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“Don’t get me wrong. What you just said… it’s nice, but there’s something else we need to talk about.” My pulse pounded in my ears as she reached into her purse and pulled out a handful of photos. “When you left yesterday, I found these in the mailbox. I didn’t know what to do about them, but I figured we could talk about it tonight.”

There was no way of preparing myself for a surprise like this one. I flipped the photo over, my breath catching as I saw the looping script scrawled across the back. The words stared back at me, sharp and unrelenting, like a slap I hadn’t braced for. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t just the ink on paper—it was a dagger, twisting.

“You should’ve told me about this right away.” Looking up from the images, I asked, “Did you call the police?”

“And tell them what? That’s the thing. There’s no open threat, so what could they do?”

“You don’t get it,” I said with a sigh. “This involves me, which means they will pay more attention than they would otherwise.”

“You think so?”

That was the thing. I didn’t know what to think. How could I think at all now that I knew this vague threat existed? “Let’s get out of here,” I decided, pushing my chair away from the table. Any hope of going through with the night I’d planned was out the window anyway.

Wary, she asked, “Where do you want to go?”

There was only one answer. “Where is Liam?”

“At home, probably in bed by now.” She stood once I did the same, following my lead.

“That’s where we’re going.” I wouldn’t rest unless I knew he was safe. My son. How could she have not told me? With a hand against the small of her back, I steered her toward the door. “Has there been anything else unusual lately? Anything you might have brushed off at the time?”

“Oh shit.” We were barely outside when she came to a stop, slapping her palm to her forehead. “The night before we opened. It was all so crazy and busy, and you were having dinner with the people from the Luxor. Somebody slashed my tires.”

“What?” I barked loudly enough to make heads turn. Ignoring them, I demanded, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I genuinely didn’t think about it after it happened. There were a few other things going on, you know.” How she could give me an attitude at a moment like this was a complete mystery. It was a fight to keep my mouth shut until we were in the car, where I gritted out Winter’s address for the driver before angrily slamming myself against the seat.

“I’m having a hard time understanding why you would keep this under your hat the way you did instead of telling me immediately,” I muttered. “We could have the police on this by now.”

“I didn’t know what to do.” She practically plastered herself to the opposite door, arms folded, legs crossed. Her body language screamed don’t touch.

“You have a child to think about.”

Shit! That was a mistake. I knew it the moment her eyes narrowed to slits.

“Oh, do I? Thank you so much for reminding me. You know, I tend to forget.”

“You know what I’m saying.”

“No, I don’t think I do,” she retorted. “Please. Explain it for me. What are you driving at?”

Fine, then. “I would think you would consider him first.”

“Let’s get one thing straight, here and now. I have put him first since the moment I knew he existed, okay? And let’s be honest,” she added with something close to a sneer, her lip lifting, her tone withering. “I never had to worry about anything like this until now. I’m not exactly experienced when it comes to receiving threats. Maybe it would’ve been better if I never told you, after all.”

She meant it. I heard it, felt it, and almost shivered, thanks to the ice in her tone.

“So this is my fault? That’s what you’re saying.”

“You’re putting words in my mouth. I don’t blame you.”

“Bullshit,” I spat. “You are blaming me.”

She merely lifted a shoulder before turning away, staring out the window.

She could have had a point. This was probably my fault somehow. If she had never become involved with me, Liam would be in no danger now. From whom? I couldn’t say, but I wouldn’t give up until I knew and took care of them in one way or another.

For the time being, it was enough to reach the house and rush inside.