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“I want you to come to the island tonight.”

“Clay . . . I⁠—”

“I’m not asking because I think someone was here, but you are clearly freaked out about it. The island doesn’t scare you this much, so I want to check the place properly, and I can’t do that right now,” he says, crossing his arms. “There could be bugs.”

I glare at him. Really? We have gone from someone breaking in to bugs? “I don’t have bugs.”

“Not those kinds of bugs—I mean listening devices. I need to get the equipment and come back.”

“Okay,” I whisper. I would rather feel like an idiot and it be nothing than stay and worry myself sick all night.

I pack a bag and Clay waits. This time I grab a spare toothbrush.

“Ready,” I tell him when I’m done. Then I lock my door, and we head outside.

“I need you not to say anything to Vero or Brawley tonight,” he says as we get into his truck.

“Why?”

“Vero has just come out of an episode, and I don’t want to give him something to spiral over. He won’t let it go if he thinks there is a threat to you. And Brawley can’t keep a fucking secret to save his life when it comes to Vero.”

“It’s why I didn’t call him before I called you. No offense, but you were not my first choice.”

“I was still your second call, so I will take it,” he says with a smirk.

“I’m probably on edge—this time of year does that to me.”

He glances over at me from the driver’s seat. “What time of year?”

The panic crawls up inside me. It’s not that I don’t want to tell him—I can’t. I still carry so much shame and fear. “I’m not ready.”

He nods and doesn’t push me for more information. “All right.”

We drive the rest of the way to the island in silence, and I can’t help but wonder if I am losing it. When he pulls up to his house, he grabs my hand.

“Trust your instincts and never doubt yourself. If you feel like someone was in your loft, I promise I will find out who it was. And trust me, it won’t be pretty when I do.”

“Thank you, but you can’t hurt someone on my behalf.”

Clay chuckles. “You don’t get it. If anyone tries to hurt you, Kayla, I won’t just hurt them. I will kill them. I don’t know what type of men you are used to, but I’m sure you have figured out by now we are not normal.”

“I appreciate your concern, but no one is going to prison for me. The police can handle it if you find anything.”

He makes an mmhmm sound and gets out of the truck. I slide out and follow him inside.

All the lights are off when we walk in, and I follow Clay upstairs and into his room. I haven’t been here yet, as I’ve either stayed in Vero and Brawley’s room or the guest room.

Clay’s room is just as I imagined: clean and organized, with no clothes thrown around—not even a laundry basket. There’s not even a little clutter on his dresser. Everything screams, I have no personality.

“You can have the bed,” he says.

“I can’t believe I’m in your bedroom.” I flash him a grin.

“Don’t push it, or I will make you sleep on the floor.”

“Hah! I would never! I’d slip in between Vero and Brawley—they would keep me warm.”

“Then you would have to explain why you’re here. So why don’t you get undressed and lie down.”