Page 55 of Billionaire Lumberjack's Bride

The door slams like a final exclamation point on his words.

Shit.

Every time we take a step forward, it’s three steps back. This time feels more like a mile.

Because something happened last night, somethingbeyondme getting lost and Silas rescuing me. Through the frigid, inky blackness of almost dying, there was a spark. The tiniest hint of something that could become a flame. It flashed hot for a moment, only to be snuffed out by the man who doesn’t want to feel the warmth because he’s so terrified of getting burned.

And he is going to do anything and everything in his power to douse it every chance he gets.

* * *

SILAS

Wind blows my hair back, whipping around me, taunting me with its warmth today after contributing to almost killing Lyla last night. Combined with the high sun, the beauty of the day is only clouded by the dark mood overwhelming me that hasn’t dissipated since I climbed onto Lasher.

Riding usually helps.

The freedom pushing him to his limits and putting what haunts me behind brings should be hitting me now.

Should be but isn’t.

I urge him into a gallop, and the horse does as he’s asked, just like he always will, charging ahead while Whiskey races beside us, trying to keep up with our pace.

We move along the river that meanders down the mountain, taking the familiar path quickly, as if we’re being chased by some unseen pursuer instead of looking for signs of Billy.

This is exactly what I needed: to put as much distance between me and that woman as humanly possible.

If I didn’t, things would have only gone to shit worse than they already have. Somehow, I went from falling asleep in bed with Lyla safe in my arms to arguing with her and making her fucking cry in the span of only hours.

Another epic failure on my part.

I hurt Lyla.

I tried to save her, and I ended uphurtingher.

A better man never would have let that happen. A better man never would have letanyof this happen. He would haveensuredUncle Marty couldn’t keep hurting people. He would have come forward years ago and exposed him so others wouldn’t suffer.

Instead, I ran, and I hid; now, it’s all coming back to bite me.

And her.

It’s only a matter of time before he finds out about Lyla, and once he does, it will put a target onherback. And no amount of running on this horse is going to escape that reality.

I warned her that I doomed her, but she has no idea how badly. She couldn’t possibly understand when I can’t tell her, when I can’t seem to form the words to explain what was done to me and what I’m going to have to do soon.

Keeping her in the dark is the only way to protect her right now.

The painful truth will come soon enough.

But riding along the river, I can pretend I’ve left all that behind and lose myself in looking for Billy and casting the line.

Theoretically.

I catch sight of a familiar flash of white, and I pull on the reins and slow Lasher to a trot.

Billy…

The little prick is exactly where I thought he’d be—grazing along the shoreline where his favorite dogwoods grow, near my fishing spot.

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