And that right there should’ve been all I needed to back away and admit Cole was right, it was time I stepped back.

I was in too deep with a woman I knew nothing about.

“Don’t say stupid shit. You know I know you better than that,” I fumed. “I’m working this, and I need you to trust I know what I’m doing.”

There was a beat of silence before Cole returned, “Now who’s talking stupid shit? This isn’t about trust, Asher. This is about looking out for a brother when he’s drowning in a woman who’s tangled up in something unknown. I get you’re adamant she’s clean. I get you’re the one who sees her at work. But we still don’t know what the fuck is happening at that club and we don’t know who’s involved and who is there to have a good time. The only thing we know is if something illegal is happening, it’s not out in the open. But that doesn’t negate the fact it still might be happening, and Sloane Ellis might not be who you think she is. But right now, I’m not thinking about the case or the shit we don’t know about. I’m thinking about you and how deep you are with her and why that is. I’m offering you an out. If you need it, take it. If you got your shit squared away, then continue.”

Unsurprisingly, Cole had paid attention. Either that or I was seriously off my game.

“I’m squared away,” I semi-lied.

“You’re not, Ash.” Again, it didn’t surprise me that Cole called me on my shit. “But I got your back with that, too.”

He would have my back. That was Cole—loyal to the end. A man who’d never desert a friend even if he disagreed with him.

I didn’t bother denying I was drowning. I’d argue I wouldn’t need him to watch my back while I tried to keep my head above the murky waters I’d found myself in.

The truth was, I needed Cole to keep me from fucking up the investigation.

“Appreciate it.”

“Anytime. You know that.”

I did and he knew I did, so there was nothing to say to that.

4

Agreeing to have dinner with Adam might’ve been the second stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Thinking I could find Elise was the absolute stupidest. I was getting nowhere. I had nothing. And every time I went to work, I felt a little more of my soul being chipped away because it meant it was another day my friend was missing. But sitting across from Adam, alone without work between us, was going to not only be difficult—it was going to be dangerous.

I had a new plan. It hatched as I was trying to come up with the words to reject Adam’s offer to help plan a party. It wasn’t the work that was the problem, it was spending time with a man who I’d come to the conclusion I hated. It was wholly irrational and dramatic. I didn’t truly hate the man—I hated that I was attracted to him. I hated that on more than one occasion I’d caught Adam staring at me with blatant interest. But mostly I hated the times he caught me staring at him as he made his way to one of the viewing rooms, and his face gentled and his eyes held what looked like an apology. Of course, I was probably seeing what I wanted to see but I still hated it.