Page 32

THIRTY-TWO

As she almost reached what had to be the two hundredth ridge of the last three days, Merritt huffed out a strained breath.

Her lungs burned.

Her calves ached.

Heck, even her toes screamed at her to stop walking.

But if they wanted to get to safety—and she really, really wanted to—she had to keep up with the brutal pace Tiikaan set. He’d get them to civilization.

Even if they had to cross a thousand mountain peaks to do it.

Oh, please let it not be a thousand.

“Almost there, Skeet,” Tiikaan encouraged her again.

He always seemed to know when she was on the verge of collapse.

“Liar.” Her retort didn’t hold any heat.

The smile he sent her had all her hairs standing on end and waving for attention. It was a smile that promised reward .

She’d come to love his rewards.

She hiked faster, trying to think of a way to distract herself from the pain radiating from her head to her feet.

“If my horrible uncle hadn’t tried to kill us, what were your plans after the job with me was done?” She threw the question out that had plagued her mind during their run-in with the cliff and bear.

He stopped short, his chest heaving as he looked at her with furrowed brows. “What?”

“You heard me.”

He took a deep breath and shrugged. “Start flying hunters again.”

She shook her head and stopped next to him. “You’re a planner, Tiikaan Rebel. There was more to it than just flying hunters.”

She grabbed the water hanging from her pack and raised her eyebrows at him as she took a long drink. He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck.

Why was he so hesitant?

She knew she’d thrown the question from left field, but she also knew he’d had plans for after the summer ended. They both had.

“Come on.” She screwed the cap back on and continued up the mountain in front of him. “Over the last three days, we’ve talked about pretty much everything and anything.”

Except the future.

They had avoided that conversation. Eventually, they’d have to talk about it.

She took a breath and continued. “Why clam up now? ”

Instead of focusing on the silence behind her, she concentrated on her footing, her breathing, the squirrel chittering a warning from the tree above them. Anything but the reluctant man following her.

“You know that painting of the plane in your office?” His voice was low when it finally came out.

Merritt sagged against a tree as she reached the top of the ridge. Her dad had had the painting commissioned. It was her favorite, making her feel peace every time she looked at it.

“Yeah.” She watched Tiikaan as he stared at the top of his boots.

“That’s the dream. The goal.” He finally looked at her and smirked. “Fly the hoity-toity mining exec around for the summer, pay off my debts, and hope there’s enough to build a hunting cabin on the property I own.”

“Hoity-toity?” She laughed, even though anticipation made her fingers twitch.

His smile widened. “Totally.”

“Whatever.” She tossed a spruce cone at him.

He chuckled, then uncapped his own drink.

“Why didn’t you want to tell me?” Did she really want to know?

He stared at her, the determination in his gaze making her lightheaded before he finally answered. “Dreams change.”

“To what?”

He stepped closer, pushing her back against the tree trunk. “Don’t know yet. We haven’t talked about where you’re off to next.”

Her heart pounded in her chest at his confession. He’d give up his dream to be with her.

She wrapped her hand around his arm caging her against the tree. “I think Alaska’s grown on me.”

“Has it now?” His rumbling voice curled her toes.

“The mine will need a lot of attention.” She shrugged. “Although it may be a while before I’m ready to camp again.”

He chuckled, and her knees threatened to give out. “I don’t blame you.”

“So, we’re sticking together?” She slid her hand up his arm and around his neck.

“Always.”

His quick answer had her cheeks hurting from smiling. She bit her lip and feigned seriousness.

“It’s a good thing sticking with me comes with that cabin on the lake.” She twirled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck as he leaned toward her.

His gaze jerked from her mouth to her eyes. “What?”

“That cabin in the painting. It’s my dad’s… well, mine now. Ours, if you want.” She shrugged, but he cut her nonchalant motion off with a kiss.

His lips were hard and demanding, but his hands cupping her face were gentle. Wild, but peaceful. She loved that he was a perfect reflection of the wilderness he loved.

“Cabin and the girl? I must be dreaming,” he said against her lips.

She pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him to her. He broke from her lips, peppering kisses along her jaw to that sensitive spot he’d found under her ear. His beard tickled her skin, and she inhaled through her nose, trying not to laugh.

Spruce and smoke mingled in a scent she never imagined would be enticing before that summer.

Wait a sec.

She pushed against Tiikaan’s shoulder.

Smoke?

“Do you smell that?”

Tiikaan leaned his forehead against hers and shook his head. “You’re killing me, Skeet.”

He straightened and inhaled. His gaze whipped to hers, and without a word, he grabbed her hand and rushed through the woods.

They broke through the trees to an overlook of the next valley. Down below, nestled beside a creek was a cabin with smoke curling from its chimney.

And a landing strip stretching out beside it.

Tears streamed down her face, but she couldn’t rip her gaze from their salvation. Tiikaan picked her up, twirled her around, then kissed her.

“You saved us,” she said against his lips.

“No. We did it together.” He grinned at her, then practically dragged her down the mountain.

They arrived at the cabin, chests heaving, and he banged on the door.

“What in tarnation.” A man yelled from inside a moment before the door swung open to reveal a man in faded blue coveralls with white hair and beard.

His gaze darted from Tiikaan to her and back again. “Who the heck are you? ”

“We’re lost,” Tiikaan answered before introducing them. “Do you have a satellite phone?”

“Yeah, sure.” The man stepped back and motioned them into the cramped space. “Have a seat.”

He motioned to the table with two chairs.

“Name’s Toad.” He motioned to the wood cookstove against the wall. “Coffee’s on if you want. I’ll go grab the phone.”

He disappeared behind a curtain strung across the room, grunting as he bumped against something.

“Toad?” She whispered.

Tiikaan shrugged with a smile. “Coffee?”

She shook her head. There were so many emotions bubbling through her. Adding coffee to the mix might make her blow.

Toad came back out and handed Tiikaan the phone. He dialed, then bounced his knee as he waited.

“Astryde, it’s Tiikaan.”

He jerked the phone away from his ear as his sister screamed. He clicked the phone on speaker. Merritt covered her smile with her fingertips, tears blurring her vision.

“Are you safe? Where are you?” Worry was thick in Astryde’s voice.

“Yeah, we’re safe. We’re at…” Tiikaan looked at Toad with a raised eyebrow.

Toad listed off some directions that involved a creek, an old dredge, and some peak Merritt didn’t know. Tiikaan nodded like it made perfect sense.

“Okay. Magnus and Bj?rn are close. Mom’s radioing them right now. ”

“Magnus? Why isn’t he on a fire?” Tiikaan rubbed his head in confusion.

“Dude, you’re the second sibling to go missing this summer. It’s all hands on deck.” Astryde sounded exasperated and ready to whack her brother upside the head.

Merritt liked Astryde already.

“Astryde, listen.” Tiikaan grabbed Merritt’s hand. “Merritt’s uncle Nolan killed her dad.”

“He did what?” Astryde’s voice turned laser focused.

“And he tried to kill us, too.”

As Tiikaan told Astryde about what happened, Merritt’s heart ached at her uncle’s betrayal all over again. How could her own flesh and blood do something so heinous?

“I knew something was off with him,” Astryde said after Tiikaan went quiet.

“Downright dirty, if you ask me.” Toad scoffed and shook his head from his recliner.

“He’s having a press release in Barrow in a few hours.” The menace in Astryde’s voice sent a shiver down Merritt’s back.

“Think Bj?rn could pick us up and get us there in time?” Tiikaan lifted a questioning eyebrow at Merritt, even though the question was for Astryde.

A heady flush of warmth rushed through Merritt at the thought of confronting Nolan. The smile that she flashed at Tiikaan probably looked on the edge of wild.

The laughter that barked out of her definitely was. “I always loved a good family reunion.”