Page 8 of Second Chance Savior

“River?”

“You’re in your condo right now. Correct?”

I glanced around at the empty room. Cleo was sound asleep. Everything else was normal. “Y-yes. Why? How’d you even know that? What’s this about?”

“I need you to listen to me, okay? You’re in danger.”

CHAPTER THREE

Charlotte

“Charlie? Are you there?”

I hadn’t responded yet. Hadn’t been able to. But I forced myself to move past the shock.

“How am I in danger? Be specific.”

“I’m sending you a link. It’ll open a secure chat.”

I jumped up from the couch, waving my hands, though he couldn’t see me. “Wait. Hold on. How do I know you’re really River Kwon?” I’d recognized his voice, but that could be faked.

“Good on you for checking. The summer you were sixteen, you twisted your ankle on the hillside below your house. I carried you on my back through the rain.”

Memories flooded my mind.Cold raindrops soaking my clothes. The warmth of River’s skin as he held me.

“Okay, I believe it’s you,” I said quickly, before he could add anything else. “Where’s the link?”

The phone chimed in my hand. A text. I clicked on the link, and a window opened with a video chat.

And suddenly, there was River.

A hint of stubble. Messy dark hair. He wore a pair ofblack-framed glasses, which didn’t hide the shadows under his eyes. Tight lines of concern etched around his mouth, which wasn’t curved up in his usual smirk or smile.

Yet those lines softened, and his eyes brightened when my image loaded on the screen. And he looked that much more like the River I remembered.

I smoothed my fingers through my hair.

“Hey, Charlie. This isn’t the way I’d expected us to meet again.”

You expected us to meet again?That was news to me.

“Please tell me what’s going on,” I said.

“It’s complicated. I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can here, plus trying to reach you, but I need to get on the road as soon as possible. I’m coming to Denver.”

“Wait, where are you?”

“Hartley.”

“Hartley,Colorado?” The last I’d heard, River had been either in DC or abroad.

“Yes. Long story. I’ll explain, but I need you to stay put until I’m there. I’ve learned about a threat against you, and it’s imminent. The window is the next few days.”

“What kind of threat?”

“Like I said, I’ll?—”

“River, what threat?”

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