Page 35 of A Very Addicted Christmas

“I’m not hiking in pain for twelve-plus hours for her appreciation.” His eyes carry more emotion. He looks more like his age, like my younger cousin who needs me to part seas and move mountains. “You have to find her.” He pauses to add, "Please."

“I will,” I say strongly, confident that I have the ability to bring them back here. I’m finding Jane and Thatcher—there is no other option.

Charlie slouches back against the stairs.

I pack Jane’s boots in the main compartment. She left them here to dry, and she’ll need them if we have to hike back together.

After a few minutes, Joana, Luna, Beckett, and Sulli gather on the staircase too. I zip up two packs, and Sulli is the only one adamant about coming along.

I toss her a headlamp. “You’ll need to wear more clothes under your jacket and pants.”

She catches the headlamp. “I’ll go get changed—don’t fucking leave without me.” Sulli stands quickly and rushes halfway up the stairs.

“Wait, Sul,” Akara calls out.

She freezes as all the bodyguards enter the foyer. They’ve been having a conversation in the kitchen, out of earshot, about hiking to find Thatcher and Jane.

Akara explains, “It’s better if we both stay back.”

“Why?” She frowns.

“Yeah,why?” Tony Ramella questions. “We should all be going.”

“We’vejusttalked about this,” Akara snaps at him.

Christ, security drama has been even worse than my family’s drama lately. It takes another five minutes, but I think we all start to realize that SFO doesn’t want Tony to join, for whatever reason.

He only stops complaining when Akara cements that it’s just me and Farrow going, and he emphasizes that Farrow is a doctor. Which Tony isn’t.

It puts me on edge. I always thought Farrow would be coming along as my bodyguard. To know that Jane and Thatcher might need him because he’s a doctor…

We have to leave now.

I sheath my hunting knife on my ankle. “I already packed your bag,” I tell Farrow while he laces his boots next to me. I motion to the second zipped-up hiking pack.

I stuffed two other packs in ours, one for Jane and another one for Thatcher. I figure they have groceries and other things in the car they’ll need to bring back.

Farrow knots his laces. “I was going to ask if you packed extra batteries for headlamps, but then I remembered you’reyou. Preparedness is kind of your thing.” He smiles at me, a soft affectionate one.

His levity breathes this light air in my body. I never had that before Farrow.

I lick my lips, my chest flooding. He’s my man—a love that never wanes, and God, I feel that now.

I want to joke about how my thing is better than his thing, but I can’t find the words. We need to leave, and we move quickly together. Making sure we’re clothed for the elements.

I stand upright and pull the hood of my winter jacket over my head.

Farrow tugs on a black beanie, his earring swaying with his movement. When we’re fully dressed to combat the harsh climate, we grab our hiking packs and head to the front door.

One foot outside, and powerful winds knock us back.Fucking Christ.“Farrow.” I tense, my muscles burning.

He shuts the door and drops his pack. “Let’s give it an hour. It's okay.”

An hour.I check the time on my watch, my face sharpening.

As much as the delay is biting at me, I’m not protesting. I’ll fully admit that I’m stubborn, but I don’t want to put Farrow in harm’s way. And we can’t battle strong winds in sub-zero temperatures.

An hour ticks by.

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