DAXTON POV
Hunter’s fingers worked the lock like it was child’s play, the faint click of tumblers aligning barely audible over my hammering pulse. Watching him was almost hypnotic. His movements were smooth, precise—eerily skilled. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he’d done time. Or maybe he was some modern-day Arsène Lupin, stealing hearts and breaking into places he had no business being.
The lock gave way, and Hunter cracked the door open just enough to peek inside. His head tilted, and then that damn smirk spread across his face—the kind that meant he’d hit the jackpot.
“We found her,” he whispered.
The relief was a lightning bolt, stunning me for a second. Then I was moving. We all were.
The door swung open, and the sight inside stopped my heart cold.
Maria.
She l
