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I bite my lip at his reaction, excitement bubbling in my chest. A real date. With all three of them. Away from the house, away from work stress, away from everything except the four of us figuring out whatever this is becoming. Work—mine and theirs—can wait.

“When do we leave?”

“An hour?” Gage suggests. “Does that give you time to get ready?”

I’m already sliding off the stool, coffee in hand. “Perfect. I just need to grab some hiking clothes.”

“Bring layers,” Cole calls as I head toward the stairs. “It’s getting cold.”

“And good boots!” Hudson adds.

I take the stairs two at a time and push into my room. The space feels different now. Less temporary. The bed I made this morning looks inviting rather than borrowed, and my clothes hanging in the closet seem more at home. Like maybe I belong here after all.

I’m digging through my dresser for socks when my phone buzzes on the nightstand. Probably Callie, Aspen, or work. Ugh, I have so much explaining to do with my friends. I grab the phone and frown at the unknown number. I tap into the messages, blood freezing in my veins as I stare at the screen.

UNKNOWN NUMBER

You belong with me.

Below the text there’s a series of photos that make my stomach drop. Pictures of me and Hudson from last night, sitting on the deck. The first image shows us talking, innocent enough. The second captures the moment he draped the blanket around my shoulders. But they keep coming, each perspective is closer than the last, as if whoever took them was walking closer and closer. Each one is more invasive than the last.

The final photo is zoomed in so much that all you can see are our mouths, Hudson’s lips pressed against mine. My hands tremble as I stare at the screen. Someone was watching us. Someone stood in the darkness outside their house with a camera, capturing our most intimate moment without us knowing. That moment was special. Now it’s tainted with the stain of this violation.

Bile rises in my throat. What the fuck?

There’s no other message. Just those words and the photos. You belong with me. Like some twisted claim of ownership. But who would feel this way? The only person I can think of is Matt.

With how pissed he was yesterday, it has to be him. This is exactly the kind of manipulative bullshit he’d pull. Getting jealous and possessive after the breakup. He was so pissed when he showed up here. Maybe angry enough to do something fucked up like this.

Well, you know what? I won’t let him scare me out of this relationship. I block the number without hesitation. I won’t let him ruin this. I won’t let his games poison the first good thing that’s happened to me in a long time. Setting the phone aside, I turn toward the windows. Paranoia prickles down my spine. The trees outside with changing leaves are no longer pretty but full of shadows and hiding places. If it were later in the autumn season, it would be easier to know if someone was out there. They could be hiding. Watching.

Waiting.

I quickly close the curtains, heart pounding and anger rattling in my bones. Goddammit. I hate this feeling. Hate that Matt can still make me feel small and scared even when he’s not here. This should be a safe space but now I’ll constantly be looking over my shoulder.

Don’t let him win.

Nodding to myself, I focus on getting dressed, pulling on my favorite hiking pants and a moisture-wicking long sleeve. The familiar routine helps settle my nerves. Matt’s always dramatic, attention-seeking, and trying to make everything about him. Once he realizes he won’t get a reaction out of me, he’ll get bored and move on to tormenting someone else.

I lace up my hiking boots, channeling my anger into the task, tugging extra hard on the strings as I knot them.

Standing up, I catch my reflection in the mirror. My face is pale, eyes still wide with the shock of those photos. I take a deep breath, pinching my cheeks to bring the color back and smooth down my hair. There. See? Everything is fine.

The lie tastes bitter but I shove all my worried thoughts aside and grab my light jacket as I head for the door. Today is about hiking and waterfalls and figuring out how to date three incredible men who actually want to spend time with me.

We reach Big Falls after a winding drive through mountain roads. The parking area is busy but that’s to be expected when the leaves are putting on their fall show. Vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow greet me as I hop out of the truck. I take a moment to admire the beauty of late October before heading to the tailgate where the guys are waiting. Three backpacks filled with snacks, water, and bug spray are lined up, and I reach for the closest one.

Hudson’s hand closes over mine before I can lift the pack. “I got it.”

“It’s fine. I can⁠—”

He already has the straps in his grip, slinging it over his broad shoulders, settling the debate. Such a gentleman. I shake my head and reach for the second pack, but Gage is there, intercepting me with an easy smile.

“Seriously?” I pivot toward the third pack, but Cole already has it, a smirk playing on his lips.

I spin to face them, hands planted firmly on my hips. “All right, what are you doing?”

“We know you can,” Cole says. “But that doesn’t mean you have to. Let us take care of you.”