Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 77051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Her eyes flick to Gage’s desk and back. “Mmm. I bet.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
She just laughs. “Come on, Riv. Everyone saw how you two were eye-banging each other all last week. I’m not judging.” She sips her coffee, red nails gleaming. “It’s just weird, isn’t it? Sleeping with someone at work when there’s so much chaos going on?”
My pulse stutters. She’s needling me. But why?
I lean back in my chair and give her a neutral look. “Pretty sure you’ve got the market cornered on office gossip.”
“True,” she purrs. “But not even I can tell who’s behind these leaks. Makes you wonder though, right?” She tilts her head. “Who’s leaking this stuff? Who’s logging into your life?”
I bristle. She knows. She has to know.
She’s not just throwing darts. She’s watching me bleed.
I don’t reply. I can’t.
She waves with the hand holding her coffee and walks away like she didn’t just leave landmines behind.
I try to get back to work, but the buzzing under my skin won’t stop. Gage sees it. He walks by once, brushes his fingers across the back of my chair, and murmurs, “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
I’m not.
And later that afternoon, just when I think I’ve made it through the day without losing my grip entirely, my phone buzzes.
I expect it to be Gage. Or maybe Juno checking in.
It’s not.
MASON: We need to talk. Please.
I stare at the message.
Cold dread trickles down my spine like a spider. My fingers shake.
I don’t answer.
I open our old text thread. The last thing he sent before this was a TikTok of a donkey with the caption: Miss your crazy ass. That was a year ago. I never replied.
My eyes drift to the message again.
MASON: We need to talk. Please.
Why now?
My gaze flicks to the side where Gage is still typing, unaware. But he senses me looking. Always does. His eyes lift. Concern darkens them immediately.
I press my phone to my chest and take a deep breath.
Mason’s text could mean a hundred things.
But somehow, I already know it’s bad.
THIRTY
GAGE
The second I see River’s face after her phone buzzes, I know something’s wrong. Her brows pinch, her mouth opens just slightly, and then she turns the screen toward me. I walk over to her desk, reading the message.
MASON: We need to talk. Please.
Every cell in my body tightens like I’ve been electrocuted. My jaw clenches so hard it cracks. “He texted you?” My voice is low and dangerous. I have to work to keep it from coming out like a growl.
She nods slowly, still staring at the message like it might change if she blinks hard enough. “Why now?”
Good fucking question.
I pull out my phone and type into the secure thread.
Gage: Mason texted River. Wants to meet.
Arrow: Damn. What do you wanna do?
Knight: It could be nothing… or it could be Cathedral fishing.
Juno: Set up the op?
I look back at River. She’s biting her lip now. “You okay?”
“No,” she says. “But I want to do it. I want to meet him.”
That sets my blood on fire. “You sure?”
Her eyes meet mine. Brave. Steady. Scared but unyielding. “He might have answers.”
I nod, jaw tight. “Okay. But you’re not going alone.”
River heads to Riverside after work, and I head home to grab more clothes and meet up with everyone. Knight’s already pacing when I arrive. Juno tosses a protein bar at my chest and I catch it on reflex.
“River’s ex-boyfriend now wants to chat?” she says, arching an eyebrow. “Convenient timing.”
“He knows something,” I say. “Has to. He wouldn’t reach out now if he didn’t.”
Arrow leans back against the brick wall, arms crossed over his broad chest. “Could be Cathedral’s panicking. We’ve been making noise.”
“Or he’s one of them,” Knight says, too easily.
I whip my head toward him. “No way.”
Juno chimes in. “You sure? It wouldn’t be the first time an ex turned sour. Especially if he thinks she’s off the market.”
I grit my teeth. “He’s scum, but I don’t think he’s that deep. Still—” I rake a hand through my hair. “We’re going to treat it like he is.”
Arrow nods. “Good. What’s the play?”
“I want full surveillance on the meet. Audio, video. Taser in her purse. I’ll be nearby.”
“You mean breathing down his neck,” Knight mutters.
“Damn right.”
Arrow grins. “Okay, Daddy Gage, relax. You’ll be two blocks away max.”
I shoot him a look, but I can’t help the tiny smirk tugging my lips.
Juno’s already typing on her tablet. “We’ll use the Julia café off Fairfax. Outdoor seating, two exits, decent cover.”
I nod. “Perfect. Make it look casual. River’s got good instincts.”
Knight rolls his eyes. “You mean she’s a hacker who’s accidentally been hunting Cathedral without even knowing it? Yeah, instincts.”
“She's brilliant,” I snap. “And brave as hell.”
A beat passes.
Then Juno smiles. “You’re falling hard.”
I don’t deny it. “I fell a long time ago.”
Knight groans. “Kill me now.”
Arrow chuckles, grabbing his beer. “Don’t let him fool you. This is how he was with Lark’s college roommate.”