Chapter 7

 The Watcher

Noah's POV

The photograph made my blood run cold.

Liam stood in the glow of the city lights, one hand resting against the edge of his living room window.

He looked exhausted, broken and completely unaware that someone had taken that picture from inside his own building. The timestamp in the corner read:

11:47 P.M.

Less than two minutes ago. I slammed the brakes, and the truck skidded to the side of the empty street, tires screeching against the asphalt. "No..."

The SUV behind me shot past without slowing down, they hadn't been following me anymore. But they wanted me distracted and I had fallen for it. I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white.

Think fast, panicking wouldn't help Liam.

I enlarged the photograph. And there, in the reflection of the hallway mirror behind Liam…a shadow, barely visible.

Someone standing just outside his apartment door, watching and waiting.

They hadn't gone inside, not yet. My heart hammered against my ribs.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Liam's number. One ring, two and three. Come on...voicemail. "Damn it!" I called again, but the number went straight to voicemail.

Either he'd silenced his phone...or someone had. I threw the truck into gear and made a sharp U-turn. Every red light became a suggestion, and every speed limit disappeared.

My only thought was getting back before whoever was outside that apartment made their move. Twenty minutes earlier...I should never have left.

The thought kept replaying in my head, now I know better. The moment I saw the SUV, every instinct told me tonight wasn't over.

Yet I'd driven away, because someone wanted me to. And because someone understood exactly how I think. That realization terrified me more than anything else.

This wasn't random, someone was anticipating my moves. Which meant...they knew me. My phone vibrated again, I looked at it, it was another unknown message. You're too late.

I deleted it without replying. And instantly, another arrived. You can't protect him forever. I deleted it again. And another came in. Ask yourself why Holt wants him alive.

My jaw tightened, he wants him alive?

Not even ruined and not exposed but alive.

That single word changed everything. Until now, I'd believed this was about Liam's hockey career.

His reputation, and his future contract. But if the people behind this wanted him alive...then Liam was worth more to them than I'd feared.

Far more, the apartment building came into view. I killed my headlights two blocks away and parked in the shadows. The black SUV was gone, too clean and too fast.

I scanned every floor, and most of the windows were dark. Liam's apartment remained black. Good, I sighed. Maybe he had stayed away from the windows, or maybe...I forced that thought away.

I crossed the street on foot, keeping to the darkness between parked cars. Years of hockey had made me fast, and years of something else had taught me how not to be seen.

The lobby was empty, and the night security guard looked up from his phone.

"Evening." He greeted me, and I nodded.

"Forgot something upstairs." He barely glanced at me, that's perfect. The elevator was too slow, so I took the stairs, fourth floor. And I took three steps at a time.

By the time I reached the landing, my breathing had quickened—not from exhaustion, but anticipation. The hallway was silent, but apartment 4B... was dark.

Apartment 4C...was also dark, but Liam's apartment. A thin line of light glowed inside the door. I frowned, because the lights had been off.

Slowly, I approached, and then I heard it.

A voice, not Liam's but it's male and low.

Talking inside the apartment, and another voice answered.

This one was Liam's. I couldn't make out the words, but only the tone. Confused, and guarded. Every muscle in my body tensed.

Who could be in there? I asked myself. Liam hadn't opened that door for me, so why would he open it for someone else?

I reached for the doorknob—and froze. Because a tiny red light blinked above the frame, but barely noticeable, it's a miniature camera.

Someone had installed surveillance outside Liam's apartment recently, professional equipment. I slowly lowered my hand, walking through that door now would tell whoever was watching exactly where my loyalties lay.

I had seconds to choose. Kick the door in...or stay hidden and learn who had gotten to Liam first.

Then the apartment door handle slowly began to turn from the inside...