ran a hand through his hair. “What’s their stipulation? Surely, they’re getting something out of it.”

Ian scoffed. “I don’t know what they’ve charged everyone else, but they’re getting fifty grand out of me. I already withdrew it from the bank and gave it to them.”

I gasped. “Holy shit. Are you trying to say someone was going to pay that much to kill me?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll find out when we hack into Andrew’s laptop.”

My father stood. “I hope you know what you’re doing. If Jared doesn’t turn up, we’re going to have a media nightmare. We need to find him.” He walked over to me and I stood, hugging him tight.

“What if Jared’s dead already?” The thought made my chest ache. We’d been friends for so many years. I wanted him alive, even if it was just so I could confront him myself. I had to know if he was part of the plan to kill me.

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Let’s hope not, for everyone’s sake.” He kissed my cheek. “Be safe. Call me if you need me.”

“I will. I love you.”

Ian and I walked him to his car, then walked around the side of the house to the back. It was strange to think I’d escaped from that barn and found myself on his back porch not too long ago. My wrists didn’t hurt anymore, but there were still red scars on them.

We sat down on the porch swing and Ian put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his body. “I wonder what it’ll feel like when this is all over?” I whispered.

A deep rumble echoed from Ian’s chest. “A hell of a lot better than what it is now. I wish you knew how hard it was for me to control myself today. When I walked into the barn,” he shook his head, “I thought I was going to lose it.”

I looked up at him and kissed him. “Hey, we need something to get our minds off all of this.” My stomach growled and I rubbed it. “Reed marinated some steaks, and it’s your job to grill them. He says you’re not as good a cook as he is.”

Grinning from ear to ear, he jumped to his feet. “We’ll see about that.”

Ian

“What’s Grace going to do for work after this?” Reed asked on our way to the hotel.

“I don’t know. I told her I’d give her a loan to manage her own hotel. She wouldn’t accept it.”

Reed chuckled. “Damn, brother. It must be love.”

“Of course it is. Why do you think I chased after her for so long? She’s not going to be happy working under someone for the rest of her life. She’s a leader.” One of these days, I was going to give Grace what she wanted—if she liked it or not.

We pulled up to the hotel and I nodded toward his watch. “I’ll send you the signal when you’re good to go.”

Walking inside, Lauren was at the front desk waiting for me, dressed in a low-cut purple top and short black skirt. Her smile brightened and she held out her hand. “Ian, hi. It’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise,” I said, shaking her hand.

“Shall we go to my office?”

I nodded toward the bar. “Actually, I could use a drink.”

Her smile widened. “Even better.” We walked over to the bar and sat down. There was a middle-aged couple having drinks, but other than that, we were the only ones. “How have you been?” she asked. “I haven’t seen you since the grocery store.”

I shrugged. “Been working.”

She scoffed. “I know how that goes. My brother took off and now I have to run this place.” That caught my attention.

Before I could say anything, the bartender came over. He was an older man, late fifties with graying dark hair. “Would you like something from the bar?”

Lauren nodded toward me. “Put his drinks on my tab, please. And I’ll have my usual.”

The bartender nodded, then took my order for a gin and tonic.

I focused on Lauren when he walked away. “Do you know where Jared went?”

“Nope,” she said. “Ever since Grace went missing and our father died, he’s been on edge. I think it was too much on him.”

“Have you called the police?”

The bartender set our drinks down and she took a sip. “My mom did. I think they’re going to start looking for him soon.” She shrugged. “I’m sure he just ran away from his problems, but I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

About that time, the police walked through the door of the hotel.

“Looks like they might be starting now.” I nodded toward Colton.

Lauren glanced over and waved. “He’s been here several times since Grace disappeared. I feel bad for the man. I can’t imagine what he must be going through.”

“I know the feeling. Grace was my friend.”

Lifting her glass, she stared at me over the rim. “Were you two close?”

“Not in that way. I asked her out a few times though, but she always told me no.”

“It’s probably because she had my brother wrapped around her finger. He and my father talked about her all the time.”

I gulped down the rest of my drink. “I can’t blame them. She was a good person.”

Lauren finished off her cocktail. “That she was.”

The elevators dinged and I looked over to see Andrew step off. He saw me at the bar and nodded. I waved and watched him take a seat in the lobby with Colton. Sliding my hand into my lap, I pressed the distress button on my watch to signal Reed. A few seconds later, he walked through the doors, straight to the elevators.

“For your party, have you thought about lighting?” Lauren asked. “We have several light kits we use for different events, especially after parties.”

“I trust your judgement. Add it to the list.”

She bit her lip and smiled. “Great. I think you’ll be pleased with the end result. Are there any concerns you needed to discuss, or was there another reason you wanted to meet me tonight?” Her hand grazed my thigh but then she pulled away when Andrew joined us.

“Good evening, you two,” he said. Colton glanced quickly at me before walking out the doors.

“Andrew,” she flourished her hand at me, “this is Ian.”

Andrew slapped my shoulder. “We’ve already met. Daniel introduced us. So, what are you doing here?”

I glanced over at Lauren and then back to him. “I’m planning a company party. Lauren’s setting it up for me.”

“Sweet, brother. This place has got all the hook ups,” he said. He ordered a drink and set down on the other side of Lauren. “Have you talked to your brother recently?”

She shook her head. “No. Is that what the chief of police wanted?”

“Yep. He wanted to see if I’ve talked to him.”

“Have you?” she asked.

“Not a word. Then again, he’s in pain. I left town for a few days after my mother died too. Having to deal with people constantly telling me they were sorry was too much.”

“I hear you, man. I lost my mother too,” I added.

He peered down at his watch and sighed. “All right, it’s getting late. I think I’m going to crash for the night.” Lauren hugged him and he shook my hand.

“Take it easy,” I said.

Discreetly, I pressed the button on my watch. I hoped like hell Reed was able to get what he needed. Once Andrew was out of sight, Lauren placed her hand on my arm. “Where were we?”

The elevators dinged and Reed stepped off, not even attempting to make eye contact with me. “Actually, you know what? I’m going to have to go as well,” I replied, slipping my arm away from her. “But I really like the idea about the lights. We’ll be in touch soon.”

I took off out the doors and hurried to my truck. “Did you get it?”

His smile grew wide. “I did. Might take me a while to find what we need, but I got it all.”

“Why are we going out to the barn?” Grace asked.

I pulled her inside and up the stairs to the loft. “Because we can be alone out here. And Reed’s trying to work inside. The sooner we get that information, the better.”

“I understand.” We climbed up into the loft and I set the lantern down on one of the wooden planks. It lit up the entire area.

Grace gazed around the room, her eyes lit with wonderment. “I can’t believe I haven’t been up here yet. This is awesome.” There were hay bales stacked around the room with a small table in the middle. She sat down on one of the hay bales and I sat across from her.

When we’d had the barn built, we wanted a secret room where we could hide all our guns. Little did she know, there was over a million dollars in guns all around her. I pushed the window open and the mountain breeze blew in. “I thought we could play a game. I need to unwind, especially before the next few days.”

She nodded and pointed at the cards. “What do you want to play?”

“Draw of Truth or Dare,” I said, causing her to giggle. Shuffling the cards, I dealt the first hand. She won, with an ace of spades.

Grinning, she slid her gaze down my body. I thought she’d want me to take off a piece of clothing, but that wasn’t the case. “Did you always want to be an FBI agent, or was there something else?”

There were so many things I wanted to be as a kid, but almost all of them revolved around shooting guns and protecting people. “Being a part of the FBI was my dream for as long as I can remember. Growing up, all we did was play cops and robbers. But, if I could’ve been something else, I’d have to say a cowboy.”

She burst out laughing. “You already are one.”

I winked. “Exactly. I have no regrets, buttercup. I’m happy with who I am.”

Holding the deck, I flipped over two more cards; I won. I reached over and pulled at the hem of her pink shirt. “I think it’s time you took this off.”

“You don’t get to choose what I take off,” she said with a smile. “But, if that’s what you want, I’ll let you win.” She took off her shirt and tossed it on the ground. My eyes raked over her breasts and my dick twitched, slowly growing harder by the second. Her breasts were smooth and bulging out of her bra. I wanted to taste her so fucking bad, I couldn’t stand it.

Another six sets of cards were put down, and I’d lost to the point where I was left with only my boxers. Grace stared triumphantly at me, even though she had lost a few times too. I held out my arms. “What do you want me to do?”

Biting her lip, she walked over to me and sat in my lap. But when she looked in my eyes, there was a sadness. “I have a question.”

I placed my hands on her hips. “What is it?” It was hard to focus when my arousal was nestled against her hot center.

She pierced me with those golden, hazel eyes of hers. “What are you most afraid of? You always look like you’re the most confident man in the world. I want to know your weakness.”

“Will you tell me yours?”

“Of course,” she whispered. “I’ll answer anything. You don’t have to win the card game to ask.”

Closing my eyes, I thought about everything that haunted me. There were so many things I was afraid of, but I’d never spoken them to anyone, not even my brothers. I opened my eyes and took her face in my hands, rubbing my thumbs gently across her cheeks. She leaned into my touch.

“I love the way you look at me,” I murmured. “No one’s ever been like that with me before.”

“I don’t see how. You’re an amazing man.”

I shrugged. “A lot of women see me the way you did, as a flirt, and a bad boy who’d cheat on them the first chance he got. After a while, I didn’t even bother trying to convince anyone otherwise. I’ve never been able to get close to anyone. But when we became friends, our relationship was different. There were times I’d come back from a fucked-up mission and your voice was the only thing that kept me grounded; it was like a drug. That’s why I had to find ways to be around you.”

I pulled her down to my lips and she moaned in my mouth. Pushing up, I rocked my hips, rubbing myself between her legs. “But to answer your question, I was afraid when you were taken. The thought of anything happening to you made me so goddamn sick. Finding you dead somewhere would’ve driven me over the edge.”

She grabbed my face. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere. I didn’t realize I meant so much to you before. If I’d have known the kind of demons you faced, I would’ve tried to help.”

I shook my head. “Guys like me and my brothers have to keep our lives hidden. When I signed up for it, I didn’t think about all the consequences. That’s what also scares me about my brothers. Wade is the only one of us who hasn’t had to hide who he is. He lives in Charlotte with my father, the son of the infamous Glenn Chandler. That’s what he wanted.”

“And you don’t regret not being a part of that?” she asked.

“Not at all. I like the small-town life and the mountains. However, I am afraid for Bryce and Reed. Reed kills without a second thought, and as of right now, he still has that spark of life in him. I’ve seen what happens to those of us who let the dark side take over. I don’t want him to turn out like that.”

“He won’t,” she murmured. “He’s got an amazing older brother to make sure that doesn’t happen. Don’t underestimate Reed. He may be younger than you, but I see a lot of you in him.”

Reed was smart and resourceful on the computer. Without him, we wouldn’t have been able to hack into Andrew’s computer. “Then there’s Bryce,” I added. “You already know how deep he’s in with the mob. I’m afraid that if it’s up to me to save him, I’ll fail.”

Grace lowered her lips to mine. “I have faith in you.” She kissed me again and rocked her hips against mine. “But right now, you need to take your mind off everything. And there’s something I can do to help with that.” Sliding down my body, she knelt between my legs and pulled my rock-hard cock out of my boxers. She looked at me over the tip and gave me a smirk, before sliding my entire length into her mouth.

I cursed under my breath and tried to hold my hips still. How did she always know exactly what I needed?

Grace

“When you guys get done doing whatever you’re doing in the barn, you need to see this,” Reed shouted.

My eyes fluttered open and I groaned. I definitely wouldn’t recommend sleeping on bales of hay, and I had no plans to do it in the future.

Ian stood and stretched. “Looks like Reed must’ve found something.” He handed me my clothes, trying to hide the smile on his face.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, running my hands through my hair. That was when I figured it out. My hair felt like I put my finger in a light socket; there was hay all in it. I smacked Ian’s arm and pushed him toward the ladder. “It’s your fault.”

He burst out laughing. “What? We rolled around in the hay, and I regret nothing.”

“Yeah, but now I have to face Reed. It’s embarrassing.”

Once we were down the ladder, we ran into the house. Reed was on the couch, staring at his laptop with narrowed eyes.

“What is it?” Ian asked, hurrying over to him.

Reed pointed to the screen. “It took most of the night to find the hidden files, but they’re there, even the one with you and Connor.”

Ian sat down and moved the laptop so I could see. There were eight files involving all the missing men, along with the men who killed them. We had the evidence we needed to convict everyone. The only problem was, there were eight files when there should’ve been nine. Mine wasn’t there. There was no documentation on who wanted me dead or how much they spent to hunt me down.

Huffing, I glared at the computer. “Why am I not in there?”

With a heavy sigh, Ian searched through the files. “I don’t know. Not unless your death was a favor.”

“Why is my case so different from everyone else’s?” It was a question we’d all been asking since the very beginning. I was starting to think I’d never find the answers. If Ian busted all the killers in the files, it still left the one person who wanted me dead unknown. How would I be able to live my life knowing that person was still out there?

“Maybe Andrew hadn’t been made aware that you were the next on the list. That’s probably why you’re not in his files.”

I sucked in a ragged breath. Andrew seemed so sweet when I’d met him. It was strange how someone like that could be a part of something so evil. “Either way, he needs to go down.”

Ian showed me all the names of the killers. “Do you recognize any of them?”

I searched through the names, and didn’t know a single one. A part of me relaxed with this information; the last thing I wanted was more heartache from the people I knew.

“No,” I whispered. “But we need to give my father these names, so he can be ready to round them up when the time comes. They don’t deserve another day of freedom.”

For two days, we waited patiently for the call to come in from Daniel. Ian was ready, but I feared for him. If something went wrong, no one would be there to help him, at least, not until Reed could get there.

There wasn’t much to do in hiding, so Ian gave me his laptop to surf the internet. I had to see what was going on in the world. There were countless articles on my disappearance, all speculating I was dead. I couldn’t wait to resurrect and face Daniel.

My Facebook page was jam-packed with posts all over my timeline, each offering prayers. My ex even wrote a heartfelt post on how he hoped I was okay. Mya posted every single day since my disappearance about how much she missed me, along with different pictures of us growing up. Tears fell down my cheeks and I turned away.

“Baby, you okay?” Ian asked. Before I could shut the laptop, he walked in and looked at the computer screen.

Sighing, I pointed to one of the pictures of me and Mya. “It hurts me every day to know I’m keeping her in the dark. She’s my best friend, Ian. I can’t imagine what this is doing to her.”

He rubbed my shoulders. “I know. You look at your Facebook page every day to see her posts.” He turned my chair around and knelt in front of me. “I can tell keeping Mya in the dark is hard for you.” A car door slammed outside and he smiled. “We probably shouldn’t be doing this, but I know how much it’ll mean to you.”

My heart pounded in my chest, especially when I heard thunderous footsteps pounding toward the front door. “What’s going on?”

The front door slammed open and my name echoed down the hall. “Grace!”

Tears flooded my eyes. Ian helped me up and nodded toward the door. “Go. Catch up with your friend.”

I raced out the door and as soon as I turned the corner, Mya was there, eyes wide and out of breath. Blake stood by the door, and I didn’t understand why he was there with Mya, but that was a question for another time.

Mya cried, her whole body shaking. She dropped to her knees and mumbled, “You’re alive,” over and over again.

I collapsed next to her and pulled her into my arms, as we both sobbed. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you. I wanted to more than anything.”

“It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re alive.”

“You only have a few minutes with each other,” Ian confessed, giving me a sad smile.

I looked at Mya and nodded toward the back door. “Come on, let’s go outside so we can talk.” With my arm around her shoulders, we walked outside to the patio and sat on the swing. “Why did you come with Blake?”

She wiped away her tears. “I didn’t. He followed me here to make sure no one followed behind us. Your father said it was the safest option. The media’s everywhere right now, trying to find a story. Apparently, Blake’s an undercover cop. But he looks familiar for some reason.”

I snickered. “That’s because he’s married to Hadley Rivers. He’s not exactly an undercover cop anymore.”

Her mouth gaped and she gasped. “Oh my God, I was in the car with him and I had no freaking clue? He talked about Ian as if they were friends.”

“They are,” I said, giggling. “There’s a lot about Ian none of us knew about.”

“I see that.” Grinning wide, she grabbed my hand. “I must say, staying hidden has done wonders for you. You’re practically glowing.”

“I’m in love, Mya. I just hate I fought it for so long.”

She snorted. “Tell me about it. I kept trying to get you to give him a chance.”

“I’m glad I finally did.” I glanced back inside the house to where Ian, Reed, and Blake sat in the living room. “Did my father tell you what’s going on?”

She shook her head. “He just said you were in danger and you had to stay hidden. I knew not to pry. I figured I’d find out when the time was right. All I care about is knowing you’re alive and well.”

“I’ll tell you when it’s all over with, which will probably be soon. I just hope it works out the way it’s supposed to.”

Her smile faded. “Me too. I’m ready to have you back.”

“Same. You wouldn’t believe the kinds of things going on in this town. I could write a book about it. Too bad I don’t like to write.”

She waved me off. “Maybe a famous author will do it for you. That way, it can become a movie and I’ll star in it. Although, filming would have to be over a year from now, when my body goes back to normal.”

It took me a few seconds to catch what she said, but then it all fell into place. I’d known there was something different about her the second I saw her. Her skin was absolutely radiant, and she had a glow about her.

Slapping a hand to my mouth, I looked down at her belly. “Are you really?”

Tears fell down her cheeks and she laughed. “Yep. I haven’t said a word to anyone except Alex. I was going to tell you that night when you were supposed to come over for spaghetti, but then you bailed on me. Ever since then, I couldn’t announce it without my best friend finding out first.”

I flung my arms around her neck, tears of joy running down my face. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it that night. I’m incredibly happy for you. And don’t worry, I’ll be the best aunt in the world.”

She rubbed my back. “I’m counting on it. Just stay safe in the meantime.”

The patio door opened and Ian appeared. “It’s time to say goodbye, ladies.”

Mya and I stood and hugged each other so tight I could barely breathe. “I’ll see you soon,” I whispered in her ear.

“Promise?”

“I promise. Take care of that baby.” Blake stepped outside and they walked until they disappeared around the front.

“She’s having a baby?” Ian inquired.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I leaned my head against his chest. “She was going to tell me the night I went missing. I was supposed to eat dinner at her house, before Jared asked me to meet him and his dad at Wild River. I’m just glad the stress didn’t hurt the baby.”

“If I’d have known, we would’ve made sure to tell her sooner.”

I breathed him in, loving the feel of his arms around me. “I know. But it’s done now, that’s all that matters. I pulled back long enough to let him know what Mya had said. “She chastised me for not going out with you sooner.”

“Good,” he said with a chuckle. “You should’ve listened to your friend.”

His phone rang, and I let him go so he could grab it out of his pocket. He pulled it out and he froze, his jaw clenched so tight I could hear his teeth scraping against each other.

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s Daniel.” He looked right into my eyes. “Looks like the game’s about to start.”

Ian

It was time.

“Do you think Connor’s okay?” Grace asked.

With a heavy sigh, I loaded my rifle into my truck. “Hope so. He knew to go down without too much of a fight. If Daniel does what he did to you, then he’ll be tied up in the barn until I get there.”

I’d gotten the phone call this morning. Daniel was going to pick up Connor once Blake and Hadley left for the day, then haul him back to his house. He had told me to wait to come over until he called me back. I never wanted Connor to have to stay in a barn all day, but at this point, it needed to be done.

Reed walked out the door, carrying a box of special ammo. It looked real and fired real, only it wouldn’t penetrate the skin. “Sure you don’t want to wear your wire?” he asked.

Judging by the concerned look on Grace’s face, she wanted me to wear it too. I shook my head and took the ammo. “It’s best I don’t, just in case they search me. And then once this is all over, we’ll bust them for good.”

Reed patted my shoulder. “Be safe, brother. If you need me, you know what to do.” He walked off and Grace jumped in my arms.

“I don’t like you going alone. I’ll be worried sick the entire time you’re gone.”

“There’s nothing to worry about, buttercup. I know what I’m doing.” I kissed her hard and grabbed the back of her neck, holding her to me. She bit my lip and I groaned. “When I come home, we’ll celebrate.”

“You’re damn right we will.” She tried to smile and failed. I could tell she was scared. She squeezed my hand and kissed me again. “I love you.”

“And I love you.” I got in my truck and she waved at me as I drove away in silence. My fingers itched to hold my rifle and blow a hole in Daniel’s skull. Reining in my anger was going to be a lot harder today, now that all of it was about to be over.

The sun had started its descent behind the mountains by the time I arrived at Daniel’s. I could see him standing near the barn, leaning against a four-wheeler. Andrew wasn’t anywhere in sight. He waved for me to approach, so I drove my truck carefully over the grass.

I rolled my window down and he smiled. “Ready to have some fun?”

“More than ready.” I hopped out, grabbed my rifle, and slung it over my shoulders. The barn door was closed and I impatiently waited to see who was on the inside.

“All right, let’s get started,” Daniel said with a clap.

“Great. Bring the fucker out here. I’m ready to get this done.”

Chuckling, he opened the barn door. “As you wish.”

All the stall doors were open, except one—the one he went to. “Wakey, wakey,” he called out. Opening the door, he grabbed Connor by the ankles, dragging him out. Daniel was much stronger than he looked. I was beginning to think I’d underestimated him.

Connor’s jeans were ripped, and he was covered in blood and dirt. A blindfold hid his eyes and when Daniel took it off, Connor looked right at me. He glared and I had a feeling he was going to pay me back for putting him through hell.

Daniel smacked him on the shoulder hard. “Here’s the rules of the game. They’re pretty simple.” He waved toward the field. “You run like the cowardly piece of shit you are, while Ian here,” he nodded at me, “hunts you down.”

Connor growled something intelligible through his gag and spat. Daniel burst out laughing, and reached behind Connor’s head to untie the gag.

“Was that English? I couldn’t understand with the filthy Irish accent.”

Once the gag was lifted, Connor spit at me. “He’s too much of a pussy to kill me. His sister’s a whore and that’s why he wants me dead.”

I charged toward him and punched him in the jaw, making it look much worse than it was. “Motherfucker!” I shouted. “You deserve to die after what you did.”

“I’m not going to run from this bastard,” Connor hissed as I stood back and seethed.

Daniel cut the rope at Connor’s feet. “If you don’t, I’ll kill your whole family, including your two-year-old nephew.” Connor’s eyes blazed and I hoped to hell he could keep his cool. He didn’t even have a nephew, but that was what was put in his fake file. When Connor didn’t say a word, Daniel smiled. “I suggest you run for cover. The woods are just over there.”

Connor glared at me before he took off across the field. Daniel tapped the four-wheeler handle bars. “Hop on and go after him. When you get to the woods, kill him and I’ll take care of the rest.”

I hopped onto the four-wheeler and waited for Connor to almost get to the trees. “Then that’s it?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yep. Have fun.”

Revving the engine, I took off after Connor. He disappeared into the woods and I followed on his tail, making sure he got as far as he could before I took the shot. He glanced back at me over his shoulder and nodded. Slamming on the brakes, I got into position, firing off the whole magazine. Connor kept running and I watched him until I couldn’t see him any longer. Sliding my rifle over my shoulder, I made my way back through the field.

Daniel stood by the barn, leaning against the side of it with a smug smile. I shut the four-wheeler down and hopped off.

“Feel better?” he asked.

No, but I was about to. “Hell yeah. It was such a rush.”

He chuckled. “That it is. Once you get a taste for it, it’s kind of hard to stop.”

“So that’s it? I can go now?”

Daniel nodded. “I’ll find the body and burn it. Have yourself a good night.”

I planned on it. However, when I turned around, there was someone I hadn’t expected. Pain exploded from the back of my head and my legs buckled beneath me. My eyes slowly began to drift and all I heard was Daniel’s laugh. The bastard was going to pay.

Grace

Every few minutes or so, I checked my watch to see where Ian was. Judging by the layout of Daniel’s property, we basically watched everything unfold by Ian’s watch position. When the little blue light moved, we followed his progress on Reed’s computer. We’d watched him go into the woods and come out, only to go into Daniel’s house and not move.

He’d been gone for three hours and I didn’t like it. Although, Reed didn’t seem to be worried in the least. He sat on the couch while Top Gun played on the TV.

“Do you not think it’s taking too long?” I asked.

Reed checked his watch. “It has been a while, but Ian would send us a signal if he was in trouble.”

“What if he can’t?”

With a heavy sigh, he met my gaze. “If he hasn’t called by eleven, I’ll ride out there and see what’s going on.”

His assurance didn’t make me feel better. Now I had two more hours to wait, trying my best to calm the horrible thoughts floating through my brain. If Daniel’s property was gated, no one would be able to get through.

“Okay,” I said, sinking into the couch. I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Time dragged on and I constantly checked the clock. Reed sat like a statue the entire time we watched movies, like he too couldn’t relax. A part of me wondered if he was just as scared as I was.

An hour passed and Ian’s position hadn’t changed. He was in Daniel’s house, but the light literally hadn’t moved a centimeter. Huffing, I held out my wrist, pointing impatiently at my watch. “He hasn’t moved, Reed. I don’t care if he’s in Daniel’s house, don’t you think he would’ve at least walked around?”

Reed’s jaw clenched and he stood. “Okay, I’m going out there.”

“Good. Wait for me, I’m going with you.”

He jerked around, staring at me like I’d lost my mind. “You’re not going anywhere. Ian would kick my ass if something happened to you.”

“He won’t be able to do anything if he’s dead.” I wasn’t going to back down, not this time.

Reed let out a frustrated sigh and nodded toward the hall. “Go change into something dark and we’ll go. You can’t go out there in that bright pink shirt.”

Relief washed through me. I didn’t want to wait another hour. Hurrying to the bedroom, I rummaged through my bag and found a pair of black pants and short-sleeve green shirt. It just so happened that Ian had a black jacket in his closet. Once I was dressed, I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and walked out of the bedroom, only to hear the front door slam shut, followed by the roar of a car engine.

“No, no, no,” I shouted, racing to the window. Reed drove away so fast, there was no way I could catch up. I slammed my hand against the glass. “Dammit all to hell.” Heart racing, I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the first set of car keys on the wall. There were two cars left in the garage; a white Maserati and a red Acura NSX. They were super expensive and probably cost more than five years of my salary, but I was desperate. With the way Reed left, something was wrong. I pressed the unlock button on the key fob and the Maserati beeped. I jumped in and started on my way.

I knew exactly where to go. I’d studied Daniel’s property until I knew every square inch of his land. I’d done this, so that if I ever got stuck out there again, I’d know exactly where to go. The longer it took me to get to Daniel’s, the sicker I got.

The roads were dark and curvy, but there was a dirt driveway that led to an abandoned house about a half mile away from the entrance to Daniel’s estate. Judging by Reed’s position, he’d driven further down the road, and was now sitting on the other end. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him. If he looked at his watch, he’d know I was out there. I needed to get further in before he could stop me.

The forest was terrifying at night. I wasn’t going to lie, I was scared; almost to the level I’d been when I ran for my life. However, this time, I was terrified for Ian. Now I knew what he’d felt like when I’d been abducted.

By the time I reached the edge of Daniel’s property, there was a fence blocking my way. I grabbed onto the top of the fence and held in my scream as it sent an electrical current through my body. “Fuck,” I hissed low, drawing my hand back.

Hiking through the southside would take forever, and I didn’t have that kind of time. The only other option would be to find a way over the fence. As fast as I could, I followed the fence line until I came upon a tree I could actually climb. Some of the limbs hung over the fence, giving me the chance to jump down.

The only problem? Finding a way back out.

Looking down at my watch, Reed was still outside of the property line. I knew it wasn’t safe to go any further without him, so I followed the direction of his light, only to stop dead in my tracks. Someone was behind me.

Ian

I jerked awake and tried to move my arms and feet, but they were bound tight. I wasn’t in the barn, but a basement. The cement floor was cold on my skin and it smelled like mold. It was dark, with only a trickle of light coming in from somewhere behind me.

“I’m gonna kill that fucker,” I grumbled.

“Wish I could help you.” The voice came from across the room and I recognized it.

“Jared?”

He sighed. “Yeah. I know who you are too. I watched them bring you down here.” So that was where Jared had been the whole time.

Growling, I rolled onto my stomach and pulled my knees beneath me so I could sit on them. Looking around the room, it was still dark, but the light coming from the door helped illuminate edges and corners. Jared was on the floor, leaning up against the wall.

“Why are you in here?” I snapped. “I thought you were a part of this.”

“Hell no, are you fucking crazy? I had no clue my friends were into this shit.”

“Then how come your father did?”

The room fell silent. “How did you know that?”

“I know a lot of things, Beckett. Now answer the goddamn question.”

“He told me the night he died. He said he was Larry Bradfield’s partner. Larry Bradfield is . . .”

“Yes, I know who he is,” I cut in impatiently. “Keep going.”

“Well, they started a hunting business together. But when killing bison and elk became boring, they came up with the idea of hunting your enemies. It became a game. And then when the disappearances started again, my father got scared because Grace was taken. Now he’s dead and Grace hasn’t been found.”

“He’s dead because Daniel killed him.”

Jared gasped. “What? How do you know?” Stretching my arms back, I jammed my watch into my boot, over and over until I saw the light flash. The distress signal had been sent. “How do you know?” he repeated desperately.

“Because Grace told me.” It didn’t have to be a secret anymore. With the distress call, Reed would get Colton and his squad involved. Soon, it’d all be over.

“Wait. She knew about all of this too? Or are you saying she’s still alive?” His voice held such hope.

“She’s alive, Jared.”

He broke down, then breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought she was dead.”

“That’s what we wanted everyone to believe. She’s the one who heard Daniel attack your dad.”

“When I get out of here, I’ll kill him with my bare-fucking-hands.”

“Get in line, Kemosabe. I plan on taking him out first. He locked Grace up in a barn like a fucking animal, and she had to stay there until whoever wanted her dead could come in and finish the job.” Rage consumed me. “Who wanted her dead, Jared?”

His voice shook with anger. “I don’t know. When I confronted Daniel about Grace, he swore he had nothing to do with her disappearance. I didn’t believe him. Then I threatened to go to the police, and that’s when his cousin attacked me.”

I scoffed. “So that’s the inbred lard ass who bashed me over the head?”

“Yeah, he stays in the background and does most of the dirty work.”

“What does Daniel plan on doing with you?”

He huffed. “Fuck if I know. Andrew doesn’t know I’m here, and I’m not sure what Marcus knows. He owns a hunting business with Daniel.”

“Looks like he’s doing the same thing in Montana.”

“After I found out what Daniel was doing, I kind of figured that out,” he said with a sigh. “I don’t think Andrew knew about Grace though, judging by the surprised look on his face when I mentioned it to Daniel.” It all started coming together. With Jared’s testimony, we’d be able to put them away for good—if they lived that long. “Why are you here?” he asked.

“Hell if I know, but I sure as hell plan to find out.”

“Did you pay to kill someone?”

“No,” I said with a huff. “It was staged to make it look like I did though.”

“What, are you the police?”

“Nope, FBI.”

He sighed and cursed under his breath. “Am I going to jail?”

“I don’t know. With your father being a part of this, it doesn’t look good on you. When this is over, you’ll have a lot of questions to answer.”

“I’m going to lose everything, I just know it. Fuck, I wish I never knew about this. All I wanted was for Grace to be okay.”

“And she is. She’ll be happy to know you weren’t a part of her abduction. She’s been torn over it.”

“I care about her, Chandler. She’s been a friend for many years. I’m just glad she’s alive. Looks like the only thing we don’t know is who wanted her dead.”

And it was beginning to look like we’d never find out. “Let’s not worry about that right now. What we need to focus on now is getting out of here. Are you tied up over there? I can’t see.”

He grunted. “My wrists and ankles are. I can barely feel my hands and feet.” He’d been here longer than me; I could only imagine what state his limbs were in. Is this what Grace got out of? I struggled to get to my feet, but the door opened and the light blinded me.

“Well, well, look who’s awake. Ready to have some fun, guys?” Daniel taunted.

I spat at him. “Go fuck yourself.”

His cousin appeared behind him, then lumbered into the room. He was a huge man—all fat and muscles—about three times bigger than me. Grabbing Jared around the waist, the man lifted him over his shoulders like he was nothing.

Jared kicked and fought, but he was no match for the behemoth. Daniel strolled into the room, grinning as wide as he could.

“Why am I here?” I growled.

He knelt in front of me. “You pissed me off. I don’t like it when people do that. Take Jared for example. He butted into my business and now he’s being dealt with.”

“He’s your friend,” I shouted. “Why would you do that?”

His smile turned to a grimace. “He’s a bitch, just like his father. Why do you think Andrew and I didn’t tell him about the business? We knew he wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

I shook my head. “So now you’re going to hunt me down yourself? Or are you too much of a chicken shit?”

He punched me in the jaw, but I was so angry I didn’t feel a thing. Eyes wild, Daniel huffed, his breaths coming out as pants.

Sneering, I stared him down. “I’m going to make you die slow for that.”

The mountain of a man appeared in the doorway, then hauled me over his shoulder. “You’re the one who’s going to die slow, cocksucker.”

Grace

My watch vibrated and terror ran through my veins. Ian was in trouble; it was confirmed. I could feel the person behind me drawing closer, so I pretended not to notice. Pulse pounding in my ears, I crept along. The second I felt a hand grab my arm, I swung as hard as I could.

The man ducked down and blew out a breath. “You’re going to have to work on that.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I knew who it was. “How are you here? Your watch says you’re somewhere else.”

He snorted. “That’s because I knew you were out here. I didn’t want you tracking my steps.”

“No wonder you’re with the FBI.”

“And you’re not,” he said with a frown. “Ian will kill me if he finds out you’re here. It’s not safe.”

“I survived this shit before. I can do it again. What kind of person would I be if I stayed back and didn’t help?”

His glare softened, but he still didn’t approve. “The kind of person who needs to stay alive. You’re the only one who can put those assholes in jail.”

He had a point, but Ian was more important.

Grabbing my wrist, he looked down at my watch. “Ian pressed the panic button. We need backup.” He took out his phone and called my father. Soon, we’d have the whole police force backing us up. “All right, let’s go. Help’s on the way.”

We raced into the woods and it wasn’t long before I saw lights in the distance. The closer we got, the more terrified I was. It was like déjà vu all over again.

Reed grabbed my arm and pulled me into the bushes. Pulling out his binoculars, he pointed them toward the barn. “He’s out there with three other men.”

“Who?” I demanded.

“There’s a big guy carrying Ian over his shoulders, and Daniel, holding a rifle over his shoulder.”

“Is the other Andrew?” I asked.

He shook his head and looked at me. “It’s Jared. He’s alive, but he’s tied up, just like Ian.”

My eyes burned, but I had to be strong. “What are we going to do?”

Car lights flashed behind us and Reed pulled me further into the bushes. “That might be Andrew.” The red sports car didn’t look like the rental car Andrew had gotten, but I couldn’t be sure. Everything was moving so fast, it was hard to concentrate. “Take this,” Reed said. He handed me a Glock 19 and a full magazine clip. “Do you know how to use it?”

I slipped the magazine in and pulled the chamber. “I have one of these at home.”

“Good. I’m going to need your help. There’s three of them and two of us. As much as I know you probably want to kill them, we can’t. Not with the cops on the way.”

The red sports car stopped at the front of the house and the door opened, except it wasn’t Andrew who got out. “Holy shit,” I whispered. “I think I know who wanted me dead.”

Ian

Tossed on the ground, the breath whooshed out of my lungs. “Thanks, Hodor,” I grumbled. The big guy kicked me in the stomach and it hurt so fucking bad, I was sure an organ had exploded.

Daniel burst out laughing. “Even when you’re going to die, you joke around. Too bad humor won’t be enough to save you.”

I glared up at him. “We all die. Some faster than others.”

“Garth, untie him.” Daniel gestured to Jared. Once he was up and standing on his own, Daniel held out his rifle to him. “I’ll make you a deal, my friend. If you want to live, shoot Chandler through the foot.”

Jared spat at him. “I’m not your friend, you prick. I’m not doing shit.”

Daniel circled around and hit him in the back of the head. Jared fell to his knees, but jumped right back up. “You and your father are such limp-wristed bitches. You wouldn’t be where you are today if it wasn’t for my grandfather and his money. How do you think your father built your multi-million dollar hotel?”

Jared shook his head. “My father made his own mistakes. His actions do not speak for me.”

Daniel ran the gun barrel against Jared’s back. “If you don’t shoot Chandler now, I’ll go after mommy dearest . . . just like I did your father.”

Jared swung and punched Daniel in the jaw. The guy had more balls than I’d given him credit for. Daniel burst out laughing and waved to Garth. “Go pick up his mother. I’m sure she’ll be happy to know her son didn’t want to save her.”

“Stop,” Jared shouted, hanging his head. “Leave her out of this. I’ll do what you want.”

Daniel grinned smugly and winked at me. “You see? I always win.”

Jared took the rifle. “I’m sorry, Chandler. I have to do this.”

I didn’t blame the guy. I had no doubt Daniel would go after Jared’s mother; I could see it in his eyes. Jared pointed the rifle at me and I kept my gaze on him. Everything went into slow motion after that. I half expected to lose my foot, then Jared lifted the barrel and pointed it at Daniel; too bad his trigger-finger wasn’t fast enough. Garth smacked it away and the shot flew astray.

Daniel sucked in a breath, his murderous glare on Jared. “You worthless piece of shit. I was going to let you live, but now you’ve done gone and fucked up.” Garth handed him the rifle and he shot Jared in the foot. Jared fell to the ground, screaming. “Now get up and run,” Daniel demanded. “I won’t ask again. Next time, I’ll shoot your balls off.”

Jared got to his one good foot and hopped away, only to fall right down to the ground. I fought against my restraints, trying my best to loosen them. That was when I felt the vibration on my wrist. Reed was there. I looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. Then, a gunshot came. I spun around to see if they’d blown Jared’s balls off, but found Garth’s knee bleeding out instead. He screamed, falling like a ton of bricks.

Daniel dropped his rifle and took off. Talk about being a fucking coward.

“Jared, help me get free!” I yelled. “We have to stop him.” He crawled over, but Reed beat him to it.

“I got ya, brother.”

He cut my binds and I grabbed his rifle. “I have to get him.” I jumped to my feet and looked around. Daniel was nowhere to be found. My body shook with rage. I wanted to watch him die—needed it.

Reed squeezed my shoulder. “He’s gone, Ian. I couldn’t get a good shot on him from my position. My main concern was you. Maybe the police will have found him during his escape.”

“It’s okay,” I said, “You’re right. He won’t get far.”

Jared growled in pain. “Let’s hope not. He knows too many people who’ll keep him safe.”

Reed and I looked at each other. I didn’t like the sound of that. Together, we lifted Jared up and we set him on a hay bale, leaving Garth on the ground, wallowing in pain.

“The police are on their way. Andrew’s being apprehended as well. What about him?” Reed asked, nodding toward Jared. “Was he a part of all this?”

“No. He found out from his father, and was apprehended when he said he’d call the police on their operation.”

Reed nodded, then gestured toward the house. “You might want to check on Grace. She’s inside.”

“What?” Jared and I shouted at the same time. Eyes wide, I glared at him. “What the hell is she doing here?”

He shrugged. “She’s stubborn and she stole your car. There was nothing I could do about it, I was already on my way here. Although, I think we know who wanted her dead.”

“Who?”

Reed pointed at the red sports car in the driveway. “You’re about to find out.”

Grace

I watched her, roaming through the house in search of Daniel, murmuring his name in that seductive voice of hers. It made me so sick, I could taste the bile rising in my throat. I’d known for years Lauren Beckett didn’t like me. I could see it in the way she looked at me. She was a greedy, self-centered bitch. I didn’t know for sure if she wanted me dead, but I was going to find out.

The second the gunshots sounded outside, my heart stopped. Lauren casually looked out the window, then her eyes widened. “Oh my God.” She took off down the hall to the back bedroom, repeating those words over and over, sounding more frantic as time went by.

I tiptoed down the hall and watched her from the doorway, shoving her belongings into a red suitcase. “If you’re trying to get out of here before the police arrive, you’re wasting your time.”

“Shit!” she screamed, backing up against the wall. Slapping a hand over her mouth, her eyes widened. “Grace?”

“In the flesh.”

She rubbed her eyes. “It can’t be you. You’re dead. I know you’re dead.”

“Is that what Daniel told you? Sorry to disappoint, but I escaped the night he killed your father. Tell me, were you aware your boyfriend had a thing for killing people?”

“What? That’s insane. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I pointed toward the direction of the barn. “Really? He had Ian Chandler and your brother out there, ready to slaughter. You can look out the window and see them for yourself.”

She held up her hands. “I swear, I didn’t know what he was doing.”

“Bullshit,” I growled, entering the room. “Were you that jealous of me? I knew you were shallow and a selfish bitch, but I never thought you’d be so deranged you’d want me dead.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shoved the rest of her clothes into her suitcase and started toward me. “Get out of my way.”

“Sorry, but you’re not going anywhere.” Using her suitcase, she tried to push me away, but I knocked her back. “Did you want the hotel for yourself? Is that why you wanted your father and brother killed? Might as well kill your mother while you’re at it.” I gasped. “Just think of how much she’ll hate you once she knows you’ve been involved in all of this!”

Her eyes blazed. “Shut up!”

I held out my arms, adrenaline coursing through my veins. “If you wanted me dead, here’s your chance, Lauren. Might as well finish what you started. You’re going to have a long life of hell in prison either way.”

It was as if everything inside of her exploded. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she dove at me and we fell to the floor. I wanted to rip her apart after everything she’d done. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and I punched her in the jaw with a mean uppercut. When she didn’t let go, I punched her again, her nose and lips oozing blood. She finally let go, but I kept hitting her until I was pulled away.

It was Ian. I hugged him hard, thankful he was okay. My father and two of his deputies stormed in and hauled Lauren to her feet, handcuffing her. Eyes wild and face covered in blood, I saw a side of Lauren I’d never seen before. She was fueled with hate, trying her best to fight off the deputies.

“I hate you,” she screamed at me. “My whole life, I’ve had to hear how wonderful you are. My father loved you more than me. Even my brother chose you over me.”

“If you believe that, you’re a fucking idiot.” I knew for a fact her family loved her. She was just too self-absorbed to see it. The deputies dragged her away and we followed them out of the house. An ambulance had already arrived and Jared was being loaded in the back. He got one look at Lauren and turned his head, not even acknowledging her screams. But when he looked at me, tears filled his eyes.

Ian put his arm around me. “He didn’t know, Grace. His father told him everything right before he died. When Jared confronted Daniel about it and threatened to turn him in, he ended up here in the basement.”

My father ran over to me and drew my attention from Jared. I met him midway and jumped into his arms. “I’m not even going to ask what you’re doing here,” he said, voice muffled in my hair.

I chuckled. “Just doing what my father would.”

He kissed my forehead and set me down. “Yeah, but it’s reckless. Don’t ever do this again.”

I put my arms up in a surrender position. “Hey, I don’t plan on it.”

Grinning from ear to ear, he shook Ian’s hand. “Good work, son.”

“Thanks,” Ian replied. “Connor’s still out there somewhere, he should be in touch soon.”

“Good deal. I have my men patrolling the area. We won’t let Bradfield get far.”

“What?” I shrieked, glancing at them both. “Daniel’s still out there?”

Ian nodded. “Reed couldn’t take the shot, and by the time I was out of my restraints, he was gone.”

“So, it’s not over yet,” I whispered, hating the feeling in my gut. I leaned into him and breathed him in. “What happens now?”

Ian and my father looked at each other and my father said, “You’ll have to stay protected until we find him. I don’t want you alone. The authorities in Montana are on their way to pick up Daniel’s business partner, Marcus Brody, for the murders out that way.” He kissed me again. Hurrying to his car, he called over his shoulder, “Go home and get some rest. You officially come out of hiding tomorrow.”

“And it’s going to be a madhouse,” Ian added. “You’ll have no choice but to stay with me. Not that I’m complaining.”

“Me either.” The ambulance rushed out of the driveway and my father followed behind it. There were deputies everywhere, taking evidence. “I’m just glad it’s over, for the most part. Don’t be pissed at me for stealing your car either. I don’t know why you don’t drive it.” He preferred his old truck.

He winked. “It goes too fast. I might get in trouble.”

“Something tells me you don’t need a car to do that.”

Holding my hand, he pulled me away from Daniel’s house. “Come on, let’s go home.”

Grace

“How long is this media circus going to last?” I asked. We pulled into the hospital parking lot and there were cameras stationed out front.

Ian squeezed my hand. “Once you speak at the press conference this afternoon, it should die down a bit.”

The past two days, Ian and I stayed hidden from the press. Connor had made it back safely to Blake and Hadley’s, as if nothing ever happened. My father had announced I was alive, but I was still under protective custody. I knew there were going to be a ton of questions thrown my way. However, the only answer we didn’t have was why Daniel wanted to kill Ian in the first place. I had a feeling we’d never know.

“Are you sure you want to go in there?” he asked, nodding toward the hospital.

“Yes. It’s time I talked to Jared.” He’d called and texted me non-stop ever since the night at Daniel’s.

Ian shut off his truck and sighed. “All right, let’s go. If they get too close, I’ll barrel through them,” he said, referring to the camera crews.

Before we could get out, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse. “Dad?”

“Hey, sweetheart. I take it you’re on the way to see Jared?”

“Yep. I figured it was okay to go out in public and talk to him now.”

“You should be fine. However, there’s something I wanted to tell you.” He sounded happy and I couldn’t help but smile.

“What is it?”

“I think we found him.”

I grabbed Ian’s arm, eyes wide. “You think you found Daniel? Where?” I switched the phone to speaker so Ian could hear.

“In the woods, a few miles from his house. The body’s a little mangled, but we’re going to run some DNA tests to make sure.”

“Oh my God, that’s awesome,” I squealed.

“Let us know as soon as you find out the results,” Ian said.

“Will do, Chandler. In the meantime, be safe. I’ll see you both at the press conference.”

“Thanks, Daddy. I love you.”

“Love you too, baby.”

We got out of the truck and it was as if I had a neon sign over my head saying who I was.

“That’s her,” some of them shouted.

Ian grabbed my hand and pulled me in close. “Keep walking.”

I did as he said, and the reporters followed alongside us, hollering questions. Once we got inside, we went straight to the elevators. Breathing a sigh of relief, I leaned against the elevator wall. “I’m so sorry. You’re totally going to lose your anonymity through all this. I mean, the media’s seen you with me. They’ll ask questions. Plus, Jared knows you’re an FBI agent. The secret’s out. There’s no telling who he’s told.”

He waved it off. “Don’t worry about me. My job will be fine.” The elevator doors opened and we walked down the hall to Jared’s room. Some of the nurses froze and stared at us, but nothing was said. We stopped at Jared’s room and Ian nodded toward the waiting room. “I’ll be over there.”

The door to Jared’s room opened and Emily walked out. Looking up, she saw me and gasped. “Oh my God, it’s you!” she cried, throwing her arms around me. “Zoe, come here.”

Zoe shrieked and raced over to us, hugging me from behind. They both sobbed and I cried with them. “I’m okay.” They squeezed me even harder and I laughed. “Can’t breathe, girls.”

They let me go and stepped back. Zoe glanced down at the floor, choked up. “I had to go in for questioning yesterday. Your father told me I was a suspect at one time.” Tears fell down her cheeks. “What would ever make you think I’d want you dead?”

Emily agreed with a nod. “Same here. I was told the same thing. Then again, I guess it did look suspicious sneaking around with Brad.”

“It did,” I said sadly. “I’m sorry you had to be involved. We only wanted to find who was responsible, and nobody was considered off the list. I never wanted to believe either one of you wanted me dead.”

Zoe hugged me again. “We’re friends, Grace. Yes, I might have gotten a little full of myself after I was offered your job, but it was a huge boost for me. I needed the pay raise.”

“It’s okay.”

“Oh, and another thing,” she said, letting me go. “Tell your boyfriend no hard feelings for all the work I had to put into his company party, but I am mad at him for making me look like an idiot.”

I giggled. “Yeah, you were pretty bad with your flirting. I could hear everything.”

She smacked a hand to her forehead. “To be fair, I had no idea he was your boyfriend! I’m so embarrassed. It won’t happen again.”

“Grace,” Jared called out.

Emily and Zoe looked over at him, then back to me. “We’ll give you two some privacy,” Emily said, opening the door. Once they were gone, I slowly walked into the room. Jared’s foot was all bandaged up and in a cast, but he looked good.

I sat down in the chair beside him and smiled. “You should wear your hair like that more often.” He ran a hand through his messy brown hair and tried to smile, but failed. “How are you feeling? I heard you get to go home tomorrow.”

He shrugged. “Physically, I’m fine, other than missing two of my toes. Mentally, I could be better. My father’s dead, my sister betrayed me, and my best friends turned out to be monsters. What makes it worse was that my father was a part of it all.” Tears fell down his cheeks and he angrily wiped them away. “I’m so sorry about what happened. My sister’s going to pay for what she did. They all are.”

Taking his hand, I held it between mine. “I know this might not make a difference, but my father told me Andrew didn’t know about Daniel’s plans for you or me. He didn’t betray you.”

Jared shrugged. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. He’s not who I thought he was.”

“I know,” I murmured. “Now your friend, Marcus, on the other hand, knew. He tried to flee but the cops caught him.”

A look of disgust passed across his face. “I just don’t know how I couldn’t see it. Makes me sick. What hurts me the most is knowing you thought I had something to do with what happened to you. You know I care about you.”

The pain was clear on his face and it made my chest ache. I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “It was hard not to think you might be involved, when one of your best friends was the one who abducted me. Not to mention, your father knew what was going on.”

He nodded. “I understand. In fact, I wasn’t sure if you were going to come see me or not. You haven’t returned any of my calls.”

“Things have been a little hectic outside of here. Ian and my father thought it’d be best if I laid low until the press conference. After I leave here, that’s where I’m going.”

“I’ll be watching,” he replied sadly. “I don’t even know what all Daniel did to you.”

I shook my head. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. I got away from him before they could touch me or hunt me.”

“Thank fucking God. I don’t know what I’d do if you were dead. What are you going to do now that you’re free?”

Swallowing hard, I looked right into his bright blue eyes. “I’m going to find another job. I hope you understand.”

“Of course, I do. And just so you know, I’m selling the hotel. I don’t want any part in it.”

“What?” I gasped. “Where are you going to go?”

“Somewhere far away from here, so I can start over. I mean, how could I build my legacy off blood money?” He shook his head. “No. I don’t want any part of it.”

“When are you going to leave?” I asked, eyes burning from unshed tears.

He squeezed my hand and let go. “As soon as I can. I need to get away from here.”

“What about Daniel? He’s still out there.”

“I’m not afraid of him. If he comes after me, so be it. I’m just glad you have someone who can protect you.”

A light knock sounded on the door and Ian stuck his head in. “It’s time to go.”

I stood and tried to smile. “Take care of yourself, Jared.”

“You too. I’ll stay in touch.”

“You better.” Ian opened the door and I waved to Jared, before he shut the door behind me. “When this press conference is over, I’m going to need help to relax.”

He smiled mischievously. “Don’t worry, buttercup, I think that can be arranged.”

Grace

Two weeks had come and gone, and it was time to fly all the way across the states to North Carolina. Ian had bought us tickets because he wanted me to meet his family. The plan was to stay out there for almost a month.

“Have you ever been to North Carolina?” Ian asked, as we were pulling into the long-term parking lot at the airport. When I shook my head, he patted my leg. “You’ll love it. I’ll take you for a tour.”

I started to open the car door when my phone rang. Holding up a finger to Ian, I stayed in my seat. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hey, sweetheart. I guess you’re about to head out to Charlotte soon, huh?” His voice was off, like something was wrong.

“Yep. We just pulled up at the airport. Are you okay?”

He sighed. “Not really. I have bad news.” I switched over to speaker so Ian could hear.

“What is it?” My chest tightened and a nagging feeling of panic settled in my gut.

“The body in the woods wasn’t Daniel’s. It looks like the man was murdered and mutilated to make it look like it could be Daniel. The victim is Steven Sharp, a banker from Iowa who came out this way for a weekend hiking trip. Unfortunately, he was in the wrong place.”

I felt sick. “What do we do now?”

“We keep searching, sweetheart. Until then, be on your guard. I didn’t want to tell you while you’re headed on vacation, but I felt you needed to know.”

“Thanks, Colton,” Ian said. “She’ll be safe with me and my family.”

“I know, son. Thank you once again. Be safe out there, you two. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Bye, Dad.” I hung up and blew out a frustrated breath. “I seriously thought we were going to be able to put this behind us.”

Ian rubbed my shoulder. “We will soon, I promise. Daniel can’t hide forever.”

I sure as hell hoped not.

A month had passed by quickly, as we’d decided to take a vacation to visit his family in North Carolina. Taking our time, we traveled from the mountains, to the east coast. Feeling the sand on my feet and smelling the salty, sea air had been my favorite. I’d ended up meeting his entire family on our first day in Charlotte, including his famous sister-in-law. Talk about being nervous.

Jared had given all his employees severance packages for closing the hotel, which gave them enough money to search for new jobs for a few months. My package was larger than the others. I hadn’t wanted to take the money, but he’d assured me it was money that came in after I became marketing manager. Even though I had enough money to last a couple of years, finding a job was still pertinent.

“What are you thinking about?” Ian asked. He squeezed my hand and pulled me closer. The moon shone across the ocean, making the sea look magical. I was going to miss our nightly walks on the beach.

I looked up at him, loving the way the moon highlighted his face. “Finding a job,” I admitted truthfully. “I’ve loved our vacation time, but eventually, we’ll have to get back to the real world.”

“I know,” he agreed. “What did Jared say when you talked to him today?”

I shrugged. “He’s moving to Florida at the end of the month. His mother’s moving too. He said she’s too scared to walk out of the house, for fear of people shaming her. I guess I can’t blame her.”

Ian put his arm around me. “It’s for the best they leave. I would too if I was in their position.”

“It sucks that I spent so much time and effort at that hotel, just to see it go down.”

Squeezing me tight, he leaned over and kissed the side of my head. “I know, buttercup. But I have no doubt you’ll find another job and kick ass at it.”

“I hope so.” We walked back to the beach house we’d rented, and washed the sand off our feet under the outdoor shower. “Want to drive down to see the wild horses tomorrow?” I asked. We’d gone so far as to rent a four-wheel drive Jeep Wrangler so we could drive on the sand.

“Sure. And this time, we’ll take pictures.”

I smacked my head. “Don’t even bring that up. I feel like an idiot for not bringing the camera last time.” Chuckling, he opened the back door and the cool blast of the air conditioner made me shiver. “I think I might take a quick, hot shower. I’m freezing and need to warm up.”

He locked the door. “I can help you with that.”

“Oh yeah, what’d you have in mind?”

Grabbing my hand, he led me toward the bedroom. “Come and see.”

When we got into the bedroom, he pulled me into his arms, his tongue pushing past my lips as he kissed me. “This is a good start,” I giggled, pulling him onto the bed with me.

He gripped the hem of my skirt. “Your clothes need to come off, now.”

His piercing gaze had me frozen on the bed, but I kept my eyes on his as he slowly slid my skirt down to the floor. Gently, he glided his hands up and down my arms, skimming my breasts as he took off my shirt and bra.

“You are so beautiful, Grace,” he whispered before locking his lips around one of my sensitive nipples.

I gasped as he sucked it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around my heated flesh. Instantly growing wet at his torture, I arched my back off the bed to move closer to his lips. He moaned and cupped my other breast, massaging it feverishly with his rough hands. Ever so slowly, he moved down my body, trailing kisses over my bare stomach as he removed my underwear.

He spread my legs apart and rubbed my inner thighs, making me jump in response. His warm breath caressed my opening as he spread me further. A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he pushed a finger inside me. Tilting my head back, I hissed and bit my lip as I savored what his fingers were doing to my body.

“I’m going to make you come this way,” he growled huskily. His tongue flicked across my swollen clit and desire shot like flames through my body. “That’s right, baby. I want to taste what my touch does to you, and watch your face as I do it.”

As soon as he said that, he pushed another finger inside me and lowered his tongue to my clit, swirling it around and making me groan in pleasure. His fingers pumped inside as his mouth licked and sucked. I was so close to losing control. My orgasm rapidly approached, and when I tried to pull back, he held me down.

“Oh my God . . .” I breathed, moaning out the words. My hands fisted in his hair and I tugged him closer as the orgasm rocked through my body. He did as he’d said and watched me the entire time I rode the waves of ecstasy; his heated gaze pinned on mine while he tasted my desire.

Breathing heavily, he slid off the bed and smirked at me while licking his lips. He put his fingers in his mouth and sucked them slowly, never taking his eyes off me. “I will never get enough of this.”

My eyes traveled down to where his cock pressed against his jeans. He followed my gaze and smirked.

“You want more, baby?” When I nodded, he unbuttoned his jeans and bent over to slide them off.

A thumping sound came from outside and I looked past him to the balcony. For a split second, I couldn’t comprehend what I was seeing. But then it came into focus. Staring at us through the glass was Daniel. “Oh my God,” I screamed, rolling off the bed and taking the sheets with me. Hands shaking, I pointed to the glass doors. “Daniel’s out there. I saw him. He’s here!”

Fire blazed in Ian’s eyes. He yanked up his jeans and rushed over to the nightstand and pulled out his gun, handing mine to me. “If he comes in here. Don’t hesitate.” I nodded, my teeth chattering as ice ran through my veins, chilling me to the bone. “Lock the door behind me.” He took off outside and I locked the door. I fetched my clothes off the floor and put them on, not even caring that my shirt was on backwards.

There was a lamp lit in the living room, so I turned it off to see outside better. I watched Ian check around the house, but that was when I saw Daniel, running up the street toward a small, black car. I bolted onto the balcony.

“Ian, he’s about to get away,” I shouted.

Ian raced around the side of the house and looked up at me. I pointed toward the street and he ran as fast as he could, but it was too late. Daniel had gotten into the car and sped away.

I walked around to the other side of the balcony, where Daniel spied on us through the glass doors. Laying on the ground was a white piece of paper. Taking a deep breath, I picked it up and unfolded it.

The hunter becomes the prey.

Chills ran down my spine and I felt sick and scared. Daniel was there, in a place I thought safe. There was no telling how long he’d been there, or how many times he’d watched us.

“What’s that?” Ian asked, coming up behind me.

Swallowing hard, I turned around and gave him the note. He read it, and the energy around him lit up like fire. It was the same way he’d been when I’d woken up at his house after being rescued.

His voice was so dark and dangerous, I shivered. “After I call the local police, we’re going home. I can keep you safe there.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think it’s me he’s after.”

Grace

“Are you sure you’ll be safe here?” Mya asked, glancing around Ian’s house. “Daniel obviously wants Ian dead. Who’s to say he won’t kill you in the process?”

I watched Ian and Reed through the window, separating the individual cameras they were going to place around the house. “Ian’s more prepared than you think,” I said. She knew about Ian being an FBI agent, but she had no clue he was an assassin. It was Ian’s secret and I wasn’t going to tell anyone.

“Still,” Mya murmured, concern etched in her voice. I joined her on the couch and she passed me a glass of iced tea. “Doesn’t it scare you?”

I shrugged and took a sip of my drink. “A little, but we can’t hide away for the rest of our lives.” It’d been two weeks, and still no sign of Daniel.

“I guess you’re right.” Sighing, she turned her body toward me. “What’s going to happen if Ian gets called on a case?”

“He won’t. Ian decided to take time off while he’s dealing with the whole Daniel situation. He can’t exactly go undercover if someone’s hunting him. It could interfere with the case.”

“True,” she replied.

“Plus, the FBI are searching non-stop to find Daniel. I keep hoping it’ll end, but a part of me loses hope each week that passes.”

She patted my leg. “They’ll find him. I just hope whoever does, kills the doucheface.”

“You and me both.”

We finished our tea and I took our glasses to the kitchen, grabbing a plateful of the chocolate chip cookies I’d made that morning. I set a plate on the coffee table and Mya grabbed two, grinning from ear to ear.

“Changing the subject,” she said, taking a bite of the cookie. She moaned and closed her eyes. I waited for her to finish her sentence and when she didn’t, I laughed. There was chocolate all over her lips. “How did it go, meeting Ian’s family? I bet they all live in fancy houses and look like movie stars.”

Ian’s father definitely had; same went for Wade and Brina too. “Well, you already know who most of them are. All you have to do is a simple search on the internet and you’ll get tons of results. To be honest, they’re just like you and me—normal people. I had a great time meeting them. It’s just crazy to think that Ian has this whole other life no one knows about.”

Mya grabbed another cookie. “I know, right? He’s like an undercover superstar. Not to mention, loaded. You wouldn’t even have to work if you two got married.”

“Oh, no,” I stated adamantly. “I’m going to work no matter what. I don’t care how much money he makes.”

“Did your interview go well this morning?”

I nodded and picked up a cookie. “It did. The owner is really nice. She told me the job is mine if I want it.” She’d basically offered it to me before the interview even started. Luckily, my reputation at Snow Creek was known throughout the hotels in my city.

Mya ate the rest of her second cookie. “Are you going to take it?”

With a wide grin, I winked. “I am. Ian and I are going out to celebrate tonight. We’re actually going to have a real date for the first time.”

“Moving backward, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you have had that before agreeing to live with each other?” She giggled.

“Well . . . if it wasn’t for Daniel still being on the loose, I’d be back at my house.”

“Yeah, right. I don’t think Ian would let you out of his sight, even then.”

I shrugged. “Eventually, he’ll have to when he gets back to his day job. It’ll be weird when he leaves for weeks at a time on secret missions. I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Mya put her arm around my shoulders. “You can hang out with me and play with your little niece or nephew. I want them close with their Auntie Grace.”

The back door opened and Ian walked in, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a towel. “Three of the cameras are up,” he said with a wink.

Mya patted my leg. “At least, I know you’re safe.” She stood and grabbed another cookie with a wink. “I should probably get going. Alex is going to be home from work soon. We’re going to look at baby furniture. I’m pretty sure I’m nesting. I can’t focus on anything else until we get the room all set up.”

“Aw, that sounds like fun, mama bird. I can’t wait to plan your baby shower.” I walked her to the door and hugged her tight. “I’ll call you later. Maybe one day next week you and Alex can come over and eat dinner with us.”

She squeezed me back. “As long as you make those cookies again.”

I burst out laughing. “Deal.”

“Bye, Ian,” she hollered as she walked out the door.

He shouted goodbye and I shut the door. When I walked into the kitchen, his shirt was gone and he’d just stuffed a cookie in his mouth. “Cookies and beer? That’s gross,” I said, curling my lip.

“Tastes pretty damn good to me. If you keep making these things, I’ll get fat.”

Biting my lip, I walked over to him, examining his toned chest and stomach. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but I’m sure we could work off the calories somehow.”

He grabbed me around the waist. “I’ll expect a good workout tonight, when we get back from dinner.”

I shrugged. “Maybe even a dip in the pool? I’ve never been skinny dipping before.”

Groaning, he pulled me against his body. “You’re killing me, woman.” He kissed my neck and his stubble made me shiver. “Let me take a shower and then we’ll head out on our date.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Before he could walk off, his phone rang. We both looked at the screen and it was his father. Ian pressed the speaker button. “Dad, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to give you a heads up. Some of my contacts spotted Daniel.”

Ian met my gaze. “Where?”

“Heading north, up toward the Maine area. He was spotted at a private airfield, right outside of Boston. They couldn’t get inside in time to arrest him. Apparently, he’s taken up a new identity.”

I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief that he wasn’t in Wyoming, but there was no telling what all he was prepared for. With his grandfather being a former police officer when he was alive, he probably had several escape plans in place.

“Thanks for the heads up,” Ian said. “Reed and I are installing cameras all around the house. He won’t be able to get to us here.”

“That may be the case, son, but you’re not going to be there twenty-four-seven.”

Ian frowned. “I know. Keep me informed if you hear anything else.”

“Will do. Tell Grace I said hello.”

“Hi, Glenn,” I called out sheepishly. “Ian had you on speakerphone.”

He chuckled. “Good afternoon, Grace. I’m sorry I had to deliver such news. In a way, I was hoping he’d head back to Wyoming, so this could end.”

“Hopefully your people will catch him.”

“Yes, yes. And when we do, you’ll have to come back to Charlotte again. Bring your parents too. I’d love to meet them.”

“I’m sure they’d love to meet you too.”

Ian picked up the phone and sighed. “Let me know if anything changes.”

“I will, son. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and be watchful.”

“Always am.” Ian hung up and blew out a heavy breath.

“What are we going to do now?” I asked.

He cupped my face and looked deep into my eyes. Even though he tried to hide it, I could see the disappointment in his eyes. He hated himself for Daniel getting away. I could tell him a million times it wasn’t his fault, but his mind was set. It killed me to see him feel like a failure.

“We’re going to live our lives and move on,” he murmured. “And when that son of a bitch comes back, I won’t let him get away.” I leaned my head against his chest. His heartbeat thumped so loud it vibrated against my ear. “Now come on, let’s get ready to go. I don’t want to think about that cocksucker anymore tonight.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Grace

(Three Months Later)

Daniel hadn’t been seen or heard from in months. Looking over my shoulder had become an everyday occurrence. I didn’t like it. The lobby was vacant, except for a man and woman who were on their honeymoon. I smiled and walked past them to the Pineview Inn’s famous restaurant.

“Grace, wait for me,” Emily called out. I turned around and she waved. “Do you mind if I eat lunch with you?”

I nodded toward the restaurant. “Of course not.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “I can’t believe we’re working together again.” She sat across from me at my favorite table; it overlooked the Grand Teton mountains. Emily was now the assistant front desk manager, while I had the same job I’d had at Snow Creek.

Pineview Inn was nice and modern, just like every other huge hotel in the area. Not like Snow Creek of course, where it had been down to earth and quaint, but could also pass for a Wyoming museum. Needless to say, I missed it.

Emily opened her menu and smiled. “It’s been a crazy few months, hasn’t it?”

“Insane,” I agreed.

Jessica, one of the waitresses, brought us our drinks. She was a young girl with golden hair and a sweet smile. She’d just graduated high school in the spring and needed a job to help pay for college. “The usual today, Ms. Myers?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes, please.”

Emily shut her menu and handed it to her. “And I’ll take the cobb salad with the avocado ranch dressing, please.”

“Sounds good, ladies. Your food will be out shortly.” Jessica walked away and Emily pulled out her phone.

“Zoe sent me this picture the other day. She’s dating an architect now. They look really happy.”

I looked at the picture and smiled. “How’s she doing though? I know she wasn’t having any luck finding a new job.”

Emily shrugged. “She’s still unemployed, but the severance package we got should last her a few more weeks. Other than that, she’s happy. She moved to Cheyenne to be closer to her boyfriend.”

“That’s good. I know she was upset after everything that happened. I’m glad to hear she’s happy.”

She nodded. “We both were. It wasn’t easy finding out you’re a suspect in a what could’ve been a murder case.”

“I’m sorry about that. With you, it boiled down to bad timing and your relationship with Brad.”

Groaning, she covered her face. “I’m so embarrassed about that, and so is Brad.”

“Are you two still seeing each other?” I asked.

Her grin widened. “We are. He’s actually finishing up his criminal justice degree, and hopefully, getting a job at the police department. That is, if your dad will allow it. I know with Brad letting me into the security room at Snow Creek, it doesn’t look very good.”

“No, but he definitely can’t be letting you into secure rooms at the PD,” I said with a laugh.

Jessica brought out our food, and my chicken smelled heavenly. Emily poured the dressing onto her salad and took a bite. “Have you talked to Jared recently?”

“Not this week. We usually talk every few days or so. He’s going to start up another hotel in Florida. It’ll be smaller than Snow Creek.”

“That’s great. I’m glad to see he’s okay. I always thought you two would end up together, but Ian’s an amazing catch.”

“That he is.” I smiled. “He wants me to permanently move in with him. I’ve slowly been trickling more and more of my stuff into his house, but I’m not ready to sell my place yet. I’m going to miss my little cottage.”

She shrugged. “Then keep it. You could always rent it out to tourists when you feel like it.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. I could rent it a few weeks here and there, and if I ever wanted to stay there, I could. “I might have to do that,” I replied happily.

“Grace?” a voice called out.

I turned around to see my boss, Tamara Johnson, headed our way, dressed in black pants and a red long-sleeved silky shirt. She was in her mid-fifties with short, black hair and a curvy body. She stopped at our table and smiled at us.

“Hi, Mrs. Johnson,” we said in unison.

“Hello, ladies.” She glanced at us both, then settled on me. “Grace, I’m sorry to bother you during lunch, but do you happen to keep in touch with your marketing contacts?”

“Most of them, but I have a complete list on a thumb drive at my house. I could get Ian to ride me by there and pick it up after work.”

Her face brightened. “That would be awesome. I’m hoping they’ll help us, like they did with Snow Creek. I know we aren’t the biggest and best hotel around, but with you, I’m hoping they’ll work with us.”

I waved her off. “They’d be crazy not to. I’ll contact everyone tomorrow and get the ball rolling. The winter crowd will be here before you know it.” We were close to the local ski resort, so those who couldn’t afford to stay at that one, could stay at ours.

“Thanks, Grace. I appreciate it.” She patted my shoulder and walked off.

“I think it’s sweet Ian likes to drive you around. He’s so protective.”

“With Daniel still on the loose, he insists on making sure I’m safe. To be honest, I kind of like it. At least, all the women around here know he’s mine now. Besides, now I have a new kink . . . sexy chauffer.”

She snorted. “That’s all he needs—a bigger ego.”

Like always, Ian waited for me in the parking lot after I got off work. No more late hours. Life was too short. Now that winter was coming, the sun had started disappearing earlier and earlier. I hated that it was dark by six o’clock every evening.

Dressed in a pair of jeans, boots, and a long-sleeved plaid, flannel shirt, Ian was the epitome of a sexy cowboy. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, grinning slyly.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. “Oh, just thinking of you in your cowboy hat.”

He smacked my ass and laughed. “That does it then. I’ll let that be the only thing I wear tonight in bed.”

I giggled. “Can’t wait.” He opened the passenger side door and I hopped in. “Do you mind stopping by my house so I can pick up a thumb drive? I know exactly where it is. It won’t take long.”

“No problem.” After he shut the door, he climbed in and we were on our way. “Did work go okay today?”

“Yeah. You?”

He shrugged. “I was requested for a case today, but I turned it down. Reed went in my place.”

I looked out the window at the disappearing sun. “I hate you can’t do your job. I know you miss it.”

Taking my hand, he threaded his fingers through mine. His green eyes, serious and raw. “It’s my choice, Grace. I’ve been on the go for years. It’s time I took a break.”

When we arrived at my house, I pulled out my keys. “I’ll be back out in just a sec.”

I hurried to the door and unlocked it. My stomach growled and I was ready to get to Ian’s to eat the spaghetti I’d put in the crockpot before going into work. Once inside, I headed straight to my bedroom. The thumb drive was in the small, side drawer on my desk. “Got it,” I said happily, when my fingers touched it.

“And I finally got you.” It was a voice I hadn’t heard in a long time. There wasn’t any time to react. He grabbed my arms and hauled them behind me, his breath hot on my ear as he pushed me into the desk. The wood dug into my skin and it hurt like hell. I couldn’t move, but I could feel the scruff on his face as it touched my neck. Chills ran down my spine. “It’s about time you came back. I’ve been waiting.”

“Daniel,” I growled, trying to jerk my arms out of his grasp. I wanted to hit the distress button on my watch, but I couldn’t turn my wrist. He held me tighter, as he bound me with a cable tie. It dug into the scars on my wrists, reminding me of the night I’d been taken.

Before I could scream, he slapped a hand to my mouth. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned, hauling me over to the bed. He slammed me down and pinned me from behind. I kicked my legs as hard as I could, but his weight was too much. “Loverboy’s outside, isn’t he? Good, this shouldn’t take long.”

Fear chilled me to the bone, and tears fell down my cheeks. He used his other hand to slide it down my body, slowly over my breast and stomach, then around to my backside.

“Ian!” I screamed, knowing very well he wouldn’t be able to hear me.

Daniel’s deep, dark chuckle echoed in my ear. “Don’t worry, as much as I’d love to fuck you, that’s not part of the plan. I just want Chandler to think I did, before I kill him. The look on his face will be priceless.” Using his body, he forced my legs apart and lifted my skirt.

I was helpless, afraid, and vulnerable. He could rape me and there was nothing I could do about it. Daniel removed his hand from my mouth and ripped my underwear in half. The second he grabbed my wrists, I knew he’d hit the distress button. “It’s time for some fun.”

The second I caught my breath, I screamed as loud as I could.

Ian

It was taking Grace a long time in the house, so I walked through the door just in time for my watch to vibrate and to hear Grace’s scream.

My gun was in the car, but I didn’t care. I raced toward her room, only to find her skirt lifted above her waist, and Daniel pressing into her. Rage consumed me, especially when Daniel stood and faced me with a smug grin. “Just in time.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Grace cried, scrambling away on the bed. I couldn’t hear anything other than my heart pounding in my ears.

Daniel laughed. “So tight, just like a virgin. Her sweet pussy made me come in seconds.”

My body shook so bad, I couldn’t control myself any longer. Shouting, I barreled into him and we fell to the floor. He’d changed over the past three months—gotten bigger and stronger. I punched him and blood splattered on the floor. He pushed me off and hit me over the head with a lamp. It stunned me for a split second, and he used that time to his advantage, stumbling out of the room.

Grace was on the bed, struggling to get free, and it fueled my anger even more. Grabbing the scissors on her desk, I quickly cut the cable ties. “Are you okay?”

“Go,” she shouted. “You can’t let him get away. I’ll be fine.”

The back door opened and I bolted through the house just as he ran out. I thought he was going to run for the woods, but he stopped and faced me. “Caught you by surprise, didn’t I?” he taunted. “I told you I’d see you again soon.”

“You’re going to die tonight,” I growled low. “Taking Grace was the wrong move.”

He scoffed. “I don’t give a shit about her. Lauren wanted her dead and I delivered Grace right to her.”

“What about me? Why did you want me dead?”

His leer turned into a grimace full of disgust and loathing. “Because Lauren wanted you. She even called me by your name while I was fucking her one night. The cunt betrayed me. After that, I wanted you out of the way.”

“You wanted me dead because of that bitch? How fucking pathetic.”

“Who’s pathetic now?” he said, pulling out a gun. “I fucked your girl while you sat outside the door with a thumb up your ass. How does that feel?”

I lost all ability to think clearly, and charged for him, ready to kill with my bare hands. I didn’t care that he had a gun. At that moment, I felt invincible. A shot was fired and I dodged to the side. Pain sliced up my arm, but I kept going.

Daniel turned to run, but I knocked him to the ground. He hit me in the arm, bringing attention to where I’d obviously been shot, and I cringed in pain as we rolled across the ground. I punched him again, and he made sure to go for my arm, hitting it over and over. He jumped to his feet and we faced off. But then, another shot echoed in the air. Daniel screamed in pain and fell to the ground, blood pouring from his knee.

His murderous glare landed on Grace, who stood by my truck, pistol in hand. “You said you wanted him to die slow and painful, right?” she prompted.

“You’re right, I did.” Clenching my fists, I turned around and snapped a tree branch from the baby Aspen growing in her yard. It was sharp and just the right amount of thickness. Daniel fumbled to reach his gun, but I kicked it away from his hands. “This is for Grace.” I stabbed him in the chest and he screeched in pain, spitting and grunting at me. Blood oozed out of his body and I stood there, knowing it was going to take a while for him to die.

Grace sniffled behind me and I turned around, lifting her in my arms. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to save you,” I said into her hair, kissing her head.

She laid against my chest, my shirt growing wet from her tears. “He didn’t rape me, he only wanted you to think he did. Blinding you with rage was his way of getting to you. He thought it’d mess with your head.”

“It did,” I whispered hoarsely. “The thought of him touching you made me so goddamn sick, I couldn’t think straight. But there’s nothing to worry about now. It’s over.”

She pulled away and looked down at Daniel. “What are we going to do?”

I cupped her face. “I want you to go inside. I’m going to stay out here and watch him die. Then, when there’s no chance anyone can bring him back, we’ll call your father.”

Taking my hand, she held it tight. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to watch him die, just as much as you do. It ends tonight.”

I brushed the hair off her face. “Yes, it does.”

Grace

(Three Months Later)

For the first time in months, I had nothing to fear. It was as if a giant weight had been lifted from my chest. I could breathe. After Daniel’s case was closed, Ian and I had packed up to spend a week at his father’s house. My parents were invited as well, and had arrived a couple of days ago.

The light breeze blew through my hair as we lounged in a boat on Lake Wylie. There weren’t many people out since it was a weekday. I loved that we had it mostly to ourselves.

“Have you thought about my offer?” Ian asked. He lounged on the seat across from me, hands behind his head. His suntanned skin glistened in the sun and all I wanted to do was run my hands down his body.

Taking a deep breath, I didn’t want to appear too eager. Moving in with him completely was a huge step. “Are you sure it’s what you want?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure.”

“What about Reed? He has to agree as well.”

He smiled. “He said as long as you make him biscuits, you can stay there.”

“And Bryce?” I asked.

His grin faded. “Doesn’t look like he’s coming back anytime soon. Besides, I’ve seen the way you act when we stop by your house. I don’t like seeing the fear in your eyes.”

He was right. Every time I’d been back at my house, the memories of that night with Daniel came flooding back. “All I can see is Daniel when I’m there,” I whispered.

His eyes bored into mine. “That’s why you need to just stay with me, at my house. No more going back and forth from mine to yours. It was bound to happen at some point. We can have you moved in before your birthday next week.”

Again, he was right. We both knew it. “Okay,” I gave in. “We can move everything out when we get back. I like your house better anyway.”

A triumphant grin took over his face. He’d been trying to get me to sell my house for weeks now. I remembered the day I fell in love with it and put in an offer; I hated that Daniel was able to taint the joy I had in my house. At least, at Ian’s house, I had him and Ellie. I’d missed riding her all week.

His phone beeped and his grin widened when he read the message.

“What is it?”

After putting it away, he got up and started the boat. “Wade and Brina are at the house. I think everyone’s ready to figure out what we’re doing for dinner.” We were supposed to be getting together with the family later in the evening.

Had the time flown by that quickly? My stomach growled. “I’m down for that. Let’s go.” We didn’t have far to go and when we pulled up to the dock, I could hear my mother’s giggles as she baby-talked with Wade and Brina’s daughter.

Ian tied the boat off and chuckled, as my mother babbled on more.

“She’s in love.”

“At least she’ll be a good grandmother when we have kids.” He held out his hand and my heart fluttered.

“That’s a big assumption, Mr. Chandler. Who says we’re going to have kids?” I stepped onto the dock and he pulled me snug against his body, his heated gaze on mine.

“Me. Don’t worry, we’ll have fun making them too.”

Everything inside of me tingled. “Maybe. I’ll have to think about it.”

“Grace,” my father shouted. He waved at me from the top of the hill. “We need you up here.”

Ian grinned and flourished his arm toward the house. “Go, they need you.”

Brows furrowed, I glared at him. “What’s going on?”

Taking my hand, he kissed it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ian ignored my glare, and pulled me up the hill, but my father had already gone inside. When we opened the door, I gasped in surprise. Not only were Glenn, my parents, Wade, and Brina in the living room, but so were Blake, Hadley, and their little girl.

With the biggest grin on her face, Hadley waved and strapped her guitar around her shoulders. “Hey, girl. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

I waved back. “Been busy getting hunted by a killer.”

The room fell silent and Hadley chuckled. “True, but thankfully, you don’t have to worry about that anymore.” She tuned her guitar and smiled at everyone. “I’m sorry to crash the party, but when Ian said you all were going to be in Charlotte, I couldn’t resist.” She winked at me. “He thought it’d be a good early birthday present for you.”

Mouth gaping, I looked up at Ian. “Is she seriously going to sing for me?”

His lips pursed as he tried to hold back a smile. “Just listen.”

Glancing around the room, Hadley strummed her fingers down the guitar strings again. “I have a concert in Charlotte this weekend, and I planned on debuting a new song I wrote. It just so happens, the two people who gave me the inspiration for it are standing in this room today. I thought it’d be nice if they could hear it first, before the world does.”

My heart stopped when she smiled at me and Ian.

“It’s called Aimed at My Heart, dedicated to you both. I hope you like it.”

Ian tilted my chin toward him and tears fell down my cheeks. “This is amazing,” I cried, looking up at him.

He kissed me gently. “Happy early birthday, buttercup.”

“Bringing Hadley here and having our own song is the best gift anyone could ever give me.”

“That’s not all I got you,” he murmured, holding me tight. “Your other gift might take a while to get ready. I’ll give it to you when the time’s right. For now, I hope you like our song.”

When someone said that time moved by fast, they weren’t kidding. One day, I was moving into Ian’s house and the next, six months had passed. Ian had started working again, which meant a few lonely nights here and there. I didn’t mind. It was his job and I respected that. Most of the time, when he got home, if I didn’t ask questions, he wouldn’t tell. I figured it was best to leave the details of his job to himself, not unless he needed to talk about it.

I was busy making biscuits when the back door opened and Reed walked in, closing his eyes as he breathed in the air. Snow fell from his jacket to the floor. It was April and we’d just gotten five inches.

“Homemade biscuits. How did you know that’s what I wanted?” He tossed his jacket onto the back of a kitchen chair.

I pulled the biscuits out of the oven and set them on the counter. “You always want them,” I said, laughing. “But I get the rest of the strawberry jam. I forgot to get more at the store.”

With a sly grin, Reed rushed to the refrigerator and pulled out the remnants of the strawberry jam. “Sounds like a personal problem. Looks like you’ll have to do without.”

I lifted the pan of biscuits. “So help me God, if you don’t put down the jam, I’ll throw these in the trash. Which is a shame, as they’re still warm.” We stared each other down and I slowly lowered the pan near the trashcan. “I won’t ever make them for you again,” I added.

Reed winked and slid the jam across the counter. “Geez, woman, you know I’m kidding. It looked like you needed a laugh.”

“And you were obviously looking for an ass whoopin’,” Ian announced, strolling into the kitchen. He had his cowboy hat on with a flannel shirt, jeans, and boots. He knew I loved it when he wore his hat.

Squealing, I set the biscuits down and jumped in his arms. “I didn’t know you were getting back so early.” He was supposed to be gone for four days and it’d only been two.

Reed grabbed two biscuits and sighed. “Looks like I need to disappear for a while. Make sure I’m out of hearing range before you two . . .” He waved his hand in the air. “You know what I mean.”

Ian squeezed me tight. “That’ll have to come later. Right now, there’s somewhere I want to take you.”

I looked down at my jeans and green sweatshirt. “Am I okay to go in this?”

He handed me my jacket off the back of my chair. “You look great.”

We walked outside and the snow crunched beneath my boots. “Where are we going?” Opening my door, he grinned mischievously. “Never mind. I know you’re not going to tell me.”

He winked. “It’s about time you learned.”

Ian was all about surprises. He loved to keep me on my toes . . . and in the dark. We rode down the road, all the way through downtown Jackson, and toward one of the entrances to the Grand Teton National Forest. There were lots of private ranches and a couple of smaller hotels out there.

It just so happened, we turned down a small, paved road with a sign that read Meadow Creek Lodge. I hadn’t heard or seen anything on it since it closed after Snow Creek Resort put them out of business. We pulled up to the front, and of course, the parking lot was vacant.

“What are we doing here?”

All Ian did was smile and get out of the truck. I opened my door and slid out, taking in the view. Meadow Creek wasn’t as large as the other hotels I’d worked at. It looked like a large log cabin with a barn out back, nestled on a large pond with flower gardens all around. People used to plan their weddings there because the grounds were so beautiful, especially when the flowers were in bloom. Taking my hand, Ian led me inside. The doors were unlocked, which made no sense.

Inside, the fountain sprayed water and everything smelled new. The lights were on around the desk, and behind it hung a painting. I recognized the signature in the corner. “That’s one of Mya’s paintings. What’s it doing here?”

“Hotel management thought it’d look good there.”

I waved my hand around the lobby. “Hotel management? The place has been closed for over a year.”

He nodded. “True, but this place used to be the hot ticket. And it looks like it will be again.”

“Ian, what’s going on?” Instead of answering me, he walked over to the front desk and picked up a large envelope.

He handed it to me and smiled. “Remember a few months ago, when Hadley came to sing to you?”

I slipped my finger through the top of the envelope. “Yeah.”

His gaze landed on the envelope. “This is the birthday present I’d referred to on that day.”

Heart racing, I pulled out the papers and inside was the deed to the hotel . . . in my name. I closed my eyes and squeezed them tight, only to open them back up to see the same thing. I shook my head. “I can’t accept this. It’s too much. I told you I didn’t want your money.”

Ian gently took the envelope from my shaking hand. “It’s not just from me, Grace. The hotel went under and the owners didn’t have the funds to keep it going. In the end, they sold it to my father. And he trusts that we can make it great again. For the past couple of months, I’ve been here with contractors, updating and getting it ready.”

It all clicked into place. “Are you trying to say you’ve been here, instead of working for the FBI?”

“Well, that depends on how you look at things. This is work,” he said with a grin. “I want to help you. We can do it together. I’ll still do my duty with the FBI, but I wanted to do this first. You’ll make a fantastic hotel owner. I know you can do this.”

Tears fell down my face. “I don’t know what to say. It’s amazing.”

“All you have to say is yes.” Taking my hand, he led me outside. The barn was freshly painted and open and airy. Although, the hotel never kept animals in there; they’d used it as one of the venues for weddings and parties. And now, there was a beautiful, chocolate-brown horse with the shiniest coat I’d ever seen, standing inside with a large, red ribbon wrapped around his neck. Ian walked over to him and patted his back. “He’s yours too. I mean, that is, if you accept.”

I slapped a hand over my mouth. “Oh my God, he’s beautiful. Thank you.” I ran a hand slowly down the horse’s face. He bumped me with his nose and sniffed me. “What’s his name?”

“Hawk,” he replied. “I thought it was time you had your own horse. He’ll be good to you.”

“Why are you doing this?” I cried. “These gifts are amazing. I wish I could give you a fraction of what you’ve given me.”

“You can. Accept the hotel and bring life back to it. I think you can be happy here. You said it yourself, you don’t belong at the job you’re at. I think this is it . . . here.” He waved around the grounds and pointed at the gardens surrounding the lake. “Think of all the people who’ll want to get married here. It’ll be a new beginning, a new adventure.”

I wanted to scream my joy from the rooftops. It was all too good to be true.

“What do you say, buttercup? Think you can accept the challenge?”

I took one last look around. I’d never been so sure about anything in my life. “Yes,” I shouted happily. “Let’s do this.”

Picking me up in his arms, Ian swung me around, both of us laughing. He set me down and the world spun around me. “There’s one more thing.”

I closed my eyes, ready for everything to stop spinning. “What?” I said, giggling.

“I want you to promise me something.”

“Anything.” I rubbed my hands over my face. The spinning finally stopped.

When I opened my eyes, Ian was on his knees, holding a black, velvet box. “When you reopen this place, I want our wedding to be the first one planned here. I want you to be my wife, Grace.” He opened the box, but I couldn’t even look at the ring. I was too mesmerized by the sheer look of love on his face. “Is that something you can promise me?”

Falling to my knees in front of him, I grabbed his cheeks and kissed him. “How can I say no to that?” I kissed him again. “My answer’s yes. Yes, to everything.”

We fell to the ground and I straddled his waist. He slid the diamond ring on my finger and squeezed my hand. “Plans are already in motion for a guest house to be built on the ranch grounds. That way, Reed can have his own place and we’ll have the main house.”

The ring glittered on my finger. “So, you just knew I’d say yes?”

“I hoped you would.” He winked and flipped me over on my back. “Now you’re stuck with me for the rest of your life.”

“It’s a good problem to have.”

COMING NEXT – Bryce’s story

Do you remember reading about Grace’s homemade buttermilk biscuits when she was staying at Ian’s house? Even though Grace isn’t a southern girl from NC like I am, I still wanted to incorporate a part of me inside of her. And that includes, throwing down in the kitchen with some BIG, buttery biscuits!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups All Purpose Flour

3 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

¾ cup Crisco All-vegetable shortening

1 cup Buttermilk to start but I always add more until I get the right consistency

Extra cup of flour to roll the biscuits in before baking

NOTE: A lot of times, I half this recipe if I’m only cooking for my husband and daughters. It makes 6 HUGE biscuits. Doing the full recipe will double that.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease the pan.

Put aside a plate or a sheet of parchment paper with about a cup of flour on top so you can roll the dough around in it.

Measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Mix them all together. Add in the shortening, and this time, use your hand to incorporate the mixture into it. (This is the messy part) Next, you’ll add in the buttermilk and mix by hand. If the dough is still dry, add in a splash of buttermilk until the dough is sticky and wet, but not runny. I don’t like dry tasting biscuits. Once the dough is ready, grab a handful and set it on top of the flour. Roll it around until it’s covered and place it on the pan. If you want crunchy edges, then separate the biscuits so that when they’re baking, they don’t touch. However, if you’re like me, place them semi-close together so that the middle biscuits on the pan have the soft, fluffy edges. :)

As far as baking time, I usually start at 20 minutes, but I watch them closely after that. I like making HUGE biscuits so they take a bit longer to cook. Once the tops and edges are golden brown, I take them out.

Optional: Once the biscuits are done, cut them open and add butter. The biscuits will practically melt in your mouth.

To my husband – Thank you for helping me with the Circle of Justice series. Your knowledge has definitely helped me. I’m starting to think you’d be a good assassin.

To the best assistant in the world, Kim – You’ve been by my side for a few years now. Words can’t describe how grateful I am to have you in my life.

To my amazing editor, Victoria – You kill me when you cut so many of my words, but I know it’s for the best. My stories always shine when you get done with them.

To the Queen of Design, Regina – I can always count on you to make my babies pretty.

To Julie – Thank you for being one of my most trusted beta readers.

To all the women in Dover’s Darlings – A big thanks goes out to you! I appreciate you all being there to help me.

And most importantly, an enormous THANK YOU goes out to the readers who have given my books a chance. Without you, my stories wouldn’t be brought to life.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

She loves to write, but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.

Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, the Society X series, the Circle of Justice series, and her standalone novel Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.

L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency and Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management for dramatic rights.

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“You found me.”

If there was ever a moment when I needed to keep my wits about me, it was now. But how could I do that when I wanted nothing more than to snap the man’s neck in front of me; to make him bleed like he did the families he murdered.

“Did you think I wouldn’t?” I spat through clenched teeth. His file flashed through my mind, the pictures of the carnage he left behind . . . those children. My blood boiled.

He was poised, ready to fight to the death by the look in his eyes. “I guess it was only a matter of time.”

His name was Michael Bruxton, a computer analyst with skills matching my own. But he had a sick hobby that cost the lives of three families over the past two weeks. I spent day and night searching for him, and now I found the bastard.

We circled each other in the rundown, abandoned warehouse he’d holed up in while on the run. On the floor were tokens he stole from his victims. The baby doll with a bright pink dress caught my attention first. My whole body shook with rage. “How could you do it, you sick fuck?”

His eyes sparkled. “It’s like putting paint to canvas.” He looked down at the things he collected and smiled. “Their pleas for help were music to my ears.”

Flashes of the children laying in their own blood, their lives taken from them at such a young age plagued my mind. They were innocent, along with their parents who only wanted to protect them. A man like him deserved to die a slow, painful death . . . and I was going to make sure that happened.

Lunging for him, we went down to the dirty floor, his head slamming against the concrete. He tried to punch me and missed. I couldn’t hear anything other than the blood rushing through my veins. Pinning him with my weight, I punched him over and over, the feel of his bones crunching beneath my fist. I didn’t know the families who were killed, but I fought for them, bringing their murderer to justice.

The sick fuck spit to clear his throat, blood dribbling down his cheek, and laughed. “I love it when they fight back.” He pushed his arousal into me and groaned.

Jesus Christ. Grabbing his neck, I squeezed and snuffed his next words out. “You get off on pain you perverted son of a bitch?” I picked up a brick from nearby and raised it high. “Let’s see how you like this.” As hard as I could, I slammed it down on his face. “You said screams were music to your ears,” I yelled into the silence. “Where are the screams now, you bitch?” I slammed the brick back down on his mutilated face over and over again, trying to unsee the pictures of the flayed bodies he’d left behind.

Throwing the brick across the floor, I got up and surveyed the scene, breathing hard. “Now you can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

“Got anything new comin’ up?” Blake asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Strapping on my holster, I shook my head. After everything that happened with Bruxton, I needed a break. “I hope not. You?”

Jaw tight, he trudged into my office, gray eyes full of turmoil. “Actually, I’m headin’ out for good. I just wanted to say goodbye.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Are you skipping town or quitting the team?”

Blake Evans and the rest of the guys on our team were the best undercover agents in the country. We’d already lost a couple people, including my sister who decided to move away to California to settle down. We couldn’t afford to lose another skilled agent.

A small smile splayed across his face as he sat down. “I’m still going to be a part of the team. This is my life. I’ll just be living it somewhere else.”

“Where to?”

“Wyoming. My grandfather passed away and left me his ranch. I figured I’d go since nothing’s really keeping me here. I’m single, and we’re always traveling with the job. I’m never in Charlotte that much anyway.”

“No shit. I think this is the first week in months I’ve been able to sit back and relax.” I stared at him and chuckled. “Blake Evans turned cowboy. I never would’ve thought it.”

He got to his feet. “Me neither, but it’ll sure be interesting. How about we get one last drink together at Second Street before I go?”

“Sounds good, bro. I was just about to head out.” We got halfway to the door when my cell phone rang. I looked down at my phone and walked back to my desk. “It’s the Chief of Police from Vegas.” So much for the break I wanted. Leaning against my desk, I answered the call. “Ryan Griffin, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“No pleasure in this call, son. Are you still at the station?”

“I was just getting ready to leave. What do you need?”

Sounding tired, he sighed. “I sent you some files. Take a look at them for me.”

Blake took a seat while I sat back down behind my computer. It didn’t take long for it to boot back up and when it did, I found the files. “All right, I have the files opened up.” The first one was a woman who was found dead two months prior, followed by two other murder victims and one who was missing. “What the fuck is this?”

“Whoever this fucker is, he’s cutting them, strangling them, and then leaving them on the side of the road.”

I waved Blake over. “Take a look at this,” I whispered, holding the phone away. While he sat down, I moved back. “Did it all start two months ago with this first woman, or have you had similar cases?”

“Nope, all new. We’ve had eyewitnesses give us descriptions of the people these women were last seen with—all high rollers of Sin City. No one wants to talk. All we’re getting are dead ends. I need someone on the inside who doesn’t look like a cop. My people can’t get close enough.”

Blake moved out of the way and I glanced at the pictures one last time before closing them out. “I’ll be there soon,” I said, hanging up.

“That’s some really nasty shit going on out there,” Blake stated.

Anger boiled in my veins. The pictures of those women were going to forever be ingrained in my mind. “Yes, it is, and I’m going to make sure I find the fucker responsible.”

Keep reading No Limit now.

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Aim: A Circle of Justice Novel

L.P. Dover

Copyright 2017 by L.P. Dover

Edited by: Crimson Tide Editorial

Cover Designed by: Mae I Design and Photography

Picture Taken By: Sara Eirew

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