and swiped at her eyes. She tugged something from a pocket. “I wrote this note for you in case I died out there, so when someone found my body, they would know who I was and could give it to you.”
Zoey was the strongest person he’d ever met. Alan took the note. Instead of turning on the bedside lamp, he stood and moved closer to the window where the moonlight could illuminate the paper. Learning Zoey’s secrets in the dark somehow seemed appropriate.
Had we never met, you and I, then you never would have loved me. I never would have returned your love.
And now look at us. I’ve caused you trouble. Brought you pain. All I wanted to do was protect you. Please forgive me.
Please know that I love you.
Loved you.
Pain squeezed his heart until he was breathless. Unable to speak. Eventually, he found the words. “You survived to give me this.” He drew her into his arms. That had to mean something. She could have died. Should have died. But she survived. “You made it back to us.”
That meant everything. He wouldn’t let her go again. He would stand by her through the trials to come. No matter what. Love meant nothing if it didn’t remain through the worst possible struggles. Love meant nothing if it wasn’t unconditional. Then it wasn’t love at all.
“Now, we have to get out of here,” she said. “You and Callie aren’t safe because of what I’ve done. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t talk like that.” He gripped her arms and looked at her face. She lifted her eyes to him. Beautiful eyes. More haunted now than he’d ever seen. But there was something else. Joy. She loved him. She’d come back because she loved him and Callie. He knew that, and that was all he needed. “We’re going to survive this, Zoey. I love you. Don’t ever forget it.”
“I know. Your love is what kept me going. That, and an ounce of hope. But promise me that you’ll love me enough to let me go in order to protect Callie, if it comes to that.”
A sound drew his attention. The door creaked open.
“Momma?” Callie’s small voice resounded.
“Oh, my baby!” She rushed to Callie, dropped to her knees, and pulled her daughter into her arms.
Alan joined his girls, wrapping them both in his arms. Tears blurred his vision. Maybe their world had been shattered, but they were together again now, and that was all that mattered.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Bridger-Teton National Forest
Rae woke up to complete darkness. Her head pounded.
What happened? Where am I?
She felt a mattress beneath her. She swept her hand across the top—a quilt. She was in someone’s home?
Rae pushed herself up. Her temples hammered, catching her off guard. She gently rested back on the pillow and forced her mind to remember. She’d been on the heli-ski tour. She’d been exhausted and made her way to the waiting area to find a seat. Once settled, she hadn’t been able to move.
Ivan had approached and asked if she was all right. Then she’d woken up here.
Abducted.
This wouldn’t be her first time. And Liam had been there the last time. He’d untied her and then dove in front of her when the bullets started flying.
She squeezed her eyes shut and tamped down the whimper that wanted to escape. That had been one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. But she’d survived then. She could survive now.
Rae wouldn’t give up hope. She would fight until the end. She tried to think . . . Ivan had given her the protein bar. Had he drugged it? He was in a photograph with a Hummer. Was he the one who had pushed them from the road? The man in the black mask behind the attacks?
She could figure that out later. Knowing who was behind her abduction wasn’t as important as getting out of here alive. But right now she couldn’t escape as long as she stayed in bed. Ignoring the pain in her head, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat forward. Rae hung her head to catch her breath as nausea swirled inside.
The wind buffeted the cabin, howling at times. But there was another sound. A familiar, thrumming that her fuzzy mind couldn’t identify.
Light suddenly burst into the dark room. Moonlight through the clouds? She glanced out the window. A flashlight beam shone from a few yards away and revealed deep snow and dense forest getting inundated with heavy snowfall.