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“And you want to go to Cinderhill?” She leaned in, hopeful that maybe this destination had some silver lining. An extended vacation where she could recharge and stop looking over her shoulder.
“They seriously didn’t tell you anything?” His look of concern only made her worry grow. “Not even a hint?” The apology in his voice was evident.
“Apparently, they didn’t trust that I could keep it to myself. Is it that bad?”
“Bad is relative. Cinderhill is quiet. It’s safe. That’s the important part. Try to keep that in mind when we get there.” He patted her hand gently. “You’ll probably have to adjust from your normal day to day, but I’m sure we can make do.”
“Is there a beach?”
“I think there is a river.” Ben snickered. “That might be where people wash their clothes though.”
“A spa?” Her voice rose a few octaves. “I’m no spoiled brat but I do need to get my nails done. I have to make sure I keep my skin care routine too. When all this is over, I’m supposed to start a new movie.”
Ben looked away. “I wish they’d have given you some kind of warning. This might be a lot to take in. Cinderhill isn’t so much of a resort as it is a commune. A very remote location that’s intended to be a bubble away from the rest of the world. They are light on amenities but heavy on safety.”
“So no spa?” She gulped nervously.
“You might want to make sure you go to the bathroom on the jet, I’m not even sure the toilets flush in Cinderhill. Think camping meets being lost in the woods.”
Paisley shot him a look to indicate she didn’t find it funny and then realized suddenly he wasn’t joking. With her mouth agape, she tried to take it all in. “A commune?”
“With some really lovely people.” His face crumpled apologetically even though she was pretty certain a part of him found it funny. “And best of all, no one there wants you dead.”
CHAPTER3
BEN
Ben's heart raced as the private jet descended toward its destination. He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, knowing that Paisley was about to step into a world unlike anything she had experienced before. The weight of responsibility rested heavily on his shoulders as he realized his role was not just her protector, but someone to make this transition as comfortable as possible. That wasn’t going to be easy.
As the plane touched down on the remote airstrip, Ben stole a glance at Paisley. She wore a mix of apprehension and curiosity on her face, her eyes searching for answers that had been purposefully withheld from her. He understood her frustrations, but the decision to keep her in the dark was a necessary evil. It wasn’t that she couldn’t be trusted. It was human nature for her to tell someone she loved where she was going. The temptation would have been strong. Ben couldn’t imagine what it was like not to be able to trust the people in your life. His brothers and his sister never left any doubt about their loyalty.
The two-hour car ride was harrowing with sharp turns and dark roads. The man driving didn’t say anything besides introducing himself as King.
Ben had been given a quick briefing on who was living in Cinderhill and what had recently gone down there. King had a major role making sure things were safe and the past cult activity was squashed. It seemed as though they’d barely survived something life altering but he’d been assured Cinderhill was now completely secure.
“We’ll take the four wheelers from here. You know how to drive one?” King was a man of few words. Or he was reading Paisley’s apprehension and trying not to overwhelm her.
Ben chuckled. “I can drive just about anything, but we didn’t have a lot of four wheelers in Boston. I’ll figure it out. It can’t be that hard.”
“Want to ride with me?” King asked, turning to Paisley, who looked shell-shocked. The darkness of the night was alarming. The beams of King’s headlights had been the only thing shining and now that they were off, the flashlight in his hand was a poor substitute.
“I’ll ride with Ben,” Paisley croaked out.
Ben nudged her gently with his shoulder. “The least strange stranger.”
“Right,” she whispered back.
“Okay, the path is pretty clear but watch out for branches; if they clip you in the face, they can do some damage. I’m sorry to be bringing you in at night. It’s a little stressful but Carmen made it clear this had to be done now and under as much cover as possible. Things will look better in the light of day tomorrow. Cinderhill is special but different. Your impression of the place will change in time.”
“We’ll be fine.” Ben caught the keys King tossed his way and gestured for Paisley to follow. He couldn’t fathom what must be going through her mind. Days ago she was probably dining on the finest foods and sleeping on the best sheets money could buy. Now she was in the woods with two men she didn’t know, being driven into the darkness. The good news was, there wouldn’t likely be any imminent threat to Paisley’s life way out here. But the shock to her system for all that was being asked of her in the meantime would be his to manage. Being plucked from her life after her friend was poisoned and finding out she was the intended target had to do a number on her heart.
“Hold on,” Ben said, pulling her arms around his waist when she seemed to be frozen in place on the seat behind him. “I’ve driven my share of motorcycles. This will be no different. Just don’t let go.”
The shake in her body as she pressed up against his back was beyond heartbreaking. They might have nothing in common, her life style seeming indulgent and spoiled, but she didn’t deserve to be hunted like this. To be nearly killed. To have to wonder if her friend would survive the attempt that was meant to take her life.
Ben covered one of her arms with his hand and steered with the other. King was obviously going slow for their benefit but if he had his way, Ben would have told him to speed up. He wanted to get where they were going so they could finally get some sleep. Ben took stock of the distance they were traveling. It was much deeper into the dark woods than he expected. All he wanted to do was get the lay of the land and try to figure out what they’d need to do next.
As they pulled up to a clearing, King cut the engine on his four wheeler and Ben did the same. A sense of quiet isolation took over in an eerie kind of way, like the start of a horror movie. The surrounding dense forest cast long shadows from the moonlight, and the air carried a distinct earthy scent. Nothing like the city at night, which glowed with the lights from skyscrapers and was always alive with people making their way somewhere.
