Within the Fallen Stars (Raven Creek #3)

Prologue

Oliver

I paced the length of the living room, the nerves vibrating throughout the entirety of my body; an out-of-control feeling returned like a hurricane through my veins.

I hadn’t felt this way in years. Not since I stood in that hospital room, the smell of antiseptic coating the insides of my nose, and an old man in a crisp white coat telling me I’d lost Emily.

She was gone. I was a widow. A widow with a three-year-old in hand.

However, that didn’t matter right now. My brother would be here any moment, and I needed to focus on being a rock for him, not my own personal issues.

Especially when they were issues that were years old.

Issues I eventually needed to let go of.

A thought I typically didn’t care to remind myself of.

The here and now mattered more than anything. This family I could help and protect.

I knew we’d find Rowan’s girl, but that didn’t stop the wandering what ifs in my mind. It didn’t stop me from worrying my brother would end up just like me, only worse—if that were possible. I at least had Hudson to hang onto after I lost her.

A soft knock pulled me from the turmoil of my past. My fist clutched around the knob as I pulled the old wooden door open, my gaze dropping down to a pocket-sized blonde.

Her long hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and an oversized gray hoodie came down to her knees.

The only other article of clothing you could see was fuzzy white slippers.

Her pink-painted toes popped against the fake fur.

“Oliver, right?” I felt myself nod. However, I wasn’t sure if it actually happened as I peered down into her swollen, red-rimmed eyes.

“Okay, perfect. I got the right house. Kinda hard to see through the tears, ya know? And the dark, obviously,” she joked, but the pitiful smile was as fake as the fur under her pink toes.

I didn’t move as I stared down at her, the green of her eyes seeming more vibrant the longer I watched her fidget with the sleeve of her hoodie. There was a small hole at the end of the fabric, creating a distinct impression of what originally caused the small imperfection.

“I’m Ivy. I’ve seen you around town,” she added after a moment of silence.

“Can I come in? Or should I watch Hudson from out here on the porch? I mean, it’s a lovely porch and all, and I brought my Kindle, so I could sit out here if you wanted me too.

I know some people are weird about strangers being in their home, but if you think about it, we’re basically family already.

What with your brother being in love with my best friend.

She’s basically my sister too. So in-laws or whatever pretty soon, since we both know Rowan will propose the moment she’s home and safe, and she will be home.

Soon, too. And of course safe. Rowan wouldn’t let anything happen to her, ya know? ”

“What’s a Kindle?” I questioned without thinking. All the things I should’ve asked or even agreed with, but too late now. I’d asked a probably-meaningless question, creating conversation with the small Barbie doll before me.

She arched a brow but reached into her bag and pulled out a small, flat, rectangular device. It was covered in pink checker print and bright red cherries. None of that should’ve surprised me.

“It’s a book. An e-reader, really. Electronic reader, I guess, if you’re like, ninety.

Holds books and whatnot. I read…a lot.” I found myself just staring at her before forcing a nod so she wouldn’t deep dive into what was clearly a dumb fucking question.

She let out a nervous breath as I stepped to the side, letting her inside the house.

She certainly rambled when she was nervous.

Or maybe she just rambled endlessly in general. How was I to know?

“Make yourself at home, Ivy.”

Her eyes widened, but she stepped into the house, a small canvas bag thrown over her shoulder with some sort of black and white design of a book on the front of it.

Guess she really did enjoy reading.

“I texted Rowan when I got here, so I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.

” She paused for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip before she started up once more.

“Can you, um, do me a favor? I know you don’t know me or anything, but it’s sort of a major one, and I would owe you big time if you could make it happen for me. ”

“What is it?” I asked before she could start another rambling episode. Her voice was something I couldn’t listen to for much longer without letting my thoughts wander into a space I fucking hated going.

“Don’t let him drive…” She trailed off as she peered up at me, those round, green eyes of hers saying so much more than she was with her words.

It was easy to see that Ivy Tinsley’s biggest downfall was that her eyes said everything her mouth simply wouldn’t, and her mouth said plenty. So her eyes? Wow.

Nodding, I turned away. When the sound of crunching gravel finally filled the silence, I was out the front door before she could say more.

Pushing my brother over towards the passenger seat of my truck, I claimed it was so he could use his phone while I drove.

It had absolutely had nothing to do with the pocket-sized Barbie in my house right now with her pretty green eyes and full lips.

I should’ve showed her where Hudson’s room was and told her to call me if she had issues. She didn’t even have my number—which was probably safer in the long run.

Yet, all logical thought seemed to have temporarily fled my body the moment I opened the door and her gaze met mine.

But none of that mattered. I was a thirty-two-year-old man with full control over my thoughts and actions.

The main action of which would be to stay the fuck away from Ivy Tinsley, because those expressive green eyes of hers were trouble.