Page 15 of The Rookie's Second Chance

Jake's expression hardened. "We will, Kay. No matter what it takes. I won't let anything happen to Lexi. Or you, for that matter."

The sincerity in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I knew he meant it. "We've got to be smart about this. The stalker's smart, calculated even. This isn’t just a random obsession."

Jake leaned in, eyes fierce. "They made a mistake with that ink, though. It means they're getting sloppy, maybe even desperate. We can use that to our advantage."

I tapped the file on the table. "We need to go over everything with a fine-toothed comb. Every detail matters. And if there's a pattern or a connection we've missed, we need to find it."

His eyes met mine, a silent promise of unwavering support. "We're in this together, Kayla. We'll figure it out."

The thought of Lexi living in constant fear angered me, and the notion of a shadow lurking around Jake was terrifying. We had to get ahead of this, and fast.

Reaching for the creamer at the same time, our fingers brushed against each other. The unexpected jolt that shot through me was intense, catching me completely off guard. My defenses, so carefully erected over the years, began to falter as I met Jake's eyes.

"Kayla," he said softly, his voice pulling me back from the storm of emotions swirling inside. The way my name rolled off his lips caused butterflies to dance wildly in my stomach.

His expression was one of deep regret. "I... I am so sorry for the way I acted when I broke up with you."

I held my breath. Years of pent-up anger, confusion, and pain lingered in the space between us. He'd never apologized before, not sincerely. And I'd never allowed him to, too fearful of reopening old wounds. But working side by side had changed things. I remembered all the good times, the laughter, and the love. His face now was an open book, each line etched with remorse.

"I was an idiot," he continued, his voice cracking slightly. "I let some stupid people get in my head, people I don’t even talk to anymore, and because of that, I lost the love of my life."

"The what?" My voice was barely above a whisper. A part of me was scared to hear the answer, scared to believe that the connection we once shared was still there.

"Yeah," he said, swallowing hard. "I never fell in love after you. No one ever measured up."

We sat in silence, his words settling around us. I blinked away the tears threatening to spill. My heart ached as memories of our past rushed back in full force.

"Me neither," I finally admitted, looking straight into his eyes. "No one ever measured up to you either."

The vulnerable moment that followed was filled with so much emotion that it felt almost tangible. It didn't mean that everything was magically fixed, but it felt like a first step towards healing. A step towards understanding and, maybe, a future where past mistakes didn't overshadow the present.

Chapter Seven

JAKE

The moment I stepped into the station, I could tell something was wrong. Kayla was pacing, her face taut with stress. She looked up as I entered, her gaze sharp.

"Jake, we've got a problem."

I felt a jolt of anxiety. "What happened?"

She inhaled deeply. "Someone broke into the city hall again, but that's not the worst of it. They also got into the local hospital.

Every damn file about Lexi has been taken."

My heart plummeted. Images flooded my mind: a shadowy figure rifling through papers, discovering Lexi’s deepest secrets, vulnerabilities she might not even be aware of herself. My stomach twisted with unease.

"This is bad, Kay. Real bad."

Her voice was tight. "I know. The fact that they're so hell-bent on digging into Lexi's life is chilling. We're dealing with someone who's methodical, organized, and has resources."

I hesitated. There were things about my sister I didn't want to know. Things every brother would rather remain ignorant of when it came to their sibling. "Is there... I mean, could there be something in those files that might... I don’t know, be incriminating? Or something she'd want to keep private?"

Kayla shot me a look. "Honestly, Jake? It doesn't matter. Even if there is, it's no one's damn business. Our priority is to make sure this asshole doesn't use whatever they've got against her."

I nodded, gripping the edge of a desk. "We have to let Lexi know. She needs to be prepared."

"We'll handle it, Jake. We'll find this son of a bitch."

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