Chapter 33 Of Lakes And Lies

• Ric reaches for my hand, his fingers slipping into mine as we stand by the large window in the kitchen overlooking the shimmering lake. “Come on,” he says, his voice insistent, and his eyes unyielding. “Guide me there.”
• There’s something soothing about the warmth of his palm against mine, but it also sends a flicker of unease through me that makes me sweat. My thoughts twist as I follow him out of the house and into the greenery, watching the confident way he moves, the fluidity of his steps. He’s confident, sexy even — something I’ve known since the moment I first saw him, but there’s a dangerous edge to him now that wasn’t there the first night we met. It’s no longer the kind of thrill that makes my heart race with excitement — it’s a quiet warning.
• ‘Be careful with your heart, Natalie,’ my mother’s voice suddenly echoes inside my mind.