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“Keep your eyes and ears open. If you even think you’ve seen or heard something, let me know.” My grip on her hand tightens as we walk around to the back of the cabin.
“This place has lost a little bit of its magic, thinking there could be someone else here,” she says softly from my side.
She isn’t wrong.
We walk down the hill to the back door and deck, only to find untouched snow.
“Do you think the tracks could have been covered?”
Possibly.
“I don’t know. Maybe. Let’s explore some more and try to enjoy ourselves.”
If someone covered their tracks, they probably wouldn’t have done so all the way out into the woods. That thought and the amount of work it would take sends chills down my spine.
“Have you ever gone skiing before?” She asks out of the blue.
“I went water skiing a couple of times when I was young, but not snow skiing. That costs money we didn’t have. Have you?”
“No, my mom was always scared I’d end up breaking a leg or something. Ski trips were the only thing they ever turned down.” She twists her lips so the side. “It seems weird now. They could have gone and not skied.” She shrugs, scanning the trees that surround us.
“Maybe she had a traumatic experience before you were born or knew someone who did.”
“You’re probably right. I was just thinking it would be fun to sled or something while we’re here, but there’s really no place for it.”
The hill the cabin sits on would make a great place to sled if there weren’t so many trees around. I’m not sure how we’d avoid them.
Pulling her into my side, I kiss the top of her head. “We can enjoy the hot tub again.”
“That was amazing,” she smiles and closes her eyes for a moment before they pop back open. “But we’ve got to figure this out first. There’s no way I will be able to relax thinking someone is out here or in the house.”
I hadn’t thought about someone actually being in the house. It’s big enough that someone could easily hide and we wouldn’t find them—especially if they know the house extremely well.
“Maybe we should head back. We can always come back out and enjoy the snow once we figure out what’s going on.” Or at least that’s my hope. I’m sure how we’ll ever leave the house again if something bad followed us here.
“Bodhi,” her voice is shaky. “I’m scared.”
Stopping dead in my tracks, I take her face in my hands and rub my thumbs over her cold, pink cheeks. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Not now or ever. Do you believe me?”
She starts to nod but can’t with me holding her. “Yes. I know you’ll always protect me, but that doesn’t mean I won’t worry.”
“I know.” I brush my lips to hers before I rest my forehead on hers. The only thing I can do is let her see the conviction in my eyes. She stares at me. Her blue eyes go from troubled to sparkling in only a few short breaths.
I kiss her one last time before we start back up to the cabin, which takes us longer as we ascend the hill in the snow. It’s nearly six inches in some places, making it difficult.
With my hand on the doorknob, I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what we might find. After dealing with Dwayne, I thought we were safe, but now I’m not so certain.
“Stay behind me,” I say in a low and even tone.
Pushing open the front door, I head straight to the kitchen and grab the biggest knife I find out of the drawer. Slowly, we search the bottom floor looking for any signs of an intruder or someone else staying here. Really, what would be the odds of Coco having another stalker? Still, I won’t rest until I figure out where our belongings are going.
I find nothing, and with each room we search, Coco’s hold on my shirt tightens. Quietly, we head upstairs but halt on the top stair when I hear a scratching noise from the bedroom we’re staying in.
Reaching behind me, I squeeze the hand holding onto me. “Stay right here.”
I don’t wait for her to answer, needing to make sure no harm will come to my Goddess.
As quietly as I can, I open the bedroom door, unsure of what I’ll find on the other side. Slipping into the room, my eyes scan every inch of the space but stop on our suitcase sitting on top of the bed. Clothes are hanging out of it, and a few items are on the floor leading into the closet.
