Chapter 18
Tessa
The bell above the door chimed.
“Be right—”
The words die in my throat.
Everything inside me locks up.
No.
No, no, no—
He stands just inside the shop.
Exactly the same.
Maybe a little older.
But the same calm posture.
The same controlled presence.
The same man from that night.
Daniel Reynolds.
My lungs forget how to work.
“You’ve got to be kidding me…” I whisper.
He smiles.
Polite.
Like we’re acquaintances.
“Tessa,” he says. “It’s been a long time.”
My heart slams against my ribs.
“What are you doing here?”
“I think you know.”
My hands curl into fists.
“No. I don’t.”
He steps further inside.
Calm. Observant. In control.
“The video,” he says.
My stomach drops.
Of course.
“You don’t get to just walk in here like this,” I snap. “Not after everything—”
“I’m not here to argue,” he says gently.
That tone.
Like he’s reasonable.
Like he’s not the reason my life fell apart.
“I’m here to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
My chest tightens.
“It affected me,” I snap. “Six years in prison. You remember that?”
“I do.”
Something in me snaps.
“Do you? Because I don’t remember you doing anything while they—”
“Tessa.”
The warning in his voice is sharp now.
But I don’t back down.
Not this time.
The door opens again.
Ace.
Relief hits me instantly.
I hate that it does.
But it’s real.
He steps in, eyes locking on Daniel.
Everything in him shifts.
Still. Controlled. Dangerous.
“Thought I’d find you here,” Ace says.
Daniel turns slowly. “And you are?”
“Ace Mercer.”
Recognition flickers.
Small.
But there.
“Sheriff Reynolds,” Ace says.
Not respectful.
Just truth.
Daniel looks between us.
“You’ve found yourself support.”
“I don’t need your approval,” I shoot back.
“I didn’t offer it.”
Ace steps forward slightly.
Not blocking me.
But close enough.
Grounding.
Daniel notices.
“Protective,” he says.
“Observant,” Ace replies.
Silence stretches.
Sharp.
“I assume you’ve seen the footage,” Daniel says.
“We have,” Ace answers.
“And you understand the position this puts all of us in.”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“You don’t get to include yourself in that.”
His gaze locks on mine.
“I think I do.”
My hands shake.
“You let me go to prison,” I say. “You let them believe I killed her.”
A flicker crosses his face.
Gone too fast to name.
“I let the system do its job,” he says.
Ace’s jaw tightens.
“That’s one way to say you didn’t stop it.”
Daniel looks at him.
“You’re suggesting I should have?”
“I’m suggesting you knew the truth.”
The air shifts.
Colder.
“You’re making assumptions,” Daniel says.
Ace steps forward again.
“Am I?”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
“I came here to handle this quietly,” Daniel says.
My stomach drops.
“There’s nothing quiet about what you did.”
His gaze sharpens.
“You need to be careful what you’re implying.”
There it is.
The threat.
Quiet.
Controlled.
But unmistakable.
Ace moves closer.
“You’re in the wrong place to be making threats.”
Daniel smiles.
Cold.
“I’m not threatening anyone. I’m reminding you… things can get complicated.”
My breath hitches.
Six years ago—
It was “complicated” too.
Ace’s voice drops.
“Not this time.”
Daniel studies him.
Then nods once.
“We’ll be in touch.”
“I won’t,” I say immediately.
“You will.”
Not a question.
He turns.
Opens the door.
Pauses.
“This isn’t over.”
The bell chimes.
And he’s gone.
Silence crashes down.
Heavy.
Pressing.
I can’t breathe.
Because now—
This isn’t just about the past.
This is something else.
Something worse.
Fear.
Real.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Ace turns to me.
“You okay?”
I let out a shaky breath.
“No.”
He nods once.
“Good.”
I blink. “Good?”
“Means you understand what we’re dealing with.”
My chest tightens.
“Yeah,” I whisper.
I do.
This isn’t just about clearing my name anymore.
This is a fight.