Chapter 10
Sloane
I stood at the wall of windows in the solarium, watching the long driveway for any sign of Knox’s arrival. Beyond the manicured lawn, the sound stretched blue-gray and calm, dotted with sailboats that looked like toys from this distance.
Inside, the house was too big. Too quiet. Too much.
Seven thousand square feet of custom finishes and designer furniture, sitting on property that had once been home to nesting shorebirds near the maritime forest. My mother called it our family’s “coastal retreat.” I called it highly unfortunate.
The sound of an approaching vehicle drew my attention back to the window. Knox’s Jeep rolled up the driveway and parked near the front entrance. My heart rate escalated as I watched him climb out.
He’d changed since this morning. The dark jeans, black fitted T-shirt and mirrored aviators made him look far more dangerous than anyone I should invite into my home. His brown hair was still damp from a shower, and I’d never been so thankful for the arrival of a guest.
I hurried toward the door, my bare feet silent on the cool marble.
I’d showered and changed after leaving Knox’s place this morning too.
I’d washed away the sand and salt, pulled on a pair of loose, tan linen pants and a sage-green tank top that left a stripe of my abdomen exposed.
My long hair hung around my shoulders in thick, blown-out waves.
I reached the front door and pulled it open just as Knox raised his hand to knock.
For a moment we just looked at each other. His blue eyes tracked over my face then down my body.
“Hey,” I said softly. I tucked my shaky hands behind my back.
“You okay?” His gaze followed my hands.
I nodded. “Feeling a little better than this morning. A nap helped.” I’d managed an hour of fitful rest after leaving him, but every moment counted since I’d barely slept last night. “Come on. I set up lunch out back.”
On impulse, I reached for his hand, needing the anchor. His fingers closed around mine immediately, as if he’d been waiting for permission. The simple touch steadied something inside me that had been shaking since last night.
He squeezed my palm as we moved down the hallway. “How are you feeling?” His voice was low and rough, adding depth to my fantasy.
“Better now.”
I released him, reluctantly, as we reached the back patio. This was my favorite part of the house, covered by a pergola wrapped in flowering jasmine. The wicker furniture set was comfortable, and the view of the sound made me forget my every care.
I’d asked the estate manager, Marissa, to set up a simple meal at the teak table, and she’d done an incredible job.
A spread of cold chicken salad, with fresh bread, fruit and cheese from the farmers market in town, centered the table.
A sweating pitcher of iced tea stood near the table’s edge, beside two tall glasses.
Marissa looked up as we approached, busily arranging flowers in a vase. Her dark eyes widened slightly when she saw Knox.
I suspected he got that response a lot.
“Knox Hawthorne?” Marissa asked.
His expression morphed instantly, from guarded to genuinely warm. “Marissa Alverez? Is that you?”
“It is!” Marissa wiped her hands on her apron and crossed to give Knox a hug. “I heard you were back in town. I’m so sorry about your mama. She was wonderful.”
“Thank you.” Knox’s frame stiffened, but he kept his voice steady. “She thought the world of your family. Your dad still running the marina?”
“He is. Busier than ever now that we’ve added a few more families to the area.” Marissa glanced between Knox and me, curiosity bright in her expression. “Are you two...?”
“Knox is helping me with some security concerns,” I said smoothly. “We’ll be working together for the next week or two.”
Marissa smiled, but something knowing flickered in her eyes. “Well, you’re in good hands. Knox is a force to be reckoned with. Just like his mama.”
Knox’s expression turned soft, clearly pleased by the comparison.
Marissa squeezed his arm. The friendly gesture made something twist in my stomach. I had no claim on Knox. We barely knew each other. But I envied the familiarity there. “I’ll leave you two to your lunch. Call if you need anything.”
Marissa disappeared into the house, leaving us alone on the patio. Knox pulled out my chair, and I tried not to notice how the simple gesture made my pulse quicken.
“So,” I said once we were both seated, “do you know everyone on this island?”
“Everyone who lived here, or vacationed here regularly, before I joined the service, yes. After that, it’s hit or miss. I met a lot of folks on breaks and leaves helping Mom at the store.”
I reached for the pitcher of iced tea, pouring us each a glass. “I like the idea of that a lot. Living somewhere you can truly know your neighbors. I haven’t had it before now. I’m still learning names and faces, but it’s hard when my family is considered one of the island’s enemies.”
He nodded without telling me I was wrong.
Everyone knew the truth and where they stood on the issue.
My family and several others had ruined this land to build our summer homes.
It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t right. But I’d truly love to know the other islanders, and be liked by them, as Knox and his mom were.
“Have I thanked you for saving my life last night?” I asked.
I honestly wasn’t sure I’d said the words.
I put the pitcher down and met his eyes.
He dipped his chin once in silent acceptance.
We served ourselves and began our meal in comfortable silence. Knox’s keen gaze rarely settled on anything for long, taking in the patio, the view, and probably a dozen other things I’d never noticed and didn’t see now.
“I should probably tell you about myself,” I said. “Since we’re going to be spending so much time together. Feel like trading the basics?”
Knox leaned back in his chair. “All right. You go first.”
I took a minute to organize my thoughts, trying to decide what would help him understand who I was beneath the money and the complicated family dynamics.
“I grew up in Pennsylvania,” I began. “Just outside Philadelphia. I’m a bit of an overachiever.”
“You don’t say.”
I smiled, and let the moment sink in. I liked being with this man far too much.
Moving him into the house was probably not the brightest idea I’d had.
Not for my heart’s sake, anyway. Not when it seemed as if he might leave town the minute this was over, but I was also a leap-first-and-ask-questions-later kind of woman, so this was par for the course.
“I grew up at my parents’ store,” I continued.
“We sold gear for hiking, camping, and just about anything you want to do outdoors. They grew that location into a chain by the time I left for college and moved to Charleston. I loved the company but hated how male-heavy the clientele was. So, I made it my mission to get women comfortable outdoors.”
“A true businesswoman,” he said. “You saw a need, and you met it.”
“I did, but my real passion isn’t business.
It’s forestry. Ecology. Understanding how ecosystems work and how we can protect them.
I have a minor in environmental science, and I hate that my parents built this house on conservation land.
I went to every county council meeting and argued against them.
I hired environmental consultants to support me.
Provided reports on the nesting birds and the endangered plant species. None of it mattered.”
“So why are you here?” Knox asked. “If you hate what this house represents, why not just stay away?”
I looked out at the sound, at the water catching the light.
“Because if I’m not here, then this is just another trophy property my parents show off to their friends.
But if I’m here, living full time, spending money in local businesses, hiring local people and trying to make something good come from this mistake...
” I trailed off, searching for words. “Maybe I can’t undo the damage that’s been done. But I can try to minimize it.”
Knox studied me for a long moment, making me feel exposed under that blue-eyed gaze. “I grew up here,” he said finally. “Mom ran the shop. I knew this place as well as anyone. But I’ve been in the Marines since high school graduation.”
And he’s the kind of man who runs toward danger, ready to save a woman being dragged into the shadows, I thought. Not that he’d ever say it.
Knox was quiet, then his eyes narrowed. “I want to know the truth about what happened to those hikers. I’d like to help find them, if possible.
Completing Mom’s final mission feels like working with her again, and I don’t want to let her down.
” He looked away, maybe regretting the transparency and vulnerability.
Then his eyes were back on mine. “I want to know who tried to take you last night and if we’re right, that all these things are connected. ”
My breath caught. “Every time I let myself imagine there’s a killer lurking out there, or that the same man who had his hands on me is responsible for three missing women, I want to be sick.
” I curved my arms around my middle. “I want to run. Hide. Never look back. Then I remember that until he’s stopped, there will be more missing women.
And what are the odds that my attacker isn’t the one responsible for the hikers?
I know there are lots of criminals in the world, but how many abduct women on this one little island? ”
Knox reached across the table, taking my hand in his. His thumb brushed across my knuckles, sending sparks up my arm. “I won’t let anyone near you on my watch. That’s a promise.”
I squeezed his hand, trying to communicate everything I couldn’t put into words. Thank you. I trust you. I’m glad you’re here. But I needed a subject change. “I’m glad our goals are in alignment. However, I’m not letting you work for free.”
Knox cocked his head, as if we were at a standstill.