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Cabin wasn’t the right word. It was a fucking palace buried in Colorado’s mountainous wilderness. Made from local timber, it was a piece of architectural art. It was a shame no one would ever see its beauty hidden in the forest. There was nothing for miles. It was exactly what he needed. No stores. No offices. No restaurants or bars. And no one bothering him about meetings or professional shit.
It was a total unplug. A detox from the corporate world. A chance to recharge his batteries after the last battle with the StarCon Global Board. Lee shook his head, remembering how horribly the last meeting had gone. But he was here now.
Three full months to cut wood. Start fires. Hike up the mountain. Hell, he could hunt if he wanted. And the best part was going to be growing his beard. He was tired of being clean-shaven every day. He was over the suits and the polished shoes. Done with banquets and cocktail parties. No more formal balls or luncheons for the next ninety days.
He was going to wear flannel and jeans and burn things. Fuck decorum and rules. He could finally divulge his primal nature here. He laughed as he climbed the stairs to the cabin.
Tyler was standing in the hallway with a beer when Lee walked through the door. He’d beaten him to the cabin by several hours. The bastard always got a head start.
“What are you laughing about?” his best friend asked.
“How fucking insane this is.” He kicked the snow and ice from his boots as he walked inside.
“We’ve had crazier ideas.” Tyler handed him a beer as soon as his suitcases were on the hardwood floor.
Lee twisted the top off. “Nothing comes to mind,” he grumbled. “Nothing extreme like this, Ty. Nothing.”
Tyler slapped him on the back. “It will do you some good. We need the break.”
“And we let the company slide?”
Tyler shrugged. “We’ve made billions. We deserve a break. And this is the only place we can escape without the press or the board. Both are a pain in the ass. I’d rather be here than in the shit storm in the city.”
“No arguments there.” The beer tasted good. Better than Lee expected. “When this is all over maybe you’ll be headed back to Denver on your own. I could see myself staying in a place like this. I’ll just let you run the show, man.”
Tyler laughed. “You’re a moody son of a bitch. I can see that. You might want to stay up here and live like a mountain man after all.”
“Maybe I will.” It was amazing how quickly he adapted to his surroundings. He’d been called a chameleon so many times he’d lost track. But maybe there was a reason for it. Maybe there was something about this place that called to him.
After years of being a polished business shark it was time for a change. The kind of change that caused an avalanche. He wanted to get changed and explore outside. He wanted to get out of the confines of the house. He was going to immerse himself in this experience.
He reached for a bag and threw it over his shoulder, climbing the stairs.
“Which wing is mine?” he asked. “I’m sure you’ve already claimed the best view.”
“All the views are incredible. You get the east though. I know what an early riser you are. I’m not keeping the same schedule while we’re here. I’m going to do whatever the fuck I want to do. You can get up and work out.”
“Sounds like you have it all figured out. I’ll find my rooms. Thanks.”
It was another perk of the cabin. Each man had his own wing inside the compound. It was possible they could live here for the next several months and never see each other. Lee realized there were a lot of benefits to moving here. As he reached the top of the stairs he felt a chill. He turned to see one of the hall windows was open. He pressed his fingers into the sill to close it. The snow was starting to come down harder now. It didn’t deter him from wanting to hike.
He changed and jogged down the back staircase, pushing the door open and taking in a gulp of cold air. The snow coated his eyelashes and the end of his nose. But he didn’t care. He took off for a path behind the house.
This was what he needed. The quiet hush of the forest. Solitude. Peace.
Two
Brooke
Brooke pressed her ear to the door. It was crazy enough that she was eavesdropping in the hall, but she couldn’t back out now. They were talking about her. She was sure of it. The sounds were muffled, but she could hear enough of the conversation to know all hell was about to break loose. Her hell. The louder the voices were, the more she realized they didn’t care if she overheard them. They didn’t whisper. They didn’t use code words. They were clear and specific.
The fear shot down her spine with every syllable they spoke. They didn’t care about her at all. When had they?
She shook her head in disbelief when she finally realized what was happening on the other side of the door. The two men talking mentioned her as if she were some kind of bargaining tool. She pressed her ear closer to the door, straining to make out what her cousin Niall said.
He had never respected her. Never treated her as an equal in the family, even though they were the same age. Once he became the head of the McIntosh family he forgot all the years they had grown up together. He didn’t remember Christmases or birthdays. He forgot their mothers were sisters. None of it mattered to him.
“She needs to be delivered this morning,” he stated. “As soon as possible.”
