Page 84 of The Daredevil

That was what I feared. They could come after me, but concern for my aunt and Michelle trumped everything.

Remi’s jaw twitched, and I knew he was thinking about Audri. “We’ve extracted the recordings from our drones and saved them in a secured drive. We haven’t needed to pull them out. It’s our proof that we didn’t kill anyone.” He paused a moment before continuing, “But the killers could come after us because of the proof. Let’s see what Dominic has planned and we can react accordingly. This is all speculation right now. We’ll have to tread carefully.”

We all agreed, and our conversation diverted to our video game, which was a better topic.

“I have a few more updates for Level Two before I can show you guys. I’ll upload it as soon as I can.”

“I can’t wait, man!” Arrow leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands together.

“We got a few more investors who want in on our venture. With their support, this video game will take the world by storm.”

A cheerful roar erupted from my friends. We had bonded over this game, which symbolized so much for us. For me, water and fire were important elements of nature. Some would say they were opposites, but in truth, when different energies combined at a chemical level, magic occurred. It was like the process of lava meeting water. It sizzled and created steam. Steam became the magic as lava formed into rocks. So yes, opposites could create beauty.

In WaterFyre Rising, the “waterfyre” was the otherworldly force that kept the players alive. For each level of the game, the player gained new versions of waterfyre. I didn’t realize the significance and depth of the game until I started building it. Each level represented the creator. Level Two was me, and I could make that world into anything I wanted. The game was my dream to make a better life for myself—my evolution.

To see each level created was to see the development of my friends.

Our conversation ended as it was getting late. I had to sort out everything in my head before I contacted the police department tomorrow. They needed to apprehend Brittany as well as her ex-boyfriend. She was probably back in the States or another country.

I had to shift my schedule and delegate tasks to my management team. I needed more time to look into Oskar, Brittany, and Dominic.

CHAPTERFORTY-TWO

MICHELLE

A sadness overcameme as I embraced Royce at the airport. My stay in Iceland had ended, and I’d turned in all my blog posts to NewYou Beauty earlier than the agreed deadline. They had a few days to review what I’d written and request any changes. No new requests were made, and they loved how I portrayed their company and mission.

The first blog post went live on my site four days ago. It had garnered five hundred thousand dollars in revenue for NewYou Beauty. Fiona’s blog gained one hundred thousand dollars in profits. I’d asked NewYou Beauty to create a discount code for me to offer to my readers. With that code, NewYou could track which sales came from my blog. With the tremendous success, NewYou hired me to create a monthly blog to promote their products. I accepted the offer with glee because I believed in their company and mission.

NewYou Beauty gave me a huge supply to take home, which was in the suitcase that Royce had checked.

I tightened my arms around him, inhaling his musky scent, never wanting to forget it. How could I leave him when someone was trying to hurt him? They hadn’t located Brittany, and the police had discovered Larus’s body in an alley with multiple gunshot wounds.

“It’s safer for you to be in the States,” Royce said. “You have more people you know around you.”

I had other jobs waiting for me at home, and though they were mostly remote work, I had an apartment and other responsibilities that needed my attention.

“What about you?” I spoke into his shoulder. “When are you coming back?”

“I have some things to take care of before I can head home to Providence. But soon.” Royce rubbed circles on my back.

“Don’t go out alone,” I muttered. “Hire a security guard.”

He drew back and smiled. “I’ll be okay. I have someone looking into all my employees to ensure they haven’t been bought by someone else.” He stroked my cheek. “I want you to be careful wherever you go. Text me as soon as you land, okay?”

Understanding his concern, I nodded. “I want you to inform me when you’re out and about too.”

He smirked. “I’m not used to answering to anyone, but I can bend the rules for you.”

My feelings for this man had grown exponentially. Nothing could keep us apart, not even an ocean. The heart could sense things no matter the distance. I’d found the person who had saved me so long ago by crossing an ocean into a different country. What else did fate have in store for us? Only time could tell.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Royce.”

“You don’t know how much I’ll miss you. I wish I could shrink you, put you in my pocket, and take you everywhere.”

“Like a stress ball?” I laughed.

The green eyes sparkled, making it my favorite shade of green. “It made you smile, didn’t it?”

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