It’s been a few weeks since Ryder took his last drink. Not only has he finally started going to the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings required for work, he’s been reaching out to his mom. She’s helped him more than he ever thought possible with his addiction. Without planning on it, he’s started building a relationship with her.

His relationship with Vanessa has become nonexistent, and if he’s truly honest with himself, he didn’t miss her. He felt like scum, but she was only a distraction from the empty feeling he’d had since Parker left, and she deserved better than that. He had to let her go for the both of them.

It was hard not going to the bar, and it was even harder watching Mason throw every bottle of beer and liquor he had down the drain. But he was determined to get his life back, and this was the first step he needed to take. He was working out again, and he even started spending time with the guys from the station. Mack was slowly coming around, but the cold shoulder still made an appearance.

Lacing up his running shoes, he took off down the street for his evening run. He ran two loops around the town and came back down his street, seeing Parker’s car outside Paige’s house again. He stops suddenly as the butterflies go crazy in his stomach, and he needs to catch his breath. Could he really win her back?

The next morning, he places a box on Paige’s porch after Parker left for her morning run. Some habits never change. Even with a psycho brother who’s out for blood. Rushing back home, he waits for her to return and find it. Sure enough, she picks it up, reads the note, and heads inside.

Twenty minutes later, she knocks on the front door of the house he used to believe would be theirs one day. Her hair is still damp from her shower, and memories flood back to him of all of the things they’d do in the shower after her morning runs.

“Hey.”

“Do you mean it?”

“What?”

“The letter.”

“Yes. Park, I’m so sorry. For everything. For so many things I can’t even put them all into words. I don’t think there are words for it. And for what it’s worth, I doubt anything happened between V and I that night.”

“We can talk about that another time.” She looks away and takes a deep breath. Ryder knows the memory hurts her still.

“As happy as I am to see you in town, I feel like your brother is the reason.”

“Yeah, I gave the newest letter to Sam last night.”

“Let’s go,” Ryder says. “Do you want to drive or should we take the bike?”

“The bike. Believe it or not, I actually miss it.”

“Anything you want, kid,” he smiles using her old nickname again. “And I’m one-hundred percent sober. Going on twenty-five days today.”

“I’m happy for you.”

They walk to the bike, and Parker stands next to him as he starts it and hands her the helmet he bought her shortly after her parent’s funeral. “You kept it?”

“I always hoped you’d come back and use it again,” he says before putting his own on.

Parker hops on the back and wraps her arms around his waist. He can feel his cock twitch, and he tries to think about anything else besides her body pressed against his back and her hands just inches from his stiffening erection.

As they walk in, everyone turns to look at them. “Come back to be a cop again, finally?” Mack’s anger has a tendency to come and go. Today it’s decided to come.

“Soon,” Sam says. “He’s putting in the work.”

“Great.” Mack rolls his eyes.

“Still pissed at you?” Parker whispers.

“Varies day by day. Today, yes.”

“I take it you want to see the letter?” Sam asks.

“Yeah, if it’s alright.”

“Here.” Sam holds out the letter.

Hey sis,

Grace didn’t have the desired effect I had hoped for. I guess Ryder just doesn’t care about anyone anymore. Guess I understand how that feels. I’m here, in a place that should be familiar, and yet, it feels foreign to me. Although, the more time I spend here, the more I feel comfortable. More comfortable than my prior digs, however. That place would never feel like the second home it should.

But I digress. I’ll have a new victim. Someone else who’s close to Ryder. It shouldn’t shock anyone, but he doesn’t have the largest pool for me to pick from. Kudos to him for that. He actually made my task slightly more difficult. It does force me to be creative, though. It took a little while, but I found her. Someone who’ll cut him deep. Not quite as deep as you, but still. Beggars can’t be choosers.

See you very soon baby sister,

K

“Who the fuck is he targeting now?” Scott asks.

“I feel like the person is right in front of us,” Parker says. “I can feel it.”

“Let’s get a list together. Although, it sounds like it’ll be short,” Ryder jokes.

“Who are you close to?” Mack asks. “I doubt he’d come after any of us. Not that we’re exactly on good terms, anyway.”

“Mason?” Sam offers.

“I don’t think so,” Parker says. “He’s always targeted women. Mason would be able to overpower him, especially with the way he likes to kill. He’d get no satisfaction from how he’d have to take out Mase.”

“I don’t think this is allowed to be said,” Travis says, “but really, the only person I can think of that he could off and truly affect Ryder is you, Park. No offense.”

“Considering my psycho secret brother killed women who looked like me as a sign of affection before trying to kill me because he felt like I betrayed him, I don’t think offense can be taken.”

“Do you think you’re in danger?” Ryder’s look of concern almost knocks the wind of her. How can he still have this affect on her?

“I don’t think so. He was very specific saying I’d be after you. Or maybe I’ll be the last target? Who knows?”

“Do we believe him?” Scott asks.

“He doesn’t lie. Besides, I think the underlying reason he’s going after Ryder’s friends is twofold. It’ll hurt him, which will in turn hurt me to see him that way. I think it’s safe to say I’m actually safe for the time being.”

“Me being hurt would hurt you?” Ryder looks right into her eyes.

“You being hurt in anyway is still my biggest fear,” Parker whispers.

“Parker, you’re the Kane expert. Mason? Yay or nay?”

“Nay. Someone once told me to follow my gut, and my gut says it’s not Mason.”

“Who else am I close to?”

Parker takes a minute to think and gasps. “Vanessa!”