“What colors are you doing?” Chloe asks me as she holds the hottest-pink nail polish to ever exist.
Twirling two bottles in my hand, I can’t help but think of him. If I can’t be at the next game, I can at least support him from here.
Chloe chortles and smiles at me. “You are too darn cute—you know that?”
“Oh, shut it.” I roll my eyes and walk over to my chair.
Chloe joins me in her chair next to me. “I’m happy for you—so, so happy.”
I smile at her, even as a sharp sting slices my heart when I remember I’m playing with fire. I need to find a way to get my parents to safety without Trey finding out. But here’s the thing about my dad: he is a papa bear through and through. When he finds out that I’m alive and I have been in hiding, he will want to eliminate the reason why, and I think he would be able to do just that. But I don’t want him to go to prison for it, and killing a cop would carry a hell of a sentence.
Trey Roark, a cop, is great at many things, including reading people, interrogating, and so much more. These skills enable him to read the slightest and most minute changes in someone’s demeanor or tone. If my parents knew, he would know something was off, and he wouldn’t stop until he found out why.
I just need a little time to find a way to get them out of there safely without completely kidnapping them. But if it comes down to it, I know Chloe would help me—with the financial backing of Zonama.
The nail techs work fast, and within forty minutes, we’re leaving the salon with perfect nails. Chloe’s is a simple, modern design of hot pink and white, and mine are black with silver accents.
Cam would like these and think they were cute. He might be biased, as they are inspired by the colors of the Nighthawks.
It’s been a little over a week since I saw him in person, and I’ve come to the understanding that I didn’t know what love was with Trey. I knew he was possessive and controlling, but for a long time, I thought that was how he expressed his love. But I was very wrong. That wasn’t love at all.
Love is a six-foot-four dark-brown-haired and blue-eyed hockey player who refuses to touch you until you trust him completely. One who gets you ice-side seats so he can see you during his games and who shows you his scars and makes yours feel beautiful. Love is knowing that he will never hurt you because it would hurt him too.
“What do you want to do today?” Chloe asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Bake,” I answer honestly, wanting to do something that I know and love.
“On your day off, you want to go to work?” She laughs. “Of course you do.”
We arrive at my shop a few minutes later, and I find Holly helping a few customers at the register. And I spot one of my favorites, who is holding …
Oh my gosh.
“Who is this little cutie?” I shriek as I see Charlie holding an adorable baby.
He turns around with the absolute biggest smile I’ve ever seen. They are the proudest parents.
“This is Arlo.” He swoons.
“Oh my gosh, you guys, he’s perfect.” I wave my fingers, smiling at the little guy.
“Thank you. He’s been amazing,” Charlie adds.
“I’m happy for you both. You’ve been waiting so long,” I tell them, feeling like a proud aunt to Arlo.
“Thank you, Nikki,” he murmurs.
The happy new dad and his perfect newborn baby boy get the usual coffee order and leave me with a feeling of hope.
“So, what are we baking this morning?” Chloe asks with feigned excitement.
Chuckling, I say, “I was thinking white chocolate raspberry cookies. I’ve been craving them.”
“Oh, so we’re baking for you, not the store?” she teases.
“For both—a happy medium.” I smile and grab all of my ingredients and tools. “Holly, do you want to take your break?”
She usually has to wait for the next shift to come in to step away.
“That’d be great. I have a couple of errands I need to run.” She beams. “Thank you.”
“Of course. See you in a bit,” I say as she walks to the back to grab her things.
“And then there were two,” Chloe says hauntingly in my ear.
Stirring my dry ingredients together, I zone out as I move through the motions. It isn’t until I’m done scooping the batter out onto the baking sheet that I realize Chloe is staring at me.
“What?” I ask her, confused as to why she looks confused.
With the shop now empty, she hops up onto the counter. “I want you to be happy.”
Scoffing, I throw the pan in the preheated oven. “I am happy.”
She frowns. “But truly happy, as you. I know how hard this has been for you and how hard it’s been for you to let yourself be happy with Cam.” She hops off of the counter and leans against it. “You know we won’t let Trey hurt you. I say, go for it. Call your parents, tell them the truth. Tell Cam and live your life without thinking of Trey.”
Glaring at her benign optimism, I say, “Chloe, I can’t risk anything happening to my parents, or Cam, or you by being naive in thinking that Trey wouldn’t act on the anger he would feel for me lying to him. I know who he is and what he does. He would either kill me so that no one else could have me or he would kill all of you so that I wouldn’t have anyone else. You don’t know him and what he’s done, what he’s said.” My eyes well with tears of anger, pain, and frustration. “Every scar on my body is from him. Every time I flinch, it’s because of what I went through with him. He will never let me be happy and not be with him. Those two things will never ever coexist.”
“I’m sorry,” Chloe whispers. “I just want to help.”
“I know you do. But I’m the only one who can fix all of this. I don’t know how yet, but I will. Because I love you and I love … Cam. I won’t lose you both because of him. I won’t.”
She throws her arms around me and pulls me into the tightest hug. “I love you too. And Cam does too. He’d be an idiot not to.” She pulls away. “Come on. Let’s get your mess cleaned up.”
By let’s, she means me. I quickly rinse out the bowls and utensils I used and stow away the ingredients while Chloe sits on the counter on her phone.
The bell rings as the door is opened, and Holly walks through. “It’s getting chilly out there.”
“Holy FUCK!” Chloe screams, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Please don’t do that. My God,” I scold her.
She glances up at me, and my heart sinks from the look in her eyes. You know that when someone gives you this look—one of absolute fear and sadness—they are about to tell you something that they know will hurt you.
“What?” I whisper as my heart starts to race in my chest.
She turns to Holly. “Did you have a good break? Nikki and I are going to have a meeting in the back if you don’t mind watching the front.”
“No problem,” she says and runs her stuff to the back quickly.
I stare at Chloe and beg her to say something.
“Thanks, babes,” Chloe tells Holly before grabbing my hand, all but running to my office in the back.
“What in the hell is going on?” I demand as Chloe shuts the door behind us.
“Sit down,” she orders, holding her phone close to her chest.
Knowing she is the most stubborn person and won’t tell me anything until I do, I sit down on my couch and try to calm my now-shaking hands.
“Chloe!” I snap. “Tell me.”
She takes slow, calm steps over to me and slams her eyes shut as she hands me her phone and whispers, “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry for wha—” My heart plummets to the ground, shattering into a million horrified pieces.
On the screen is the headline “Has This Nighthawks Bachelor Settled Down?”
And beneath the headline is a photo—a photo of Cam and me at the bar at End Zone with his arms around my shoulders, my face clear as day.
Cold chills settle over my skin as a feeling of the inevitable doom smacks me across the face. I scroll down the article and am slapped with another photo—one of Chloe and me in our seats at the second game with the caption, Mystery girl spotted with friend, Zonama heiress Chloe Dupont.
Clenching my jaw, I fight the lump in my throat trying to burst free. I’m an idiot—the biggest, stupidest fucking idiot. Trey’s going to see this. I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, as tabloids aren’t his thing. But someone is bound to see it and show him how similar this woman looks to his wife. But he’ll know. He’ll know it’s me and not a doppelgänger.
“Breathe,” Chloe whispers and takes the phone from my hand.
Laughter rumbles deep from my chest, taking over until I can’t control it. “It’s funny really. I did it to myself.” Tears stream down my cheeks as I continue to laugh hysterically.
“Stop. It is not your fault. It’s his fault for putting you in this position.” Chloe grabs my shoulders, trying to calm me.
“I knew I shouldn’t have gone down to those seats or out to that bar. I knew it, Chloe. But I refused to really think it or believe it because I wanted—”
“To be happy! And to be loved!” she cuts me off. “We will figure this out. We won’t let him hurt you.”
Meeting her worried gaze, I say as calmly as ever, “You won’t have a choice. He will find out where I am, and he will come here. And I don’t want you to be around when he does.”
She scoffs, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Storming off of the couch, I grab my keys from the front and rush to my loft, flying up the stairs with Chloe hot on my heels.
“What are you doing? Talk to me. Please,” she begs as I open my door.
“You have your security, right?” I ask her as I lock the door behind us.
She nods.
“Good. Call them and keep them with you twenty-four/seven. Don’t think this is just about me. That picture of us might as well have had targets on it. You were an accomplice in keeping me from him. Call them and tell them not to let you out of their sight,” I tell her.
“He can’t just kill all of us and get away with it,” she mocks.
I turn around and face her, holding her stare with intensity. “Do you think he doesn’t have the resources or reputation to back himself up? He can make your death look like a freak accident and be the one to arrest your so-called killer. Don’t you understand? I’m already dead. He can kill me, and nothing will change. I already don’t exist.”
I walk over to my nightstand, and she remains quiet. I open the drawer, grabbing my pistol. I pop the clip out and make sure it’s fully loaded, aside from the chamber.
“There’s no way he knows where we’re at right now, so just take a breath. We have some time to get a plan together.”
“I already made your plan for you. Call your security and go home. I’m closing the shop, and I’m going to wait. He will come for me. And when he does, we’re finishing it once and for all. I’m done living in fear of Trey. I’m done hiding. I’m taking back my fucking name and my fucking life. This is between him and me. When he comes, I’ll be ready.”
