Page 15 of Big Forbidden Blacksmith

“No, and it’s a woman.”

Another pause before he bursts out laughing. “Youdoknow that people use social media for that, right?”

“Ethan,” I growl lowly at him.

“I know you’re allergic to technology but you’re in your mid-thirties or whatever, right? In this day and age, you should at least havesomeonline presence. I couldn’t fucking find you online when I went looking a few years back.”

That’s because I didn’t want to be found, but he doesn’t need to know that right now.

“You gonna keep busting my balls about this or are you going to help me?” I grit at him, my patience running thin.

“Fine, what’s the girl’s name? I’ll look her up for you online.”

“That won’t work. I need to know her physical location. It’s urgent.”

“Why?”

“Seriously?”

“Look man, I know you were solid in the service but five years is a long time. How do I know you’re not stalking this girl?”

“I’m not,” I say. “I’d shoot my own toes off one by one before I’d lay a finger on her. She was staying with me, but she left with a friend, and she didn’t bother telling me where that is. Her safety is my top priority which is why I called you to help me locate her and not some incompetent sheriff out here. Now will you help me or not?”

Ethan seems to contemplate my request for a while because he falls silent once more. I know it’s an odd request to make, but this is the most effective way to find her. I can’t leave things to chance, not when she’s involved.

Finally, my former brother-at-arms speaks. “What was your girl’s name again?

Chapter 7

Lara

I miss him.

Is that pathetic? To miss a man you’ve only knew for one day?

Perhaps Ishouldhave taken Ashley’s offer to stay at her family’s ranch, but I told her I’d had enough of the country after the ordeal I’d had. It’s the truth, but that was only part of it. What I really wanted was space. I was convinced I was losing my mind, caring for Knox as deeply as I was. Instead, this has just confirmed that my feelings for him are real.

I’ve left him behind and it’s like I’ve lost a part of myself.

What makes it worse is that I’m sure he felt the same, and now he must think I hate him. I’ve betrayed the only man that’s ever made me feel like this. It’s been days since I left but I can still feel his touch like it was yesterday.

Because the city hasn’t worked, I thought it would help to go to my studio, but it hasn’t. I’ve been staring at a blank canvas for nearly an hour and I’ve got nothing to show for it. Walking around the studio and thinking only helped move my mind to thoughts of him. Looking at my other works in progress has only made it worse.

Knox is the only work of art I want to look at right now.

“I’ve never felt as invisible as I do right now,” someone say behind me. I whirl around to find my younger cousin leaning on my studio’s door frame.

“Oh, Briar. I’m sorry,” I murmur, running my fingers through my hair as guilt washes over me.

I forgot she said she’d stop by now that I was back in town. Briar and I are practically sisters because we were raised around each other. Her parents are in big business just like mine, but like me, she hasn’t felt the urge to go into management or whatever. No, she’s too smart for that. Once she got to college, she found a passion for science and decided to major in chemical engineering. After I’d told her bits and pieces about my accidental adventure, she dropped all of her plans to come see me.

“Everything alright?” she asks, her voice soft and careful. She must sense I’m feeling out of it.

I give her a shrug. “You know I get when I feel blocked.”

“This feels a little bit more significant than your usual creative block.”

I close my eyes and let out a deep sigh. How can she just see right through me like this?

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