Tyler (Blue Halo Book 6)

Tyler’s gaze ran over the notes of the latest killings in Steve’s case.

Daniel Spencer and his mother, Jenny Spencer.

Daniel had been stabbed and left to bleed out on the second floor of an isolated house on the outskirts of some small town. He was the number one suspect in the rape and murder of an ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately, the DNA sample from the crime scene hadn’t been stored properly and had deteriorated, so there wasn’t enough evidence to convict. He’d been all over the news.

His mother died in the same house, but unlike Daniel, the fire had killed her, which was arguably a worse fate than a stabbing.

Why? Why stab him, a potentially heinous criminal, and let her suffer in the fire? She attended church. Lived a quiet life. Had no convictions or complaints against her. Was she killed solely because of her relationship to Daniel?

Had the house been on fire when she’d arrived? It had to be. The door was open, like all the others, and she’d died beside her son, making Tyler suspect she’d gone in to save him but was unable to get him out.

He ran a hand over his face in frustration. He was still trying to get his head around it when his phone rang from the table. Liam.

Liam and Flynn were in Kansas, where the latest murders had taken place.

He answered on the second ring. “How’d it go with the kid?”

Jenny’s other son, Daniel’s brother, was twenty, so not really a kid, but he was young.

“He had a lot to say,” Liam said, wind blowing in the background. “He hated his brother. Said he was an asshole and should’ve been in prison. He was also angry at his mother for constantly defending him. Said she always stood by him, even when she shouldn’t have.”

“So, he wasn’t close to either of them?”

“Nope. Moved away from home two years ago and barely visited. Unfortunately, that means he didn’t know a whole lot about who might have killed them. Said a lot of people hated his brother, though. Gave us a couple of names. We’re going to check them out now, but I’m not feeling optimistic.”

Tyler figured as much. “Keep us posted.”

“You got it.”

When the call ended, Tyler leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Steve usually only asked them to step in on cases that required muscle or speed, but with this one, he was lost for motive, and Tyler could see why.

A voice floated down the hall. A soft voice that hit him right in the gut.

Emerson.

A few days had passed since she’d rolled her ankle. In that time, there’d been no more kisses but plenty of touches. Grazes on the arm. Hands on the small of her back.

For some reason, she was hesitant around him now. But in the tiny moments when he touched her, that hesitancy melted.

This morning, she’d insisted on going on a short walk, even though her ankle was still a little swollen. He’d only allowed it for about twenty minutes. They spent some time in the park. Some time at The Grind. They’d returned to Blue Halo an hour ago. She was working on her laptop while he worked in his office. It was hard to concentrate when he knew she was just steps away.

He could hear her talking to Grace, Logan’s partner, two doors down. His muscles twitched to get up. Go talk to her.

His gaze flicked to the clock on his wall. Five. Time to take her home.

He was about to get up and go to her when another call came through. He sighed. Blue Halo had been busy lately. A lot of people needed their help because there were a lot of scumbags in the world.

“Hey!”

Emerson’s attention shifted from her laptop screen to the voice behind her. A short woman with long brown hair fanning around her shoulders stood in the doorway.

The woman smiled. “Sorry, I was just walking past and saw you in here. You’re Emerson?”

Emerson smiled from where she sat at a small table. “Yes, I am.”

“I’m Grace. I’m dating Logan.”

God, all these men had such gorgeous partners. Not a surprise, really.

Grace’s gaze shifted to her foot, which was resting on another chair. “Courtney mentioned you rolled your ankle outside her shop. How’s it healing?”

She lifted a shoulder. “It’s fine, just a bit fat. I probably wouldn’t even have it elevated right now, but the two times I’ve put it down, Tyler just happened to come in a minute later and demand I put it back up.”

Grace chuckled. “Crazy, isn’t it? It’s not enough that they can hear things they shouldn’t. Sometimes it feels like they can see through walls. I swear, the second I feel upset over anything, Logan’s beside me asking if I’m okay.”

“Oh, that’s sweet.” Like, ridiculously sweet.

Grace grinned. “Yeah, he’s a good guy. They all are. Well, I’ll leave you to it. It was nice to meet you.”

Emerson smiled as the woman left and turned her attention back to her laptop.

She’d spent her day responding to requests and queries about commissioned pieces, some small, some large. She’d also caught up on a few admin tasks. The type of tasks she hated. She was currently in the middle of a commissioned painting, which she would prefer to be working on, but every so often she had to force herself to stop and complete more mundane stuff.

Blowing out a breath, she got back to work. These emails weren’t going to answer themselves.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when a hand touched her shoulder.

She jumped and turned, air whipping into her lungs on a gasp. When she saw Tyler, she almost deflated. “Oh my gosh. Either you walk like a cat, or I was too deep in my own world to hear you.”

“Maybe a bit of both.” He crouched beside her. Her stomach fluttered at the proximity of his lips. At the way his hand shifted from her shoulder to her knee. “I’m sorry I’m late. I lost track of time.”

She swallowed, trying to wet her suddenly dry throat. “I didn’t even notice it was late.”

His gaze darted between her eyes, and when it slid down to her mouth, the fine hairs on her arms stood on end.

Her lips separated, and memories of their kiss the other night fluttered through her mind. A kiss she’d promised herself wouldn’t happen again, and she’d done a damn good job of making sure of that…so far.

“I should get you home,” he said quietly. “It will be dark soon.”

Her heart jumped as her gaze shot to the window. Walking on a well-lit street was okay, but her heart rate always picked up and fear trickled into the dark places inside her when it was too dark. Usually, she was good at hiding that fear, but with Tyler, it would be harder.

She plastered a smile onto her face. “I’m ready when you are.” Hopefully, if there was a shake in her voice, Tyler would think she was just nervous about his proximity.

He watched her for another beat. Man, his eyes were intense. Beautiful, but intense. She had to get up before she did something stupid…like touch him. Cup his cheek. Kiss him.

Argh. She pushed to her feet. Tyler rose slowly, towering over her as he usually did.

“How’s the admin work going?”

She scoffed at his question. “I hate it. Give me a paintbrush any day, but a laptop? No, thanks. An unfortunate consequence of being self-employed.”

“But all worth it when you get to do what you love.”

The way he said love—the smooth, raspy tone of his voice—made her swallow hard. She took a quick step away from him. Or a limp away. “You’re right. Art is my world, and I would do anything to make sure I can keep doing it.”

His gaze darkened. Suddenly, he looked at her like she was a piece of art.

Get out, Emerson. Before it’s too late.

She turned and headed toward the door, and immediately Tyler’s thick arm slid around her waist, taking her weight.

It wasn’t completely dark outside when they left, but by the time they got to her place, it was. It was the kind of dark where there wasn’t even a moon or star in the sky to brighten the ground in front of you. Fortunately, Tyler didn’t question her when she turned on her phone’s flashlight before she climbed out of the car. Or when she stuck close to him and put all her focus on the beam of light.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally flipped the switch to illuminate the kitchen and living area. She turned off the flashlight and set her phone on the island before giving her attention to Tyler. He stood by the half-closed door, again doing that “watching her too closely” thing. He was good at that.

“I’m sorry it was another wasted day,” she said quietly.

There’d been no sightings of Levi. Not on their walk or at the park. And not at The Grind, although she’d watched outside the window the entire freaking time.

“We have time.” The deep rumble of his voice washed over her skin.

Did they? Every day that passed made her worry that Levi was falling deeper into the dark space in which he’d found himself. She constantly wondered if he’d hurt anyone. Done anything he would regret later.

She didn’t share any of those fears with Tyler. “Maybe tomorrow.”

He stepped closer…and it was like a repeat of the other night. The slowing of her breath. The thumping of her heart.

He’d just touched her hip when the lights suddenly flashed off in the living room.

Her reaction was instant.

Throat closed.

Heart raced.

A roar blasted between her ears.

“Emerson?”

Phone. Flashlight.

She ran her fingers over the kitchen island in desperation.

She needed her phone! She swept things off the surface, her movements clumsy.

“Hey…Emerson…”

A hand touched her waist, and her entire body jolted.

“I can’t…breathe!” she gasped.

No phone.

The panic was closing in, but she frantically shoved it away. She couldn’t let herself drown in her fear. She’d seen a therapist for this. She knew what to do.

Deep breaths were key.

In…and out…

Next, she forced her muscles to relax. First her shoulders. Then her jaw. She was just unclenching her fingers when light hit her closed eyelids.

She opened her eyes. Tyler stood beside her, at first a blur, then she blinked. He held his cell, the flashlight on. His expression was soft, worried.

“Are you okay?”

No. She wasn’t. And she hated that he’d seen her like that.

Embarrassment heated her cheeks. “I’m okay.” A whispered lie. Another to add to the tally she was telling this man.

“Can I touch you?”

She swallowed. There was still a shake in her limbs and fear swimming in her belly, but she wanted his touch. She wanted everything he could give her. Warmth. Safety.

“Yes,” she whispered.

He took a small step closer, setting his phone on the counter so the flashlight shone at the ceiling. Then he touched her hip with one hand and cupped her cheek with the other. “There you are.”

The heat of his hands… God, she wanted to let it thaw every inch of the ice inside her. To pull the ragged edges of her brokenness back together.

So instead of stepping away like she knew she should, instead of creating space between them, she stepped closer. His ribs were solid, warm against her fingers, and she touched her forehead to his chest. His arms wrapped around her.

And there it was. Protection. Calm. Peace.

The lights flicked back on, but she didn’t lift her head, and Tyler didn’t lower his arms. He knew she needed him. Knew she needed them to remain exactly as they were just for a bit longer.

Eventually, she’d lift her head. Check the fuse panel. Give Mrs. Henry a call. But for now, clutching Tyler was all she had the strength to do.