Page 73 of Point of Contact

REED

"I HEARD YOUR trip with Courtney didn't go exactly the way you thought it would." Nate wiggled his brows as they worked their way around the perimeter of what remained of cabin number six.

Reed considered holding back. Continuing to keep everyone at Alaskan Security at arm's length like he always had. But that no longer felt as necessary as it once did.

"You could probably say that." He wasn't used to opening up to people. Courtney was the first person he’d told about his father's condition in forever, but sharing it somehow lightened his load. Left him feeling less isolated and alone. She'd proven it was more than the right thing to do because, as he expected, Courtney and his father were two peas in a pod and connected immediately.

She’d eagerly jumped into helping in any way she could, even volunteering to help him into the bathroom after lunch to wash his face and comb his hair. He came out of the room looking a hell of a lot different than he did when he or his mother was in charge, and grinning ear to ear.

Exactly like the woman who'd combed his hair into a mohawk.

"I think I love her." He hadn't planned the words. Hadn't even actually put a name to the way he felt about Courtney. Partly out of denial and partly out of fear. He should have known from the beginning she was exactly what he would be drawn to, if for no other reason than he faced down an example of it every day.

But admitting the way he felt about Courtney meant he would have to make room in a life that was already crowded. It meant she would take away from the time he was able to help with his father.

At least he thought it would. Then he saw the way she immediately fit in and wondered if maybe once again he was all fucking wrong.

Nate’s brows lifted at his declaration. "Really?"

Reed considered, but only for a second. "Really."

She was one of the few people who didn't find his temperament completely off putting. If anything, she seemed to enjoy it. But it wasn't just Courtney's acceptance of him that led to this point.

She was fearless. Strong. Resilient. Ready and willing to fight for herself and the people she cared about. Hell, she'd even fought for him back when he drove her crazy, dragging his unconscious ass to safety.

Nate’s lips pressed into a thoughtful curve. "I get it."

It was Reed’s turn to be surprised. "You do?"

Nate lifted one shoulder. "Absolutely. It's always the one who pushes you the most." His head tipped to one side. "It's almost like you can't fall in love in your comfort zone."

Reed huffed out a laugh. "You're getting a little deep on me."

Nate grinned. "It gets deep fast, brother. Watch out, because it's coming for you."

Finding his match had always been the last thing he expected to happen. Honestly, it was the last thing he’dwantedto happen. There was never time in his life for relationships. Between work and making sure his parents were cared for, there weren't any extra hours left in his day. There wasn't any more space left in his life.

Never would he have expected someone might find their way into the cracks, sliding perfectly into the tiny little spaces that were left.

"Enough about the fact that you’re now just as bad as the rest of us." Nate stopped, scanning the area around them, his breath fogging in the cold air as he squinted over the snowy landscape. "What the fuck is going on?"

Reed shook his head. "Hell if I know." They'd spent hours combing every inch of the area, looking for any sign that might clue them into who was responsible for the bizarre collection of events stacking up. "Whoever did this was familiar with the area. They took the least noticeable path. One that would still keep them from being caught on camera." He made a slow circle until he found the spot he was looking for. He lifted a hand, pointing at the tiny dip in the terrain. "My guess is that’s where they shot the first camera out from." It was concealed further by a shrubby line of evergreen bushes that were even more of a blockage now that they were covered in snow. "After that they moved systematically around the property, using each new blind spot to their advantage as they took out the remaining cameras." He had to give it to them. They’d done one hell of a job and had clearly done their homework.

Which is what made it even more confusing. The kind of homework a job like this required would involve access to camera feeds and data that were heavily protected.

Nate shook his head. "If Pierce is right, and whoever's doing this has somebody just as skilled as Heidi, we’re fucked."

Reed started to agree with him, but stopped. "Are we?"

Nate barked out a disbelieving laugh as he motioned toward the pile of debris that was all that remained of the cabin they once used to hide clients. "They’re blowing our shit up. They shot at me and Eloise and stole our cars. Yeah. I’d say we’re fucked."

It did seem that way, but once he started thinking about it, things didn't add up. "They blew up an empty cabin. They shot at you and Eloise but didn't hit either of you." He thought it through another second. "Did you look at the cars when they bought them back?"

Nate held his hand out to one side. "Of course I looked at the cars. Why?"

Reed worked his jaw from side to side as a theory started to develop. "How close did they come to hitting either of you?"

Nate’s nostrils flared, like he knew exactly what Reed was insinuating. "They shot at a car we were both sitting in."He ground the words out between clenched teeth.

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