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“Maybe he was a blend of both.”

“Maybe.” I eat a French fry. “Mrs. Shelly has ruined me for normal French fries,” I say, trying to lighten the mood. “She did show me how, so I’m hoping to replicate it someday.”

“Dahlia.”

I turn toward Ryker. “I really am okay. It just kind of darkened my mood a bit.” Closing my eyes, I fight back the emotion that’s been burning ever since. “I know everything is going to be okay. It’s just a struggle day.”

“You don’t have to struggle alone,” he says softly, his thumb brushing over the top of my hand.

“I know.” After drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I turn my head to look at him. “I don’t want to be any more of a burden than I already feel like.”

“A burden? Are you serious?”

“Well, yeah. I mean you dropped your whole life, and now your brother is—” I’m cut off when Ryker cups my face and presses his lips to mine. The kiss is tender at first, his mouth stoking a fire that burns only for him.

I grip his wrist and hold him close, this moment between us is needed far more than even I could understand.

When he pulls away, he doesn’t go far. Ryker rests his forehead against mine.

“Dahlia, you will never be a burden. Finding you in that river was the best thing,” he says softly. “You have no idea what you already mean to me, and it’s only been a matter of a few days.”

What will it be like a week from now?

A month?

A year?

Will we even last that long? Or will whatever is between us fade as soon as the danger is gone?

I shove those questions aside because all that matters is right here, right now.

And even if it doesn’t make any logical sense in a timeline sort of way, I feel as though I’ve known Ryker Granger my entire life. Or, maybe it’s that my life didn’t really begin until I met him.

That I didn’t start living until the night I nearly died.

“I feel the same,” I whisper to him as I tilt my face up. “But even though I’m trying not to be, I’m scared.”

“I know you’re trying to be strong, and you are so strong. It’s okay to feel that pain, though. Just don’t let it draw your eyes away from the only One who can calm the storm.”

His words lift a bit of the weight from me, and I smile. “God sent you to me, Ryker Granger. You know that?”

“Nah, you have that backward. He delivered you to me, Dahlia. And I will thank Him for that for the rest of my life.” He winks at me, and the warmth in my belly burns so hot I have to take a deep breath just to let off some steam.

Whoa, the things this man makes me feel.

“I don’t mean to interrupt whatever this is, but I can only wait outside so long before my food gets cold.” Presley comes in, and Ryker pulls away. But not before his gaze pins me with a promise that we’ll continue the conversation.

I can’t wait.

“What do you want to do with her?” José questions. “We get rid of her now and⁠—”

“No. It has to look like an accident,” the other man replies.

“Please let me go,” I whimper. “Please.” I stare up at them from the chair they’ve strapped me to.

“Your grandfather brought this on himself.”

“Grandpa? He’s dead. What does he have to do with this?”