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“The fucking Trogyn,” Grayson seethed.

“We could use another friend,” Remi said.

“What say you?” I asked my friends.

Everyone nodded.

I turned to face Orion. “Does Attikus Mount know you’re using his museum for this little business meeting?”

Orion smiled. “He’s a close friend of mine.” His eyes gleamed. “And he would also be an asset to our VATV club.”

Vigilantes against the villains. The phrase made me think of the antiheroes in books, but more complex. This was our unique definition. In the eyes of the villains, we were their enemies.

“Attikus is already an investor in our video game,” Remi said.

“Like me, he knows your worth.”

I looked at Remi. Questions multiplied in my head, but this wasn’t the moment to discuss another man.

The boys and I walked up to Orion.

Remi extended his hand. “Welcome to the WaterFyre Rising Club.”

I studied our new member. “When do we get to test out a demo of Level Six?”

CHAPTERSIXTY-SIX

VIVIAN

I walkedout to the back deck of my cabin that faced the gleaming lake. Arrow wasn’t sitting inthe chair like he had been minutes ago when he was talking to someone on the phone.

I glanced toward the pier, and my heart skipped seeing him sitting on the edge fishing.

Smiling, I gripped the two glasses of freshly squeezed lemonade and headed down to join him. It had been a chaotic few days after finding Aimee and escorting her back to her parents. I let Kaylee take a few days off from school to hang out with Aimee. Having Kaylee around Aimee would help her adjust better.

Arrow had one of his CIA friends speak to the local authorities about keeping Aimee’s discovery private and only telling her family and necessary officials. The CIA had told them an undercover agent had rescued Aimee. If the media got wind of it, it would jeopardize the undercover agent’s work at apprehending the human trafficking group.

Aimee would be homeschooled by her mom, which was better for her adjustment. My dad and Rose were in Vietnam, and he was thrilled to hear about Aimee’s return.

Arrow and I needed a break and headed to my lake house. There was still unfinished business to attend to, but we needed a quick respite. I needed to breathe and remind myself that it was okay to pause now and then. I hadn’t realized how stressed I was until I was losing so much hair in the shower.

Stress did several things to the body. I’d also taken this week off work to give my body the recuperation it needed. There was so much to process, and I needed the space to do so.

I wanted to cuddle. To be held. Was that selfish of me?

Besides the danger hovering around us, the emotion I felt for Arrow had intensified exponentially, making it difficult to focus on anything else. These feelings also needed to be addressed and resolved.

I tried to imagine my life without Arrow. I couldn’t. He was everywhere. In the beginning, he’d inserted himself into my life in memorable ways. Now, he was a permanent essential I couldn’t live without. Like the oxygen in the air. Like the water I drank. I needed him in every way.

When I came to Providence, I didn’t want a relationship. Too much distraction and the fear of another failed relationship prevented me from wanting more. But I was wrong. Giving myself a chance with Arrow had saved me. I would’ve continued the sad loop of living without love or joy if it weren't for him.

Arrow wasn’t only my lover; he was a man who had reached all the way into my soul and patched it up. The wounds on my back no longer carried weight.

My hands shook as I held the glasses of lemonade while studying him. He stared at the gleaming lake, which sparkled like a blanket of diamonds had settled on its surface. I studied his contemplative look. He was so handsome. . . My heart ached just looking at him. His brown hair glistened like copper in the sun. He wore ripped jeans and a gray T-shirt, and I wore khaki capris and an old yellow T-shirt. It was a perfect day in Northern California with unusually warm weather this week, but I’d take it. It was a pleasant break from the New England winter.

When he turned to look at me, those gray eyes sparkled, reflecting the glittering lake. He considered me for a moment, and my heart raced. The intense expression showed something was on his mind. Probably the much-needed conversation we never had. I loved his usual air of danger. But my wolf also had a tender side that I got to see. Right now, he didn’t appear tender.

Was he all mine? This was something I had to find out.