Chapter 3: A Fire in the Frost
1265 Words
Scarlett woke the next morning to the faint aroma of coffee wafting through the house. For a moment, she forgot about the events of the previous night—the footprints in the snow, the shadow on the porch, Ethan’s unexpected vigil on her sofa. But the momentary peace was short-lived as reality settled over her like a heavy blanket.
Pulling a cardigan over her shoulders, Scarlett padded into the kitchen. Ethan was already there, leaning against the counter, a steaming mug in his hand. His hair was slightly tousled, his shirt wrinkled from a night spent on the couch. Despite the obvious fatigue in his eyes, he offered her a lopsided smile.
“Morning,” he said, his voice low but warm.
“Morning,” Scarlett replied, crossing her arms against the chill in the air. “You didn’t have to make coffee.”
Ethan shrugged. “It was either that or sit in silence and wait for you to wake up. Coffee won.”
She managed a small smile, though her nerves still fluttered from the night before. “Thank you.”
He handed her a mug, their fingers brushing for a brief moment. The contact sent an unexpected jolt through her, and she quickly pulled her hand away, focusing on the warmth of the ceramic cup instead.
“Did you sleep at all?” she asked, leaning against the opposite counter.
“Not much,” Ethan admitted. “But I’m used to that.”
Scarlett frowned. “Used to it? Is that part of your job, or...?”
Ethan hesitated, his green eyes flickering with something unspoken. “Something like that.”
She didn’t press him, though her curiosity was piqued. Instead, she sipped her coffee and glanced out the window. The snow outside was pristine again, the footprints from last night buried beneath a fresh layer. The sight should have been calming, but it only reminded her of how vulnerable she felt.
“Ethan, what are we going to do?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “If James really is behind this, I can’t just sit here and wait for something to happen. I need to protect Lila.”
Ethan set his mug down and crossed the kitchen, stopping just in front of her. His presence was solid, grounding, and Scarlett found herself meeting his gaze despite the storm of emotions swirling within her.
“You’re not alone in this, Scarlett,” he said, his voice steady. “I promise, I’ll do everything I can to keep you and Lila safe.”
His words should have been reassuring, but Scarlett couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that there was more he wasn’t telling her. She studied him, noting the way his jaw tightened, the slight crease between his brows.
“Ethan...” she began hesitantly. “Why are you really here? Is it just about James?”
For a moment, Ethan didn’t answer. He ran a hand through his hair, his expression conflicted. Finally, he sighed and leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms.
“There’s something you should know,” he said, his voice dropping. “But it’s not going to be easy to hear.”
Scarlett’s heart sank. “What is it?”
Ethan hesitated as if weighing the consequences of his words. “I came back to Aspen Grove because I’m investigating James. But it’s not just about your past with him. It’s about what he’s involved in now.”
Scarlett’s grip on her mug tightened. “What do you mean?”
“James isn’t just some dodgy businessman,” Ethan said carefully. “He’s tied to an international network—fraud, laundering, possibly even human trafficking. And he’s not working alone.”
The words hit Scarlett like a physical blow. She set her mug down before she dropped it, her hands trembling. “How... how do you know all this?”
Ethan hesitated again, then took a deep breath. “Because it’s my job to know. I work for a covert agency that handles cases too complex for the usual authorities. James came onto our radar months ago, and when I saw your name linked to his, I volunteered to take the case.”
Scarlett stared at him, her mind reeling. “You’re a... a spy?”
“Something like that,” Ethan said, his expression unreadable.
The room felt suddenly too small, too bright. Scarlett backed away slightly, her thoughts racing. “So, all this time, you’ve been using me? Watching me for information?”
“No!” Ethan said quickly, stepping closer. “Scarlett, it’s not like that. I came here to protect you, to protect Lila. Yes, I wanted to find out more about James, but that’s only because I needed to stop him. I would never put you in danger.”
Scarlett searched his face, looking for any sign of deception, but all she saw was sincerity. Her anger began to fade, replaced by a deep sense of unease.
“I just... I don’t know what to believe anymore,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ethan reached out, hesitating before placing a hand on her shoulder. The warmth of his touch was both comforting and unsettling.
“Believe this,” he said softly. “I care about you, Scarlett. I always have.”
The vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. She looked up at him, and for a moment, the tension between them shifted into something else—something neither of them could deny.
The sound of Lila’s laughter upstairs broke the moment. Scarlett stepped back, her cheeks flushing.
“I need to check on her,” she said quickly, turning toward the stairs.
Ethan didn’t stop her, but she felt his gaze lingering on her as she left the room.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Scarlett focused on keeping things normal for Lila, but her mind was a whirlwind of questions and emotions. Ethan remained a steady presence, helping where he could but giving her space when she needed it.
By the time evening fell the tension between them had shifted again. They sat in the living room after Lila had gone to bed, the silence stretching between them like a fragile thread.
“I know I’ve thrown a lot at you,” Ethan said finally, breaking the quiet. “And I don’t expect you to trust me right away. But I want to earn that trust, Scarlett. I want to make things right.”
Scarlett glanced at him, her heart aching with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. “I don’t know if I can trust anyone right now,” she admitted.
Ethan nodded, his expression thoughtful. “That’s fair. But I’m not going anywhere. Not until I know you and Lila are safe.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken promises. Scarlett wanted to believe him, wanted to let herself lean on him the way she had years ago. But she also knew how dangerous it was to let her guard down.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Ethan smiled faintly. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s what I came here to do.”
Scarlett didn’t reply, but as she looked at him, she couldn’t ignore the flicker of something deeper between them.
That night, Scarlett lay awake again, her thoughts a tangled mess. But this time, it wasn’t just fear keeping her up—it was the memory of Ethan’s touch, the way his green eyes had softened when he looked at her.
- Writer
