Not when all I want to do is disappear exactly like that again after not even twelve hours back in civilization.
My stop back into town this morning has already been a shitshow of epic proportions. Topped off by my confrontation with Raven that I’m sure Liam will hear about soon, too. It all makes me wish I had never left the safety and seclusion of the wilderness of McBride Mountain. Where I can hide from things like blond reporters who can’t keep their noses out of everyone else’s business and from the inquisition Liam is about to put me under that Killian would gladly join if he were here, too.
"Where's Killian?"
Liam rubs the back of his neck, glancing at the maps on the wall. "He went up the mountain."
"Where to?"
He swallows thickly, his eyes moving to the old map that led us to find answers for Willow, to find Killian’s son, and the truth about Liam’s father. A shadow crosses over his eyes. "Beyond the gorge."
"I thought we were done over there…"
Which means I must have missed something important this past week.
We had finished clearing the particular area we had targeted beyond the gorge and milling the logs on the yard last month. All that was left was site cleanup and to get the equipment moved to the next location. None of that should have required Killian’s presence.
Liam nods. "We are…mostly, but they found a grove of black walnut and asked to have Killian come check it out."
Black walnut is like solid gold in our business.
Strong.
Sturdy.
Easily workable.
Not to mention beautiful for use in furniture making.
"Is the grove big?"
He shrugs. "Big enough that it would probably add several hundred grand to our income if we cleared part of it."
Damn.
That’s the kind of good news and financial boon we could really use after all the bad that has happened on the mountain lately. And I should be up there helping with the inspection, assisting with a plan to get the equipment where it needs to be and our work crews properly assigned.
Killian shouldn’t be there alone.
Especially there.
The fact that he can go up to that side of the mountain after everything that happened to Willow there proves that he truly is the strongest of us. I can't even stand being on my own homestead, in my own cabin, after everything that happened there, with all the blood I shed on the land, and the memories of the lives I took?—
"Are you good?"
Liam’s question snaps my focus back to the conversation and makes me realize that the answer to that question is one I can’t deny anymore.
I finally lock eyes with him again. "No."
"Will you be?"
That’s the ultimate question, isn’t it?
"I honestly don't know…"
The sympathy in his gaze hurts almost as much as the unease I see in the looks from those in town. "Just promise me something."
"What?"
