James

“I told you this was a mistake,” Zeb growls, his anger directed at Ben.

“And like I said, we didn’t have a choice. He’s connected to this thing with Creed. But you’re right—it was a mistake bringing him here.” Contrite, Ben stares down at the table. His slumped shoulders and withdrawn expression leave no doubt he feels terrible about what happened.

“Then say we’re done with this fishing expedition,” I demand. “That we’re washing our hands of anything to do with that asshole and his associates.” Pacing at the far end of the room, I glare at him, the pent-up energy and frustration still coursing through me, making it impossible to join them at the table. 

“We’re done.” His voice is low, defeated.

Lucas sighs, leaning forward with elbows on the table, he clasps his hands together. After a brief moment, he looks up at me. “One of us needs to stay close to her—at least for the next few days. Based on what we uncovered, Zappalla has ties to forced prostitution and human traffickers. After what just happened, we can’t risk leaving her exposed in case he’s taken an interest in her.”

“Fuck!” Ben slams his fist onto the table. “God damn it! This is on me.” His voice breaks, and he presses the heels of his hands against his eyes as if he can’t bear to see the fallout of his decision. The realization that our actions have made Annelly a target hits him hard—exactly as it should. 

Under normal circumstances, I’d pat my friend on the back and remind him we’re not responsible for what the bad guys do. But I’m not that level-headed guy right now. This version of me—the beast—agrees with Ben’s assessment. This is his fault. He made the call, which means he’s the one who led that snake straight into Annelly’s path. So, forgive me if I don’t give a fuck that he’s hurt and drowning in regret. He did it; he better own it because I refuse to do anything to ease his suffering. 

As for her… “I’ll do it. I’ll take the lead,” I declare, stepping forward. At this point, it’s not even a choice. My need to stay away from her doesn’t matter anymore, not when her safety is on the line. “Starting now, I’ve got her. But we need to do everything we can to ensure she’s not on his radar. No matter what it takes, she can’t get caught up in any of this.”

“Agreed.” Ben lifts his head, then turns to Owen. “You know what to do.”

“Yep,” Owen replies, already hammering away at the keys on his laptop. He’s our resident hacker, skilled at accessing anything he wants. If Zappalla so much as mentions Annelly in any of his communications, Owen will find it.

“What now? What do we tell her?” Ben asks the group. The uncertainty in his voice ratchets up the tension in the room. Normally, he’s the one who’s strategic and sure about decisions like this. The fact he’s not, tells me exactly how much today’s events have shaken him.  

Which, frankly, I don’t feel the least bit sorry about.

“No…” I say, confident that if she knew, she’d never agree to me tailing her. “We tell her nothing unless there’s something to tell. She’s been through enough and doesn’t need the uncertainty hanging over her head. For now, we’ll watch from a distance.”

“Agreed.” Lucas chimes in, and I nod at him in thanks. “Zappalla knows who we are and what we’re capable of. He may be a weasel, but he’s smart enough to realize we’ll destroy him if he messes with anyone in our town.”

“That might be true,” Zeb cuts in. “But we can’t assume he won’t try something. We need to assess the threat and not let up on her protection detail until we’re sure there’s nothing to worry about.” 

That unwavering intensity and attention to detail? It’s exactly why he’s my most trusted friend—and the teammate I most partner with on jobs.  

“Owen,” I say, turning to him. “Keep an eye not just on his electronic trail but also on Annelly and Aunt Rosie’s. Plus, don’t forget the diner’s security system. Keep it all high-level. Your eyes only to protect their privacy. But if that bastard reaches out or tampers with their security, you need to let us know ASAP.” 

He scowls at me, clearly annoyed. “You’re kidding me, right? Stay in your lane, pretty boy. I know how to do my fucking job.”

“I know, bro.” I let out a rough sigh. “But we can’t risk any mistakes. This is Annelly, for god’s sake. She’s important to… us.” I nearly trip over my words, embarrassed by how close I came to revealing something I’m trying hard to deny. Hoping no one noticed, I quickly pivot toward Zeb. “I need someone to split shifts with me.”

“I got you,” he confirms, reaching out to shake my hand and giving my shoulder a reassuring pat with his other. It’s like he can sense the messed-up thoughts churning in my head and is trying to reassure me that everything is going to be okay. “We can alternate. Whenever. Wherever you need me, say the word, and I’ll be there.”

Several minutes later, we walk out of the diner as a group. Just as we’re about to reach our cars, Lucas pulls me aside. 

“Listen, normally I wouldn’t share something my wife told me in confidence, but I think it’s important you know. There was an incident here two nights ago. Annelly called the police, saying someone from her life in New York found her. She believed they were outside, waiting for her, but when Will Keller arrived, whoever she thought she’d seen was already gone. Aunt Rosie called Embree afterward, upset because Annelly refused to give Will any other details—no names, no explanation for her fear. Instead, she just apologized for wasting his time, saying she’d made a mistake.”

He pauses, glancing around the quiet parking lot. “Now, after seeing how she reacted to Zappalla today, I can’t help but wonder if there’s a connection.”

“Jesus… fuck.” The words leave my mouth in a rush, my pulse hammering as I rake my hands through my hair. “Zappalla’s based in New York. You think they might have crossed paths?”

“I hope not,” Lucas mutters, grimacing. “But given the circumstances, we shouldn’t rule it out. Once I’m back at the office, I’ll check in with Owen—maybe we can cross-reference her time in New York to see if she ever encountered Zappalla.”

I nod in agreement, my mind running through everything we know about Anthony Zappalla and his shady business dealings. Annelly was a 22-year-old Julliard student juggling studies and performances during her time in New York. From our conversations this past summer, it sounded like her schedule left little room for much else. So the odds she ran in the same circles as him or any of his associates are practically nil. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself—I can’t bear to think otherwise.

“Do it,” I say. “Have Owen look into it. Do you think Ben knows about the incident two nights ago?”

Lucas exhales, glancing off to the side. “I don’t see how he couldn’t. He’s probably connecting the same dots; just didn’t want to bring it up here at the diner. Keller promised Aunt Rosie he’d keep what happened off the record to protect Annelly’s privacy, but you know how this town is. There were plenty of customers around that night, and gossip here travels at light speed.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, wincing at the thought of how rough the past few days must have been for her. “I’m honestly surprised I didn’t hear about it before now.” I scratch the back of my neck, my brow creasing as I remember why I haven’t been at the diner for the last couple of days.

He smirks. “Well, from what Zeb said, you guys had quite a Saturday night at Club Solstice. Weren’t you still nursing that hangover yesterday? Among other things, I’m sure,” he adds with a chuckle.

He’s partly right. Saturday, we spent the day at Ben’s, helping him and Lucas with the kids during Emilia’s baby shower, before heading out for a night of clubbing. He’s correct that I spent all of yesterday holed up at home, trying to recover—but not from the kind of fun he’s probably imagining. For me, Saturday was a night of trying—and failing—to drown my sorrows because not one of the women I saw came close to measuring up to Annelly. 

I was a complete mess. Too much alcohol, too much thinking… just too much feeling and obsessing over things I shouldn’t care about but can’t seem to ignore. No matter how hard I’m trying to fight it, she’s the only woman I want, and it’s killing me, especially after everything that happened today.

“I’ve got to find a way to get her to talk to me.” The words slip out before I can stop them, and I tense, half-wishing I could take them back. But it’s the truth—she needs to open up so we can be sure she’s protected. 

“Or to one of us, at least,” he says with a casual shrug. “If you don’t have any luck, maybe I could try. Or Ben—”

“No.” I cut him off, the firmness in my voice leaving no room for argument. There’s no way in hell anyone’s talking to her before I do. “We can’t risk her shutting down. If we come at her like she’s a job—asking questions and demanding answers—we won’t get anywhere.” I explain. It’s at least partly true.

“Yeah, but…” He trails off, and it doesn’t take a genius to guess why. He saw what went down between me and Annelly earlier and heard her begging me to leave her alone. 

“I know what you saw, and I get why you’re worried. I’ll own it—I royally screwed things up with her. But you know me, Luc. You know I’m a decent guy. Hell, from the moment I met her, I knew I wasn’t good enough, which is why I kept my distance in the first place. Now she’s hurt because she misunderstood my reasons for pushing her away. But I’m telling you, one honest conversation, and I can fix this. I can mend our friendship, and I sure as shit can keep her safe in the meantime.”

Lucas takes a moment to mull it over, doubt clouding his gaze before he finally exhales in resignation.

“For now, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But James, if she comes to me and says she doesn’t want you involved, I’ll have no choice but to step in. No disrespect, but I’m not in a position to choose sides here. She’s my wife’s cousin, which means my loyalty has to be with Annelly.”

“I know,” I say, keeping my tone as measured as I can. “All I’m asking is for the chance to set things right. Maybe it will come to nothing, and she’ll still want nothing to do with me in the end. If that happens, I’ll walk away, no questions asked, and she’ll be better off for it. But right now, I have to do this. I can’t let it go. Not now. Not until I know she’s safe.”

“Okay.” He reaches out to shake my hand. “Just be careful. As we saw today, she’s struggling and scared, so you’ll need to tread lightly.”

“Understood. I plan to go in soft, take my time earning her trust back.”

“Well, I better get to the office.” 

Just as he’s about to head to his car, I call out, “Hey, one more question. That guy she was seeing in New York—the one she brought to your wedding—what was his name again?”

Lucas frowns, thinking it over. “Victor… something. Can’t remember the last name. Why?”

As the memory of her date surfaces, the beast in me stirs awake again. I recall the possessive way he guided her from one conversation to the next, the scowl on his face whenever she spoke to any of the guys. I remember how her face went pale when he whispered something in her ear after she spent a few minutes chatting with my brother. Worst of all was during the bridesmaid and groomsmen dance—she seemed so nervous, eyes darting around the room, looking for him like she was worried that he was watching us dancing together. It took everything in me not to get involved. If Tyler hadn’t reminded me it wasn’t the time or place, I would have done something I’d regret.

“He owned a nightclub, didn’t he?” I ask, a knot forming in my stomach at the thought. “What if he’s the one with the connection to Zappalla?” 

An uneasy look crosses Lucas’s face. “Christ,” he exhales, the word heavy with worry.

“We need to look into him,” I say, my voice almost a growl. 

The idea that Annelly’s ex might be tangled up in Zappalla’s world—and that she’s running from something he dragged her into—sends a sickening wave of dread rolling through me. No matter what stands between us now, or how complicated our history might be, I’m going to protect her. Whether she hates me for it or not, I’m not letting her go through whatever she’s facing alone.

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