After witnessing a crime, I ran.
For three years, I’ve hid from everyone.
I abandoned Birchwoods Spring, my home, my plans, and the life I planned to build.
I told myself it was the only way to stay safe.
But when my grandmother falls ill, I have no choice but to come back—even if it means confronting the past I tried to escape.
The moment I step onto my land, I feel it. The unease creeping in. The prickle at the back of my neck.
Someone’s been here. Watching. Waiting.
They know I’m back.
And they want me to know it, too.
I should leave. Pack up. Disappear—again.
Then I see him.
Hopper Timberbridge, my high school crush.
He’s no longer a gangly teenager. Now, he’s gruff, guarded, and fiercely protective of the life he’s built with his daughter. He doesn’t pry, doesn’t push—just takes everything in with knowing eyes that see too much. And when the threats escalate, he offers me a place to stay, a refuge I know better than to trust.
Because whatever’s lurking in the dark?
It isn’t just watching anymore. It’s coming for me.
