Lumberjacked (A Holiday Lumberjack Mountain Man Romance) - K.C. Crowne Page 0,64

said.

I nodded curtly. She gave me a look that challenged me to stop her, but there was only so much I could do. I couldn’t force her to stay; she had to choose it.

Without another word, Angela turned around and stormed in the direction of the cabin.

“Where are you going?” I asked, feeling hopeful.

“Back to the cabin,” she said. “I don’t have much, but I need my phone. I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

She walked away and I let her go. I would wait out here. I wasn’t going to stand there and watch her go. The thought of her leaving made me feel sick. Fuck, I didn’t want her to go. Not just because it was dangerous out there, but because I had come to care for her and realized that I had never really cared for anyone before. How fucked up was that?

I hadn’t even taken her out to show her how important she was to me. I’d had good reason, but regret was a bitter pill in my mouth. All too familiar, too. I had a lifetime of regrets.

I hated that what had happened between me and Angela - and what hadn’t happened - was added to the list.

I watched as she moved between the trees again, determined. In no time at all, she was going to be home, and then she would leave and settle into a new life in Chicago. A life that didn’t have me in it.

Angela

I stormed through the trees to the cabin to get my phone. I didn’t want to go back there. I wanted nothing more than to get through the trees to Snowmass so I could get home. But my phone was at the cabin and I needed it to be able to call for help.

My mind was running in circles, going a mile a minute. Who was he? Why was he up here? What had he done? A rough past… that’s what he’d said. If he wasn’t willing to tell me about it, it had to be really bad.

I had no idea who Viktor was. Viktor… if that was even his real name. My mind jumped back to the doctor’s office where he’d told them that his name was Sean.

Fucking Sean? For a Russian guy? Yeah, I should have seen those red flags pop up. I should have known something was up. But I hadn’t wanted to see someone that could be the bad guy. I’d wanted him to be the damn fairy tale prince I’d made him out to be in my head.

When I passed the shed, I shuddered. My mom had told me often when I was a kid that my curiosity would get me in trouble. One of the reasons I was so good at my job as an insurance assessor was because I knew how to stick my nose into someone else’s business and find the facts.

This was different, though. This wasn’t just about finding out something for the sake of knowing more. This was my emotions. My heart.

When I walked through the cabin to grab my phone, which I thought was on the nightstand, tears stung my eyes. How was it possible that I’d spent only a week here, and having to leave hurt so damn much? I would have left today or tomorrow, anyway. I had to go to Chicago.

I stomped through the house, searching for the damn phone. I hadn’t wanted our farewell to be like this. I hadn’t wanted my hopes and dreams dashed. The fairy tale had been perfect, and now it was shattered.

I couldn’t find my phone anywhere. It wasn’t the first time. Maybe Viktor had hidden the damn thing. I didn’t think so before, but now…what did I really know about him?

I had to get away. I would leave the phone behind. I could make a plan once I got to Snowmass. I wanted to get out of here before Viktor came back and tried to stop me.

He’d tried so hard to get me to stay in the cabin since I’d arrived. The pieces were falling into place, now. I’d been such a fool.

I had another outfit in the wardrobe that stood in the corner of the room, which I rolled into a small parcel and tucked under my arm. I didn’t bother taking the ripped clothes. Viktor could burn them for all I cared.

When I turned to leave, I looked around the cabin. This was the last time I would see this place. I