Chapter 21

I ran after Cole, my heart pounding. The night was eerily quiet except for the sound of our footsteps hitting the stone pathway. Whoever it was, they were fast—too fast.

Cole reached the hedge first, barely slowing as he vaulted over it with ease. I skidded to a stop, gripping the edge, trying to see past the shadows.

"Stay there!" Cole ordered, already disappearing into the trees.

Like hell.

I climbed over, not as graceful, but I managed to land without breaking my ankle. Ahead, I could hear Cole moving swiftly through the brush, chasing whoever had been lurking outside my window.

I forced myself to push forward. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and leaves. Every snap of a twig, every rustle made my pulse spike.

Then—

A sharp sound, like a scuffle. A grunt.

I froze.

Cole was up ahead, but I couldn't see him.

"Cole?" I called out, stepping cautiously.

Silence.

Panic clawed at my chest.

I moved faster, nearly tripping over a root. When I finally reached the clearing, I stopped short.

Cole stood in the middle, breathing hard. His knife was out, but he wasn't using it.

Because whoever he'd been chasing was already gone.

All that was left was a single object on the ground, glinting faintly under the moonlight.

I stepped closer, my stomach twisting.

A small, silver locket.

I didn't have to open it to know.

It was mine.

"What is it?" Cole asked, noticing my sudden stillness as I picked up the locket.

A shiver ran through me—one that had nothing to do with the cold.

I didn't answer, my eyes darting around, searching the shadows, searching for whoever had left it.

"Hey." Cole's voice was sharper this time as he grabbed my arm, grounding me. "What's wrong?"

Wordlessly, I handed him the locket. He took it, flipping it open. His frown deepened.

Inside was a photo. Me and Nicholas. My ex-fiancé. A picture we'd taken years ago.

Cole's grip tightened. "I thought you hadn't seen or heard from him in years."

"I haven't," I murmured, barely recognizing my own voice.

His jaw clenched, his posture shifting into full-body alert. "Let's go back inside."

He didn't wait for an argument, steering me toward the estate while speaking into his comms. "I want a full sweep of the grounds. Now."

I walked beside him, heart hammering.

Could it really have been Nicholas out there? And if it was… why? Why show up now, after all these years? And why at my window in the dead of night?

The thought sent a chill down my spine.

This was the creepiest thing that had ever happened to me.

As we stepped inside, the heavy doors shut behind us with a solid thud, sealing us off from the outside. I let out a slow breath, trying to steady myself, but my mind was still racing.

The entry hall was dimly lit, the grand chandelier casting long shadows against the marble floor. The house was quiet, the kind of quiet that made my skin prickle.

And then—

"Rough night?"

Tristan.

I jerked my head up, startled to see him standing near the staircase, arms crossed, looking far too awake for this hour.

Cole stiffened beside me, his hand twitching toward his weapon. "What the hell are you doing up?"

Tristan smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Could ask you the same thing."

Neither of us answered.

His gaze flicked to the locket still clutched in my hand, and his expression shifted—just a little. His sharp blue eyes darkened with something I couldn't place. "What's that?"

I hesitated.

Cole didn't. "None of your business."

Tristan's lips quirked. "That serious, huh?"

Cole stepped forward, his entire stance radiating hostility. "If I were you, I'd think real hard about why you're suddenly so interested."

Tristan raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, guard dog. Just making conversation."

Cole didn't relax.

"It's a locket," I said finally, my voice careful. "Someone left it outside my window."

Tristan tilted his head. "Interesting. And you decided to chase them? Bold move."

I studied him, unease creeping in. "You're awake pretty late."

He smirked. "So are you."

"Yeah, but I had a reason."

"So do I," he said smoothly, but didn't elaborate.

His calmness unsettled me. The way he just stood there, watching, like he knew more than he was letting on.

Silence stretched between us.

Cole took a step closer, his voice dropping. "Where were you an hour ago?"

Tristan's eyes flicked to him, unreadable. "In my room."

"Alone?"

"No. With a bunch of strippers. What is this, an interrogation?" Tristan asked with a chuckle.

"Just making conversation," Cole said flatly.

Tristan smirked, shaking his head. "God, I love this guy. He's got a hell of a personality."

Cole didn't react, his expression cold. "You still haven't told us why you're awake at this hour."

Tristan arched a brow. "I don't owe you an explanation. But since you're so curious, I was heading to get a glass of scotch—until I ran into you two. And if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to that."

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hall.

I exhaled, tension still tight in my chest.

Cole didn't take his eyes off him. "I don't trust him."

Neither did I.

I glanced down at the locket in my palm, my fingers tightening around it.

There was no way this was a coincidence. Someone had been outside my window, someone had led us into the woods, and now, Tristan just happened to be wandering around at the same time?

I felt Cole's gaze on me, sharp and assessing.

"You think he had something to do with this?" I asked quietly.

Cole didn't answer right away. "I think he knows more than he's saying."

I swallowed, glancing down the hallway where Tristan had disappeared.

If he was involved… then that meant this was only the beginning.