The streets of the pack town buzzed softly with the quiet life of late afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting golden patches across the cobblestone walkways. Ryleigh walked beside Derek, their hands brushing occasionally, sending tiny sparks through her fingertips each time. She couldn’t stop thinking about the check in her pocket—the hundred thousand dollars that had bought her silence. It weighed heavy despite its lightness, like a secret she couldn’t yet bring herself to share.
She glanced at Derek, his profile calm and steady as he walked with that easy confidence she found so infuriating—and comforting.
She wouldn’t tell him. Not yet.
The soft strains of Italian music drifted through the air, growing stronger with each step. They neared a small building tucked neat
