I set off to shut off the lights when a light knock at the door stops me in place.
Fear buckles through me.
I want it to be Liam as much as I don’t want it to be.
I don’t even know what I’d say to him at this point.
Another knock turns me around because I can’t ignore it.
The man standing on the other side of the door is tall with black hair.
I inch closer and point at my watch, signaling to him that the store is closed for the day.
He points at the handle and tugs at it.
I shake my head and mouth the words, “ we’re closed .”
His hand disappears inside his suit jacket, and for the briefest of moments, I wonder if he’s about to rob me.
Something gold flashes in the air, but it’s not a weapon.
It’s a police badge.
I take a step closer to the door.
He raps his fist against it harder. “Open the door.”
I do as he asks. I rush the rest of the distance to the door and flip the lock open.
He’s yanked the door open before I have a chance to give it a push.
“Are you Athena?” He brushes past me. “You’re Athena, aren’t you?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Thank Christ.” He pushes a hand through his hair. “We’ve been trying to find you for days.”
I study his face and his bright blue eyes. Why does he look familiar to me?
“You’ve been trying to find me?”
“It’s Liam.” His voice cracks. “Something happened.”
A sudden wave of nausea hits me with so much force that I stumble forward.
The man reaches both hands to steady me. “Are you alright?”
“Liam,” I whisper his name. “Is he alright?”
“I need you to come with me.” He jerks a thumb to a car parked on the street in front of the store. “Get what you need and come with me now.”
I don’t ask another question.
I race to grab my bag and my purse. With shaking hands, I lock the shop’s door and slide into the front seat of the sedan next to the black-haired man.
Once the car starts and he’s pulled out into the street, he glances at me. “I’m Sebastian Wolf. I’m Liam’s brother.”
The question I want to ask is buried beneath the lump in my throat.