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“Us?” he repeated, his brow furrowing in concern. “I—I don’t know, Layla. I just know that I care about you more than anything. And I want to protect you, whether that means from ghosts or...myself.”
“Yourself?” Layla echoed, her heart aching at the vulnerability in his eyes. “You’re not a danger to me, Jake.”
“Maybe not physically,” he admitted, running a hand through his tousled hair. “But emotionally, I’m not sure if I can give you what you need. I’m a firefighter, Layla. My life is constantly on the line. And with this ghost business...”
“Right, the mission.” Layla’s eyes widened as the reality of their situation came crashing back. They were still in danger, and now, more than ever, they needed to keep their wits about them. “We can’t let this...whatever this is, distract us.”
“Agreed,” Jake said, his jaw set in determination. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, Layla. Quite the opposite, actually. Last night only made me realize how much I want to be with you, even if it means facing down angry ghosts and jealous wives.”
“When do you have to be at work?” Layla asked, knowing it was the day he was supposed to go back.
“I texted a buddy when I woke up a few hours ago. He’s going to work on his day off for me, and I’ll work one of mine for his. I think I need to be off on weekends with you for a little bit until we conquer this ghost thing. We need to focus as best we can on getting this taken care of.”
Layla smiled weakly, touched by his words even as she felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders. “We need to talk to Fiona and Max. Get their advice on how to handle this ghost and put an end to the murders.”
“Right. Let’s get dressed and meet them for breakfast. We’ll figure this out together,” Jake decided, pushing himself up from the bed and extending a hand to help her up as well.
As they prepared for the day ahead, Layla couldn’t shake the lingering doubts that clouded her mind. She loved Jake—she knew that now without a doubt. But did that love come with a price? Would their newfound connection only serve to weaken them when they needed strength the most?
“Ready?” Jake asked, his eyes searching hers for any sign of hesitation.
“Ready,” Layla nodded, swallowing her fears and taking his hand. Together, they would face whatever obstacles lay before them, bound by a love that was both a blessing and a curse.
“Let’s do this,” Jake said, determination flashing in his eyes. And as they stepped out into the crisp morning air, Layla couldn’t help but feel that, despite the turmoil of emotions churning within her, they were exactly where they needed to be.
“Morning,” Layla greeted Fiona and Max as they entered the cozy kitchen. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon filled the air, mingling with the scent of cinnamon rolls that Fiona had prepared for breakfast.
“Good morning,” Fiona replied with a smile, her eyes briefly flicking to the intertwined hands of Layla and Jake before returning to the task of setting the table. “Sleep well?”
Layla’s cheeks flushed at the memory of their passionate night spent tangled in each other’s arms. “Yes, thank you.”
“Jake, could you help me with the plates?” Max asked, directing his friend toward the cabinet.
“Sure thing,” Jake responded, releasing Layla’s hand and moving to assist Max.
As the men busied themselves with setting the table and the women focused on preparing the food, an uneasy silence settled over the room. Layla’s thoughts raced, her heart pounding in her chest as she considered how best to broach the subject of the ghost who haunted them.
“Everything smells delicious, Fiona,” Layla complimented, trying to ease the tension in the room.
“Thank you. I thought we could use a hearty meal to start the day,” Fiona answered, placing a steaming platter of bacon onto the table.
“Speaking of starting the day,” Max interjected, his voice steady and serious, “we need to discuss our next steps.”
Fiona murmured, her brow furrowed with concern, “How do we stop him?”
“First, we need to find out more about the ghost and his wife,” Jake said, his voice tense as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. “We need to know their history, their motivations, anything that can help us understand how to deal with them.”
“Agreed,” Max nodded, his eyes meeting Jake’s in a silent understanding. They both knew the importance of focusing on the task at hand, despite the tumultuous emotions they were experiencing.
“Maybe Bella can use her moon powers to uncover more information about the ghosts,” Fiona suggested, her thoughts racing with possibilities. “And I’ll try to communicate with them directly—see if there’s any way we can help them find peace.”
“Good idea,” Layla agreed, feeling a sense of relief at having a plan of action. “But we should also be cautious—if this ghost is responsible for so many deaths, who knows what he might do to protect his secrets.”
“Right,” Jake concurred, his jaw set with determination.
With renewed resolve, the four friends began strategizing, each contributing their unique skills and insights.
The wind blew softly from the north, carrying whispers of a past that Layla couldn’t ignore. She sat at the table with the others, but her mind was gone. The visions came unbidden—flickering images of seduction and betrayal, of a ghostly man and his murderous wife.
