Page 67 of Hard Knock Hero

Trace pointed at the plywood-covered window. “I’m guessing that’s courtesy of your ex’s family?”

“Yes. That’s why we were out tonight. Gathering evidence to use against them. We think the Rigsbys have some illegal enterprise going, but we’re not sure yet what it is.”

“We were out on a recon mission,” Aiden added.

“How’d it go?”

I glanced at Aiden. “We made it back,” he said.

“Okay, then.” Trace exhaled and shook his head. “Sorry it took me a while to get here. And I’m sorry about…everything you’ve been through.”

There was an awkward pause. I didn’t know what to say, and I was so worn out by everything that had happened today. Jeremy appearing, the drone surveillance, the warehouse.

And today was Aiden’slast day. It was awful of me, but I found myself wishing that Trace had taken a day longer.

“It hasn’t been that bad,” I said. “Aiden’s been helping me. I can tell you the rest when the sun’s up. We should all get some sleep.”

My brother looked at each of us in turn. I had no idea what was going on in his head. But finally, he nodded. “I’m not tired, so I might as well stay up and keep watch. Just in case your nighttime excursion prompts a response. The two of you can go ahead.” Then he started opening the kitchen cabinets and glancing through them. Making himself at home.

Aiden had a curious look. I just shook my head. When it came to my brother, I had very few answers.

* * *

“You didn’t tell me your brother is ex-military,” Aiden said.

We were taking turns brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed. Aiden had stripped down to his boxers. I was wearing an oversized Rolling Stones T-shirt.

I pulled the toothbrush from my mouth. “I didn’t?” I rinsed my mouth and the toothbrush, stepping out of the way so Aiden could do the same. “He was in the Army, like you, but it was a while back. He’s been doing some kind of work overseas for the government. Dispersing foreign aid money?” I waved my hand. “Something like that.”

Trace had always been an enigma to me. Not just because we hadn’t spent that much time together growing up. But when I’d called him a couple of weeks ago, desperate for any kind of assistance, he’d said he was in Virginia and agreed to come out. In some ways, I didn’t know much more about Trace than I did about Aiden.

“Yeah, you mentioned that part. But now, the impression I’m getting is totally different.” The look in Aiden’s eyes was sardonic. “Jessi, your brother is a spy.”

“Aspy? What are you talking about?”

“Aid work overseas? It’s no wonder there were no official records on him when Owen looked. Trace does something clandestine. Probably CIA. Or he did.”

I was shocked, but it did seem plausible. Trace was secretive enough for that. “And I just thought he didn’t like social media.”

“How long is he staying here in Hartley with you?”

“I don’t know. He wasn’t that specific. Before, I didn’t know who else to turn to. So I tried him. I was surprised when he actually said yes. I didn’t knowyouwere going to turn up.”

Aiden wrapped his arms around me. “Well, if I’m right about him, then he’s the kind of operative you want on your side. Even if you two aren’t close, I’m sure you’ll be in good hands.”

The rest went unsaid.When I’m gone.

I wasn’t ready for that. Everything was happening too fast. We’d just barely made headway in the investigation against the Rigsbys. We’d just barely started exploring each other, too. And Aiden was about to leave.

We finished up in the bathroom. Then he took my hands and walked me slowly into the bedroom. “Are you tired?”

“Yes. But I don’t want to sleep yet. I want to kiss you.”

“Easy enough to arrange.”

Aiden kept pulling on my hands until I’d walked into his arms. We shared slow, tender kisses, standing together at the foot of my bed. After all the stress of today, he relaxed me. Jeremy’s cruel words in the diner and the fraught moments by the warehouse when he and Chester had almost caught us—it all melted away in Aiden’s arms. My safe place.

I slid my hands along his bare chest to his stomach. The room was dark, and I regretted that. I wanted to see him. I had to memorize this man so I could call him up in my imagination later. Hopefully in my most vivid dreams.

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