Page 24 of Saving it with My Best Friend's Brother

“Please.” Her voice softened. “I can handle it. What I can’t handle is you keeping things from me. Not after...”

She didn’t finish, but she didn’t have to. The memory of last night hung between us—the firelight, the almost-kiss, the trust we’d shared.

“Okay,” I said finally. “But you should sit down.”

She did, and I took the chair across from her desk, fighting the urge to reach for her hand.

“It starts with James Wheeler,” I began. “And it’s worse than just local corruption. These people—they’re dangerous. And they’re not just after Pine Haven. They’re after—”

My phone buzzed again. Another anonymous text:Final warning, Miller. Walk away, or the next accident won’t be on the ski slopes.

Attached was a photo that made my blood freeze—Amelia getting into her car this morning, clearly taken without her knowledge.

They were watching us.

My hand tightened around the phone, the surveillance photo of Amelia burning into my brain. She must have noticed something in my expression because she stood, moving around her desk.

“Hunter? What is it?”

I quickly locked the phone screen. “Nothing—”

“Don’t.” She snatched the phone from my hand before I could stop her, her fingers brushing mine. Even in this tense moment, the contact sent electricity through me. “No more protection, remember?”

She unlocked my phone—of course, she’d noticed when I’d put in my passcode earlier—and her face went pale as she saw the photo. “When was this taken?”

“This morning.” I stood, needing to do anything to erase that look of fear from her face. “Amelia, these people have a history of making problems disappear. The last resort owner who stood up to them had an accident on the ski slopes.”

“The McKinley Resort accident?” Her eyes widened with understanding. “That was them?”

“There’s more.” Now that I’d started, I couldn’t stop. The words rushed out like a dam breaking. “Wheeler’s been manipulating property values, taking bribes. His wife bought shares in Crystal Ridge through a shell company. The negativereview, permit delays, and sudden safety concerns—it’s all orchestrated.”

She sank back against her desk, processing. “And my father? Does he know?”

“He suspects. That’s partly why he reached out to me. I have... experience dealing with this kind of corporate manipulation.”

“Your father’s company.” It wasn’t a question. “That’s what you were asking Derek to investigate?”

I moved closer, unable to help myself. The need to protect her warred with the need to be honest. “Yes. The timing’s too perfect. They knew details about my father’s death that weren’t public knowledge.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Because...” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “Because every time I look at you, I think about what they might do if you fought back. The thought of anything happening to you—” I cut myself off, but it was too late.

Her eyes met mine, something soft and dangerous flickering in their depths. “Hunter...”

“I can’t lose you,” I admitted roughly. “Not to them, not to anyone.”

The air between us crackled with tension. She was close enough that I could see the gold flecks in her eyes and smell her light floral perfume. My hands itched to pull her closer.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “But you have to let me fight my own battles.”

“These aren’t just your battles anymore.” I reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. This time, I let my fingers linger against her cheek. “We’re in this together, remember?”

She leaned into my touch, ever so slightly. “Together,” she whispered.

The moment stretched, charged with possibility. I leaned down, drawn to her like a magnet. Her lips parted slightly, and—

A crash from the lobby shattered the moment. We jumped apart as Sophie burst in.

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