What if I’m standing face to face with the beautiful reason my brother’s days are numbered?
I start to turn away, but then I hear:
"Hey, wait."
He stands up. He’s of decent height for an alpha, but still almost a head shorter than me.
With some effort, I school my face to stay neutral as he approaches, quickly wiping away his tears.
"Besides working as a gardener… are you also one of Mr. Ferro’s sworn soldiers?"
Did not expect that. So blunt, so direct; it doesn’t fit the profile of someone sent to spy on me. Or does it?
"I’m just a gardener. I’m not connected to him in any other way," I reply, keeping my tone flat.
He hesitates, glances toward the house, then steps further back into the gazebo and gestures for me to follow.
I look around. No one can see us here. The garden’s big, and the central part around the gazebo is screened off by bushes and trees.
Somewhat reluctantly, I step inside after him. Now it’s just the two of us.
Silence falls. He stares at me for a long moment, studying me intently.
Damn, he really is stunning. I could look at him for hours. Like a piece of art: deceptive, a siren. You get dazzled by the beauty, and then you crash against the rocks.
"Nice tattoo," he says, making a small gesture toward my bicep with his chin.
"Thanks."
"Some kind of falcon?"
"Yep. Gyrfalcon. Icelandic bird of prey."
"It’s beautiful."
I don’t respond. What should I say?
"Means something personal?"
Hell no. I won’t reveal that. It’s not a secret Anzo’s husband is of Icelandic origin. It could raise some suspicion. I have already hinted too much.
So I just shrug. "Just liked the design."
The young alpha bites his lip and seems to think deeply about something. Suddenly, he blurts out,
"I’m Sun Nolan."
He says it with a peculiar tone, like he wants me to remember the name or at least notice it.
I know one Nolan, Lieutenant Hunter Nolan, but I’m almost certain this isn’t his brother. Hunter only has one sibling, Nathaniel, and I know him a bit. So the last name might just be a coincidence.
"Ragnar Lind."
I use my real first name. No idea why, especially since on my job application here, I wrote downRaghu Lind.
"I want you to remember my name," the guy says.
"Why?" I raise an eyebrow.
