The second the light flickered on, my breath stalled.
See you soon.
Three words written in thick, red paint. Smeared across my living room wall like a promise.
The world tilted. A sickening chill slithered down my spine, and my pulse roared in my ears.
Nathan cursed under his breath before turning to me, his expression hard, practically lethal. “Pack a bag. You’re moving in with me tonight.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
NATHAN
I STOOD OFFto the side with my arms crossed and jaw locked tight as Elise spoke with a detective. The detective listened intently, his notepad in hand, while Elise confirmed my worst nightmare.
Someone wanted to hurt her.
Not just anyone.
Her ex-boyfriend, Jax Henley.
I kept my expression neutral, but inside, something dark and furious coiled in my chest. The list of possible suspects the detective had asked Elise to compile wasn’t a list at all. It was a single name.
I clenched my fists, barely resisting the urge to punch a hole through the wall. The swarm of police officers and CSI techs combing through her house only added to my fury. Flashing lights illuminated the night, their red and blue glow castingeerie shadows across the driveway. Officers snapped photos of the crimson writing scrawled across Elise’s wall, took samples, dusted for prints. But I didn’t need evidence to know what was happening.
This was personal.
A direct message to Elise.
And the worst part? I hadn’t known about any of this. Not about him. Not about what he did to her.
I thought I knew Elise.
The woman who brightened every room she walked into, who always had a smile for everyone, who laughed freely and loved openly.
I didn’t know she had once loved a man who put his hands on her.
I didn’t know she had once feared the man she loved.
And now he was back.
The front door opened, and Kelsey walked in, her expression hard but concerned. She’d rushed home as soon as she heard what happened, and now she looked ready for a fight.
“Taylor has you set up at a hotel?” Elise asked her. I had told Elise that it was best that her friends get out of dodge for a while in case Jax came after them to get to her.
“Yup,” Kelsey said, then hesitated. “Though I’m not sure why. I can handle myself if Jax is dumb enough to come back.”
I scoffed before I could stop myself. “I don’t doubt that. But if he was willing to break in and leave threats, there’s no telling what he’s capable of. He could be armed.”
The words hung heavy in the air. Elise flinched, and my gut twisted.
What else hadn’t she told me?
“Still,” Kelsey crossed her arms, chin lifted in defiance. “I don’t like that he’s chasing me out of my own home.”
Elise’s face crumpled with guilt. “I’m so sorry, Kels. I should’ve known this would catch up to me one day.”
Kelsey pulled Elise into a tight hug. “Hey, none of this is your fault. It’s Jax’s. He’s the one who can’t move on with his life.”
