Page 70 of The Scout

“Hey, Izzy.” Micah’s voice was smooth but firm, the way it always was. Professional, but with just enough warmth to remind me that he wasn’t an asshole—just a man who had a hotel to run. “How are you?”

I hesitated, pressing my fingers against my temple.Exhausted. Confused. Turned on for absolutely no reason.“I’m … managing,” I said instead. “Sorry for missing work.”

Micah exhaled. “Yeah, about that. Sasha told me it was a family emergency. You okay?”

I swallowed. “It’s my brother.” That much was true. I didn’t elaborate. I didn’t tell him that Will was missing, that Ryker and his brothers were hunting for him, that my entire life had been flipped inside out in the span of a week.

There was silence on the other end, then Micah’s voice softened slightly. “Izzy … did he pass?”

I closed my eyes.God, I hope not.

“No,” I said quickly. “No, it’s just—complicated.”

Micah sighed, but didn’t press. “Look, I get it. Family comes first. We have bereavement leave if—God forbid—you need it.” He paused, then his tone shifted. “But if not, I do need to know what your plan is. The hotel doesn’t stop running, and you know how much I rely on you at the front desk. It’s high season, and we can’t be short-staffed for long.”

I swallowed, guilt threading through me. The Palmetto Rose had been my world before all of this. I had prided myself on being the best, on making guests feel like their stay was seamless. I had loved the quiet control of it, the way everything operated in smooth, polished efficiency.

It wasn’t just a job—it had been a stepping stone. I had studied hospitality management at Johnson & Wales University, pouring over coursework on luxury service, guest experience, and hotel operations with the kind of passion most people reserved for their actual vacations. My dream had always been to run a place like The Palmetto Rose, to be the one calling the shots, overseeing every detail, making sure every guest left feeling like they had been somewhere truly special.

Maybe even own my own hotel one day. A boutique place downtown, something elegant and timeless, steeped in Charleston’s history but modern in its approach.

But none of that would happen if I threw away everything I had built. I needed references. I needed to stay in the good graces of the hospitality community here. Charleston was small in the ways that mattered, and once you lost your footing in an industry like this, it was hard to regain.

And yet …

Did any of that even matter anymore?

Now, my world wasn’t linen sheets and luxury check-ins. It was bullet wounds and black vipers and the hard, unyielding hands of a man who had made me feel more alive than I ever had before.

“I just … I need to think about it,” I said honestly.

Micah was silent for a beat, then he sighed. “Take the weekend. But if you don’t come back Monday, I’ll have to fill your position. I can’t hold it forever.”

My stomach twisted, but I only nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “I understand.”

“All right,” he said, voice clipped. “Take care of yourself, Izzy.”

“You too, Micah.”

The line went dead.

I exhaled, staring down at my phone.I might actually lose my job.A week ago, that thought would have made me spiral. Would have made me panic. But now? Now, it barely registered.

This wasn’t just about me anymore.

I tapped over to my contacts and scrolled until I found Sasha’s name. If anyone would have an opinion on this, it was her.

The phone barely rang twice before she picked up.

“Izzy,” she said immediately. “Jesus, girl, are you okay? Where the hell are you? I’m covering for you as best I can, but it’s getting harder and harder.”

I let out a breath, rubbing my forehead. “It’s … a long story.”

“Well, I’ve got time,” Sasha said. “It’s slow at the desk for the moment. Spill.”

I hesitated. How did I even begin?

“It’s Will,” I said finally, keeping my voice low as I glanced around Dominion Hall’s courtyard. I wasn’t worried about someone overhearing me—the guys were busy—but I still felt the need to be cautious. “He’s still missing, and I found a note that makes it seem like he knew something might happen.”

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