Page 24 of Awakening the Wild
"Because I've lost everyone I've ever cared about," I said quietly. "Foster families, group homes, even some of mybrothers for periods when life scattered us. I've never had anything permanent, anything I could count on staying."
I ran a hand through my hair, struggling to find the words. "You make me feel like I finally have a home, not just a house. But every night you're not under my roof, every morning I wake up and you're not there, this voice in my head will whisper to me that you're going to leave. That this is too good to last."
She was quiet for a long moment. "The cottage isn't about not wanting to be with you. It's about proving to myself that I can survive on my own. That I'm choosing you from strength, not desperation."
"I understand that. I do. But—"
"I need more time," she said gently. "The cottage is almost finished. Let me have a few weeks there, just to prove I can. Then we can talk about next steps."
It wasn't the answer I wanted, but I could see the determination in her eyes. She needed this victory, this proof of her own capability. I couldn't take that from her, no matter how much my protective instincts screamed otherwise.
"Okay," I said finally. "We can have this discussion then."
She kissed me softly, her hands framing my face. "I'm not going anywhere, Kevin. I'm not leaving you. I just need to know I could survive on my own if I had to."
The rational part of my brain understood. The primitive part that had been abandoned too many times wanted to throw her over my shoulder and lock her in my house until she forgot about needing anything beyond me. But that sounded like something that asshole Michael would do.
We were walking back toward the farmhouse when her phone rang with an unknown number. She didn’t answer, but her voice mail signaled that there was a message.
“I wonder who that is?” she said. “No one has that number.” She put the voicemail on speaker phone.
"Tonya, darling."
It was that bastard Michael.
“Shit. I blocked his number, but he must be using another phone.”
His voice was sickeningly smooth. "I hope you're enjoying your little vacation in the wilderness, because it's about to come to an end. I've been doing some legal research into your grandmother's estate. Very interesting reading."
I saw Tonya's face go white, and a cold dread settled in my stomach.
"That cottage? Your dear grandmother had some debts before she died—medical bills, property taxes. As your financial representative with power of attorney, I've been paying those obligations on your behalf. Funny thing about debt assumption. It creates legal claims against inherited property."
"This isn’t happening," she said.
"The cottage, the land, all of it technically belongs to me now. I've been very patient, letting you play house with your mountain man, but I think it's time you came home. Unless, of course, you'd prefer I exercise my legal right to evict you from property you no longer own."
The line went dead, leaving us staring at each other in horror.
Tonya sank down onto a fallen log. "The cottage. All that work. Everything."
"We'll fight this," I said fiercely, sitting down next to her. "We'll get lawyers, challenge the documents—"
"With what money?" she asked bitterly. "He controls all my accounts, remember? And legal battles take years. He knows I can't afford to fight him."
I held her as she shook with rage and despair, my own fury building to dangerous levels. Michael wasn't just trying to control her anymore, he was trying to destroy her. Take away the one thing that represented her freedom and independence. Thesanctuary she'd created for herself. The physical proof that she was stronger than he'd ever given her credit for.
Over my dead body.
"Listen to me," I said, tilting her chin up to meet my eyes. "Whatever legal games he's playing, whatever documents he thinks he has, he's not taking your cottage. I'll mortgage my property if I have to, hire the best lawyers in Vermont. We'll fight this."
"Kevin, you can't—"
"Yes, I can. You're mine, which makes your battles mine. And I've never lost a fight when it really mattered."
But even as I said the words, I could feel the walls closing in around us. Michael wasn't just some controlling ex anymore. He was a threat with real legal power. And he was getting closer to taking away everything Tonya had fought to build.
The cottage might be almost finished, but our happiness felt more fragile than ever.
