Page 15 of Shadows of Obsession

Who lives all the way out here?

The rhythmic sound of chopping wood echoed through the clearing, breaking the quiet. Curiosity won out over common sense, and I urged Choco forward, guiding him around the side of the cabin toward the source of the noise.

What I found made my breath catch.

A man stood with his back to me, shirtless and glistening with sweat, wielding an axe with a precision that spoke of years of practice. He was tall, easily over six feet, with broad shoulders that tapered to a trim waist. Every swing of the axe revealed the raw power in his frame, muscles flexing and releasing in a rhythm that was almost hypnotic.

Dark brown hair fell just past the tips of his ears, slightly damp and sticking to his tanned skin where sweat had traced paths down his neck. Even from this distance, I could see the definition in his back and arms. They held the kind of strength that came from hard labor, not a gym. Military tattoos marked his skin: intricate patterns wrapping one bicep,and on his shoulder blade, a bold Marine Corps insignia with an eagle clutching a globe and anchor.

For a moment, I just stared. There was something primal about the scene—man, axe, wood, sweat. A raw energy that was both intimidating and, if I was being honest, unexpectedly attractive. In a way I hadn't let myself feel in a long time.

Heat crept up my neck, and I mentally chastised myself. Really, Anna?This is what you're doing right now? Ogling some random guy chopping wood?

I was so caught up in my own inappropriate thoughts that I didn't notice when he suddenly went still, his entire body tensing like a coiled spring.

Then he turned.

Our eyes met, and I found myself pinned by the most intense blue gaze I'd ever seen. It locked onto mine with a focus that made my breath catch for an entirely different reason. There was no warmth there. Just sharp, assessing wariness, like he was calculating whether I was a threat.

The axe hung loosely in his grip, but the way he held it made it clear it could become a weapon in an instant.

"Who the hell are you?" The words came out in a low, gravelly growl, thick with suspicion.

He took a step forward, and the blade caught the sunlight filtering through the trees, glinting in a way that sent a very clear message:Back off.

Irritation sparked in my chest, hot and immediate. Confidence from Choco’s presence and my position in the saddle fueled me. I'd had enough of hostile men to last a lifetime, and I sure as hell wasn't about to take it from some stranger in the woods. Straightening in the saddle, I met his narrowed gaze with one of my own.

"I'm Anna," I said, keeping my voice calm even though my heart was pounding. "I'm staying with Connor. I was just out for a ride."

His frown deepened as his eyes swept over me suspiciously.What’s he looking for?The weapon I clearly have hidden on my horse?

"And you thought it was okay to just show up here uninvited?" His tone was sharp, unmistakably accusatory.

My temper flared white-hot. "I wasn't aware that exploring the ranch required a personal invitation from you," I shot back, lifting my chin in defiance.

"This is private property." Each word was clipped, hard. "I don't take kindly to trespassers."

Trespasser?The word hit like a slap, and something inside me snapped.

"Trespasser?" I scoffed, anger blazing through my chest. "I'm a guest of Connor's, not some random intruder off the street."

A muscle ticked in his jaw, the only sign that my words had struck any chord at all. When he spoke again, his voice dropped lower, rougher.

"Guest or not, you don't have the right to go poking around wherever you please."

The sheer audacity of that statement detonated what little patience I had left. "And you have the right to dictate where I can and can't go?" I challenged, my tone matching his in heat and steel.

His nostrils flared. "On my property? Yeah, I do."

A disbelieving laugh escaped me before I could stop it. I shook my head, consumed by indignant fury. "Unbelievable. You know what? I don't have time for this." I drew in a steadying breath and raised my chin higher. "Since my presence clearly offends you so deeply, I'll leave."

I didn’t wait for a response because honestly, what else was there to say? I gathered the reins and wheeled Choco around in a sharp pivot, every line of my body radiated the anger coursing through me as I dug my heels into his sides, urging him back down the trail.

I fought the urge to look back. To throw one last, scathing glare at the infuriatingly arrogant man with his ridiculous territorial attitude.

But I didn't. I kept my eyes forward and let Choco carry me away from the clearing, away from those piercing blue eyes and that hostile, unwelcoming presence.

My hands trembled slightly on the reins. Not from fear, but from pure, unfiltered frustration. I was furious:Who the hell does he think he is?Treating me like some kind of criminal when I was just riding through Connor's ranch. Connor's ranch, not his.