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Lycos let out a rare laugh, full and deep, just as the waiter approached with their menus.
Ethan settled in, shaking his head as he and his father enjoyed a fantastic meal. They talked about the unclassified parts of Guardian, the latest recruits, in the most general and benign terms, and the new home in Colorado. Well, not new anymore. Yet only three people had set foot inside. His mom and dad and himself.
Then again, itwasbuilt into the mountain and purposefully remote.
The mountain cavern Jewell and Bengal had purchased from Lycos was now well known by too many people for Lycos to be happy. But the home in Colorado? That was something else entirely.
Epic. Remote and unseen by a stranger’s eyes. Built directly into the rugged mountains, it was more fortress than house, designed for endurance, security, and absolute self-sufficiency. Every inch of it had been meticulously crafted, designed to be lived in for generations. One day, he would return, but his mentor wanted him in New York. Why? He had no idea.
When the time was right, he’d pack up and move his base of operations out there. When his life slowed down, when he was ready.
But that day wasn’t today.
Right now, his world was there in the thick of things. Living on the outskirts of New York City, just close enough to taste the chaos but far enough away to keep his sanity, was exactly where he wanted to be. With the energy, the constant movement, the endless opportunities, he thrived.
His work with Guardian had expanded his horizons in ways he never could’ve imagined. He’d seen the world from every angle—through the eyes of soldiers, spies, diplomats, hackers, and criminals. He’d worked in shadows darker than the night itself, yet somehow, he’d managed to hold onto a sense of himself.
One day, he’d settle down.
One day, he’d return to Colorado.
Maybe he’d even take care of his aging parents—not that they’d ever allow it. Bethanie and Lycos would fight tooth and nail before admitting they needed help.
One day, he’d find someone, a woman, who could put up with his particular brand of insanity, someone who fit seamlessly into his world. He’d build a life with her. A family, if he were lucky.
But until that day came? He belonged there in the middle of everything. Because that was where he needed to be. His mentor had told him that. He hadn’t believed it at first, but as the years had passed, he was certain it was what he was born to do.
Ethan was meant to inherit the throne of secrets. The vast network of knowledge, power, and control his mentor wielded couldn’t be passed to just anyone. It required a mind capable of unraveling the world's deepest mysteries, a mind that could see the patterns beneath the chaos.
Ethan had beenchosenfor it. And deep down, he knew it was true. One day, when his mentor retired, he would take on that role alone.
But today?
Today, he had a job to do. A puzzle to finish solving. And maybe a certain accident-prone neighbor to keep from burning her house down.
CHAPTER4
Star couldn’t believe she almost face-planted while talking to Ethan. Was there any other way to embarrass herself in front of the man?Wait, no, she didn’t want an answer to that question.She decided to go to the deli first and grab dinner for later. After visiting with the deli staff, she had a coffee with Mrs. Harvey, the owner, bringing her up to date on her renovation projects. Once she was done, she returned to the Victorian with her food and stashed it in the small refrigerator. Then, she walked the three blocks to the hardware store without face-planting, thank you very much. The warm evening air wrapped around her, the slight breeze in the air refreshing.
As she entered the store, the scent of sawdust and paint thinner immediately hit her. The warm, slightly metallic tang of metal tools and freshly cut lumber mingled in the air, and she inhaled deeply, letting the familiar scent settle her nerves.
She glanced toward the front cashier station, scanning for any sign of Kyle. When she didn’t spot him, relief washed over her. She wasn’t in the mood to turn him down. Again. She’d lost count of how many times he’d asked her out, and she was running out of polite ways to decline. She’d instead started telling him she wasn’t interested. Firmly.
Grabbing a cart, she opened her phone and navigated to the notes section, where she’d jotted down her list of supplies. The hardware store had quickly become one of her favorite haunts, a haven of endless possibilities—minus Kyle’s relentless flirtations. She loved roaming the aisles, examining tools and materials, and researching items she didn’t recognize. Carpentry had always been an awe-inspiring art to her.
Her father could transform a simple slab of wood into something extraordinary. Crafting a house, a piece of furniture, or a shelving unit was his skill. Watching him work had been nothing short of miraculous. She’d inherited that same love for craftsmanship, though her skill set was still a work in progress.
Strolling down an aisle, she stopped in front of a display of caulking tubes, weighing the pros and cons of each. Her fingers hovered over a few before she finally decided to hold off. More research was needed before she committed.
She was keeping the original windows of her Victorian because modern replacements would dull the house's grandeur. The heating bill might make her wince during the winter, but the home's integrity came first. It was the same reason she refused to cover the floors with luxury vinyl planking. No, this house deserved better. It had stood for over a century and would stand for another if she had anything to do with it. The ornate crown molding, the intricate chair rails, and the plaster medallions surrounding the light fixtures could be restored. She just had to learn how.
She tapped open a new note on her phone and hit the dictation button, murmuring the names of the caulking tubes she’d been considering. As she rounded the corner toward the stain section, she continued muttering, detailing what she needed—weather-resistant, flexible, long-lasting. She wasn’t sure if there was a caulking product that could fully accommodate New York’s volatile seasons, but she was determined to find it.
That was until her cart collided with something solid.
Kyle.
She stopped mid-sentence as he turned and smiled at her, his dark brown hair flopping over his forehead. Some women might find that endearing. She didn’t.