Why the fuck does Link want me alone? He knows I harbor no secrets when it comes to Summer, and I don’t intend on having any. He was here an hour ago. Everything seemed normal. Still, if he makes the case to use caps, I’ll go and see what the fuss is about.
“It’s Link. There’s an issue.”
“Do you need my help?”
“I’ll handle it. I shouldn’t be long. You know how to wait forme, right?”
“Sound asleep?”
“I’m so going to enjoy giving you a proper wake-up call.” I steal a kiss as a promise of what’s to come, but then she grabs my forearm and stops me.
“Hey, have I ever, you know... not awakened?”
“Honey, you’re a really heavy sleeper, but if I can’t wake you up with my dick inside you, I’m definitely taking it personally.”
I leave her chuckling as I grab my jacket and head out.
Link waits for me in the dimly lit living room at Hollow Bend, the lack of light doing nothing to hide the sorrow collected between his brows or his unwillingness to say what he called me here for.
“Sit.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Trust me, you’ll want to.”
I stay pinned to the spot waiting for him to spill it.
“Four days ago, when Summer fell into the pool, I was on a video call with Raven, showing her the new place. The moment the incident happened, she screamed out a name—Maeve—then silenced herself and disconnected the call. I tried asking about her reaction, but Raven said it’s a past trauma she was reminded of. She’s ahorribleliar.”
He looks off to the side, jaw tight.
“Maeve DeLuca is a name I’ve heard from Raven before, when she didn’t know I was listening. So I started digging, and an hour ago, the same contact I used before came back with the information I asked for. A classified FBI record. Maeve’s father, Dante DeLuca, used to work for Raven’s family for fifteen years, until her father passed away. That’s when Dante took a job for your father.”
There’s the slightest tightening of his lips, but for the first time, I know it doesn’t come from just the mention of my father. My mouth stays sealed, fighting the urge to spit out:Where the fuck is this going?
“A job that blew up. His family was enrolled in witnessprotection, and they were in it for more than ten months before they were found by Mason’s people. The report from the crime scene states that only the body of Maeve’s brother was never found. But three days later, Summer Night’s current ID was issued. You’d say that might be a coincidence, right?”
Link pauses, probably noticing my confusion, but he doesn’t give me enough time to brace for what’s coming.
“The picture of the brother, Milo DeLuca, who supposedly got away, was attached to the report. The resemblance to Summer is unmistakable.”
I take a step back, uttering a silentno.
“Her real name is Maeve DeLuca. And she’s using you to get to your father.”
“Shut up!”
“Mason was the one who killed her family.”
“No. Just shut the fuck up!” I keep shouting at Link, taking another step back, as if taking a million steps away from reality. This can’t be happening.
“I’m sorry!”
“That’s a lie.” A sharp pain grips my chest, leaving me fighting for air.
“Ace . . .”
“I said—” I attempt to shout, but I choke instead. My hands fall to my knees as I bend over, trying to steady my breathing. “Shut. Up! She’s not... She couldn’t. She loves me. You’re mistaken.” My words come out strained through the pain that keeps tearing me apart.
