Page 37 of My Secret Santa Mason

Change was natural, and that was what was happening.

I was changing.

It was dangerous, letting someone in like this. I’d known from the start that any kind of distraction would only lead to trouble, that if I let my guard down, I’d lose everything I’d worked to protect. Even when Tanner arrived on the mountainside, it had taken a while for me to trust him, to see him as a friend and not just another enemy.

It had been simple before—survive, stay alert, trust no one. But now? Now there was Cami, and my life would be divided into two parts:

Before Cami.

And after Cami.

Part of me wanted to push her away, to lock everything down and go back to the way things were. It was safer that way. Easier. And fuck, I love easy.

But another part of me—the part that had woken up next to her, that had felt her warmth pressed against me—wanted more.

Could I have both? Safety and Cami?

The bigger question was—did Ideserveboth?

My past had always been a burden, something that kept me isolated, kept me from getting too close to anyone. Not just because of the danger but because of the guilt. So many people had died because of me. I was rotten all the way through, and I didn’t deserve anything other than the life I’d led until now.

But somehow, despite knowing all of that, here I was, thinking about a different future than living in a shitty cabin in the woods, chewing on deer jerky, sharpening my axe at night, cleaning my guns.

The wind shifted slightly, carrying the scent of the deer to me. I focused again, my muscles tensing as I spotted movement in the trees ahead.

It was a buck, its antlers heavy and proud, moving cautiously through the snow. I lifted my rifle slowly, keeping my breathing steady, my sights trained on the animal. This was familiar.

This was what I knew.

But as I watched the deer, something shifted inside me. I hesitated.

What the hell was I doing out here?

I let out a slow breath and lowered the rifle. The buck looked in my direction for a brief moment before bounding off into the trees, disappearing into the thick forest. I watched it go and sat back on my heels.

Cami had gotten under my skin, and I wasn’t sure if I could let her go. But could I really let her in? Could I let her be part of a future I didn’t know how to create, a future I hadn’t wanted before?

I didn’t have the answers.

And guess what? That pissed me off too.

Another one to add to the pile.

I made my way back toward the cabin, not as careful and as quiet as I was before, when I saw them.

A car, parked off the side of a narrow path deep in the forest—far from any roads most people knew about

It was odd.

No one should be out this deep in the woods. Especially not with the weather, the way the temperatures dipped at night.

Either some tourists had gotten lost in an ugly way, or this was on purpose.

My instincts kicked in immediately, years of training surging to the surface. I moved closer, staying low, hidden behind the trees, my steps slow and deliberate.

I still had my rifle with me, and I could use it if I had to. I didn’tlikekilling, but if I had to do it to survive, so fucking be it.

There were four of them. I recognized their faces from town. I’d seen a few of them around—the assholes who didn’t belong. The ones Rae had told me were justtourists.

---