Chapter 3

Chapter Three

P erry

I stand behind the counter of my new flower shop, staring blankly at the vibrant bouquet in front of me. The peonies and dahlias are beautiful, their bright colors and delicate petals bursting with life, but I can't seem to focus. My hands move on autopilot, arranging the flowers as if they have a mind of their own, while my mind is somewhere else entirely. Somewhere darker. Somewhere I don't want to be.

I know he's in town. I can feel it, like a storm brewing just beyond the horizon, ready to sweep in and tear apart everything I've built. He hasn't shown himself yet, not directly. But the signs are there. The cryptic notes slipped into my mailbox late at night, the strange occurrences at the shop—flowers wilting unexpectedly, deliveries gone missing, equipment breaking down. All of it reeks of him, and every day that passes, the knot in my stomach tightens. I've been in Copper Mountain for less than a month and already a dark cloud seems to hang over the life I've built here.

But I refuse to let him win. I left that life behind, came to Copper Mountain for a fresh start, for peace. My flower shop, my little haven, was supposed to be that peace. Yet here I am, standing behind the counter with my heart pounding, my hands shaking as I try to keep it together.

I've always prided myself on being independent. I don't need anyone to fight my battles for me. Especially not Knox. The thought of him makes my chest tighten, but in a different way. I don't want to drag him into this mess. He's already got his own issues, his own demons to deal with. I've seen the shadows in his eyes, the way he keeps people at arm's length. Bringing him into my problems would just complicate things.

But still, every time I think of him, there's this pull. Like he's the only one who could make me feel safe again, even if I won't admit it out loud.

The bell above the door jingles, pulling me from my thoughts. I look up, expecting a customer, but instead, it's Knox, all six feet of brooding muscle and dark eyes, standing in the doorway of my shop. His presence fills the room immediately, the scent of metal and earth clinging to him like a second skin. He looks out of place here, surrounded by soft petals and pastel colors, but at the same time, there's something about him that feels grounding. Solid.

"Hey," I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I force a smile. "What brings you here?"

He steps inside, his eyes scanning the shop before they land on me. There's something in his gaze, something heavy, like he can see right through the smile I'm wearing and knows I'm barely holding it together.

"I was in the area," he says gruffly, as if that explains everything. "Thought I'd stop by."

I raise an eyebrow, leaning against the counter. "Since when do you stop by flower shops, Knox?"

His lips twitch, the closest thing to a smile I've seen from him in days. "Not my usual scene, I'll admit."

There's a beat of silence between us, thick with tension. I busy myself with rearranging the flowers again, needing something to do with my hands, but I can feel his eyes on me, watching me closely. It's like he's waiting for me to say something, to admit what's really going on, but I can't. Not yet. If I tell him, if I let him in, then everything becomes real. And I'm not ready for that.

"You okay?" His voice is softer now, low and rumbling like distant thunder.

I glance up at him, forcing another smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… busy."

He steps closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. "Perry."

My name on his lips is enough to make my heart stutter, and I curse myself for how easily he gets under my skin. But I keep my walls up, not willing to let him see how close I am to breaking. "Really, it's fine," I say quickly, avoiding his gaze. "Just a little overwhelmed with the shop."

I can feel him studying me, the weight of his silence pressing down on me. And for a moment, I think he's going to drop it, let me keep pretending. But Knox isn't the kind of man to let things go.

"Is it the shop," he asks, his voice darkening, "or something else?"

I freeze, my fingers tightening around the stem of a flower. Damn him. Damn him for seeing right through me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say, my voice too light, too breezy.

Knox steps around the counter, closing the distance between us. He towers over me, his broad shoulders blocking out everything else, his scent—smoky and masculine—filling my senses. "Don't lie to me," he says, his voice dangerously low. "I can tell when something's wrong. What is it, Petal?"

My throat tightens, and for a moment, I want to crumble. To just tell him everything and let him take this weight off my shoulders. But I can't. I don't want him to see me as weak. I don't want him to feel like he has to protect me.

"I'm handling it," I whisper, not meeting his eyes.

"Handling what?" His hand comes up, tilting my chin so I'm forced to look at him. The concern in his eyes is almost too much to bear. "Tell me."

I swallow hard, the words clawing at my throat. "It's my ex," I finally admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "He's here. He's been leaving notes, messing with the shop. I don't know what he wants, but… he's not going to leave me alone."

Knox's entire body goes still, the air around us seeming to thicken with the weight of his fury. His hand tightens slightly on my chin before he pulls away, his jaw clenched so hard I can see the muscles flexing.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" His voice is rough, like he's barely holding back his anger.

"Because I didn't want to drag you into this," I say, feeling small under the intensity of his gaze. "It's my problem, not yours."

His eyes darken, and he takes a step closer, his chest almost brushing mine. "It became my problem the second he started threatening you."

I shake my head, frustration and fear warring inside me. "Knox, I don't want you to get involved. I can handle it?—"

"Like hell you can," he growls, cutting me off. "You think I'm just going to stand by and let some bastard terrorize you? Not a chance."

I stare up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. The intensity in his eyes, the protectiveness, it's overwhelming. And as much as I want to push him away, to keep handling this on my own, part of me is relieved. Relieved that I don't have to face this alone anymore.

"I don't want you getting hurt because of me," I whisper.

Knox's expression softens, just a fraction, but there's still that fire burning in his eyes. "You don't need to worry about me, Petal. I've dealt with worse than some stalker ex."

His words are meant to reassure me, but they only make my heart ache. I know about his past—about the things he's seen, the things he's lost. And I don't want to add to that pain.

But looking into his eyes now, I realize I don't have a choice. Knox isn't going to back down. He's not going to let me face this alone.

"Okay," I finally whisper, my voice trembling. "Okay."

He exhales, some of the tension easing from his body, but the hard edge to his expression remains. "You're staying with me," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I blink up at him, startled. "What?"

"You heard me," he says, his eyes flashing. "You're not staying here by yourself. You're coming to my cabin. I'll deal with the shop. I'll deal with him."

The finality in his voice makes it clear there's no use arguing. And as much as I hate the idea of being a burden, there's something about the way he says it, so firm and protective, that makes me want to trust him.

I nod slowly, feeling a strange sense of relief wash over me. "Okay."

Knox's jaw relaxes just slightly, and for a moment, I see something softer flicker in his eyes. He reaches out, his hand brushing against mine, and the touch sends a shiver down my spine. "I'm not letting anything happen to you, Perry," he says, his voice low and fierce. "Not on my watch."

And for the first time in days, I believe him.