Chapter 22

Austin stood and stretched, walking with his teammates out of the bullpen on Monday morning. The briefing had been long, with them receiving updates on various situations around the world. Wyatt caught up to him as he headed down the hallway. “Callie’s excited for the trip.”

Austin’s lips quirked. “So is Lex. She’s been talking for days about the things she wants to show Callie in Kauai. I won’t deny that I’m worried, given the situation with Duke, but her father hasn’t received any new letters in a week.”

“Maybe Duke knows he’s under investigation,” Wyatt said.

“He’d be an idiot not to realize it.” Austin cleared his throat. “Alexa had a sunrise session the other morning, and I almost went with her. I know this is her career and what she’s passionate about, but I can’t help but be concerned.”

“Fortunately, she does most of her photoshoots on the beach, from what Callie has told me,” Wyatt said. “There are plenty of locals and tourists around. Meeting clients out in the open is safer than jobs where she’d be isolated and alone with someone she doesn’t know.”

“Yep. Still doesn’t mean I have to like it given the current situation.”

“I totally get it. At least when she travels to Kauai, her parents are on the island. She’s not staying with them, is she? Callie was talking about different hotels.”

“They’re getting a room together, from my understanding. Hell,” he said, swiping a hand over his jaw. “We’ve been so focused on training the past couple of days, putting in long hours, I haven’t gotten all the details from her. I’d worry about her no matter what though.”

The men headed out of the building, crossing toward the area where they’d be conducting training sessions that morning. “Did you get your sister off to the airport?” Wyatt asked as Aaron caught up to them.

“Dropped her off this morning,” Aaron said. “She enjoyed spending some time here in sunny Honolulu after the conference. I’m sad to see her go.”

“Did she say anything more about the job opportunity?” Austin asked.

Aaron muttered a curse. “Just that she’s seriously considering it. I don’t know where she’d end up, but moving to a country in turmoil doesn’t seem like a great idea. She’s not trained like us. She doesn’t even know how to shoot a weapon.”

Austin frowned. “Any chance you can talk her out of it?”

Aaron scoffed. “Believe me, I tried. She loves what she does and is damn good at it, but I can’t help feeling like it’s too dangerous.”

They walked in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts, when Austin’s phone buzzed. He smiled as he saw Alexa’s name.

“Hey baby, what’s up?” he asked.

Her voice sounded shaky on the other end of the line. “Austin? Something bad happened.”

***

Alexa showered late that morning, her hands lightly running over the puckered red skin of her scars. Austin had headed into work early for PT, and she’d gone for a long walk to get some exercise in before starting her day. They’d both gone back to her apartment the night before for a change of pace, and Austin had spent the night, showing her exactly what she meant to him with his tender caresses and scorching kisses. Making love to him felt even more incredible each and every time, like they were somehow even closer than they’d been before.

Austin had brewed her favorite coffee before he’d left bright and early, and there was a note from him beside it.

Enjoy, baby. I plan to enjoy you thoroughly later on. xx

P.S. Be safe.

Warmth had coursed through her at his words. While she’d gotten accustomed to him cooking breakfast and making coffee for her at his place, it somehow seemed even sweeter that he made her coffee at her own apartment.

Alexa had errands to run that morning and an evening photoshoot. Then she needed to pack, because in a couple short days, she and Callie would be jetting off to Kauai. Alexa jotted down some notes to herself of things she needed to bring. She felt a tiny twinge of anxiety, then shook it off. She was nervous simply because if she forgot to put something in her carry-on, she’d have to go without or purchase it there. It was easier gathering up all her camera lenses and equipment here in Oahu when she didn’t need to also worry about packing for a mini-vacation.

“Sunscreen. I definitely need more of that,” she murmured to herself as she added it to her list. Dressing in shorts and a tank top, she slipped on a pair of hot pink flip-flops. She and Callie would explore some beaches and incredible waterfalls, even though Alexa wasn’t supposed to go in the water yet.

She shook her head. The past month had been a whirlwind. While she and Austin had talked a bit more about the fact that she’d gotten pregnant, it hadn’t slowed them down. Once she’d been given the go-ahead by her doctor, they’d made love every night, still using condoms and accepting whatever risk came with it. Things with Austin just felt right, and if she somehow ended up getting pregnant again, she knew they were both on the same page. It was less likely to happen, of course, given that she’d lost one tube in the emergency surgery, but they both wanted children eventually. If it happened sooner than expected, so be it. Austin would make a great dad, and she had a feeling that he was the one.

Grabbing her phone and purse, she headed out to her convertible. It felt amazing to drive herself around again. She couldn’t believe she’d taken such a little thing for granted before. Relying on others for a ride was not her idea of fun. Her flip-flops slapped on the steps as she walked down them, and then she was moving across the hot asphalt. Callie’s Mini Cooper was parked across the lot of the apartment complex. She’d miss her friend when Callie moved into Wyatt’s place, but she could hardly talk. She spent most nights with Austin now anyways.

Alexa crossed the parking lot, then slowed as she got closer to her vehicle. There was something black on the ground, right next to the driver’s side door, lying unnaturally still. Her stomach roiled as she realized it was a dead bird. She stopped in shock, looking at it from several feet away. Alexa looked around, wondering where it could’ve come from. Had it crashed into the glass window of her car? Had someone left it there?

Her stomach churned as she spotted a note under her windshield wiper. Instinctively knowing not to touch it, she stepped closer to look. As she read the words on the paper, her blood ran cold.

You’re next

Her hands shaking, Alexa pulled her phone from her purse. Austin was supposed to be in meetings and then training this morning, but this was urgent. The phone rang several times before he picked up. It sounded like he was outside, and she could hear other voices in the background.

“Austin?” Her voice trembled, and she hated how weak she sounded in that moment. “Something bad happened.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice instantly hard.

“There’s a dead bird next to my car. When I got closer, I saw that someone had left a note under my windshield wiper. I didn’t touch anything but could read what it said. All that was written on the paper were the words, ‘You’re next’.”

The other end of the line was silent. “Austin?” she asked.

“Go back inside. I’ll be there in twenty. Go!” he said urgently. “Whatever you do, don’t open the front door until I call you.”

She heard thumping and realized that Austin was running but had kept the line open. Shivers raced down her spine as she looked around the parking lot. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Palm trees swayed in the breeze. The salty scent of the ocean filled the air.

And somehow Duke had found her. She knew the note and the dead bird had to be from him. It made no sense, but no one else would be threatening her. Nothing else unusual had happened lately aside from the letters her father had received. Letters that threatened both him and his family.

“Are you inside yet?” Austin asked over the phone.

Gulping in a breath, Alexa turned and ran.