Page 60 of Fall Into Me

Cali had descended into mostly ignoring me again for the week that followed. With the exception of her telling me to fuck off when she turned around and jumped out of her skin after finding me shadowing her for work purposes (obviously).

Today was the first time I was breaking that habit.

I had to make it to the office next door for a few things. Now that all the evaluations of the central part of town were down, I’d been slowly getting reports from all the different groups onwhat they found, what looked promising, and what could pose an issue.

There was really nothing negative about what came back. Darling was just big enough that the small-town economy here was actually thriving. There was enough opportunity that people didn’t go looking elsewhere to find it, and if I’d been here doing the job my father thought I was doing, there would be no questioning whether or not we’d move forward with this project.

If I showed this to the mayor, the man would probably shit his pants with excitement.

I picked up my phone to call Ash.

“Big man.”

“Just finishing up these review reports.”

“How’s it looking?”

“I need everyone to revisit their evaluations,” I murmured, rereading one of the decks that were handed in for the fifth time. “I need the guys to highlight, for every area in every zone, which parts are privately owned and which are owned by the town—not just the overarching percentages.” I leaned back, rubbing my eyes. “I also need a detailed outline of upkeep responsibilities for each area, including who’s actually maintaining them. The budget records show no funds allocated for the maintenance of these zones, even though the majority are marked as town-owned.”

“You think the cheese ball is playing dirty?”

Looks like Cali’s little performance had reached everybody’s ears. “I do. I’m guessing these evaluations wouldn’t hold up long term if that’s the case.”

“You’re so smart, pookie bear,” Ash cooed through the phone, and I heard the laughter of the guys on the other end.

As soon as I ended the call, I locked up the office and walked back into Sunshine, that’s where I found Declan planted at the counter, looking like he owned the place. His hands werepressed flat, his shoulders rolled forward just enough to make it clear he wasn’t there for a casual chat.

Cali’s gaze flicked to mine. For a fleeting second—so brief I might’ve imagined it—I thought I saw relief in her eyes.

“Fane,” she breathed, my name soft but heavy. Like she’d been holding her breath.

“All good, baby?” I asked, but my focus was on Declan. On the way he hung his head just slightly, like I’d interrupted something important. Like I wasn’t supposed to be here.

Cali didn’t say anything, just gave me a short nod and slid a coffee across the counter toward him before stepping back.

“You’re never far, are you, boss?” Declan’s tone was light, but the way he said it—full of dark amusement—set my teeth on edge.

“Don’t you have a job to be doing?” I shot back, keeping my voice calm, even. My hands hung casually at my sides, all while I pictured the different things I could slip into his morning coffee that would make his brain melt out his nose.

“Sure do.” His smile widened, slow and deliberate, like he wanted to see if I’d bite.

“Then go do it.”

Declan didn’t move right away, didn’t break eye contact. He wasn’t done yet—not really. His gaze slid back to Cali, lingering, calculating in a way that made something inside me twist.

I fuckingknewthat look.

I’d seen it in my father’s eyes right before he lashed out. I’d seen the aftermath of it in the emptiness of my mother’s gaze after he was done. When she thought no one was watching, but I was still there in that fucking corner of that fucking room.

It was getting louder—the part of me that whispered all the ways I could make the world a better place by removing people in it likethat. Clawing at the surface, demanding I do something.Because I knew what happened when no one stepped in. I’d fuckinglivedit.

He would die, slowly,painfully,before he laid a hand on Cali.

Declan’s smirk deepened, like he knew he’d gotten under my skin. Like he could sense exactly what I was holding back. It was as if he was somehow privy to the darkest parts of my soul and reveled in making me relive everything that it housed.

I made to follow him, driven by the sharp edge of memory and instinct, every muscle coiled tight. I was so honed in on him that I hadn’t even noticed Mags halfway in the café, her arm wrapped protectively around Gus, until I turned.

“Gus!” Cali exclaimed. “Are you okay? You weren’t here this morning.”

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