While surveying Heidi Ingram’s campsite, Kol feels frustrated by the lack of progress in the case. He receives a call from Roger, summoning him to the Boot. Roger informs him that a bloody necklace and a threatening note were left on Nova’s car. Kol rushes to the scene, leaving Pete behind. He finds Nova in a state of shock and immediately confronts Pete for his callous and disrespectful behavior. Roger confirms that the necklace resembles one Heidi always wore and that the note says, “It’s not over.” Kol then reveals that this is the second threat; Nova previously found a note reading “Never forget,” which his brother Maverick collected as evidence. The conversation concludes with Roger warning Kol that Pete plans to report him for being too close to Nova, a complaint that could get him fired.

At the crime scene in the parking lot, Nova feels Kol emotionally withdraw, creating a painful distance between them. As the scene is processed, Wylder walks a shaken Cora through the crowd of onlookers. Amid the chaos, Nova notices a Forest Service officer with brown eyes glaring at her with unexplained anger. When the police work is done, Kol drives Nova from the scene, maintaining a cold and impenetrable silence. The emotional pressure becomes unbearable for Nova, and she screams at him to pull over. Once the truck stops, she flees to a familiar cliff, strips down to her underwear, and prepares to jump into the icy water below—a desperate coping mechanism to feel something other than fear.

Nova explains to a concerned Kol that she cliff-jumps to feel alive and manage her overwhelming emotions. He calls the act reckless, strips to his boxer briefs, and declares that if she jumps, he will too. As he undresses, Nova sees two tattoos: A feather with “Skylar” on his left rib cage and a phoenix on his right, with his four brothers’ names on different feathers. She jumps into the water, and Kol immediately follows. In the lake, she confronts him for shutting her out. He admits that his close involvement with her is jeopardizing his career. She suggests he remove himself from her case, but he refuses, stating he doesn’t trust anyone else to handle it. The tension culminates in a passionate kiss, but Kol quickly pulls away, re-establishing distance. Hurt and angered by the rejection, Nova climbs out of the water, leaving him behind.

For two weeks, Kol has been avoiding Nova, throwing himself into work while agonizing over her absence. The investigation into her stalker has stalled, with no new leads. Kol’s father figure, Waylon, visits and confronts him about his self-destructive behavior, urging him not to miss out on something beautiful with Nova because he feels he doesn’t deserve it. Kol confesses his fear that Nova’s feelings might stem from a power imbalance or from gratitude for his having saved her life, an idea Waylon forcefully dismisses. Their conversation is interrupted when Nova appears, dressed to go dancing with her friend Aster. Kol questions whether it is safe, telling her, “You can’t,” but Nova rolls her eyes, explains her safety plan, says “See you around, Kol” (222), and leaves. Realizing he has made a mistake, Kol decides to follow her into town to apologize.

Nova joins Aster at a bar with live music, intentionally pushing her comfort zone as a “gentle challenge” to overcome her trauma. The two women bond by sharing details about their difficult families. Nova reveals that her parents both have alcohol use disorder and that her brother, Benji, is in prison for armed robbery. Aster shares that her own parents are manipulative and that she worries about her nephew, Eli, being negatively influenced by them.

Their conversation is interrupted by Maverick, who trades tense, insulting banter with Aster; he calls her “Ice Queen” first, and she replies by calling him “Satan” in a deadpan voice. After Maverick leaves to pursue another woman, Aster vaguely explains to Nova that their friendship ended because he wasn’t the person she believed him to be. As a strange man approaches and asks to buy Nova a drink, she begins to have a panic attack. Just as dizziness sets in, Kol appears and intervenes on her behalf.

The man trying to buy Nova a drink is a local rancher, Steve. Acting on his feelings, Kol interrupts by bringing Nova her favorite seltzer, effectively chasing Steve away. When they are alone, Nova confronts Kol about his mixed signals, telling him he can’t push her away and then act possessively. Kol does a quick sweep of the bar and spots Pete watching them. He admits that he has been pushing Nova away because his intense feelings for her are frightening and because he feels he doesn’t deserve happiness. He tells her she makes his world better and that he wants her constantly. The chapter ends with Kol asking Nova to come home with him.

At the bar, Kol asks Nova to come home with him, promising that she can set the terms for their intimacy. Nova agrees. To avoid gossip from his law enforcement colleagues, she has Aster walk her to Kol’s truck while Kol tells Wylder—in front of Pete—that he is heading home to help Waylon with escaped alpacas, slips out the back door, and runs around the block. Back at his ranch, Nova expresses her anxiety and fear of messing things up. Kol reassures her that she is in complete control and can leave for her apartment at any time.

In his bedroom, Nova admits she wants to feel again but is scared. Kol asks about her trauma-related triggers, and she reveals that she has flashes of being strangled, making pressure on her neck or someone being on top of her a problem. To give her absolute control and help her feel safe, Kol retrieves a box from his closet. He takes out a black rope and asks Nova to tie him up.

Kol explains that what happened with his father ripped away his sense of trust, leaving him with a need for control during sex. In a deep act of trust designed to help her reclaim her own power, he asks her to tie him up instead. Nova agrees, feeling a surge of empowerment for the first time since her attack. As they undress, Kol continually asks for her consent, reinforcing her control over the situation. After bringing her to orgasm, Kol ties his wrists to the headboard, explaining that only she can release him. Nova takes the dominant position, straddling him and leading their lovemaking. The experience is intense and transformative for both of them. Immediately after they both orgasm, Nova unties Kol, and he embraces her. They acknowledge that what they shared was unlike anything either has ever experienced, feeling both miraculous and terrifying.

Kol wakes up with Nova, feeling protective and content after their intimate night. Their peaceful morning is interrupted by the arrival of Skylar and Waylon. Nova fits in seamlessly with his family over breakfast, bonding with Skylar and making Kol feel a mix of deep happiness and fear over how much she means to him. The mood shifts when Nova’s plans to go mountain biking with Maverick are revealed. Overcome with jealousy and fear for her safety, Kol questions her judgment, referencing the recent threats she received and accusing her of needing an adrenaline rush. Angered by his attempt to control her, Nova insists she will not live her life in fear as if she were still a captive. She storms out to meet Maverick, leaving Kol to regret his words as Waylon mutters, “Well, you fucked that one up good and proper” (252).

At the trailhead, Maverick maps out the route on the Meadow Peak Trail and performs a safety check before they begin. Nova initially finds the challenging ride exhilarating, a welcome distraction that forces her to live in the moment and pushes her anxiety away. She becomes engrossed in the experience, losing herself in the speed and physical exertion. Eventually, she realizes the scenery no longer matches the trail Maverick described and that she is lost. When she discovers that she has no cell service to call Maverick for help, she spirals into a severe panic attack. The voices of her captor, Travis, and her mother flood her mind, taunting her with cruel words and leaving her terrified and overwhelmed in the forest.

Kol walks in the forest, regretting his fight with Nova and growing increasingly worried as she does not answer his multiple calls and texts. His anxiety spikes, and he calls Maverick, who reveals that he has lost sight of Nova, who disappeared from the trail behind him. Panicked, Kol instructs Maverick to call their brothers for help and uses a GPS location to race toward the trailhead. Before driving to Mav’s location, he pulls up the Find My Phone app, which lists her as “Phoenix” and shows no location found.

Arriving at the scene, Kol finds his brothers and Brae. He furiously blames Maverick for losing Nova and punches him. Wylder breaks up the fight, reminding Kol to focus on the search. As Kol begins scanning the trail, Nova’s location suddenly becomes active on his phone. Without hesitation, Kol runs in that direction.