Page 33 of Master Vidar & Vali

My parents were both raised on farms in North Dakota before moving to Pennsylvania to become con artists. I’d always wondered if there was a trigger that moved them from hard working to criminals, but I suspected it was just in both of their selfish natures. I was told once by my grandparents before they passed that my father had been a day dreamer and my mother had been lazy, always looking for the easy route in life.

That had always stuck with me, and I’d sworn to myself one day my hard work and fortitude would get me places. Yeah, when I thought karma was of my own making and that I could fix it. I’d learned since that karma or not, we were all products of our choices. I needed to change my choices if I wanted to elicit a change in my life and in my future.

I believed that is what came forth in my confession to Colin and Linc last night. What I’d truly been struggling with, all I’d kept back was the fear. The truth was for the first time in my life, I was afraid if I got all that I thought I wanted, it might not be what I actually needed. Could having the job with Mihal turn into such a disaster be the reason I was second guessing everything? What if I couldn’t sustain what we had? Was it greedy to want both men fully in my life?

That night Colin had said if we are together then we are together until the end. Or had that been Lincoln? Memories were a bit muddled by the alcohol. He’d said that whatever shit went down, we’d work through it. Never had anyone offered me a guarantee before, not even my parents. The way he said it, I’d believed he’d meant it.

How could they make that type of commitment when we hardly knew one another? There were so many things I didn’t know. I didn’t even know where they lived or if they lived together. When this thing was over, would they want me to move in with them? Was their place in the city or did they have a suburban slice of heaven like this place? What would I do for work?

My mind began to spiral down a path where no answers were waiting for me. I came to a large fallen tree and sat down on the rough bark. Maybe the temp company I worked for would have positions in the area. I turned off the flashlight and tapped into my email. They were always sending out notices of new opportunities. I wouldn’t apply for anything yet but it would be good to know if I had options or if I needed to search elsewhere.

Guilt pricked at my conscience. I’d promised not to use the phone for anything but contacting the guys, but my curiosity was killing me, and it couldn’t hurt to look. We had yet to have our discussion, and I wanted my ducks lined up neatly just in case.Taking back control of my life was important. I always had plans for things to go wrong. I couldn't leave everything up to them.

To my surprise, the most recent email I had from the staffing company wasn’t a list of jobs but rather a personal email. I had to click on a link to read it, but after I did, my stomach dropped at the words I read.

Dear Miss Foster,

We were unhappy to hear that your last job placement was terminated without notice. If you wish to continue with our agency, please reach out at your earliest convenience to keep your status with our company. We truly hope you are okay and are looking forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely, Kate Jackson

Crap! I had meant to contact them, but in the craziness, I’d forgotten. Hopefully, they would be understanding. The email was dated five days ago, and I shouldn’t wait much longer to answer. I quickly typed back a reply, hoping I didn’t lose them as a contact or reference. They’d done good in providing me with the level of job I felt qualified to handle and hopefully would understand.

Dear Kate,

My greatest apologies for taking so long to get back to you. Unfortunately, the job didn’t work out, and I have since come back to the United States. I will reach out when I’m permanently located and hope that we can find something within the country.

Kind Regards,

Zara Foster

It would be a waste of time to search the listings if the company wasn’t happy with me, so I decided not to bother looking till I knew where I stood. I rose to head back the way I’d come. Clouds rolled across the sky blocking out what little light there was, and a shiver moved down my spine. Suddenly, beingsandwiched between two gorgeous men and being too warm seemed better than the cold now seeping into my bones.

Stalking through the darkness, somehow I got turned around and half an hour later ended up back where I’d started. I blew out a breath of frustration, now what? Who do I call Colin or Lincoln? Weighing out their character by level of dominance. I concluded that Linc might be the safer choice. I pressed the button on his name. He answered on the third ring. “Zara? Where the hell are you?”

Yikes! He sounded angry and very concerned. I felt bad not only about sneaking out, but about using my phone, which I had no intention of telling him.

“I needed some air and went for a walk out back. I’m fine but a little turned around. Uh, I was wondering, could you come find me?”

“Yes. Stay where you are. We’re already on our way. We started tracking your phone when we couldn’t find you.” I heard Colin’s frustrated voice through the receiver. Looked like I was in big trouble. “Are you scared?”

His question softened something inside me. “No, I just started getting cold and got lost trying to find my way back.”

“Okay, we’ll be there in a few, just stay where you are.”

The call ended and I pulled my feet up and crossed my knees, hugging them to my chest for warmth. Exhaustion hit me hard. How far had I walked? About ten minutes later, Linc and Colin arrived.

“I’m sor–” My apology was cut short when Linc scooped me up off the ground and pulled me close to his chest like a child being carried to bed. Colin tucked one of the couch throws around me. Immediately, warmth seeped into me and my eyes closed.

“Mmm so warm.” I was going to be in trouble once we got back, but that was a later problem. Until then, I would enjoy thefeeling of being safe in the arms of one of the men I was coming to love.

Chapter Fourteen

Lincoln

Waking up at 3 am to find Zara gone had been annoying, especially as we had been sending the extra security home when we returned each night With no one to reach out to and find out where she was, I went searching the house and not finding her had been terrifying. Discovering the security system was off had sent me into a panic, but that was nothing to how Colin had reacted. In the few minutes before I thought to track her, I’d thought she’d been taken.

When we located her signal a good forty-five minute walk up the mountain, so many thoughts raced through my mind. I’d almost called her, but, if she’d been running away, I hadn’t wanted to tip off that we could track her. Zara’s call to me thirty minutes later had at least eased that fear, but both Colin and I were still upset with our naughty princess.

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