Page 64 of Smudged Lines (Tattooed Hearts Duet 2)

“Seems like you got yourself into a pickle.”

Snorting, I grabbed a hamburger out of the bag and handed it to him. “Speaking of pickles.” He laughed at my ill-timed joke, but accepted the burger. The guys grabbed some too, and we all leaned against the cars as we ate them, filling one another in on the information we knew.

“It seems this fire was set by a timer. They found two mechanisms attached to the stove and the microwave. Did you notice anything before y'all left?”

Shaking my head, I bit my lip in thought. “No, it was early, and we were in a rush to get them out the door. Zane made coffee and Simon Pop Tarts, but both are on the other side of the counter. I haven't even used the stove, to be honest.”

I shrugged, looking at the guys, and they had similar expressions on their faces. “So it's hard to determine if this was set before or after the other one?”

“Yeah. The security feed was disabled, so we have that as a guide to when your car was scratched, but there's no way to say if it was when he also set the timers. If so, he would've been in the apartment when y’all were asleep. I find it highly unlikely you all slept through it in that space. As whack-a-mole as it sounds, I believe he set the fire at Emblaze first, then high-tailed it back here. He either thought you'd all go or wanted to separate you. I'm unsure if he intended for you to be inside or not at Equinox when it exploded.”

Thoughts rolled around my head, and I couldn't make sense of it either. I hated that I had no clue who this was, to begin with. Not knowing their intention made it feel insurmountable. I didn’t want to think about whether or not he wanted me dead.

“So, what now? Are we just sitting ducks waiting for this faker to make another move? I don't know if I can live like that,” I admitted. I was surprised when it was Slade who tugged my hand, bracing his body around me.

“We'll figure it out, Peach. We just have to stay strong. Did the fire marshall give the all-clear for Equinox?”

I looked up and saw my dad's features softened at me in Slade's arms. I knew I would need to talk to him to explain my unconventional relationship, but at least he appeared accepting of it for now.

“Yeah, he said to not go upstairs, but the lower half was okay. There's not as much damage since the fire started above, but you'll have to tear down to start over. If there's anything you can salvage, now is the time to grab it.”

Slade nodded, his head bobbing on mine as he did. His whole body was draped over me like an extra-large koala, and I didn't hate it. In fact, I think Slade was my new favorite accessory. A tattooed Alpha-hole blanket?

“Come on, Peach. Let's see if we can save anything.”

We all walked toward the building, silence descending on us as we approached the shop. The sign hung crookedly, one hinge hanging on for dear life as it swayed in the wind. The glass front window had blown out from the force, the crunch of it under our shoes loud as we entered. The door still chimed, the sound a waning sad sound as we entered. We all looked around, none of us knowing what to do or where to start.

“I'll grab some bags and gloves, and we can start sorting stuff. Simon, you take the first two stations. Zane, can you get the front? Slade, you and I will cover the back section.”

They all nodded, and I walked to the storage closet, hoping the items were still intact. They were on the opposite wall, and from my quick glance, it seemed things on the left side of the building had fared better. The door was slightly jammed, the wood warping in the heat, but I managed to yank it open, the wood creaking at my intrusion. The motion sensor light still worked when I waved my hand under it, allowing me to find the items I needed. I also grabbed a broom and headed back to the front.

Handing out gloves to everyone, I placed some garbage cans around, pulling the large can to the center. We all got to work, the sound of items being tossed into the trash echoing around us as we worked. At some point, someone got sick of it and turned some music on from their phone. It felt weird singing as I swept off the remains of my job, but it did help.

Sweeping along the back wall, I came to a row of pictures that had fallen off, the glass shattering everywhere. One by one, I dumped the shards into my bag, sweeping up the tiny slivers as I put the frames that were worth saving in a pile. Singing along to the music, I dumped the last picture and moved it over to the pile. Something stopped me, though, a familiar face peering back, catching my notice.

The music swelled around me, and as I stood with the photo in my hand, the chorus of the song built up. Peering up, I locked eyes with Slade just as the words “This is a revolution, we are rising up” played, and I felt it all the way in my bones. The violin played around me, spurring me on, and I strengthened my features, pushing the fear away once and for all. Immediately, Slade was by my side, the emotions dancing across my face bringing him to me.

Turning the frame toward him, I pointed to the blonde man next to him in the shot, my words frozen on my tongue until I knew.I had to know. He looked up at me, his brow creased, not understanding. “It's a picture from the first-year celebration. What's it have to do with anything, Peach?”

“Who,” I started, swallowing. “Who is this?”

“That's Adam. The one who hired you.”

I shook my head violently. “No,” I croaked out, pushing the tears back.

All the times over the week he'd mention the name, it had niggled at the back of my head, wondering who it was, but I’d ignored it. Slade's face scrunched up, still not understanding the importance of this discovery.

“Hedidn't hire me. Ethan did.”

“Ethan? But why? He's just an apprentice. He's only been here a few months.”

Now, it was my turn to look confused. “No, I'm positive. Ethan interviewed me, offered me the job after he caught me peeking around. He's been the one making my schedule, telling me when my appointments were. He was the male version of me!” My voice raised an octave toward the end, the panic beginning to creep up my throat. I needed him to understand.

“Okay, Peach. I believe you. So, you’ve never met Adam?”

“Oh, I've met him. Just not asAdam.” The one percent of doubt I had that he’d known the whole time vanished.

Swallowing, I squared my shoulders, filling myself with courage as I gave him a pointed look. Finally, it began to click in place for him. Slade clenched his jaw, the muscles moving as he attempted to contain the rage I saw bubbling up in his eyes. My own never left his as I tried to search them for something. Simon and Zane walked over, noticing our weird standoff.

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