Page 56 of Built of Illusions

Eight more targets.

Nico trying to chase down a killer, willingly putting himself into danger.

Had she brought danger here to Midnight Lake? Should she leave? What about her promise?

And now the case was splattered over the media.

What if copycat killers started killing women everywhere? What if Nelson was so angry about being figured out, he started killing at random?

Josie squashed another piece and yanked out her earbuds. “This isn’t working.”

She dumped her hands in the water bucket and used a rag to clean them before tossing the cloth back in the water and looking out the window. The back of the kitchen where she was ruining clay pieces looked out into the forest. On the edge, she could see the trail that led to the sawmill. Should she take it? Find her way to somewhere else and bring the danger with her, away from her friends?

“Thinking of running?” Nico’s voice had her whirling around to find him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest and a soft smile on his face. They moved at the same time and when his arms wrapped around her, her doubts settled and her brain slowed down.

She was home.

Josie inhaled his scent and his strength as they both simply held on. Then he whispered in her ear. “You weren’t going to leave, were you?”

She sighed heavily, but she wouldn’t lie. “I don’t think so.”

He squeezed her tightly and she heard his breath shudder. “Don’t. Please.”

The emotion in his voice had her shaking and she found herself nodding. “Okay. I’m just so scared. I don’t want him to show up here and hurt anyone. What if he comes here because he’s looking for me?”

“Then we’ll get him. We’ll arrest him and lock him up for the rest of his life. He’ll sit behind bars knowing he’s put himself there.”

She blew out a breath as his words calmed her racing heart. “That’s a very good answer.”

Nico chuckled and kissed her hair and leaned back without releasing her. “And it has the added advantage of being the truth. We’ve got incredibly smart and dedicated people here. If Adrian Nelson makes the choice to come to Midnight Lake, he’s not going to win.”

“And no one will get hurt.”

He chuckled in her ear. “And no one will get hurt. Including you.”

“I’m more worried about…”

He cut her off with a kiss. “And that’s part of the problem. You need to worry about you instead of just everyone else.”

Josie sighed and leaned in for another hug. It was new having someone so worried for her. She’d never experienced this kind of connection before. She wasn’t sure anyone had truly been concerned about her, ever. “Thanks for worrying about me.”

His arms tightened as if he understood her thoughts. “I’ll always worry about you, Josie. You’ve become very important to me.”

Maybe it was time to tell him how she really felt, but she was too afraid to ruin what they were building by rushing him. Instead, she cupped his face in her hands. “You’re very important to me as well, Nico.”

The next kiss felt like a vow. A vow to take this further, to go deeper. Even as her body crushed into his, she wondered how to capture that feeling in her art. Hope, determination, love.

“Break it up or move it out. I’m hungry.” Flynn’s voice had them breaking apart and laughing.

Nico turned, but kept his arm around her shoulders. “Can we have a working dinner? Get everyone up to speed and come up with some plans.”

Flynn nodded. “And backup plans because shit tends to go sideways. I’d rather have options for all likely outcomes.”

Josie grinned. “You’re sounding like Tessa.”

Flynn smile widened. “Thanks. That’s a hell of a compliment. Who’s texting the gang to congregate and who’s helping me with food?”

As Nico was far more competent in the kitchen than Josie, he and Flynn took on the food while she sent out a group text to everyone who was on the property. Bella and Mitch had been staying at the lodge since Josie had arrived to keep the numbers up. Joe was still working on a hostage situation in New York, but she sent him a text in case he was able to video in.

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