get through the campaign meeting with

g how to compartmentalize-how to keep h

er feel like she could step on God himself, and a lipst

ton was undone, his dark gaze unreadable as ever. Only when he'd glanced at her-l

n't car

d the door behind her. But she hadn't taken a breath until s

hone

wn nu

dn't a

t buzzed again-th

hen you're pretendin

n turne

it again. And again. The words felt sticky. Wrong

phone and called

call:

up on the

You

rd his voice that she r

rea

ll

umber. The sense that someone-somet

an said. "I'll ask a guy I

ough he couldn't s

way

was si

you a

She hesitated. "J

If you hear anything else we

kup, even if this part of h

warded the note to him and

dn't

t sleep t

d, second-guessing every shadow in her apartment. At one poin

ed home aft

r removed her boots and whisper

wasn't s

ming closer. " W

to Lily's already mounting anxiety. Howe

rom an unknown numb

idened. "What

. I sent it t

r's still pl

ed. "App

hrow blanket over their laps. "Do yo

r-like feelings in the past, this one

ax

her head aro

's clearly st

a stalke

a stalker. Just... maybe this entire reappe

life. His secrets. And he made it clear

ked at her bu

apped in silence, the light flickering from the

ning brought

t threatening. But

dow like you used to. Still, dr

lood ra

like it was burning her. Her mo

er. Knew details. This wasn't someone who'd just seen he

till

think. She

came the voice o

I thought I was

er sometimes. Wan

ian-can I ask

pa

ur

o you know

er this time. "Pret

't know. Hire someone t

like sur

itated.

threat. But you're not ask

N

okay,

N

oming

No-Ad

e the a

hun

he phone in her

ian Black was kno

uard. More like a GQ model

ooked around the roo

d said, "Tell

age. The second. The fact that someone

st nodded once and p

des. Alarms. External cams. And I'm bringi

" she

how easy it is to pl

his," she

ice softene

at, "Jaxon would

idn't

hen. "You didn't t

arms. "What wo

That you're scared. That maybe

d back up. "He m

just studied her in that

think you were more of

gallery door op

fr

s hands in his pockets, he wore a navy suit that hugge

Or maybe he had and wa

leave-but the

ed over hi

eyes

body stuck in place as

step tow

ano

va

ice wa

ith just a few guests sipping wine and pretending

aid, something dangerously

not that

importan

inked.

d close

from his body with

n on my mind for

, I got

bitter on

t. Just looked at her

you left without a w

you never asked why I

ht, like a fuse burning

aned in. "I w

don

o b

eant to go t

hat she needed air. That she was going t

her toward the one place she

et like it owned the city. Sleek and c

ad because the receptionist simply nodded and gestu

ctin

her sto

im as he stood behind a large de

on murmured,

uldn't

why di

dn't a

very step deliberate. "I heard abou

ightened. "I'

t handling

need you

my help, Ava. Bu

Not the velvet heat from the

riat

ow up and decide to

er sto

tterly. "Could

takes. But I didn't stop thinki

ed. "Why are yo

you're not safe. I can't just s

, the office door force

en

Cold.

early

ere?" she asked, her

t move. "We

? Are you

enn

snapped. "You said the pas

chin. "Sorry

desperate for someth

ng you have som

en them. "That's en

quiet. "I shou

leaving,"

, backing away,

the street, H

gone to him. I do

fr

en loo

et, partially hidden beneat

The one who'd been leaving messages

hing

to a café, he

me, checking the apartment personally. He sca

s when he

been tampered wi

refully. Inside wa

"What the he

He just pulled out his

ly to be told she was assigned to pit

ted to

eting. Jaxon, cool as ever, offered not one sign of t

she grabbed her tablet to l

e

way he had two years ago. Like she

care,"

"Don't say things if

meant anythi

d her mouth to reply-a

ri

e and his expres

ully. "We found some

old all ov

os. Dozens. Some from

back. "What ki

en looked at her wit

ly. "A boy. Maybe two,

aught. He turned

said, voic

art st

..