Noah didn’t need to finish his thought. I already knew what he was going to say, what this morning implied. It started to fall into place, the picture becoming clear.

It was Robby. Noah’s neighbor, his onetime fling, and his obsessive stalker.

Robby had eyes on us. He had made sure to keep watch, and he’d made sure to keep the pressure on. He’d been obsessed with Noah since they hooked up but likely didn’t decide to act on it until I entered the picture, increasing the heat on our relationship in hopes that we’d break up and Noah would go running to him.

“We need to tell the police,” Noah said, sniffling and rubbing at his face. His cheeks were pink, his pupils blown wide with fear. I didn’t have to have my hand on his chest to know his heart was beating at an unhealthy pace. “Is that what Yvette’s doing?”

“She’s calling her sister. She’s the lawyer,” Tia explained. “She wants to sue Robby into the ground.”

Noah shook his head. “That won’t work. This guy’s crazy—he’s insane. He needs the law, not the legal system.”

“Those are one and the same,” Eric said. “The cops won’t be able to arrest Robby without any cause. We willingly stayed in his parents’ cabin. He can say he wasn’t even aware of the cameras, and the police would have to thank him for cooperating and leave.”

“But if I sue that fucking asshole, then maybe he can learn a lesson,” Yvette said, steam rising off her shoulders from how angry she was.

Noah rubbed at the bridge of his nose. I could see him spiraling. He started to bite at his nails, something he only ever did when his back was up against the wall. I rubbed his elbows, but I knew that nothing I could say or do in this moment would help ease his worries.

“I’m going to call him,” Noah suddenly said, pulling out his phone. “I’m just going to have to call him.”

“Wait, hold on, hold on.” Tristan had his arms raised as if he were negotiating with someone who’d threatened to blow a bomb. “Let’s not give the crazy and unhinged stalker a heads-up that we’re onto him.”

“Tristan’s right,” Eric said.

“Then what the hell do I do? Just lie down and wait for him to abduct me?” Noah’s face turned cherry red. A vein in his forehead throbbed, his eyes snapping shut as he rubbed his nose again.