Page 81 of Finding His Redemption

She laughed, the sound catching on a sob. “That’s a lot.”

“I don’t want to leave,” he whispered. “I like it here. I have friends and a teacher who doesn’t think I talk too much. And Jax is here. He needs us.”

Her breath caught. “What makes you say that?”

Oliver pulled back to look at her, his expression serious. “Because he’s sad inside. Like we used to be. Before we came here.”

Tears pricked her eyes. When had her little boy become so wise? “Sometimes we have to do hard things to stay safe.”

“But we’re safe here.” His lower lip poked out and trembled. “You said so. You promised.”

The crumpled napkin in her hand said otherwise.

“Let’s not worry about it right now,” she hedged, unable to lie to him but equally unable to confirm his fears. “Go up and finish your homework. I’ll be up in a little bit and we’ll watch Jurassic Park again.”

He studied her face with those too-old eyes, then nodded and trudged toward the stairs, his shoulders slumped beneath the weight of a burden no child should have to carry.

Once he was gone, Nessie unfolded the napkin again, staring at the crude threat. This wasn’t Alek’s style. He preferred grand gestures, public displays that reminded everyone of his power. This was someone local. Someone who’d been in her bakery today.

Her gaze drifted to the window where Ghost still stood sentinel, his lean frame silhouetted against the fading afternoon light. She should tell him about the note. Ask for his help. But Brandt’s warning echoed in her head—don’t tell anyone.

She was halfway to the door when she stopped, the napkin clutched in her fist. What was she doing? These men from Valor Ridge were virtual strangers. Jax had been in her life for all of a month. She’d be a fool to trust them over Brandt, who had kept her and Oliver safe for four years.

And yet...

And yet there was something about the Ridge men that felt different. Jax's quiet strength. Ghost's unwavering vigilance.Boone's fierce protectiveness. They had stood between her and Sheriff Goodwin without hesitation, asking nothing in return.

Nessie smoothed the crumpled napkin against the counter, tracing the threatening words with her fingertip. Two threats in one day. One from her past, one from her present.

And only twenty-four hours to decide which scared her more.

chapter

twenty-three

Nessie satcross-legged on her bed, laptop balanced on her knees. Oliver was finally asleep in his room across the hall. It only took two bedtime stories and three “I’m thirsties” to make it happen.

Now she had to make some tough decisions.

But first, she needed to know more about the man she was considering risking everything for.

The glow from the screen cast harsh shadows across her face as she typed “Jaxon Thorne Northern California” into the search bar. Her finger hovered over the enter key for a long moment before she pressed it.

Her heart jumped into her throat as the results populated her screen.

POPULAR TRUE CRIME HOST ALEXIS SUMMERS SURVIVES BRUTAL ASSAULT

DECORATED NAVY SEAL LINKED TO REDWOOD COAST MURDER SPREE

NAVY SEAL CONFESSES TO SERIAL KILLINGS

Mouth suddenly dry, she clicked on the first link. The article was from five years ago, and the photo that accompanied it made her catch her breath.

It was Jax, but not the Jax she knew.

This version was skeletal, his cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass, his eyes sunken and wild with whatever demons had been eating him from the inside out. He wore an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, his dark blond hair hanging lank around his face. But it was his expression that stopped her cold—the same haunted look she’d seen in his eyes that first morning on Ridge Road. The same quiet desperation that had made her pull over.

Former Navy SEAL Jaxon Thorne, 28, confessed today to the brutal assault of true crime podcaster Alexis Summers, the girlfriend of his former commanding officer, Shane Trevisano. In a shocking turn of events, Thorne initially confessed to being the “Shadow Stalker,” a serial killer who had terrorized the Redwood Coast for several years…