Title: Unread Messages
An Edge-of-Your-Seat Suspense Thriller
.
.
.
.
.
An Edge-of-Your-Seat Suspense Thriller
Chapter 1: Delivered, Not Read
Lana wiped the knife clean, her breaths coming in short, uneven gasps. The apartment was dead silent except for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the occasional drip… drip… drip of blood onto the hardwood floor.
She stared at Mark’s lifeless body, his phone still clutched in her shaking hands. "Who the hell is she?" she had screamed before it happened. Now, he’d never answer.
The screen lit up.
Unknown Number: Hey, babe, you up?
Lana’s blood ran cold.
Her first thought: She doesn’t know yet.
Her second thought: Or does she?
She wanted to throw the phone across the room, pretend none of this was happening. But her hands moved on their own. She clicked the message. Three dots appeared, then disappeared. Then another message popped up.
Unknown Number: I know what you did, Lana.
Lana’s breath hitched. Her eyes darted to the corners of the apartment. The curtains were closed. The door was locked. There was no one here.
Then how the hell did they know?
A new notification. This time, a photo.
It was her—standing over Mark’s body, the knife in her hand.
Her stomach lurched. That wasn’t possible. No one else had been here. Had they?
The phone vibrated again.
Unknown Number: You shouldn’t have opened that phone.
A knock at the door made her jump.
Her heart slammed against her ribs. She stared at the door like it might come alive.
Another knock. Louder.
The phone buzzed in her hand again.
Unknown Number: Are you going to answer?
Lana’s fingers tightened around the handle of the knife.
Whoever was on the other side of that door… knew everything. And they weren’t leaving.
Chapter 2: Wrong Number
Lana didn’t move.
She wasn’t sure she could.
Her mind scrambled for an explanation. Had this woman—whoever she was—been watching them all along? Was she outside? Was she recording?
Another knock. This time, slow. Deliberate.
Then…
A text.
Unknown Number: I can hear you breathing.
Lana clamped a hand over her mouth. Her heartbeat pounded so loudly in her ears it nearly drowned out the world.
Bzzzt. Another message.
Unknown Number: You killed the wrong person, Lana.
Her grip tightened on the knife. Wrong person?
Lana: Who the hell are you?
Unknown Number: Open the door and find out.
Lana’s eyes flickered toward the peephole. She hesitated, then inched toward it, careful not to make a sound. Slowly, she peeked through.
Nothing.
The hallway was empty.
Her stomach twisted. She stepped back. Something about this was wrong.
The phone vibrated again.
Unknown Number: You’re looking the wrong way.
Her breath hitched. She spun—just in time to see the shadow move behind her.
Chapter 3: The Third Player
Lana didn’t have time to think. Instinct took over. She swung the knife—but hit nothing.
A gust of air. A shift in the darkness.
Then silence.
The air felt wrong. The room—smaller, suffocating.
She fumbled for her phone, her fingers slick with sweat. Another text appeared.
Unknown Number: I told you, you should have run.
Lana bolted for the door.
But as she yanked it open, her heart stopped.
Because standing in the hallway, smiling like she knew every secret Lana had ever kept, was her.
The woman from the texts.
And she wasn’t alone.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 4: Read at 3:42 AM
Lana’s grip on the knife tightened. The woman in the hallway smiled like she had already won. She was tall, poised, dark hair slicked into a tight bun. She wore all black—fitted jeans, a leather jacket, gloves.
Gloves.
Lana’s stomach twisted.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” the woman said, tilting her head.
Lana couldn’t speak. Her heart hammered in her chest. The phone buzzed in her hand again.
Unknown Number: Surprised?
Lana’s mouth went dry. This wasn’t some anonymous text game. She was real.
And she was standing right in front of her.
The woman took a slow step forward.
Lana stepped back.
“Who are you?” Lana finally choked out.
The woman’s smirk widened. “You first.”
Lana’s hands were slick with sweat. The knife felt too heavy now.
“I’m guessing you found my messages?” the woman continued. “Too bad Mark won’t be answering them.”
Lana’s stomach twisted into knots. She knew.
And yet—she wasn’t screaming. She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t running.
She was enjoying this.
Another step forward.
Lana gripped the doorknob. “Stay back.”
The woman raised an eyebrow. “Or what?”
The question hung in the air like a dare. Lana wanted to lunge, to end this before it could begin. But something told her she wouldn’t win that fight.
Because this woman didn’t look scared.
She looked ready.
The phone buzzed again. Lana glanced down. Another message.
But this time—it wasn’t from the unknown number.
Unknown Number 2: Lana, whatever you do, don’t let her inside.
Lana’s skin went ice cold.
Another number?
Her head snapped up, but the woman was already moving.
Too fast.
Lana’s hand barely made it to the door before the woman was inside, shoving her back, slamming it shut behind her.
“I think it’s time we talked.”
Chapter 5: Two Lies and a Body
Lana stumbled backward, her knife still raised.
“I don’t know who you think you are—” she started.
The woman cut her off. “Sit.”
Lana didn’t move.
The woman’s smirk didn’t waver, but there was a shift—a crack in her patience. “I wasn’t asking.”
The phone buzzed in Lana’s hand. She glanced down.
Unknown Number 2: She’s not the only one watching you.
Lana’s blood ran cold.
Her eyes darted to the dark corners of the apartment. The shadows felt different now.
The woman sighed. “Look, I don’t care about Mark.”
Lana’s breath hitched. What?
“I care about what he took.”
Lana’s grip on the knife faltered. “Took?”
The woman’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, sweetie. You really have no idea what you just got yourself into, do you?”
The phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number 2: She’s lying.
Lana’s pulse spiked.
Who the hell was texting her? And who the hell was in her apartment?
The woman took a seat on Lana’s couch, crossed one leg over the other. She was completely at ease. Too at ease.
“Where is it?” she asked.
Lana’s mind raced. Where is what?
She was about to ask when—
THUMP.
A noise from the hallway.
Both women turned.
Another text.
Unknown Number 2: RUN.
Lana barely had time to process before the lights cut out.
Chapter 6: Not Alone
The room was thrown into darkness.
Lana’s breathing came fast and sharp.
She wasn’t alone.
The woman had gone silent.
Somewhere in the blackness, the phone buzzed.
Lana didn’t want to look. But she did.
Unknown Number 2: He had it last. If you want to live, find it before she does.
A shuffle in the darkness.
Lana moved fast.
She dropped to the ground, feeling along the floor. Mark’s body. The warmth had faded, but the blood was still slick. She reached into his jacket. His pockets. Something—there had to be something—
A hand grabbed her wrist.
She screamed.
Another buzz.
Unknown Number 2: Lana, MOVE!
She yanked her arm free just as the blade slashed down.
The woman missed.
Lana scrambled to her feet, knocking over the coffee table. A lamp crashed to the floor, spilling a flicker of light into the room.
And for the first time, Lana saw it.
The other shadow.
There were three people in the apartment.
The woman wasn’t alone.
And neither was Lana.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 7: Dead Men Don't Text
Lana barely had time to process what she was seeing.
The second shadow moved. Fast.
The woman on the couch spun toward it, but before she could react—CRACK!
A blunt force slammed into her head. She stumbled, cursing, catching herself against the wall. Blood dripped down her forehead.
“Son of a—”
Lana’s breath hitched. The other person had just saved her.
Or… had they?
The phone in her hand buzzed.
Unknown Number 2: You’re welcome. Now run.
Lana hesitated. She wanted answers. She wanted to know what Mark had taken, who this woman was, who the hell was texting her.
But survival came first.
She lunged for the front door, her heart pounding.
BZZZT.
Another text.
Unknown Number 2: Not that way. Window. NOW.
Lana skidded to a stop.
From behind, the injured woman let out a low chuckle.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she said, voice slick with amusement. “You really think you can trust them?”
Lana didn’t wait to find out.
She bolted toward the window.
Chapter 8: The Drop
Her hands fumbled with the lock. The apartment was on the third floor—too high to jump, but if she could get to the fire escape—
Footsteps.
Someone was coming fast.
Lana wrenched the window up. A gust of cold air rushed in.
Behind her, the woman groaned. “You should’ve stayed put.”
Lana didn’t look back. She swung her leg over the windowsill, grabbing for the metal railing—
CRACK!
Pain exploded through her ribs.
The woman had grabbed her ankle and yanked her back.
Lana hit the floor hard. Her vision blurred. She gasped for air, lungs burning.
The woman loomed over her, wiping blood from her forehead. “You want to know what he stole?” she said. “It wasn’t just money. It was something that could get us all killed.”
Lana’s pulse spiked.
The phone buzzed.
Unknown Number 2: Keep her talking. I'm almost there.
Almost where?!
Lana had no time to think. The woman crouched, pressing a knee into her chest.
“You killed him,” she murmured. “That means it’s yours now. So I’ll ask one more time… where is it?”
Lana gasped. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
A slow, knowing smirk.
“Liar.”
The woman grabbed Lana’s wrist, twisting hard.
Lana cried out, her fingers loosening around the phone—
Then—
BOOM!
The front door exploded inward.
Chapter 9: Who The Hell is That?
Lana’s ears rang. Smoke and dust filled the apartment. A figure stood in the doorway, gun raised.
Lana squinted through the haze. A man.
Leather jacket. Buzzed hair. A scar running down his cheek.
He lowered the gun slightly, eyes locking onto hers. “Lana?”
She had never seen him before in her life.
The phone buzzed in her palm.
Unknown Number 2: Told you I was close.
Lana’s stomach dropped.
This was him.
This was the one who had been texting her.
The woman on top of Lana tensed. “Oh, hell no.”
The man grinned. “Miss me, babe?”
And then—
All hell broke loose.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 10: Third Party Complications
The man barely finished his sentence before the woman moved.
She grabbed Lana’s wrist and yanked. Lana was dragged forward as the woman spun, using her as a human shield.
Gunfire erupted.
Lana screamed as bullets shattered the mirror behind them.
The woman shoved Lana toward the kitchen and bolted for the hallway.
The man stopped shooting. “Son of a—” he hissed, lowering the gun. “Lana! You okay?”
Lana pressed herself against the wall, shaking. She was not okay.
She had so many questions.
Who was he? How did he know her name? And what the hell had Mark stolen that was worth all this?
The phone buzzed in her hand.
Unknown Number 2: Follow me if you want to live.
Lana’s head snapped up. The man smirked. “You coming or what?”
She had no reason to trust him.
But she had even less reason to stay.
She took a breath, forced herself to move—
A noise from the hallway.
Both their heads snapped toward it.
The woman was gone.
But someone else was coming.
Fast.
The man swore. “Time’s up.”
He grabbed Lana’s hand and pulled.
She didn’t fight it.
They ran.
Chapter 11: Name First, Answers Later
The alley behind the apartment was cold. Wet. A storm was rolling in, the air thick with static.
Lana's lungs burned.
The man led her toward a black car parked haphazardly by a dumpster. He yanked the door open. “Get in.”
Lana hesitated. “You still haven’t told me who the hell you are.”
He gave her a sideways look. “I’ve been texting you for hours and now you ask?”
Lana glared. “That’s not an answer.”
The phone buzzed in her palm.
Unknown Number 2: Fair. Name’s Cade.
Lana stared. “You’re texting me while we’re talking?”
Cade grinned. “Old habits.”
Lana exhaled, climbing into the car. Bad idea. Terrible idea.
But better than being shot.
Cade jumped into the driver’s seat and peeled out of the alley.
Lana gripped the dashboard. “Where are we going?”
Cade’s smirk vanished. “Somewhere safe.”
Lana wasn’t convinced. “Safe from who?”
Cade’s grip tightened on the wheel.
“Everyone.”
Chapter 12: Mark’s Secret
The city lights blurred past as Cade sped through side streets. Lana’s pulse refused to settle.
She had no idea where they were going.
Or why she was still alive.
She glanced at the phone in her lap.
“So, Cade,” she said slowly. “How do you know my name?”
Cade kept his eyes on the road. “Mark told me.”
Lana’s throat went dry. “That’s impossible.”
Cade glanced at her. “Is it?”
Lana’s grip tightened on the phone. “Mark is dead.”
Cade was quiet for a beat.
Then he reached into his jacket, pulled something out, and tossed it into her lap.
Lana’s stomach dropped.
A phone.
Mark’s phone.
The screen was lit up.
The last message sent—minutes ago.
From Mark’s number.
Lana stared, the blood in her veins turning ice cold.
Unknown Number 3: You should’ve answered me sooner, babe.
Her heart stopped.
Cade sighed. “Yeah. About that… I think your boyfriend might not be as dead as you think.”
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 13: Dead Men Don’t Text… Right?
Lana stared at the message, her breath shallow.
Mark was dead.
She had seen it. Had felt the warmth of his blood on her hands. Had heard the horrible, final gurgle as he tried to breathe through a throat that no longer worked.
He was gone.
But the message was there. Fresh.
Cade watched her reaction, one hand steady on the wheel. “That’s the part where you start freaking out.”
Lana wasn’t sure whether to laugh or scream.
Instead, she whispered, “Who has his phone?”
Cade didn’t blink. “That’s the million-dollar question, sweetheart.”
The phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number 3: Miss me?
Lana’s stomach twisted.
Cade reached for the phone, but Lana yanked it away. “I need to know who this is.”
She typed fast.
Lana: Where are you?
The reply came instantly.
Unknown Number 3: Closer than you think.
A chill crawled up Lana’s spine.
Cade exhaled. “Okay, that’s sufficiently creepy.”
Lana ignored him. Her fingers flew over the keyboard.
Lana: If you’re Mark, prove it.
The typing bubble appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Then—
Unknown Number 3: The night before I died, you whispered something in my ear. Five words. Tell me what they were.
Lana’s chest tightened.
No one else knew about that.
Not Cade. Not whoever that woman was.
Just her and Mark.
Cade must have seen the blood drain from her face. “You’re not actually buying this, are you?”
Lana’s throat was dry. “I… I don’t know.”
Cade muttered something under his breath. “Give me the phone.”
Lana hesitated.
Buzz.
Unknown Number 3: I’m waiting.
Cade grabbed the phone before she could stop him.
Cade: If you’re Mark, what’s my name?
A pause.
Then—
Unknown Number 3: Cade Mercer. Former fixer. Former traitor. Currently driving my girlfriend around like a lost puppy.
Lana’s pulse spiked.
Cade’s grip on the wheel tightened.
Lana whispered, “What does that mean?”
Cade didn’t answer. His jaw was locked tight, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror.
Lana followed his gaze.
Her breath hitched.
A car. Following them.
Headlights dimmed, keeping a steady distance.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number 3: I see you.
Chapter 14: The Chase
Cade cursed. “Hold on.”
Lana barely had time to brace herself before the car swerved hard.
The tires screeched as they veered into a narrow side street.
Behind them, the other car followed.
Fast.
Lana twisted in her seat, heart hammering. “Who is that?!”
Cade’s hands were steady. His eyes flicked between the road and the mirror.
“Could be a hundred people,” he muttered. “None of them good.”
The phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number 3: Hope you’re buckled up, babe.
Lana’s heart stopped.
Then—
The car behind them gunned it.
The impact slammed her forward.
Cade cursed, jerking the wheel. The car fishtailed, metal grinding against metal.
Lana screamed.
The next hit sent them spinning.
Chapter 15: The Crash
It all happened too fast.
The car spun. Tires screamed.
Cade yanked the wheel, but it was too late.
CRASH.
The impact sent them flying.
Lana’s world tilted.
Her head slammed against the dashboard. Glass shattered around her.
Then—
Darkness.
Chapter 16: Wake Up
A voice.
Distant. Muffled.
“Lana… hey. Wake up.”
She groaned. Everything hurt.
Her head throbbed. Her vision was blurry.
A shadow moved above her.
Not Cade.
Someone else.
The voice came again, softer this time.
“Lana. It’s me.”
A hand brushed her cheek. Gentle. Familiar.
Her blood ran cold.
She knew that touch.
She knew that voice.
She forced her eyes to focus.
The figure leaned closer.
A face.
A face she knew.
A face that shouldn’t be here.
Her lips parted. “…Mark?”
He smiled. “Told you I wasn’t dead.”
Lana’s breath hitched.
Because Mark was supposed to be a corpse.
But here he was.
Smiling down at her.
And holding a gun.
Chapter 17: The Dead Don’t Smile
Lana’s body refused to move.
Her head was spinning, pain throbbing behind her eyes. But the sight in front of her? That was worse than the pain.
Mark.
Smiling. Holding a gun.
Lana’s voice was hoarse. “You’re dead.”
Mark tilted his head. “Am I?”
Her throat went dry.
She had watched him die. Had felt the life drain from him.
And yet, here he was.
His hair was a little messier, his shirt different, but those eyes?
Still the same.
A rustling noise beside her.
Cade.
Lana turned her head just enough to see him slumped against the car door. Blood dripped down his temple, but his chest moved.
Still breathing.
Mark followed her gaze.
“Oh, don’t worry about him.” He crouched, tapping the gun against Cade’s temple. “I could end this right now.”
Lana’s pulse spiked. “Mark, don’t.”
He grinned. “Now you care? That’s cute.”
The words slammed into her.
Lana’s stomach churned. “What is this?”
Mark gave a mock gasp. “You mean, how am I here?”
Lana swallowed hard. “Yes.”
Mark leaned closer, voice low. “You should’ve checked the body.”
Lana’s breath hitched.
His fingers trailed the bruise on her cheek. “I missed you, babe.”
She flinched.
His touch was real. Warm. Solid.
This was real.
The phone buzzed in her lap.
Mark pulled back, amused. “You’re still texting?”
Lana’s hands were shaking as she picked up the phone.
Unknown Number 4: You’re running out of time.
Lana’s stomach dropped.
Mark saw the message. Smirked.
“They found us.”
Chapter 18: The Wrong Threat
Mark stood, stretching. “So. We’re all here.”
Lana pushed herself upright. Her whole body screamed in protest, but she ignored it.
She needed answers.
Cade groaned beside her. Alive.
Lana exhaled, relief mixing with panic. “Mark. What do you want?”
Mark twirled the gun lazily. “You, of course.”
Lana froze. “What?”
Mark’s smirk widened. “Did you really think I’d let you go?”
Lana’s pulse pounded. “I—”
Gunshots.
Lana ducked.
Mark spun, cursing.
From the shadows, another car appeared.
Black. Tinted windows.
More gunfire.
Mark grabbed Lana by the arm, yanking her toward him. “Stay close.”
Lana fought back. “Let me go!”
A bullet whizzed past.
Mark pulled her against his chest, shielding her.
His voice was sharp. “You think I’m the bad guy? Wait till you see them.”
Lana struggled.
Cade stirred, gripping his head. “Lana—”
Mark pressed the gun to her ribs.
“Move, and he dies.”
Lana froze.
The black car skidded to a stop.
The doors swung open.
Boots hit the pavement.
Mark’s grip on her tightened.
Lana barely breathed.
A voice called out. Deep. Controlled.
“Hand her over, Mark.”
Lana’s heart stopped.
She knew that voice.
Her stomach twisted.
The man stepped into the light.
And Lana’s world shattered.
Because it was her brother.
Chapter 19: Nobody’s Safe
Lana’s head spun.
Her brother?
She hadn’t seen him in years.
Yet here he was. Gun drawn. Eyes locked on Mark.
Lana’s breath came ragged. “Leo?”
Leo didn’t blink. “Step away from her, Mark.”
Mark chuckled. “Come on, Leo. You really think she’s safe with you?”
Lana’s stomach churned.
What was happening?
Leo’s jaw tightened. “She’s not safe with you.”
Mark’s hold on her didn’t loosen.
Lana’s pulse pounded. “Someone explain. Now.”
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Leo’s finger tightened on the trigger.
Mark’s gun pressed harder into her ribs.
Cade, still groggy, groaned. “Okay. I’m concussed, but even I can tell this is bad.”
Lana’s voice shook. “Leo. Talk to me.”
Leo’s eyes flicked to hers.
Soft. Apologetic. But cold.
“You were never supposed to find out.”
Lana’s heart stopped.
Mark smirked. “Well. Guess the family reunion came early.”
Leo took a step closer.
“Lana. Listen to me.”
Mark’s grip tightened.
Leo’s voice was firm. “Get away from him.”
Lana hesitated.
Mark whispered in her ear. “Move, and your brother dies first.”
The air was thick.
Lana’s breath was shaky. “Leo… what did you do?”
Leo’s jaw locked. “I protected you.”
Gunfire erupted.
Lana screamed.
And the world exploded into chaos.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 20: When Blood Spills
The first shot cracked through the air.
Lana dove, hitting the pavement hard as Mark yanked her with him behind the car.
Leo fired again.
Sparks spat from the metal inches from Mark’s head.
“Damn, Leo! You trying to ruin my good looks?” Mark yelled, laughing as he reloaded.
Lana’s pulse hammered. Her hands were shaking.
She had to move.
But Mark’s grip on her arm was like iron.
Cade, still groggy, tried to push himself up. “Okay. I missed a few things. Who’s this guy, and why’s he dodging bullets like a psycho?”
Mark grinned. “That’s your best friend’s big brother. And, oh yeah—he wants me dead.”
Lana whipped her head toward Mark. “And why would that be?”
Mark just smirked.
Leo’s voice rang out. **“Lana, I need you to listen. You cannot—**under any circumstances—trust him.”
Mark let out a mock gasp. “Ouch. And here I thought we were bonding.”
Lana’s chest tightened.
This wasn’t just a bad night. This wasn’t just a mistake.
This was something bigger.
A bullet shattered the back windshield of the car they were hiding behind.
Mark’s grip on her arm tightened.
“We gotta move.”
Lana shoved him. “No. I’m done running.”
Mark sighed. “Babe, you don’t have a choice.”
Lana’s hands curled into fists. “Stop calling me that.”
Mark leaned in close, his voice a whisper against her ear.
“You still think you’re in control?”
Something snapped in Lana.
She wasn’t going to be a pawn anymore.
Her knee jerked up—fast, sharp.
It slammed into Mark’s stomach.
Mark grunted, stumbling back.
Lana didn’t hesitate.
She grabbed Cade’s wrist, hauling him to his feet. “Run!”
They bolted.
Gunfire erupted behind them.
Leo was advancing.
Mark was shouting.
But Lana ran.
Because she finally understood—
This wasn’t just about a dead boyfriend.
This was about who had planned for him to die.
And now, everyone wanted her gone.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 21: No Way Out
Lana's lungs burned as she ran, dragging Cade along.
The gunfire behind them didn’t stop.
Leo and Mark were shooting at each other.
But Lana had one goal—get out.
Cade’s voice was breathless. “Okay, so… we’re running because?”
Lana hissed. “Because we’re in the middle of a psycho standoff, and I’d rather not be collateral damage!”
Cade groaned. “Right. Good reason.”
They cut through an alley, their feet slapping against the wet pavement.
The moment they turned the corner—
A black SUV skidded to a stop in front of them.
Lana’s heart plunged.
More people?
The doors flew open.
Men in suits. Armed.
Cade doubled over, panting. “Lana. Please tell me these are your Uber drivers.”
One of the men stepped forward.
His voice was calm. Controlled.
“Lana Moreau. Get in the car.”
Lana’s grip on Cade tightened. “Who the hell are you?”
The man’s eyes didn’t waver. “The people who can keep you alive.”
A sharp click.
Lana turned—
Mark.
Gun raised.
“I don’t think so, boys.”
The men in suits didn’t even flinch.
Mark tilted his head. “Lana, come back here.”
Cade whispered. “You’re really popular tonight.”
Lana’s pulse hammered.
Mark on one side.
These strangers on the other.
Leo was still somewhere behind them, gunning for Mark.
And Lana?
Stuck in the middle.
The man in the suit spoke again. “You have three seconds to decide.”
Mark’s finger twitched on the trigger.
“Lana.”
Lana’s breath caught.
Cade muttered. “Oh, hell no—”
Lana moved.
She grabbed Cade—
And ran straight for the SUV.
The men barely hesitated before yanking them inside.
The doors slammed shut.
Mark’s gun fired.
The bullet pinged off the window.
Then the driver gunned it.
Mark’s figure disappeared as they sped away.
Lana collapsed back against the seat, chest heaving.
Cade’s hands were shaking. “Who the hell are these guys?”
Lana swallowed hard. “I don’t know.”
The man in the suit studied her.
“We know everything about you, Lana.”
She stiffened. “Yeah? Then tell me what the hell is going on.”
The man’s lips curved slightly.
“Your dead boyfriend was never supposed to die.”
Lana’s stomach dropped.
Cade choked. “Well, that’s a new problem.”