Jace’s expression shifts. The easy charm drops away. He gives me a stern stare, eyes serious and commanding. It’s the look of a man who has run operations and expects orders to be followed. He doesn’t say anything out loud, but the message is clear. Play the part. We’re being noticed. I swallow hard and reach for his hand this time, threading our fingers together. His grip tightens, warm and sure, and some of the tension eases from his shoulders.
We finish shopping with more banter to cover the moment. He insists on carrying the heavy bags to the Jeep even though I argue I can handle my share. At checkout he pays with cash and winks at the older cashier.
“My fiancée has expensive taste in ice cream,” he says smoothly. “What can I say? I spoil her.”
The cashier beams at us over her glasses. “You two make such a cute couple. Enjoy your stay in Sunbreak Harbor.”
I squeeze Jace’s hand a little harder than necessary as we walk out. He squeezes right back, thumb brushing across my knuckles in a way that sends an unexpected shiver up my arm.
Back at the bungalow we unload the bags onto the kitchen counter. I hand him items one by one while he finds spots in the fridge and pantry. Our arms brush more than once as we reach for the same cabinet. The contact feels electric every time. He steps back with a playful bow and lets me put away the pasta boxes.
“After you, my lady,” he says. “I live to serve.”
The whole scene feels strangely normal. Domestic. Dangerous. I wipe down the counter and turn to face him. He leans against the opposite counter, arms crossed over his chest. His usual grin fades into something quieter.
“We should go out tonight,” he says. “As a couple. The Lobster Shack on the marina.”
I tilt my head, studying him. “Another show for the locals? More hand holding and fake smiles?”
He looks down at the counter for a second, fingers tapping once against the edge. Then he meets my eyes. Real worry flickers there. It tightens the corners of his mouth and shadows his gaze in a way I haven’t seen before. The charming mask slips completely.
“It’s more than that,” he says quietly. “Two of my brothers went missing while chasing leads on our dad. Victor Liotta supposedly owns pieces of that place. If anyone knows what happened to Nash and Sin, or where my father might be, we might find answers there. I need to get eyes on the people who work for him. See if anyone talks when they think we’re just another vacationing couple.”
I study his face. The charisma’s gone. He stands there, shoulders tense, jaw set, every line of his body carrying the weight of what he hasn’t said out loud. For the first time since he showed up on my porch in Halo City, I see the man underneath the jokes. The one who carries heavy things and still shows up with a smile because someone has to.
I swallow past the sudden tightness in my throat. “Okay. We go as a couple. But we stay careful. No unnecessary risks.”
Jace nods. The worry lingers in his eyes a moment longer before he pushes it down and offers me a smaller, genuine smile. “Careful is my middle name. Right after Charming. And maybe Devastatingly Handsome.”
I crack a smile and toss the dish towel at him. He catches it one-handed and laughs, the rich sound filling the kitchen. But I can’t forget what I saw in his eyes. Under all the banter and arrogant charm, Jace Hawthorne carries real fear for his family. And now, whether I like it or not, I carry a piece of that worry too. The realization settles heavy in my chest as I watch him fold the towel and set it aside like nothing in the world could shake him.
I’m not sure I believe that anymore.
5
Jace
I stand in the living room and adjust the collar of my button-down shirt. The fabric feels tighter than usual across my shoulders. Sadie steps out of the hallway in a simple sundress that catches the light and skims her curves in a way I try hard not to notice. She looks good. Too good for this kind of night.
I cross the room and stop right in front of her. “What happened at the store today cannot happen again in public,” I say, voice calm and firm. “You can’t pull away from me like that. Not when people watch us. We sell the story that we’re a couple. Head over heels. Inseparable. Or this whole thing falls apart.”
Sadie lifts her chin, eyes flashing behind her glasses. “It took me by surprise. I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t keep us alive.” I reach out and grab her wrist, tugging her closer until only inches separate us. Heat rolls off her skin. Her pulse jumps under my fingers. “I need you to trust me out there. My arm around you. Your hand in mine. You lean into it. You look at me like I’m the only man in the room.Because if someone connected to Liotta spots the lie, we lose our only advantage.”
Her breath catches. She doesn’t step back. Instead she stares up at me, lips parted, cheeks flushed. The air between us crackles. I can smell her shampoo, something clean and floral that mixes with the ocean breeze drifting through the open window. My grip on her wrist stays firm but gentle. I feel every quick beat of her heart.
“I am trying,” she whispers, voice a little breathless. “This isn’t exactly normal for me. Playing pretend with a man I barely know while people might want me dead.”
I lean in enough that our foreheads nearly touch. “Then get used to it fast, Sadie. Because out there I’m your devoted fiancé. I pull you close when I want. I keep you safe. And you let me.” My thumb brushes once over the inside of her wrist. Her skin feels soft and warm. Tension coils tight in my chest. I want to close the last inch between us. I don’t. Obviously.
She swallows hard. Her free hand comes up and rests lightly on my chest, right over my racing heart. “Fine. I’ll sell it. But you don’t get to enjoy this too much.”
A slow grin tugs at my mouth despite everything. “Too late for that.”
I release her wrist. She steps back, smoothing her dress, but the flush on her cheeks stays. We lock up the bungalow and climb into the Jeep. The drive to the marina passes in charged silence. I keep one eye on the rearview mirror the whole way.
The Lobster Shack sits right on the water, strings of lights glowing against the darkening sky. Laughter and clinking glasses spill out from the open deck. I park and come around toSadie’s side. This time she takes my hand without hesitation. I lace our fingers together and pull her close as we walk toward the entrance. Her shoulder brushes my arm with every step.
