Blurb:

Paige Ellison came to Beaver Creek for one reason—safety. After her husband’s sudden death exposed his ties to organized crime, Paige packed up her young son and left Boston behind. The small Vermont town promised a chance at normalcy, a place where Colin could grow up without past hovering behind them.

But shadows have a way of following. When someone breaks into her home and strange men start asking questions, Paige realizes Derek’s secrets didn’t die with him. And someone thinks she has what he left behind.

Levi Barrett doesn’t go looking for trouble. After years as a military cop, he’s content to bartend part-time, rebuild his motorcycle, and keep his demons in the garage where they belong. But when his new neighbor’s son wanders into his life—and danger follows close behind—Levi finds himself pulled into Paige’s fight.

As buried sins surface and threats close in, Paige and Levi must decide if they’re willing to trust each other. Because in Beaver Creek, even the quietest streets can hide the darkest deceptions.

This time, running won’t keep them safe.

Chapter 1

Paige Ellison glanced back at her seven-year-old son, Colin, slumped sideways in his car seat, mouth slightly open and snoring softly. His sneakers dangled loosely, one sock halfway down his heel. He looked younger when he slept, as if the weight of the world hadn’t yet reached him.

They were halfway to Beaver Creek, Vermont, rolling north on Route 100. The sun had slipped behind the mountains hours ago, leaving the tree line etched dark against the sky. The farther they drove, the more the world narrowed, everything else falling beyond the reach of her headlights.

The dashboard clock glowed too brightly in the dark. Her hands tightened on the wheel.

She told Colin they were taking a trip. Moving to the country for a while. He’d asked about cows. Horses. Chickens. If he could have a dog, maybe a cat.

Paige answered carefully, skirting the truth without lying outright. They wouldn’t have time to take care of animals, she’d said, though they’d probably see plenty of cows and horses.

Colin was quiet for a moment. Then he asked, “Are the bad guys there?”

“No,” she said quickly. “This is a safe place.”

He nodded once and didn’t ask anything else. That was the part that stayed with her. He knew they weren’t moving just because.

The farther north she drove, the quieter it became. No sirens. No traffic. Just the hum of her tires on the road as it curved through the mountains and tiny towns already dark for the night.

Their destination lay ahead. A place Paige had never seen in person, only on a map. Beaver Creek. Small. Remote. The rental agent promised to leave the keys to the house in the mailbox. Paige was grateful that Colin wouldn’t wake up confused and cold in the car.

Still, it unsettled her that safety came down to an address she barely knew, in a town she’d never heard of a month ago.

The house sat off a dirt road outside town, far enough from the highway that someone would have a hard time finding it by accident.

“You are approaching your final destination.”

Paige startled, a sharp breath catching in her chest.

God, she hoped it was a beginning, not a verdict.

Her mind had been too busy replaying everything she’d tried not to think about—the truth that had surfaced after her husband’s death.

They passed a couple of farmhouses with lights glowing behind drawn curtains. No traffic. No streetlamps. Just long shadows and open fields beyond the headlights. Paige slowed until she spotted the mailbox at the mouth of a narrow dirt road. The post leaned slightly; its faded numbers barely visible.

This was it.

She pulled over and stepped out of the car. The cold slammed into her immediately, sharp enough to make her breath catch.

Late October in Vermont wasn’t playing around. Colder than in the city, colder than she’d imagined. Paige hugged her jacket tight with one hand as she opened the mailbox. Her pulse kicked up hard.

Please be there.

Yes! The envelope sat inside. Plain, with just her name.

Paige’s shoulders eased as she reached in, fumbled the envelope open, felt the reassuring weight of the keys, and hurried back into the car just as Colin stirred in his seat.

She turned onto the gravel driveway, her tires crunching loudly in the quiet. The drive curved away from the road, disappearing into darkness before the house came into view. Paige pulled in front of the garage and sat there for a moment, engine running, and took a deep breath.

Up close, the porch steps sagged, and paint peeled along the trim.

Not unsafe. Just tired. Like her.

“Mommy?”

Colin kicked the back of the seat. “Are we there yet?”

She turned and smiled. “Yes. Are you ready for our next adventure?”

He nodded, rubbing his eyes. “Are there cows?”

“Silly goose,” she said gently. “It’s nighttime. All the cows are asleep.”

“Tomorrow,” she promised.

Paige walked around and unbuckled him. She shifted him higher on her hip and smiled against his hair. “You’re getting too big for this,” she whispered as she nudged the door closed behind them. “I’m going to need a forklift soon.”

“I’m not that big,” he mumbled against her shoulder.

“Humph. That’s what all the big guys say.”

Inside, the house smelled faintly of dust and stale air. Paige stepped in and shut the door with her heel. The sound echoed a little too loudly.

She paused in the entryway, holding Colin a little tighter than necessary. Memorizing the weight of him. Turned and locked the door.

The steps creaked in protest as they climbed the stairs to the bedrooms. At the top of the stairs, they walked down a narrow hall and found his bedroom. He sat on the bed as she tugged off his sneakers and pulled the quilt, she brought with her up to his chin. She kissed his forehead.

“Sleep tight, sweetheart,” she whispered.

Once she was sure Colin was tucked in and asleep, Paige stepped quietly outside for a moment. The faint rustle of wind moved through the pines. Night had settled over Beaver Creek, cold and still.

Through the branches, a faint light glowed in the distance. Paige gauged the distance automatically before double-checking the locks and heading upstairs. She sat on the edge of the bed and let herself breathe.

Just for a minute.

Just enough to believe they were safe.

Morning would come soon enough. And with it, everything she was running from.