Page 15 of Out of Nowhere

“I know she was your grandmother and you loved her,” he said, “but she didn’t give you a choice. She put you in a position where you had no other option but to fight your way out.” His voice sounded like he’d been wide awake for a while, and as if he were more upset about the situation than I was.

“She wasn’t trying to kill me.” He hadn’t known her like I had.

“She trapped you and put you in a situation where you were hurt,” he replied, growing angrier.

“She didn’t mean to,” I bit back.

He sat up, turning toward me. “She should’ve protected you, but she handed you over to help her position.”

I leaned up on my arms and said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You deserved better.”

“You don’t know what I deserve. Maybe it is my fault. Either way, I didn’t have to kill her.” I was fully awake and sitting up now as well.

“I know you deserve better than that. You deserve someone that stands by you.”

Did he hear himself speak? Who was he to lecture her or anyone?

“Yes, I deserve so much because I’m so wonderful, declared the man who is trying to figure out how to get rid of me.”

He fell silent for a second, as if I’d somehow surprised him. “I’m not trying to get rid of you.”

“Really? Because that’s not the way it appears.”

I flopped back down, giving him my back.

He lay down a minute later, not bothering to argue it. He couldn’t. Everything I said was so obviously correct, what could he say?

Chapter Six

I was sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, sipping coffee, when Kaden walked back into the cabin. He kicked snow off the boots we’d found in the closet this morning, along with warmer clothing for both of us.

“No sign of Hank, but there’s a door waiting. Are you ready?”

I didn’t need to hear another word. I got to my feet and grabbed the jacket that had been in the closet. Last night had been tense and this morning had been silent, neither of us ready to speak to the other. Top that with an attraction that hadn’t let up, and this place was about to combust with the tension of our being stuck together.

The door was waiting. Kaden grabbed the handle but then stopped and looked around.

“You can hide, but we’re going to have a talk soon. I thought we’d straightened this situation out,” he said toward the sky.

“Straightened out what situation?” I asked.

“The guys are taking a few too many liberties.” His chest was rising and falling in a slow, calm rhythm. Hank was lucky he wasn’t here.

“You talked to them?” There weren’t too many times I’d seen Kaden thwarted. It was more amusing than I’d imagined.

“They’re union. Doesn’t matter what I say.” He opened the door, giving up on getting his hands on Hank’s neck.

I thought we would be going back into the outpost, but the door opened up at the base of the fortress. I wasn’t sure if that was Hank’s way of trying to butter up Kaden or just keep himself alive. Either way, I’d take it. All I wanted to do was go hide in the sanctuary of my room for a solid day.

We were still a few steps away from the door when Dice swung it open. “What happened? You were supposed to be back yesterday.”

“You have no idea what’s been happening here,” Connor said, coming up right behind him.

“They’re back?” Cookie yelled in the distance.

“They’re back!” Dice yelled.