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And that? That was the real danger.

Chapter 13

Eleanor

SLEEPING WAS ALWAYS an issue for me. Most nights, I barely got enough rest to function, but somehow I managed. People would ask, “How do you even do it?” The answer? You adapt when life demands it.

At one point, I was juggling a full-time job on top of college in the city, which didn’t leave much room for a luxury like eight hours of sleep. Ever since, it became a habit. I’m not saying it’s healthy, but it’s the only way I knew how to survive.

Still, my overactive brain never made it easy. Tonight, it was especially uncooperative, fixated on Colton and the barn. Fixated on the fact we’d found ourselves tangled in each other again. With that, I had to remind myself the worst-case scenario isn’t always the one that would happen.

That may be, but Colton and I couldn’t continue without repercussions.

Days had passed since that moment, and just as I started to shake it off, the video would taunt me from my camera roll, dragging all those feelings back to the surface.

Colton had cut off the recording before anything happened, but when I watched back his demonstration, my body prickled because I knew exactly what happened after.

I’d been so worked up lately that my vibrator had become my best friend—and now it was running low on batteries. Figures.

Instead of working directly with Colton, I’d been interviewing employees from other areas. Each of them had glowing stories about how Colton had found them at their lowest and given them a second chance. Stet and Tawnie weren’t anomalies—it seemed Colton made it his personal mission to save everyone who came into his world.

But then there was Marcus. Why would Colton hire someone like him? Hadn’t there been signs he was a creep? My mind spiraled with questions, each more infuriating than the last. I made a mental note to corner Tawnie and see if she knew anything more because asking Colton exactly what happened was a battle I didn’t feel like engaging in.

BuzzBurst had accepted the gig with just a basic understanding of the series of events without asking many questions. I’d expected Stan to do the digging, but it was my fault for coming into this so blind.

Rolling over, I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. One thirty a.m. I groaned. Sleep wasn’t happening. Maybe I could do some planning. We had another event coming up soon, and while most of the big tasks were handled, there were always loose ends to tie up.

This wasn’t like the last charity event we hosted. Instead, we were hosting a bake sale to benefit a local women’s shelter. I’d been working to source baked goods from local shops in Wyoming—where we would be traveling to next—hoping to give them a boost while supporting the shelter.

An image of Colton baking popped into my head. Him in an apron, shirtless underneath…

I groaned again and sat up, running my hands over my face. I had to stop this. Maybe getting out of bed and moving around would be a better option to clear my head.

I was wearing my silk pajama set, which was far too revealing to wander around in, even at this hour. I pulled out my favorite worn crewneck from my suitcase, tugged it on, and grabbed my key and phone.

The lounge on my floor had an outdoor patio that overlooked the mountain range, and I bet the stars would be incredible tonight. It seemed like a perfect way to distract myself.

My slippered feet padded softly down the hall as I made my way toward the lounge. My hair was piled into a messy bun, and my face was bare, the dark circles under my eyes on full display. Lately, every glance in the mirror made me want to book a Botox appointment as soon as I got back to the city.

The Montana air hit my face, sharp and invigorating, a welcome break from the stifling heat of my racing mind. A rocking chair sat vacant with a perfect view of the moonlit mountains, calling my name. As I made my way over, a shadowy figure in the corner caught my attention.

This was the part in every horror movie where the smart person turned around and went back inside. But me? I’ve never been one to back down, so I walked toward it instead.

“Hello?” I called, taking a few cautious steps closer.

The shadow shifted and the moonlight hit their face, revealing Colton. He was dressed down in a pair of gym shorts and a sweatshirt, his hair tousled as though he’d been running his hands through it from root to tip.

Fully approaching him now, I caught the distinct eye roll he shot my way.

“Don’t look so thrilled to see me,” I said, plopping into the rocking chair next to him.

“I came out here for peace, not aggravation.”

I laughed, tucking my legs beneath me. “Join the club.”

A comfortable silence settled between us as we stared out at the view. The tension that usually crackled in the air when we were near each other was oddly absent. Maybe it was the hour, or maybe it was the shared struggle of insomnia.

“Can’t sleep?” I asked softly.