Salted Hearts

PROLOGUE

The ocean was both a sanctuary and a nemesis. It held secrets it refused to surrender, and Cora wasn’t the only one drawn to its depths.

The salty breeze whipped strands of her hair across her face as she stood at the edge of the cliff, staring down at the churning waves below. The sound of the sea crashing against jagged rocks filled the air, each impact a reminder of the ocean’s untamed power. It could give life, but it could just as easily take it away.

Jump, and you’ll get your answers.

It had been years since the ocean had claimed her fiancé. Years since it swallowed him whole, leaving no trace, no explanation, no closure. There had been no storm, no signs. Just an ordinary day, shattered by his disappearance.

Tears welled at the corners of her eyes as she tightened her grip on the photograph in her hand. It was worn from years of handling, the edges frayed, but the image remained clear. A man smiling, a surfboard tucked under one arm, the golden hues of a setting sun framing his figure. A perfect moment frozen in time, yet one that now brought more pain than comfort.

But grief wasn’t enough anymore. Longing had given way to determination. She had vowed to protect others from falling victim to the ocean’s dangers or to the people who used its vast, lawless expanse for their own gain. Joining the Coastal Patrol Unit had given her purpose, a chance to turn her personal tragedy into justice. Yet, as she stood above the water, the weight of her fiancé’s memory pressed heavily against her.

What really happened to him?

Her gaze shifted downward to the figure cutting through the waves far below. Even from this distance, his skill was unmistakable. He moved with precision, every turn and crest mastered as if the ocean itself bent to his will.

Kai Montague.

His name was one she’d come across many times. In glossy magazine spreads, on the covers of surfing documentaries, and in reports that hinted at darker things. To the world, he was a celebrated athlete, a man whose charm and talent captivated millions. But to Cora, he was a question mark. A name tied to criminal networks and missing persons. A man she didn’t trust but couldn’t ignore.

Her heart tightened as she watched him glide effortlessly across the water. The way he commanded the waves was almost unnatural, as if he shared some hidden bond with the ocean.

Does he know something?

Cora didn’t have the answer yet. But she knew one thing for certain: Kai Montague was hiding something. And she would do whatever it took to find out what it was; even if it meant confronting the ocean that had already taken so much from her.