Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 154379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 772(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Mine pounded inside my chest.
Dread and hope thundering through my veins.
Would I survive it? Loving Theo and losing him?
More importantly, would I survive any of this if I failed Finn?
“It’s coming up to an end, Piper,” Nelly rushed on a whisper. “This running. One way or another, you’re going to have to turn around and face this demon, however you do it.”
“I know.” My nod was shaky.
“You’re so brave, in every way. Every day that you’ve fought. And your biggest battle might be ahead of you, but I know, it will be worth it.”
Reservations clashed with the determination, and I dipped my head as a tear slipped free.
Nelly wiped it away. “Now, you go spend this afternoon with your new friends, and for today, sweet child, just let go and live.”
I sniffled, and she turned, dipped her finger into the potato salad, and took a taste, peeking back at me with a grin as she said, “Almost as good as mine. Now go get your shoes on, and I’ll wrap this up for you so you and your little man can go have a blast.”
“Fine.”
I moved from the kitchen and called to Finn where he was having a full conversation with his owl decoration that hung from a low branch of the tree. “Are you ready to go to our party?”
He flew around and jumped in the air. “I go!”
I helped him with his shoes and coat then accepted the bowl of potato salad from Nelly. I pecked a kiss to her cheek, then took my son’s hand and led him out into the crisp winter day.
The snow was fresh, but the storm had cleared overnight.
I exhaled, my breath vapor as Finn and I headed to the small SUV parked in the spot next to the cabin.
I opened his door and buckled him in, smiling down at my son who couldn’t stop grinning. “We go pway with kids?”
“Yeah, sweet boy. We’re going to go play with kids.”
“Finn go right now!”
I dropped a kiss to his forehead. “Okay, little mister bossy.”
A giggle rolled free. “I Mommy’s boss.”
Tenderness pulsed.
This hope that I could actually make a change.
I shut his door then opened mine and climbed into my seat. I started the car and backed out.
I drove down the twisty, narrow lane toward the main lot and followed along the back side of it to where it met with the main drive that led back out to Vista View.
And my aching heart leapt into my throat when I felt the energy slam me from behind right before the low grumble of a powerful engine filled my ears.
I glanced in the rearview mirror to find a motorcycle had pulled out right behind us.
Theo at the helm.
Tattooed hands stretched out to hold onto the handlebars.
Black hair whipping around his foreboding, beautiful face.
Every bit of him as dark as the bike that he rode.
A beautiful, fallen angel.
I eased the SUV down the rugged terrain of the dirt road that led to Raven and Otto’s cabin. The dense forest surrounded on all sides, pressing in and making it feel as if I were the most secluded I’d ever been.
Sunlight streaked through the peaked tops of the pines that were covered in snow, the rays blinding and glinting as they struck on the fresh glittering white.
My heart thudded at a wild beat. Nervous that I was bringing my son to a group gathering like this for the first time in his life. That anxiety was only magnified by the overwhelming presence of the man who tracked close behind.
It felt like even though we’d been separated last night, a million questions driven between us, he didn’t want to let me out of his sight.
I made it to the gulch where the road dipped down through the mountains before we began to climb up the other side. As soon as we reached the top where there was a clearing in the woods, a surprised breath fled from my lungs.
Stricken by the beauty laid out in front of me.
Raven and Otto’s cabin was hardly that.
It was a large, tall, rectangular metal building, though it was hedged by colossal, towering trees. The bottom floor was glinting steel with garage doors that faced the large clearing where several other automobiles were parked.
The upper-floor walls were made mostly of massive panes of glass that overlooked the crystalline lake that sat low in the valley in the distance.
A second-story porch with a staircase leading up to it faced this side of the building.
“We here?” Finn peeped from the backseat.
“Yep, this is it,” I told him, my voice shallow.
Theo pulled his motorcycle up on the left side of where I parked.
I inhaled a steadying breath as he swung off, but there was nothing steady about the way I felt when he ambled in our direction.
The intensity from last night had vanished, and that cool, wicked calm was back in full force.