Page 11 of Martyr (Sterling Falls Rogues #3)

Two major fucking problems.

One—Kade Laurent is here . On Isle of Paradise. I barely had time to hide in Lyssa’s room, sort of proving his argument with Dr. Hawthorne correct about anyone coming in. There aren’t a lot of places, so I dove under her bed right as the door opened.

I overheard their conversation, but he didn’t linger. I focused on his shoes right at the edge of the bed. Working boots, jeans. Not the sort of thing Atlas, his Olympus alter ego, would’ve worn. The lower half of him reminded me more of Reese than anything else.

And that brings me to problem number two—Reese didn’t leave.

I woke up to him curled around me, and panic thrashed in my chest that we were going to get caught. I elbowed him awake, then left him to get dressed while I used the attached bathroom. When I reemerged, he was dressed but fucking sexy with his sleepy eyes and messed hair.

“What are you doing?” I hissed at him. “You were supposed to go— hours ago .”

He waved me off. “Relax, golden girl. I paid for my slip at the marina on the town side.”

After that, he went out the window and promised to return later.

But now, I’m panic-searching for Saint. Saint will not recognize Kade, but the opposite isn’t true. In fact, Reese mentioned, sometime during the post-sex haze, that Kade specifically asked about Saint.

Fuck . Fuck me.

Why is Saint Hart the most difficult person to find?

“Tem!”

I pivot. “Mary Catherine!”

“You’re flushed.” The girl stops in front of me, her hands in her pockets. “You okay?”

“I’m looking for Saint. He’s giving me the runaround.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh, no. Is he avoiding you after the whole push-you-into-the-water incident?”

“Um…”

“There was an issue with one of the other residents.” She loops her arm through mine and steers us in the direction I was heading. “Dr. Hawthorne seemed to think they’d need sedating. Only the most dramatic get the shot, but that guy was wailing. It was an awful sound.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay…?”

“Saint was there.”

“Where?”

“In the cafeteria.” The duh is implied. “And I’m pretty sure he asked if Dr. Hawthorne was going to be late for their therapy session.”

I stop.

Mary Catherine’s arm slips from mine, and she belatedly turns to face me. “What?”

Dr. Hawthorne is an idiot .

I shake my head and burst into a run. Up the stairs to the second floor, down the hall toward her office. I know the route well. I get there just as Dr. Hawthorne appears from the opposite direction. She marches with purpose, but her eyebrows lift when she spots me.

It takes me a second to control myself and slow to a walk.

“Dr. Hawthorne,” I call. “Have you seen Saint?”

She frowns. “I?—”

We reach her office door at the same time.

“Just in passing,” she says. “We have a session, but I expected him to be in the hallway…”

“And I don’t suppose you left Kade Laurent unattended in your office?” I whisper.

“How—”

I motion to the door.

She opens it, but my stomach is already twisting. I expect to see Saint and Kade sitting together, talking.

Instead, her office is empty.