Chapter 5: Exposed

After getting engaged to Natalie, I returned to work at the governor’s mansion.

The congratulatory pie from the neighbor ladies sat untouched on my kitchen counter. I didn’t have much appetite for celebration.

After night patrol, Derek dragged me into the security office with a grim face.

He slammed the door behind us, glancing out the window to make sure we were alone. The flickering overhead lights made his scowl look even more dramatic.

“Alex Foster! Are you out of your mind? You actually got involved with someone from the Magnolia Wing!”

His voice was low but fierce—like he was afraid the walls might have ears. I flinched, rubbing the back of my neck.

My heart skipped a beat. I’d been sneaking around for half a month—how did Derek know?

I ran through every conversation we’d had, every door I’d left unlocked. My mouth went dry.

Derek angrily twisted my ear. “You’re always so quiet, never even say a word when someone pushes you around, but you go and do something this big! Jamie just got assigned to serve that guy in the Magnolia Wing! He told Jamie that if you don’t come see him, he’ll make a scene in front of the governor and take you down with him!”

He let go of my ear and threw his hands up. “Man, you always fly under the radar, but this? This is nuclear. He’s got you by the short hairs.”

My heart turned cold.

This was bigger than just getting fired. If he blew the whistle, I’d be lucky to escape with my reputation intact.

The more beautiful someone is, the more dangerous they are.

I’d learned that lesson the hard way—never trust a pretty face. Still, my heart hadn’t gotten the memo.

What did I ever do to him?

It didn’t make sense. I’d helped, not hurt. But in this place, kindness was often mistaken for leverage.

We never even held hands or kissed, yet he wants my head. How is that fair?

I wondered if he even remembered the nights I sat by his bed, waiting for the fever to break.

Derek looked me up and down for a while, then said angrily, “If you like men, just spend some cash on a guy at the club and be done with it. Natalie is decent and won’t cause trouble. But you just had to go and get mixed up with the governor’s man. Go talk to him and slowly cut things off.”

He shoved a pack of gum at me. “You want excitement? Go skydiving. Don’t drag the rest of us into your mess.”

My head throbbed with frustration.

I pressed my fists to my temples, willing the headache to go away. If only things were as simple as Derek thought.

What did the summer storm say to Jamie? Clearly nothing happened between us, yet Derek looked at me like I’d gotten him pregnant.

The image was so absurd I almost laughed—almost. Instead, I ran a hand through my hair and tried to look anywhere but at Derek.

Derek pulled some strings and transferred me to the Magnolia Wing.

He handed me a new badge and a clipboard, making sure I understood this was my problem to fix now. “Don’t make me regret this, Foster.”

My stomach churned. This wasn’t a reassignment—it was a countdown.

I stormed into the summer storm’s room, ready to have a proper talk.

The door swung open, and I stomped in, determination fighting with dread in my chest.

He was sitting by the window drinking. When he saw me, he smiled.

He looked like sin and salvation wrapped in silk pajamas, legs draped over the windowsill, whiskey glass glinting in the afternoon sun.

I knelt before him with a thud, begging for mercy: “I was blinded by lust! Please be magnanimous and spare me—after all, I saved your life!”

The words tumbled out before I could stop them. I clasped my hands in mock prayer, hoping humor would soften him.

He rested his chin on his hand, those beautiful eyes scrutinizing me, as if deciding what to do with me.

His gaze felt like a scalpel, peeling back every excuse I’d ever made for myself. He didn’t say a word.

After a while, he asked, “Have you ever liked another man?”

The question caught me off guard. I hesitated, then nodded. “I have.”

His gaze turned icy, sharp as a knife. He asked again, “Did you like him more, or me?”

The air thickened between us. I picked at a loose thread on my sleeve, stalling for time.

How was I supposed to compare?

It felt impossible. Like choosing between lightning and rain—both dangerous, both beautiful.

My feelings for Caleb grew over time; for the summer storm, it was desire at first sight—they weren’t the same.

My history with Caleb was long, complicated, and unspoken. With the summer storm, it was all heat and hunger.

I sneaked a look at him and decided to lie. “I don’t like either of you now.”

It was a weak attempt, but I hoped it would end the questioning.

Actually, I like both.

The confession hovered on my lips, but I bit it back.

His eyebrows shot up, and he flung his whiskey glass at me. “Who said you could stop liking me!”

Glass shattered against the wall, amber liquid soaking into the carpet. He stood, eyes blazing. For a second, I thought he might actually turn me in. Or worse—kiss me.