FELICITY
The ranch looked different when we returned.
Not safe.
Not familiar.
Haunted.
Sheriff vehicles still lined parts of the property from earlier investigations. Floodlights lit sections of fencing near the barn. Rainwater dripped steadily from the rooflines.
And everywhere I looked?—
memories waited.
My father teaching me to ride horses.
Summer nights on the porch.
The sound of laughter before everything turned into secrets and fear.
Hersh opened the truck door carefully beside me.
“You okay?”
No.
Not even a little.
But I nodded anyway.
The second my boots hit the ground, his hand slid quietly against my lower back.
Protective.
Steady.
Like he already knew this place was hurting me.
Wolf and Trigger spread out with the Rangers around the property while Rook’s remaining Shadow Division operators loaded into black SUVs near the gate.
Leaving.
A strange sadness hit me unexpectedly watching them go.
Rook stood beside the lead vehicle, dark eyes scanning the ranch one final time.
Dangerous.
Controlled.
Untouchable.
Then his gaze shifted toward me.
“Lock your doors,” he said simply.
I almost smiled slightly.
