The sound came again.
A sharp crack somewhere beyond the tree line.
I froze instantly.
The cool night air suddenly felt colder.
The darkness beyond the clearing stretched endlessly into the forest surrounding Black Hollow, and for the first time since arriving in town, I found myself staring at those woods with genuine fear.
Not anxiety.
Not paranoia.
Fear.
Because Ryder Kane didn’t react.
He went still.
Completely still.
And that terrified me more than the noise itself.
Every muscle in his body locked.
His gaze sharpened.
The atmosphere around him changed instantly.
Gone was the calm man who brought me coffee in the mornings.
Gone was the sarcastic biker who argued with me over whether I was capable of taking care of myself.
What remained was something else entirely.
Som
