Chapter 18
Warmth at Maggie’s back tried to tug her back to sleep. But there was a soft breath whispering against her neck. It made her skin feel tingly and sensitive.
She scrunched her eyes, feeling something else. The soft graze of fingertips against her left hip, like someone was tracing a circle against her skin.
She blinked once. Twice.
The room came into view. Not her room. There were too many dark tones—wood and navy.
She was in Ethan’s room. And Ethan was at her back.
The previous night hit her in one fell swoop, simultaneously making her breathless and heavy. Heavy because of the forest. The water. The missing woman. But breathless because of everything that had come after. Because of Ethan.
Soft lips touched a spot behind her ear, sparking a whole-body reaction. A whole-body shudder. An every-hair-on-her-body-standing-on-end thing.
She rolled to her back, holding the sheet over her chest to keep herself covered.
And there he was. Ethan lay on his side, his moss-green eyes piercing into her, so intense and so familiar.
“Hey.” Her voice was low and raspy.
His large palm now sat on her opposite hip. “Morning, Mags.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m nervous.”
One side of his mouth kicked up. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Because we haven’t done…that for a long time.”
“True.” He lowered his head, his mouth hovering over hers. “I also haven’t given you a morning kiss for a while.”
He kissed her, and she breathed him in like he was air she’d been deprived of.
His hand slid down her side, and she cupped his head, parting her lips and letting him in. Letting his tongue curl around hers.
When he lifted his head, she could have cried. She wasn’t done with him, but then, she’d never kissed him and felt done before.
The smile slipped from his lips, and something more intense took its place. “We need to talk about something.”
The heat cooled in her belly. “Okay.”
“I need to know what happened that night. The entire story.”
She’d known this would come. And honestly, she should have initiated the conversation. She wanted there to be no secrets between them.
She sat up, her grip tight on the sheet over her chest. “That night I went to visit you in Coronado, I came from Deep River.”
He nodded, already knowing that because he’d known where she was supposed to be.
“I went to see Lilith that night.” She paused. “I was supposed to pick up some boxes of my things. But we had the biggest fight we’d ever had. She told me I was baggage. That I’d weighed her down for the last decade. And that my mother got the easy way out when she died.”
Ethan cursed. “I could kill that woman.”
“It felt worse than any other fight because it wasn’t only about me being a worthless burden, it was about my mother. I was so upset that I just left. I left her house and Deep River and I went to see you.”
“Connor saw you.”
She nodded.
“Why didn’t you come speak to me?” he asked. “Why’d you leave?”
“I got to the bar and Lilith called. And she…she said things that I shouldn’t have believed, but I did.
She made me feel like I wasn’t good enough for you.
It bled into every insecurity she’d ever instilled in me.
Then I walked into the bar and saw you with this beautiful, confident woman and I just…
I believed it. Everything my aunt had ever said—I believed it all. ”
He gripped her knee like he was scared she’d run. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it?”
“I was hurting. I wanted to break it off with you before you broke up with me. And I think a part of me thought I was doing you a favor.”
“Any woman my friends or I might have talked to that night would have been a work friend. That’s all. I never saw anyone the way I saw you, and I never will. Do you understand? I have only ever loved you, Maggie.”
Tears filled her eyes and she leaned forward, touching her forehead to his. “I wish I’d done things differently.”
“We’re here now. And this is where we’ll stay.”
She groaned. “I just realized I have a meeting.”
“With who?”
“A website designer about my new business.”
Ethan lifted his head and slipped a piece of hair from her cheek. “I could have set up your website.”
“No. You’re too busy with everything going on with your team. And right now, you need to go help your team find that woman.” Her belly cramped.
His eyes shifted between hers. “I want you to promise me something.”
Why did that make her so nervous? “Okay.”
“Next time you’re worried about something, or feeling a certain way about me or us, talk to me.”
She nodded. “I will.”
“Good.” One more kiss, then he climbed out of bed.
Though, as he left the room, a part of her felt a hint of uncertainty.
Why? She loved him. She’d always loved him.
But it wasn’t about him. It was about her. Little moments where past insecurities still crept to the surface.
No. She wasn’t that person anymore. Ethan wanted her. He chose her. And she owed it to him to trust him.
Ethan climbed out of his truck. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be out by the river with his team, searching for Priya Tan and doing something that was actually productive.
But he was at the sheriff’s station. Wasting time talking to a guy who would do absolutely nothing helpful.
Inside, the front desk was empty. Not a surprise. They probably had another person quit. Ward had that effect on people.
A man stepped out of the hallway. Deputy Eli Cox. “Ethan, right? Can I help you?”
“I’ve got a meeting with Ward.” Out of all the deputies, he actually liked Eli the most. He seemed to care a bit more than the others.
Eli knocked on a door beside him before turning back to Ethan. “Go on in.”
Ethan stepped into the sheriff’s office to see Ward sitting at his desk, arms crossed over his protruding stomach as he leaned back. Ferris sat on the edge of a seat on the other side of the desk, and Ryan leaned against the wall, expression grim.
Ethan closed the door behind him. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You didn’t miss much,” Ryan muttered.
“I was saying this woman’s been missing for over twelve hours,” Ward said. “Shouldn’t you super soldiers have found her by now? Isn’t that what you were brought here to do?”
“We’re still looking,” Ryan said between gritted teeth. “We’ve been taking shifts all night, and Ethan and I would be out there right now if you hadn’t called us in.”
“And this isn’t just a missing person,” Ethan pushed. “This is a crime, which makes it your job. Someone caused her to crash her car, then pulled her out while wielding a weapon.”
“So she should have called us, not you,” Ward bitched, suddenly on his feet. “Maybe then my guys would have found her.”
“Is that what this is about?” Ferris asked with a huff. “You’re annoyed that someone was in an emergency situation and called the SAR team and not you?”
“I’m pissed that by bringing these guys into my town, the locals are losing faith in my team, calling them instead of us in emergency situations.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Ryan shouted. “This isn’t a them-versus-us situation. A woman is missing. A fucking psychopath is taking people off your roads and making them disappear to the point that a team of highly trained former SEALs are having trouble tracking them.”
Ward slammed his hands on the desk. “So if you’re not helpful, get out.”
Ethan moved forward, but instead of yelling, he kept his voice low. “We’re not going anywhere. We’ve told you that, and the sooner you get on board, the easier it will be for everyone.”
“Then I guess it’ll never get easier.” Ward looked at Ryan. “And next time, you call my office at the start of an emergency situation, or I’ll have you all arrested for obstruction of justice and reckless endangerment.”
Ryan scowled, shaking his head before storming out.
Ethan followed him, while Ferris continued talking to Ward.
By the time Ryan reached his truck, he was nearly shaking with rage. And yeah, Ethan felt it too.
“You okay?” Ethan asked.
“No. That guy—”
“Is a pain in our asses. I know.”
“He’s an asshole. And he’s putting everyone in this town at risk by wearing that badge.”
“I agree.”
Both his and Ryan’s phones vibrated with a text.
Joel: Ryan and Ethan, you guys close? We haven’t found the woman, but we have an extra set of hands here to help search.
Ethan: Who?
Joel: Come and see for yourself.
Ethan shoved his cell back into his pocket. “What the hell are they talking about?”
“Let’s go and find out.” Ryan climbed into his truck and left the parking lot.
Before Ethan pulled out though, a text came through on his cell. It was an automatic message from Ferris.
Ferris: Reminder to all residents of Deep River—town meeting tonight at six p.m.
The town meeting had been planned weeks ago to announce the new community center manager. But Ferris would no doubt also discuss the new missing woman.
Three. There were now three missing women, but Priya was the first local.
His jaw clenched as he texted Maggie.
Ethan: How’d the meeting go?
Maggie: Still going. We’re three iced lemonades and two honey scones deep. How’d your meeting with Ward go?
Ethan: You don’t want to know.
Maggie: Ouch. I’m sorry.
Ethan: Me too. Do me a favor. Stay in busy areas today.
Maggie: I will. You stay safe too.
Ethan: Always.
Maggie was the only good thing to come out of the last twenty-four hours.
He drove out of the parking lot, his mind going to the missing woman.
His team had searched through the night, sending him updates on the area they’d covered.
They were probably running off a few hours of sleep between them, and fucking Ward, who’d sent two deputies out there for a couple of hours, couldn’t even a muster a thank you for looking after his town.
Because the guy didn’t care. He couldn’t give a shit about this town or the people in it. He cared about the badge. The position. His fucking ego.
When he pulled into the parking lot outside base, he noticed an extra car. The car looked new and clean and had a barcode sticker on the back window. A rental?
He moved into the building to see Ryan embracing someone. A tall woman with red hair, but still a head shorter than Ryan.
She turned—and Ethan blinked. “Jay?”
“Hey, Squid.”
Ethan crossed the distance between them and pulled Jay into his arms. Jesus, he hadn’t seen her in person in over a year.
When he pulled back, he frowned. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Um, you invited me.”
“I didn’t think you’d actually come.”
“What else am I going to do with my leave? Besides, I think you need my help.” She lifted a brow. “A woman went missing last night and hasn’t been found? That’s not like you guys.”
“Don’t remind us.” Ryan scowled.
She smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m here now.”