Chapter 65 – Shadows of the Past

Emma stared at the message, her pulse pounding. The words blurred together, but the implication was crystal clear. Someone was watching. Someone knew.

Alex leaned in, his voice sharper now. "Who sent that?"

She hesitated, then turned the screen toward him. His expression darkened instantly.

He grabbed the phone, rereading the message as his jaw clenched. Emma could feel the shift in him—the dangerous edge sharpening, the playful charm vanishing in an instant.

"Did James do this?" His voice was low, but there was a lethal promise in his tone.

Emma shook her head. "I don't think so. He's too direct—he'd want me to know it was him."

Alex exhaled, gripping the back of his neck, tension rolling off him in waves. "Then who?"

Emma had no answer.

But she knew one thing for sure—this wasn't a coincidence.

She forced herself to sit up, shaking off the lingering warmth of their moment before. "It doesn't matter. I'm not running scared because some anonymous number thinks they can intimidate me."

Alex turned to her, eyes narrowing. "And what if it's not just intimidation?"

Emma swallowed hard.

She knew he was right. This wasn't just a prank or some jealous threat. There was something deeper happening here.

But she had spent her whole life fighting battles alone.

And she wasn't about to stop now.

Alex seemed to sense the stubbornness building inside her because he let out a sharp breath, pushing a hand through his hair. "Emma—"

Before he could argue, another buzz cut through the silence.

Emma glanced at her phone again.

Another message.

"You're in over your head. Walk away before it's too late."

Her stomach flipped.

This was personal.

This was a warning.

Alex didn't even hesitate—he snatched her phone and started typing something back.

"Alex!" she protested, reaching for it.

He didn't stop. "If they want to threaten you, they can deal with me first."

Before she could stop him, he hit send.

Emma's eyes widened as she saw what he had written.

"Try me."

Her breath caught.

Alex met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "No one messes with you."

Emma should have been annoyed.

She should have told him he didn't get to fight her battles for her.

But something about the way he said it—so fierce, so absolute—made her chest tighten.

Because for the first time in a long time, she wasn't fighting alone.

A minute passed.

Then another.

No response.

The silence stretched between them, thick with tension.

Then Alex stood abruptly, grabbing his jacket. "We're finding out who the hell sent this."

Emma frowned. "How, exactly?"

Alex smirked, but there was something sharp behind it. "You forget who you're dealing with?"

Emma crossed her arms. "Enlighten me."

Alex's smirk deepened. "I have friends in places that love digging into secrets."

She arched a brow. "That's comforting."

He stepped closer, tilting her chin up with his finger. "You're cute when you're skeptical."

Emma rolled her eyes. "And you're cute when you're not getting me into more trouble."

Alex just chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.

"Too late for that, Carter."