"Brian?"
"Mm."
"I'm glad I walked into your cottage."
He smiled against her hair. "I'm glad you did, too."
Outside, the pines whispered in the wind, and the motion lights had long since gone dark. The locked gate stood between them and the world, and for tonight, that was enough. The threat would still be there in the morning. Marcus Webb would still be out there somewhere, watching, waiting.
But for now, Tessa was warm in his arms, and her breathing had evened out into the slow rhythm of sleep, and Brian felt something he hadn't felt in a very long time.
Peace.
He pressed his lips to her shoulder and closed his eyes. Tomorrow, they would figure out the next step. Tomorrow, they would deal with police reports and patrol cars and a man who wouldn't leave her alone.
But tonight, she was safe. And she was his.
That was all that mattered.
Chapter Fifteen
They'd been back at the cottage for three days when Tessa finally felt safe enough to suggest a walk into town.
The cabin had been a cocoon, a world separate from everything that waited outside the locked gate. They'd slept late, cooked simple meals, and made love on every surface that would hold them. Brian had built fires in the stone fireplace each evening, and they'd talked until the flames burned low, sharing pieces of themselves they'd never shared with anyone.
But Sergeant Diaz had called that morning with news. Marcus Webb hadn't been spotted in Copper Moon since the concert. His car hadn't been seen. His credit cards hadn't been used anywhere in the state. It was as if he'd vanished.
"That doesn't mean he's gone," Brian had said, his jaw tight.
"No," Diaz agreed. "But it also doesn't mean you have to stay locked up forever. Live your life. We're watching."
So here they were, walking down Main Street in the late morning sun, Brian's hand warm around hers. The shops were open, tourists wandering in and out with shopping bags and ice cream cones. A normal day in a normal town. Tessa tried to let herself believe in it.
"I want to stop at Ruth's," she said. "I finished the book she recommended, and I need something new."
"Lead the way."
They passed Lila's Sweet Treats, the scent of fresh bread drifting through the open door. Cooper's Hardware with its hand-painted signs. The bookstore where Bree's paintings hung in the window, their copper tones catching the light.
Tessa was looking at one of the paintings, a seascape with the moon rising copper over the water, when she felt Brian's grip on her hand tighten.
"Tessa."
His voice was low. Controlled. The voice of a man who didn't want to cause a scene but was ready to.
She followed his gaze.
Marcus Webb stood on the sidewalk across the street, watching them.
He wasn't hiding anymore. No gray cap pulled low, no sunglasses obscuring his face. He stood in plain sight, hands in the pockets of his khaki pants, wearing a button-down shirt like he was on his way to a casual business meeting. His dark hair was neatly combed, his posture relaxed.
He looked like any other middle-aged professional enjoying a beach town on a weekday morning.
Except for the way he was staring directly at her with a small, knowing smile.
"Brian," she said, but he was already moving.
He stepped off the curb, pulling her with him, crossing the street in long, purposeful strides. Tessa's heart hammered against her ribs. This was wrong. This was the opposite of what Diaz had told them to do. Don't engage. Don't confront. Call us.