Page 113 of Shadow

Why?

She went upstairs and found Destiny unpacking in one bedroom, Roger already asleep in another.

Daphne took the third bedroom. The one that looked east, toward mountains. Dropped her bag of essentials she’d picked up today between securing the vehicles. Didn’t unpack. Just stood at the window, looking at the view. The finest layer of molten dusk outlined the faraway mountains.

What wasn’t he telling her?

A knock on her door.

“Yeah?”

Asher opened it. He’d changed clothes into a clean denim shirt, fresh jeans. Hair damp from a shower. Bandages visible on his forearm. But functional. Upright.

“Thought I’d give you a tour,” he said. “Show you the security setup. Where everything is. In case something happens. You need to know how everything works.”

“Okay,” Daphne said. “Let’s see it.”

They walked the property together, Asher pointing out cameras and sensors and backup power supplies and escape routes.

A floodlight lit up the yard, and Duke joined them near the barn.

“Duke Mallory.” He shook Daphne’s hand. Didn’t ask questions. “If you need anything, just holler.” He gave Asher a look, a nod, then headed back to his cabin.

“He came with the property,” was all Asher said.

“It’s quite the place.”

“Yeah,” Asher said suddenly, voice quiet. “Dad got sober in his last few years. Tried to make amends. Didn’t quite get there before the heart attack took him five years ago. But he had an old union life insurance policy he’d never gotten around to updating—still had me listed from when I was a kid. Maybe he finally got one thing right. Or maybe he just forgot to change the form. Either way, it paid for the land.”

He stopped walking. Looked at the house. The barn. The land spreading out before them. “My life looks pretty far away from that now.”

Daphne didn’t know what to say.

So she said the only thing she could think of. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. At the motel. After the attack.” She paused.

He lifted a shoulder.

But no, she needed to tell him. “I left the Marshals because my partner sold us out. Cut a deal with the cartel. Got our witness killed. He caught a bullet on the way out, but the damage was done.”

Asher frowned, looked over at her. But said nothing.

“I swore I’d never make that mistake again,” Daphne continued. “Never trust someone just because we were partners.” She met his eyes. “But you’re not him. You’ve proven that. And I’m sorry I couldn’t see it sooner.”

Asher was quiet for a long moment. Then he stepped closer. Close enough she could smell soap and clean cotton. Close enough she could see the fine lines around his eyes and the stubble on his jaw and the way his pulse beat in his throat.

His eyes dropped to her lips. Just for a second. Then back up.

“Thanks,” he said. Voice rough. Barely above a whisper.

Just that. Nothing more.

And shoot, right then, yes, she thought he might—wanted, in fact, for him to—kiss her.

Then, softly, he said, “No matter what happens, no matter what you find out, no matter what comes next—you can trust me. I promise you that.”

Oh. Daphne’s heart thundered, her breath catching.

His eyes dropped to her lips again. Longer this time.