🗝️Detective Ryker Viltarin must uncover dark secrets before he loses not only his heart but also his life.🗝️
You're on your own, far from home
The wind is blowing in the top of the pines
A gloomy sky where the sun never shines
Deep...
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Unconsciously, Ryker swallowed and felt a strange warmth rise from beneath the cold on his skin and creep into his face. For a second, he felt the urge to avert his gaze in unaccustomed embarrassment. Instead, he stared back.
A delicate blush was visibly spreading across Eve's cheeks, which looked far too good on her. Although she neither moved nor raised her hands, he could literally feel her gaze glide over his bare skin like a gentle touch. He paused on it and another hot, cold shiver ran down his spine.
Now he averted his eyes. He slid to the side, clinging to something. The seconds stretched out. But not like in the lake, agonizing or cruel. More like amber-colored resin in the summer sun or sweet syrup. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. Instinctively, he turned his head - and it went dark around him.
The blanket landed right in his face, and he almost stumbled back because it caught him off guard. Presumably, he had done the same, though, so... Fair enough.
"It's okay," Ray heard her stammer and quickly wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. Since his right hand was still shaking, Ray held it in front of his chest with his left. The wool tickled his bare skin, but he could already feel himself getting warmer.
"Sit down, you need to warm up."
Ray nodded slightly, pushed himself heavily off the wooden frame of the doorway to the living room and limped to the fireplace. He was immediately struck by the warmth and smell of the crackling fire, into which Eve was adding a log before scurrying off towards the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Ray sat down next to Liam, but didn't miss the opportunity to gently tousle his light brown hair first.
Slowly, the boy's gaze lifted from the dancing flames and he gave the little boy an encouraging, friendly smile. His cheeks were flushed, either still from the cold or now from the warmth. Either way, he looked much more alive and no longer as frighteningly pale as he had been in the water.
As soon as he sat down, a new coughing fit constricted his chest, and Ray squeezed his eyes shut as the pain washed back into his limbs like driftwood on the beach.
