Page 8 of Jealous Lumberjack

Because isn’t this me, all over again?

Driven to over-accommodate. The harmony-keeper. Approval-seeker. And when that didn’t work? When I had no choice?

Driven by desperation.

I ran because I couldn’t take one more day of my ex, Brandon, telling me I’m nothing without him, of his sharp smiles and tighter fists, of watching the business I built with my own hands—our flower deliveries, our little shop—turned into his weapon to keep me.

You’ve got no family,he’d sneered often enough until it became a nightmarish echo in my head.

No one but me.

No one who’d care if you disappeared.

SoIdisappeared.

I was professional enough to finish transforming the Hutton’s wedding venue into the vision of pink and white the bride-to-be wanted.

Then I calmly got into my car, heart in my throat and backpack stowed in the trunk.

And I drove away.

Unfortunately, I had to ditch it when I thought Brandon scented my trail. I tossed my phone into a trucker’s trailer at a rest stop and walked until my feet bled, lost my backpack when I ran from what looked like a mountain lion.

Then I kept climbing until I couldn’t breathe.

Straight into this nightmare.

The beast before me finishes cleaning the cut, wraps it with careful precision. His touch is rough but steady, like he’s done this before. Then he rises, towering, and my pulse jumps when I have to crane my neck back to look at him.

That moment in the woods flashes again in my mind—me on the ground, him looming above. His shadow swallowing mewhole. The way my stomach flipped, not just entirely from fear. From a tingling in my blood I didn’t want to know or name.

I press my thighs together, furious at myself as the tingling returns, stronger than before.

No.

I will not think about how gruffly sexy he is.

I will not think about that voice, those hands, the way he looked at me like I was prey. I most definitely will not imagine standing next to him, comparing our sizes, how he would need to pick me up to…to?—

God, Lily! You were on the vergeofgetting engaged three short days ago. You saw the ring buried in Brandon’s sock drawer. Wasn’t that partly why you ran?

He turns without a word, crosses the room, and slides a heavy bolt across the cabin door.

I flinch at the sound, then swallow when the meaning sinksdeepinto my heart and skin.

“Wh-what are you doing? You can’t do this,” I snap, forcing some heat into my voice. “You can’t just lock me in.”

He doesn’t turn. Doesn’t answer. Just moves to the window, pulls the curtain aside, peers out into the forest like he’s checking for more intruders.

I take the chance to glance around. For something I can use as a weapon if it comes to that. And I’m beginning to fear it just might.

But every single thing I can use is halfway up the towering wall, way out of my reach.

A place built for beasts or giants.

And while it looked small but solid from the outside, Irealizenow my first impression was deceptive. It’s much larger inside.

The stone hearth, rough shelves lined with jars, two rifles on the wall, and a dining table with four chairs pushed into the corner. I see an arch and suspect the kitchen is back there.