Page 11 of Let it Snow Queen
“It’s titledDeclan and Nathan.” He opened it, displaying a photo that pierced my chest like an icicle spear. “Cute photo of you and Nathan. Tall, blond, white coat . . . You like them tall, huh? Oh, and a doctor . . . You like them rich, too. I figured as much. But then . . . ” He flipped the scrapbook pages. Purple-inked and journaled pages of hope and loss. “A baby too.”
I marched forward, cheeks burning, and yanked the book from his grip. He smiled smugly. “You went through my things?”
“I’m an important man. I had to make sure you weren’t sent here to spy or fuck up our acquisition of this property. I wasn’t convinced. Now it’s obvious you’re just an average nobody with baby-daddy drama.”
A breath of hurt left me as if I were punched in the gut. I heard the guys behind me admonishing their friend, but my brain was too red with fury and pain to make out what they were saying. I fought through the tears forming and the crackle in my voice. “Declan is my son, and he’s my life. His father, Nathan, is almost as awful as you are. But you know what? You’ll never know a love as I have for my little boy—the selfless, all-encompassing kind of love. You’re too busy bullying people you don’t know, squashing little towns, and leaving nothing but concrete in your wake. You have no legacy. You’re just a bulldozer.”
I didn’t know what I was thinking, but I tossed the scrapbook diary into the fire. The wood sizzled and crackled at my offering, though the room felt colder, not warmer. Koji’s hateful gaze widened slightly, and something like a soul shone through, only for a moment. He opened his mouth, but I didn’t want to hear it.
Grabbing my backpack, I went to my room to gather my things.
I was leaving.
Tonight.
Chapter 6
I’d never been so mad.
Never felt such raw anger at another human.
Even when Nathan left me stranded, pregnant, and alone, all I felt was despair. Istillfound it difficult to be angry with him. If I had beenmore. . . maybe he would have stayed. Nicer, cheerier, older . . .
But Koji Mukai didn’t know me. Yet somehow, he’d known just where to hit me to make me cry. To bring all my sorrow to the surface. Well, fuck him. He was right about one thing; I’d failed to do anything here. I might as well leave. I would have left the day before if we weren’t buried under several feet of snow. After shoving all my clothes and personal items into my duffle, I pulled on my gear and marched down the hall. Gallow and Fox stood at the entrance while Koji was thankfully nowhere to be found. Passing them, I stuffed a water bottle into my backpack and opened the front door. “Wait, where do you think you’re going?” Gallow said behind me as I slammed it shut. A sharp slap of wind electrocuted my body the moment I steppedoutside. Snow was pouring down at an angle, making visibility non-existent in the black of the woods. I swore. I’d have to follow the incline down the mountain and hope I took the right path to town.
Warmth hit my shoulder blades as Fox and Gallow joined me on the porch. Fox got in front of me, taking a step down the front steps and turning to face me, though he still stood taller than I was. The wind pinked his cheeks, making me want to kiss them warm again. Though he probably didn’t want me anymore. It was one hookup . . . and I hadn’t even told him about Declan. My heart squeezed. Should I have told him first? Did it even matter? I was leaving; he was leaving to burn down trees or whatever else he and his friends did.
“That was fucked up. I’m sorry, Ruby.”His face was nothing but sincerity. “Please come back inside. It’s bad out here.”
“I’m leaving,” I said definitively, trying to shove past him. He caught me by the shoulders, holding me firmly in place.
Gallow’s deep voice sounded behind me. “No way in hell we’re letting you go anywhere. Not in this weather.”
I whipped around, still surprised at how far I had to incline my head to meet his gaze. I’d truly never seen a man as big as him. It was wildly attractive . . . even if he was a forest killer. I stomped my foot, reminding myself of my mother when she got angry at my dads. “You can’t stop me.”
He raised a dark-red eyebrow. “Want to bet?”
It may have been below freezing, and my teeth were already chattering, but heat rushed to my core. “Yes,” I challenged.
“Alright then.” He stepped forward. I stepped backward, only to bump into Fox, who held my shoulders firm. I glanced over at him. “What are you—”
Strong hands wrapped around my waist and picked me up, heavy hiking backpack, duffle bag, and all. “What the hell!” I shouted. But it was no use. He cradled me like I was nothing buta big baby and kicked the door open, carrying me back inside. “Sorry, little one. I can’t let you go.”
Again, butterflies dropped straight to my wet-from-Fox panties. He carried me into my bedroom and sat me on the bed. Dropping to his knees, he took my foot and began unlacing my boots. Fox leaned on the doorframe, hiding a smile.
“I’ll leave when you’re asleep,” I dared to say. Would I? Maybe. Maybe I liked the feeling of defying him . . .
His lip twitched as he tugged off my boot. “All the more reason I’m sleeping in here with you tonight.”
“You are not sleeping with me. I’m not your prisoner.”
Fox punched Gallow’s shoulder. “Fuck no, he’s not.”
The big redhead glanced over his shoulder as his fingers tugged at the laces on my other boot. “I’m staying here to watch her and keep her safe. You’re staying out there and talking with Koji about how if he doesn’t reel it in, I’ll fucking kill him. I can’t be near that guy right now.”
Fox’s usual mischievous smile faded like he actually believed that Gallow would murder their friend. I kind of believed him too. “All the more reason you should stay out there,” I said sarcastically.
Gallow chuckled. “He’s a good man. His behavior is unacceptable, but he’s under a lot of pressure. It’s the only reason I’m not burying him in the woods right now.”