Page 81 of Dysfunctional

I can’t help but wonder what Kaspian’s plan is. Why is he following her? Does he know that one of the girls was her friend? Is he planning on killing her too? But why?

I drum my fingers on the steering wheel; something in the road has us at a standstill for a while. When we get moving again, I come across a sign for Sugarbush Resort. However, I haven’t seen any cars turn off. Did she miss the exit?

I decide to keep going straight and eventually spot Kaspian’s truck. We go all the way to Stowe, which is about forty-five minutes from Sugarbush. She lied about where she was going.

Keeping my distance, I do my best to get an idea of where she might be heading without having to follow directly.

She turns to the right, as does Kaspian. If he’s trying to be secretive about tailing her, this isn’t the best way to do it. There aren't many cars traveling in the same direction now that we’re off the highway and getting closer to rental cabins.

I keep going straight with the plan to circle back once they’re out of sight. Nearly ten minutes later, I find my way back to where they turned off and travel through some rough roads. The snow is piling up, and there doesn’t appear to have been any plowing done yet. These roads are less traveled, so they’ll be done much later than the main ones. I pass a few cabins. There’s about forty or fifty yards between them, giving the sense of privacy while also being able to see the one next to you.

However, I realize it’s a dead-end road, and the last cabin is backed up to several massive trees with open space in the front. It’s much larger than I expected, but probably the perfect size for a girls’ trip. The cabin is made up of windows, giving the occupants next to no privacy. Good thing there’s only one neighbor since they scored the last cabin on the road; at least they won’t have people watching from every angle.

I stop at the cabin before Willow’s so she doesn’t spot my truck. Luckily, it doesn’t appear to be occupied, so I pull up on the opposite side, hiding most of my vehicle from the view of her cabin.

Her car is already parked as close to the front door as she can get, but what’s surprising is that so is Kaspian’s.

They’re the only two there. No friends. Just them.

I step around the corner, straining to get a good look at the cabin through the falling snow, but thanks to all the windows on every side of their place, I get a good shot of them embracing in the middle of the living room.

He didn’t follow her here. She invited him.

* * *

I went backto the nearest town to grab some small grocery items plus a few other necessities before driving back to the cabin. Luckily, nobody arrived while I was out, so I finagle my way in through a weak lock on a door that leads to the laundry room.

After a quick peek around, I determine nobody’s staying here. There’s no luggage in any of the rooms or food in the fridge. Hopefully the storm will keep people away for the time being.

I only brought a few bottles of water and some food that doesn’t require much cooking. I have a couple frozen dinners that only need a microwave and a plastic fork. I don’t plan on being here long. I just need to know what the hell is going on across the way. I pull out the pair of binoculars I bought at the store and make my way to the window above the kitchen sink. I spot Willow in front of the stove, cooking them a meal. Kaspian’s nowhere in sight.

Hours go by without anything happening. They’re acting like a couple on vacation, except I haven’t seen them doing anything sexual yet. If it were me and Kaspian, we’d have fucked in three different places already. All they’re doing is laughing, talking, eating, and watching TV. When they pull out the wine, I sit on the kitchen counter while I wait for my dinner to cook.

Am I wasting my time by being here? Something in me says I need to be close. If Kaspian finds out one of the girls he killed was friends with Willow, he might panic and kill her. If he does that, we’re both in trouble.

However, the idea that they fled out here to have alone time together rubs me the wrong way. I know for a fact if the roles were reversed, Kaspian would be camped outside the cabin, too. He’d be furious and ready to pounce. Why does he get to get away with it?

The microwave dings and I pull out the black plastic tray with chicken and mashed potatoes and eat up. It’s not great, but it’s something. Once I’m done, I toss it into one of my plastic grocery bags to take with me later.

Another peek through the binoculars sets me on edge.

They’re on the couch. Willow has her hand on his thigh, laughing about something. They’re too close. Too close for friendship. Too close for my liking.

She takes his wine glass and travels back to the kitchen where she pours him another glass. He rubs his hands over his knees, staring straight ahead. Something about his posture looks tense. I angle the binoculars in her direction and find her strutting back to Kaspian with two glasses in hand. They clink them together and drink.

Willow puts hers down on the coffee table before moving quickly and pressing her mouth to his. In a flash, Kaspian has her pinned beneath him.

I put the binoculars down, grab what I need, and throw my jacket back on before I make my way through the heavy snow to get to their cabin.

ChapterThirty-Three

The snow is well past my ankles, creeping up my shins as I begin my trek to the trees that rest ten yards behind the back of the cabin. The combination of night and snow gives me enough cover within the thicket to feel comfortable that nobody will see me. All of their lights are on inside, giving me a perfect view while obstructing theirs.

When I get to the trees behind their log chalet, I attempt to find their figures, but can’t see them anywhere. Perhaps they went upstairs. I don’t dwell on what they very well could be in the middle of doing. My rage keeps me warm as the blizzard swarms around me.

Wind whips snow against my face, the flakes clinging to my lashes. I storm forward, making my way to the back door. It’s locked, but if it’s similar to the lock at my cabin, I know I can get in.

I peer through the glass square in the door, but there’s no movement. No noise either. With a mini screwdriver I purchased earlier today, I use it for the second time and get the door to unlock. I pause, waiting for someone to say something, but I’m met with silence.

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