Page 47 of Billionaire Lumberjack's Bride

“These woods are easy to get lost in. You should have come and got me.”

She sniffles, and even with her head angled down, I can tell she’s fighting back tears. “I know, but you were busy, and I didn’t want”—she sucks in a breath and releases it slowly—“I didn’t want you to think I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t find Billy…he’s still out there…I fucked up.”

Aw, hell.

This is my fault.

I’m a total jackass for making her feel that way—that she couldn’t come to me to ask for help.

She’s afraid of me.

I’vemadeher afraid of me.

That’s what I wanted.

That’s what Ishouldwant…

I run my hand along her arm draped around my neck, trying to offer a soothing touch when I don’t even remember what one feels like. “Don’t worry about Billy. He’ll hunker down somewhere for the night, and I’ll find him tomorrow.” I release a heavy sigh. “And don’t apologize anymore. I know this is all new for you. Having you here is new for me, too.”

New and fucking terrifying.

People have always been the problem.

Caring about anyone only ever led to pain.

I’m supposed to be alone here—forever.

I’m not supposed to like this, likeher.

“I’ve always done all this on my own, Lyla. It’s the way I like it. Looking out for someone else…”—I sigh—“it just really isn’t in my nature. I should have protected you, made sure you were all right…”

Lyla lifts her head and looks up at me, her eyes brighter now, more alert. “You didn’t do anything wrong. And I don’t think that’s true, that it isn’t in your nature to look out for someone else.” Her fingers brush along my beard, the light touch sending a little shiver through me. “I don’t understand what’s going on with your family, why you’re doing any of this, but I know youwouldn’tbe if you weren’t trying to protect someone else.”

Her words carve at my chest the same way the painful implements that left my scars did.

This woman has only been here a few days, and she already sees too much, understands too many things I never wanted her to, and I don’t know how to respond to her right now without completely unraveling.

“You think far too much of me, Lyla, and give me credit I don’t deserve.” The day I left flashes through my head—what a fucking coward I was. How easily I ran and never looked back. “I’ve hidden here for fifteen years, hidden from my past and my responsibilities and the people I should have protected.” I look away from her, unable to stare into her innocent face while I say the words I know are true. “I’m a coward.”

She raises her right hand out of the water and presses it against my cheek, my beard likely rough against her palm. “You’re far from a coward, Silas. You saved my life.”

* * *

LYLA

In more than one way.

He didn’t just find me when I was lost in the menacing, dark forest; he rescued me from the nightmare I was living before we signed that contract—one which I never could have escaped without him.

Hearing him discount himself, downplay what he’s done and what it meant to me hurts as much as the cold did out there.

I almost come clean and tell him everything—the reason I was willing to marry a complete stranger and live up here like this, why that money is so important to me, but the real fear in his eyes stops me.

The usual icy-blue filled with animosity has melted away, replaced by alarm I’ve never seen from Silas before.

What’s he so afraid of?

That I might have died, and whatever reason he has for this sham would become more trouble for him…

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