Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Aubree,” I call out, lowering my gun. “You can come out now.”
She steps from behind the door, looking relieved but still clearly shaken. “What happened? Did you catch him?”
I shake my head. “No. He got away. Slipped into a car and drove off before I could get close enough.”
She stands there for a long moment, processing what I’ve just said. “Do you think he was the one—” She stops herself, looking at me with uncertainty in her eyes.
I don’t say anything, not sure how to explain that I don’t have all the answers. All I know is he was here, and now I’m more certain than ever that something’s not right.
“We’ll figure it out,” I say, my voice low, trying to reassure her, though I’m not sure I believe it myself. “But for now, you need to stay inside. I’m not letting anyone get close to you.”
She nods, her eyes still wide. “What do we do now?”
“Now, we wait. I’m going to check the perimeter one more time. Make sure everything’s locked up.” I start to walk away, but when I look over my shoulder, I catch her watching me, the worry still etched on her face.
“Aubree,” I add, my voice softening. “Stay inside, alright? I mean it. It’s not safe.”
She doesn’t argue, just nods again before heading back toward the door. I watch her go, my chest tight with a mixture of frustration and something else—something I can’t place. I want to protect her, to keep her safe, but I know I can’t do that if I don’t figure out what’s going on.
I wait until she’s inside before I start my perimeter check, walking the boundaries of the property, every sense still on high alert.
It’s quiet now. Too quiet.
But I know this feeling. The calm before the storm. Something’s coming, and I’m not going to be caught off guard again. Not when it comes to her. Not when I’m starting to feel like she’s more than just someone I’m protecting.
Chapter 16
Aubree
I’d never admit this to anyone ever, but I’m afraid. I’m terrified. However, having Boone go into this all protective alpha hero is kind of a turn on. I’m loving it, and I feel so guilty about it.
The cabin is quiet, the kind of stillness that’s too heavy, too suffocating. I’m sitting on the couch, my knees pulled up to my chest, staring at the empty space in front of me. I’m not sure if it’s the events of the day or just the weight of everything I’ve been through lately, but I’m too scared to go to bed.
I keep replaying what happened earlier. I know Boone was right—he couldn’t catch him, and I know he’s trying to keep me calm, but my mind keeps racing. I can’t shake the feeling that whoever was watching us, whoever was lurking out there, knows more than they should. They know too much.
I stand up to pace, needing to move, to do something to distract myself from the fear building in my chest. But the sound of Boone’s boots on the porch pulls me from my thoughts. He’s back. I feel a strange relief at hearing him, but also a sense of tension that hasn’t eased.
When he steps inside, his face is hard, his posture tense, but his eyes soften when they meet mine.
“Everything okay?” I ask, my voice sounding small in the vast quiet of the cabin.
“Yeah. I checked the perimeter again. Everything’s locked up tight.” He shrugs off his jacket, but I can see it’s not just the cabin he’s worried about. His gaze flicks to me, and I know he’s trying to gauge if I’m okay.
I sit back down on the couch, trying to calm my nerves. “I just... I couldn’t sleep. It feels too... off, you know?”
Boone nods, his eyes still assessing me like he’s searching for any sign of distress. Then, he hesitates before speaking again, his voice a little too formal. “Who paid for your pizza shop?”
I blink, not expecting that question. “My mother. She used the money she got from my father’s death.”
His eyebrows furrow, and he tilts his head slightly. “What about your stepfather? What does he do?”
I hesitate. There’s always been tension between me and my stepfather. He’s not around much, hasn’t been for years. He’s always been a businessman, more concerned with his career than his family. “He’s... he’s in real estate. He doesn’t really talk to me much.”
Boone seems to process that, and I can see the wheels turning in his head. I don’t know what he's thinking, and it’s making me uneasy. “What are you thinking?” I ask, my voice more abrupt than I intend.
Boone’s eyes lock with mine, and for a moment, I swear I can feel the weight of everything in his gaze. He’s quiet for a long time, his jaw clenched like he’s battling with something he’s not sure he wants to say. “I’m not sure yet,” he says finally, his tone low.