Chapter 1

One

Liam

"You're insane, man!"

Derek raised his beer bottle and took a long swig, the familiar scent of hops filling the air between us. He gestured toward me with the bottle, his brows knitting together as he leaned forward. "Seriously, going undercover in your own damn company? There's gotta be an easier way for a billionaire to deal with this shit than hiding out here in your cabin."

I leaned back in my chair on the porch, gazing at the calm, still surface of the lake in front of us. The peace of the scene felt worlds away from the chaos I was dealing with. "Yeah, I could hire a private investigator," I replied, my voice edged with frustration. "I could sit in my fancy penthouse, sip some overpriced whiskey, and wait for a report to roll in." I paused, the thought making me even more restless. "But that sounds boring as hell, and I'm too paranoid for that."

Derek snorted and shook his head. "You're such a control freak," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "You can't even trust someone else to catch the bastard. But honestly? I don't blame you. I'd be paranoid as hell too if someone were pulling that kind of shit on me."

His words struck a nerve, and I could feel my annoyance flare up. "Damn right I'm a control freak," I shot back. "Someone is messing with my money, my company, and I'm not about to leave it in anyone else's hands. I want to be the one who catches them red-handed, and I can't do that from my Dallas office."

Derek raised his hands in mock surrender, the grin on his face widening. "Alright, alright. I get it. You've got your hands all over this thing. But you've been running yourself ragged. You can't do it all. Maybe trust someone for once. You're not Superman."

I let out a slow breath, trying to shake off the irritation. He wasn't wrong, but I couldn't let anyone else handle this. "It's not about trusting someone else," I said, my voice lowering. "Edgewater's mine. Built it from the ground up. Whoever's doing this—they think they're smarter than me. They think I won't notice or figure it out. But they're wrong."

Derek studied me for a second, taking another sip from his beer before speaking. "I get it. It's personal. But you're going to burn out if you keep trying to do everything by yourself. You might catch the guy, but at what cost? Maybe you just need to get laid, man."

I huffed out a laugh, but the tension in my shoulders didn't ease. "A jog—get laid, huh? That's your big advice?"

"Yeah, why not? You've got that marathon coming up in Dallas, right? Might as well kill two birds with one stone. And I don't see any woman hanging around. You need to get out of your head for a while."

I looked over at him, letting the idea roll around in my mind. He wasn't wrong. There were definitely no women in my life, and I had the marathon on the horizon, with training having taken a backseat to this mess at the company. A jog wouldn't solve my problems, but it might help clear my head. "Alright, fine. A jog it is. But if I pull something, I'm blaming you."

Derek grinned and lifted his bottle. "Deal."

I shook Derek's hand as he stepped off the porch, his grin still in place. "Don't kill yourself on that run, man," he said, tossing his empty beer bottle into the trash. He made his way to his sports car, the engine roaring to life as he slid into the driver's seat.

Before he could pull away, I leaned against the window, knocking lightly. "Hey, be careful driving out of here. The small-town cops are relentless. They'd love nothing more than to slap you with a DUI, even if you've only had one beer."

Derek gave me a look, half-amused, half-annoyed. "Come on, man. I wasn't born yesterday. I'm not stupid enough to risk it."

I raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "You know how these backroads are. They're always looking for an excuse, and with your car? You're a flashing red target."

He waved me off, chuckling. "Relax, I'm stopping at the diner before heading back to Dallas. Gonna grab some food and wait it out. Besides, I doubt anyone around here can catch me if I wanted to outrun them."

"Diner food won't save your ass if they're sitting there, waiting to pounce."

Derek just grinned. "Then I guess they'll have to catch me first."

I shook my head, stepping back as he revved the engine again, the roar filling the quiet evening air. "Drive safe, man."

"I always do," he called out, throwing me a wave as he pulled away. The tires kicked up gravel as his car sped down the dirt road, the engine's growl fading into the distance.

On one hand, I was grateful for his friendship. The guy always showed up when I needed him, no questions asked. But on the other hand, he had just tossed away his empty beer bottle like he didn't have a care in the world while I was drowning under the weight of Edgewater Securities, trying to keep my legacy afloat.

The sudden silence only made the pressure on my chest more noticeable, as if the burden I'd been carrying around had settled in deeper. I stood there for a second, watching the dirt road, half wishing I could be as carefree as Derek.

But I wasn't built like that. My mind never let me switch off, not when I had so much at stake.

I turned back toward the cabin, pushed open the door, and stepped inside. The place was lonely and still, with the light dimming as the sun began to set over the lake. The familiar scent of cedar and the cool breeze drifting through the open windows made it feel like a sanctuary. However, even in this peaceful place, I couldn't shake the pressure on my shoulders.

Edgewater Securities wasn't just a cybersecurity company—it was mine. Built from the ground up with late nights and more sacrifices than I cared to count. I'd poured everything into it—blood, sweat, and enough stress to last a lifetime. Hell, I'd given up the idea of a normal life to make sure Edgewater succeeded.

And for what? Now, someone thought they could skim money off the top like I wouldn't notice. Like I wouldn't care.

But I noticed. I always noticed, and I'll always care. That was the problem.

I made my way to the bedroom, pulling open the closet. The door creaked as I grabbed a pair of running shorts and a shirt, tossing them onto the bed. My mind was still stuck on Edgewater as I began to strip out of my clothes, unable to escape the reality of my situation.

As I stood in front of the mirror, my eyes drifted to my reflection. My legs came first—muscles still tight, defined from years of training, but even I could tell I hadn't been pushing myself as hard lately. Marathon prep had taken a backseat to the never-ending mess at Edgewater. I flexed my calves, then my quads, feeling the burn that used to motivate me. Now? It just reminded me of how far behind I was.

And it pissed me off.

I shifted my gaze upward, catching the fading light on my abs. To anyone else, I probably looked the same—solid, fit. Hell, I knew plenty of people would kill for this body. But it wasn't enough for me anymore. I saw the small signs of slipping. The slight softness in places I used to be proud of. My training had faltered, just like everything else outside of work. The longer I stared, the angrier I got. Not just at whoever was screwing with my empire, but at myself, for letting it bleed into every corner of my life.

I blew out a breath, running a hand through my hair. The frustration sat heavily on my chest. I hate feeling like this—out of control. And it wasn't just about Edgewater anymore. It was everything—my body, my training, my social life—everything felt off track. And at the center of it all? They weren't just stealing from my business. They were stealing from me.

Maybe Derek was right. Maybe I couldn't do it all on my own. But letting someone else in? That was a whole other issue.

I grabbed my phone and stared at it for a second, Derek's words ringing in my ears. "You can't do this all yourself, man." My thumb hovered over his number, but I stopped. Calling him for help right now seemed weak. And Derek had enough on his plate. I had to fix this, but how?

I shook off the thought, pushing it to the back of my mind for now. The running shorts slipped on easily, followed by the snug shirt that clung to my skin. Sneakers waited nearby, their rubber soles cool against my fingertips as they hit the floor. After tightening the laces, I stretched my legs again. Derek's earlier words floated back. Maybe you just need to get laid, man.

A wry grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. Maybe he had a point. Dating life? Nonexistent. Too much work, too much stress, too much at stake. But was all this frustration really about work? Or had it been far too long since I'd spent a night with someone?

Focus. That's what matters now.

Keys in hand, the door to the cabin locked behind me. As much as it pained me to admit it, running was the one thing that consistently cleared my mind even if it was just for a while. And I needed that mental space, needed to think.

My truck rumbled down the gravel road towards Cedar Cove Park; the tension of the day starting to loosen its grip as I approached the entrance. I rolled down the window as the gate attendant—one of the park rangers—stepped up to the truck. She couldn't have been more than in her mid-twenties, with a blonde ponytail peeking out from under her ranger hat. Her uniform blouse fit snugly around her body, highlighting the athletic frame she no doubt needed for the job.

She smiled, glancing at my parking pass before nodding me through. "Enjoy, but remember the park closes in two hours."

"No problem," I said, throwing her a wink as I pressed the accelerator gently. The truck moved forward, but I couldn't help the brief glance in my rearview mirror, watching her walk back to the gatehouse. It was a quick distraction, but one I didn't mind.

It's just a run. Get in, clear your head, and get out .

I parked in the nearly empty lot, grabbed my phone from the passenger seat, and stepped out of the truck. The late evening breeze was crisp, as I stretched my legs one more time. The park was quiet at this hour, just how I liked it: no distractions, no crowd—just me and the trail.

I started jogging down the dirt path, feeling my muscles loosen with each step. The steady rhythm of my feet hitting the ground echoed in my ears, a calming beat that helped drown out the noise in my head. I focused on the path ahead, the scent of pine and earth filling my lungs as I pushed forward.

Just as I neared the trail's end, my foot landed awkwardly on a loose rock. Pain shot up my leg, and before I knew it, I was on the ground, clutching my ankle.

"Fuck," I muttered, trying to stand, but my ankle gave out beneath me. The pain was sharp and immediate, twisting with every attempt to put weight on it.

I sat there for a moment, cursing under my breath and scanning the quiet, empty trail. My first thought was to call Derek. Maybe he was still in town, hanging around the diner or taking his time before heading back to Dallas. But then again, even if he was still nearby, how the hell would he find me out here in the middle of nowhere? The idea of him racing back through these winding backroads didn't exactly seem like the best solution.

He's probably long gone by now anyway.

Shaking off the thought, I grabbed my phone and pulled up the park's emergency line. This wasn't how I expected the run to end, but clearly, life had other plans.