Page 17 of Stepbrothered by the Mountain Man

Chapter Six

Maya

I sit curled up in my room, staring out at the starry sky through the gaping hole in the ceiling. I’d pulled aside the massive tarp that temporarily obstructed the view. As I watch the stars twinkle, I think–not for the first time–how we’re just specks to each other, millions of miles apart.

I sigh.

My blood’s finally stopped bubbling, but it hasn’t fully cooled yet. Levi says he was just trying to save me from making a bad mistake. The more I think about it—and Google private money lender horror stories—the more I’m slowly realizing that maybe he’s right. Still, why didn’t he buy one of Beau’s other properties to help with the renovations? Maybe if he had, and Beau simply told me ‘not now’, I’d have backed off and worked on my credit for another six months. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so stubborn and I would’ve listened. But no, he bought my spot. My special spot I’d shown him.

I look at my cabin drawings strewn across the floor and feel like a fool. I’d shown Levi the layout and talked his ear off about the cabinet colors and bathroom tile. He probably thought I was so childish, going on and on about my imaginary cabin. Had he been laughing at me the whole time? Knowing he’d buy the plot regardless of the damage to the lodge? If he wanted it too, why didn’t he just tell me? Why did he go behind my back?

That’s what hurt the most. They’d locked themselves in the office and talked without me, despite knowing how much the land meant to me. If they’d at least included me in the conversation I wouldn’t feel so blindsided.

I pick up a drawing and stare into the roaring flames of the small wood stove beside me. I wouldn’t be needing these anymore. As I dip the paper into the fire, the door behind me swings open and Levi comes bolting in.

“Go away,” I say flatly. I don’t even have the energy to fight with him. I’d cried all of it out hours earlier.

“What are you doing?” he asks, ripping the paper from my hand and stomping out the flames.

I reach for another and move to stick it in the fire when he tackles me to the side, onto my pillows where I’d made a makeshift bed out of thick duvets and blankets.

“What the hell?” I pant as he grabs my wrists, pinning my arms above my head with one hand. With the other, he takes the sketch from my left hand and sets it aside.

“Why are you burning these? You spent ages on them.”

“Because I don’t need them anymore. Obviously,” I hiss.

His eyes soften, his grip on my wrists slackening but he doesn’t release me.

“Yes, you will.”

“Why? So you can buy those too?” I snap, bucking him with my hips. “Get off of me.”

“No,” he says simply. “I’ve given you time to cool off. I need you to listen to me now.”

“There’s nothing left to say.” I shove against his abs of steel harder. “Get—”

His free hand clutches my hip, his fingers digging into my flesh and pinning me against the blankets.

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