AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She froze, her hand on the door handle. Could she have made a mistake?
She checked the GPS again, thanking her Savior yet again that she’d refrained from throwing away the note her mother had given her last year with Graham’s contact info. Nope. She had it right. Hardening her resolve, she stepped into the frigid mountain air and strode to the door, lifted a fist to knock?—
It opened before she made contact, spilling light across the deck. Backlit, her father was a faceless silhouette, all broad shoulders and long legs. Tension hummed off him like electricity.
“Hello, Tenaya. Come on in.”
The man hadn’t seen her for thirty years. How did he know?
He gestured behind her down the road. “You tripped my security system ten miles back. I ran your plates.”
Face frozen with cold and nerves, Tenaya blinked. “You have internet out here?”
Not the most pertinent question, but it was the only thing that came to mind.
Graham stepped out of the shadows, revealing a weathered face half-buried in a thick, mountain man beard shot with silver. Everything about him looked hard, except for his eyes. Bright blue, and surprisingly kind.
Not that she’d let that fool her.
She shoved her hands into her pockets and tried to stop shivering long enough to think, but before she could figure out what to say, he gently moved her aside, stepping behind her to scour the tree line a quarter of a mile away. “Let’s get you inside. If trouble’s coming, I don’t want you caught out here.”
She couldn’t help looking back over her shoulder. “How’d you know?”
He guided her into the house, locking the door behind them. “No other reason you’d need my help. It has to be something dangerous. Something you wouldn’t want around your mom or brothers or your friends.”
She blinked up at him. “You know about my brothers?”
He nodded, his gaze still on the trees. “Sean and Jacob, right? Your mom keeps me up to date. Annual Christmas letter.”
Huh. She should have known. Mom was one of the most Christian-spirited, most forgiving souls Tenaya knew.
For her part, she was still working on it. Not very hard, admittedly, but she planned to get there. Someday.
A gust of wind swirled through the clearing, making her face ache with cold. Her teeth chattered hard.
Graham touched her elbow. “Come on inside.”
She peeked through the open door, suddenly shy. She couldn’t handle meeting the fam right now.
“It’s just me,” he said, as if he’d read her mind.
Okay then. She pulled her thin coat around her and forced herself to step through the doorway. She’d make it quick. Explain the situation. Find out what resources he could mobilize to hunt down Victor, and creep back down the mountain to the shabby motel.
She bit down on a sob. The thought of that charmless room, devoid of anything remotely comforting pummeled her. How had she ended up so alone? So powerless?
Graham cleared his throat, glancing at her face, a light of hope in his eyes. It dimmed quickly. He looked away, gesturing toward the great room with its blazing fire. “Have a seat, and tell me what’s on your mind.”
5
Stopping a few steps inside, Tenaya scanned the spacious interior. Wood-planked walls and comfortable rustic furniture contrasted strangely with the high-tech security system components discreetly placed throughout. This was no crude survivalist shack. Graham had created an oasis here in the wilderness.
The scent of simmering stew filled the air, rich and savory, making her empty stomach rumble. The space was simple but beautifully furnished with thick woven rugs, oversized leather couches, and wood furniture hand-carved with intricate designs. Flickering candles covered every surface, their dancing light reflected in the dark windows overlooking the shadowed forest.
The place managed to be both cozy and masculine. Tenaya breathed in the scent of burning cedar, letting it soothe her frayed nerves. For a remote safehouse in the middle of nowhere, her father had crafted a welcoming refuge, a place of comfort and peace.
“This is…not what I expected.” She crossed her arms, tone brittle.
Graham huffed out a laugh and bolted the door behind them. “Surprised I’m housebroken?”
