Page 172 of Where Broken Wings Fly
We break apart before he actually pukes, both chuckling at his disgust. Killian turns back to tend the barbecued food, and I glance over the crowd around the bonfire. Ethan is staring at me, frowning a little.
“Everything okay?” I ask nervously.
He shakes himself out of it. “All good.”
Ryder shoots him an odd look. “He’s tired, Willow. Big case going on.”
“Where do you work, Ethan?”
“I’m based in London.” His stare is intense, searching. “I work for a company called Sabre Security. We take on criminal investigations and private contracts.”
“Oh. Sounds important.”
“We do some good work. I’m leading a team of investigators at the moment tracing a human trafficking ring across North America.”
A lead weight settles in my gut. The way he’s looking at me is making my spine tingle with alarm. It’s like he can see past my carefully applied persona to unveil the truth.
“A trafficking ring?” I repeat.
“Nasty business,” he confirms. “I can’t say much else.”
Ryder drops a kiss on his shoulder. “I am so proud of the work you’re doing. Think of all the people who will be saved by your team’s investigation.”
“Willow,” Ethan interjects. “I hope you won’t mind me asking, but I’ve been told a little about what brought you to Briar Valley.”
“Ry,” I gasp in horror.
His smile droops. “I’m sorry, Willow. It just came out. But you can trust Ethan, he’s one of the good ones. I thought… maybe he could help you.”
I never should have trusted Ryder with my secrets. Killian was the one that filled him in one night after asking for my consent. I had one condition—his sworn secrecy.
“I think we should talk.” Ethan redirects the heat off his partner. “We can either do it here or at my team headquarters in London if that’s easier for you.”
“Why? I know nothing that can help your investigation.”
“I think that you do. Please, let me help you,” he urges. “We can offer you protection. You shouldn’t have to live in fear for the rest of your life.”
I back away from them. “I don’t need your help.”
Before I can escape, he pulls a business card from his pocket and slaps it in my hands. I stare down at the lines of text etched across embossed cream card.
Ethan Tarkington.
Sabre Security - Anaconda Team.
“Call me anytime.” Ethan smiles reassuringly. “I’m here to listen.”
Moving on autopilot, I tuck the business card into my bra. I’m not sure why I don’t toss it into the bonfire and run far from this man. But there’s a voice in my head, begging me to hold on to that scrap of contact information.
“I… should go.”
Ethan’s eyes follow me all the way back to my cabin, lasering into the back of my head. I’m on the verge of a panic attack, but the tinkle of laughing voices approaching the party doesn’t allow me even a second to fathom what just happened.
“Katie!” Lola appears at my side.
Crossing the cobbled path, the woman of the hour arrives. Katie’s dressed in a pretty lilac dress with her dark hair loose around her shoulders, showing off her scarred but beautiful features and bright smile.
“Hi!” She waves at us. “So sorry we’re late.”
