Page 10 of Twins for the Mountain Daddies

The hallway is dimly lit, the wood-paneled walls closing in just enough to make me feel like I’m walking deeper into a trap I can’t escape. Hank moves ahead of me, his broad frame nearly swallowing the narrow space.

Then, out of nowhere, a small, dark creature darts right under his feet. Holy shit, enough already with the creatures today.

"Shit." Hank stumbles, catching himself against the wall with a heavy thud.

I barely register his near fall because my attention is locked on the thing scuttling across the floor. My heart jumps into my throat as I recoil, smacking into the opposite wall. "What the?—?"

It's…hideous. A scrappy, smoky gray creature with a patchy, uneven coat that looks like it's been through a war—and lost every battle. One of its ears is shredded down to a nub, andwhere one eye should be, there’s just an empty, battle-worn socket.

It stops in the middle of the hallway, staring me down like I’ve personally offended it.

I clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle a yelp. "Whatisthat?"

Hank groans and straightens, shaking his head like this is all perfectly normal. "That’s Gremlin, my cat."

My stomach drops. "That’sa cat?”

At the sound of her name, the abomination lets out a noise that can only be described as an unholy mix of a growl and a smoker’s cough. Then, to my absolute horror, she starts toward me.

“Nope.” I take a step back. Then another. “Absolutely not.”

Hank snorts, stepping past me and nudging Gremlin gently with his boot. "Relax. She won’t bite." He pauses, reconsidering. "Not hard, anyway."

Gremlin flicks her tail, glaring up at me with her one good eye, then lets out a low, gutturalmrrpbefore sauntering off like she owns the place.

I exhale sharply, still eyeing the cat—if it can even be called that—as she disappears around a corner. “That thing is a crime against nature.”

Hank stops short and I barrel into his back, which is way more solid than should be legal.

"Gremlin doesn't take kindly to insults," Hank says, and there's a note in his voice that suggests he's only half-joking. Or maybe not at all.

"Sorry, I didn't mean?—"

"Never mind. Come on." Hank steps over the cat with practiced ease, gesturing for me to follow.

I step around Gremlin carefully, wary of disturbing her further, and trail after Hank. He opens a door to a room that's simple but cozy, with a quilt thrown over the bed and a smallwindow that gives me a view of the storm outside. It's a space that promises warmth and solitude.

"Your room," Hank grunts, setting down my bags. His presence fills the doorway, a solid, reassuring barrier between me and the wildness outside.

"Thanks," I murmur, still glancing back at where Gremlin now sits, daintily cleaning her paws as if she hasn't just given someone the fright of their life.

"Get settled," Hank says. "Kitchen's down the hall when you're ready."

"Got it." I nod, relieved to be alone for a moment. "Thank you," I say, finding warmth in his simple hospitality.

"We’ll get some food in you," he adds, then pauses. "And there's a landline. Call whoever you need to."

"Really appreciate it," I say, hoping my gratitude shows.

He nods once, then leaves, his steps heavy down the hall. Alone, I exhale slowly, letting the stillness settle around me like a blanket. Gremlin jumps up and saunters out, tail high. I can handle this. I have to.

Chapter 5

Wyatt

Idon’t know what I was expecting when Hank came stomping in with his latest stray, butthissure as hell wasn’t it. She’s a damn sight prettier than the last one.

Gremlin is a fitting name for the nightmare creature now roaming our cabin like she owns it. Spoiler alert: she does.

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