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“You mean, because of your picture taking business?”
I nod, moaning loudly as I take a sip from the rich smelling coffee. “I want to travel more, see the world.”
His intense stare flashes to mine, his shoulders locking in place.What did I say?“What about your folks?”
I tap my fingers on the mug, staring at the dark substance. “My parents gave me everything I have, they paid for my education. I owe them—” I bite on my tongue, not wanting to talk about my family. My sisters are all trophy wives who love money more than their cheating husbands. Hell, my mom was Miss Texas when she met my father, and fell for his oil money. I hate what my family stands for, the way they are destroying nature areas around the world, cutting down rainforests to earn a quick buck.
Then why am I here spying for my father, and agreeing to marry into a family who can pay off his debts?Trent made it clear he is only marrying me for my trust fund and last name. I thought it was enough. Do I need their love, their acknowledgment so much that I’d throw away my life?
Before meeting Rafe, cracks were slowly starting to appear. And now, seeing how he lives his life, how he looks at me, I don’t know. I’ve only been with him for twenty-four hours, but he’s already making me rethink my life.
“Storm,” he growls, his hoarse voice pulling me back to the present. “You shouldn’t settle. There is a whole world out there,” he continues, handing me a fork and a plate with the pancakes. Leaning against the kitchen table, he runs his eyes over my face before we eat our food in silence. There is no chance Rafe is going to ask me to stay, it’s like he said earlier, whatever is going on between us will end when the snowstorm clears.
“They’re good,” I mumble.
“You sound surprised,” he laughs.
“Do you always cook?” I ask, trying to go for something safe while my heart is beating out of my chest.
“I had to. I was alone a lot of the time growing up. My mother worked at the local hospital as a nurse to take care of me,” he says, looking at the playful dogs. “My grandpop helped out, but he was pushing seventy already when I was fifteen, he died not soon after.” Sadness shines through his deep voice.
I stop eating. “I’m sorry, you must have been close.”
He nods, taking the last bite of his pancakes and setting his plate down. “He taught me what it takes to survive in these woods, how to be a man, how to take care of those you love,” he rasps, flicking his eyes to mine.
I hold his gaze. “Was he the reason you joined the military?”
He furrows his brows like he’s thinking about it and grabs his coffee mug. “Part of it, I wanted to see the word, and carrying a gun was the cheapest way to do it.” I sense the reluctance in his voice. “I only became a ranger seven years ago. Worked my way up by catching murder suspects who thought dumping a body in the wild would be easy,” he tells me, getting a faraway look in his eyes. “I grew up in these woods, this was my people’s last resort,” he continues. “I’m not going to sell, and I’m never leaving here,” he grits out, his nostrils flaring. “Some investor has been buying up all the land around me, probably to make way for some rich asshole’s estate.” An uncomfortable silence settles between us while we stare at each other. Does he know?
“Is it difficult—” I bite on my bottom lip.
“Being Native, indigenous?” he chuckles, crossing his arms in front of him. “You can ask me anything, kid.”
“Was it, I mean, is it?”
He shrugs, looking out the kitchen window. “I guess in some ways it was. Not having access to basic needs like healthcare, running water,hell, education. My family tried, but my father left me and my mom when I was still a kid to make money off the reservation. He worked the oil rigs in North Dakota until he died.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper softly.
Shrugging, he says, “He tried to fight his addiction. He fought in Vietnam, and like so many, alcohol became a way for him to cope with his life, his past. We both struggled but took different paths. I loved him, but he couldn’t beat his demons.”
“Are you?” I ask, swallowing hard.
“I’m trying, kid, one day at a time.” Those blue eyes hold me captive. “And sometimes you run into racist motherfuckers who treat you like a second-class citizen.” He lets out a hollow laugh. “I try to not let it get to me; being in the military and my work as a Ranger earned me the respect from my men and colleagues. Even when you try to do the right thing and stand up for your brothers, there are always going to be people who will only see the color of my skin.”
“I had no idea,” I say, my voice cracking.
“Don’t feel bad, babe, I know you don’t see me like that.” He flashes me a broken smile. “In the end, the people you love, they are the ones who matter. Not those who try to take what isn’t theirs to begin with. This land is mine, my heritage. I don’t care what people offer me, you can tell yourfatherthat,” he says, not breaking eye contact.
My throat dries.This is it. “You know who I am?” I murmur, staring at the floor, the mug shaking in my hands.
“I do,” he drawls, watching me squirm.
“I didn’t mean to lead you on, I—” I swallow hard, not knowing what to tell him.
He runs a hand over his face. “Save me the bullshit, Storm.”
I set the plate and mug down in the sink and brush my hair out of my eyes. “It isn’t bullshit. I did come here because of my father. He asked me to find out who owns this land. I didn’t know—”
