COLE POV
There was something in Ivan’s eyes I didn’t like one bit. I’d had a tight knot of anxiety in my chest ever since I left the date, encouraging Ivan to take Miranda to the police station.
“Thanks for meeting me,”Ivan said seriously, already frowning. “I think we need to discuss Miranda and everything that’s happening with her.”
“After that date? Yeah, there’s a lot we need to talk about.” I threw my hands in air in frustration. “I just can’t figure out why you were there. Did you seriously not realize she was talking to you as if you were me?”
He stared at me in shock before he replied. “I wasn’t really talking about that. I meant the fact that she thinks it’s her ex-fiancé who killed the woman who was found in the lake.”
Guilt flooded me. I was a little too worked up about the whole date thing, causing me to put the real issue on the back burner. Of course we needed to focus on the murders first. Especially since Miranda was likely in a lot of danger.
“Right, right, of course.” I nodded as if I hadn’t forgotten all about Miranda’s sad confession. “So, what happened when you got to the police station? What did the chief say?”
Ivan sighed heavily. “He’s going to look in to it. I’ve also got him convinced that it might be linked to the burglaries.”
“And how is Miranda coping with all of this? Is she doing okay?”
Ivan shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she’s struggling with it all. She doesn’t feel safe.”
“We should do more to protect her,” I muttered. I really did feel like shit for the way I hadn’t cared enough about anything other than the competition with my brother. I really was an asshole. I was starting to wonder if I even deserved her. Not that it was enough to make me back down.
“I was going to suggest the same thing, say that we should ask her if she wants us to be around more so she isn’t alone. I mean, she’s new here in town, she doesn’t know anyone but us. Well, I mean, she probably does, but I still think we should—”
“Before we get to all of that, I think there is something I should say,” Ivan interrupted me, and my chest felt tight once more. I had a feeling I knew exactly what Ivan was going to say, but that didn’t not make it a bitter pill to swallow. “After I took Miranda home once she’d talked to the police, she was all emotional and worked up. I went inside with her and things…got heated.”
Fuck.I wanted to scream. This was all too fucking much. I was the one who originally met Miranda and had an instant connection with her. If she hadn’t accidently run into Ivan in Deon’s Diner and mistook him for me, Ivan wouldn’t have even been at the trattoria. Miranda and I would have had a nice date and I would have been the one who went home with her.
I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my cool as rage rolled through my body. It wasn’t fucking fair. I really liked Miranda. She was the first person I had really felt that spark with in a very long time. Maybe I should have taken this moment bow out and let Ivan take his shot with her, but I honestly did not want to give up on Miranda. I just knew she was worth fighting for. Even if I had to have this battle with my brother.
“Before you lose your mind, Cole, just know that Miranda really does like you. I know things got a little crazy with me and her, but I know she has feelings for you too.”
All the anger I held toward Ivan shone in my eyes. He had to feel it, had to sense it was there, but he didn’t back down. He glared right back at me, accepting the challenge.
“Well, whatever,” I said with a blasé shrug, as if I hadn’t just stared my brother down with contempt. “We need to concentrate on keeping Miranda safe. Also on making sure the cops catch this killer. What do you know about it? Did you find out if the burglaries are linked?”
“The fingerprints are being tested as we speak. The system just takes time.”
That always frustrated me, but now it made my teeth grind together with a burning hot rage unlike anything I’d ever felt before. How could the police take such a long time to deal with shit when there were actual lives in danger here? Miranda’s life at that. There had to be other she-wolves out there frightened as well, waiting for the predator to chase them down.
“Okay, well, I will go to Miranda first.” I needed to see her. To really see her. I couldn’t let Ivan anywhere near her until I knew what was going on with us. “I’m sure you have work to do. I can head over to Miranda’s now and let her know we are going to be there for her so she knows she’s safe. I don’t want her to worry anymore.”
Ivan nodded, accepting this, but I wasn’t sure he was happy about it. This awkward tension between us wasn’t going to shift until we knew what was going on. I wasn’t about to pressure Miranda, but I really hoped she didn’t take a long time to pick me.
We separated, him going his way, and me going mine. Hopefully this awkwardness wouldn’t last forever, and with a bit of luck, it would even bring us closer. It would be nice to have an actual twin bond with him. It had been a long time since we’d gotten along so well.
* * *
“I actually had a good time today.”Miranda giggled as we ended our hike through the fields on the outskirts of town. “Thank you for getting me out. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere today because I have been feeling so low, but you were right. Sunshine did lift my spirits. You know what you’re doing. I’ll make sure I listen to you in the future.”
I reached out and touched her cheek gently, grateful to see a bit of color there. She looked was so pale and sad when I first saw her. She didn’t even want to hear me out about Ivan and me looking after her. It seemed like she had changed her mind about everything and instead was thinking about running off again, hiding from him.
It was just lucky that she couldn’t afford to leave, because it meant we had a chance. We could look after her and keep that asshole ex-fiancé away from her.
“You’re looking happier,” I said with a smile. “Any time you want to go out for a walk like that, I’m up for it. We can have a really great time whenever you want.”
The soft smile playing on her lips made my heart sing. This was why I couldn’t give her up, no matter how much Ivan liked her, because this was the closest I’d felt to real adoration in a very long time. The most intense feelings I’d ever had coursing through my body. I could not get enough of Miranda.
“Well, I better get home. Timothy will be home from his play date soon, and he’ll be wanting dinner, so I—oh my God.” She clapped her hands to her mouth. “Shit, look at that. My car tires. They are all slashed. This has to be him. He’s found me.”