AvaThe water was eerily quiet as our boat finally came to a stop—half an hour of searching, all to no avail. Olivia, if she was ever even here, was apparently long gone by now.Chris cut the engine, its low rumble fading into silence. I squinted into the darkness, searching for any sign of movement
AvaBy the time we stepped off the helicopter, my legs were a bit wobbly from the ride. Chris turned back and offered his hand, helping me down onto solid ground. As soon as my feet touched the earth, however, my eyes went wide and I immediately forgot about my discomfort.“Chris,” I breathed, my vo
My eyes widened. “We’re going horseback riding? On the beach?”Chris nodded, unable to keep the grin off his face. “At sunset. I thought you might enjoy it. Romantic, isn’t it?”“Romantic? It’s like something out of a movie!”The stable hand helped us mount our horses. I felt a bit nervous at first
AvaI woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in weeks—maybe even longer—despite the hard floor beneath me. The warmth of the fire had faded, but Chris’s arms were still wrapped tightly around me. As I stirred, he opened his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his face.“Morning,” he murmured, his
After dinner, we moved to the backyard. Leonard set up the horseshoes while Ophelia and I prepared the fire pit.“I can’t remember the last time I did this,” I admitted as I skewered a marshmallow.Ophelia grinned and handed a piece of graham cracker to Princess, who ate it daintily in her lap. “The
AvaThe journey back to Moonstone was tense and silent. Dedrick sat hunched in the boat, his wrists bound behind his back, while Leonard and the scout kept a watchful eye on him. The moonstone hung around Chris’s neck as he drove the boat back to the docks, its soft blue glow a stark contrast to the
Chris scoffed. “And you believed her?”“I had nothing left to lose,” Dedrick shrugged. “It was all I wanted from the beginning.”“What were you doing here tonight?” I asked.“Spying. Waiting for a chance to slip in and take Chris out.”I felt my blood run cold at that: take Chris out. As in… kill hi
Chris“Thank you so much, James. I really appreciate everything you’ve done to help us out.”“No problem, man. You know I’m always here if you ever need anything. Sometimes these older human execs are… well, stuffy and outdated. It’s about time someone stands up to them.”I leaned back in my office