Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
CONNOR
“What?” I snap when I feel Wilder look over at me for the tenth time.
“Nothing,” he says, but I hear the laughter in his voice. “I’m just surprised.”
“At what?” I feel like grinding my teeth because I’m getting called away from Evie for this bullshit.
“Well, as of about forty-eight hours ago, you told us that you were never getting married or having babies, and it looked to me like that’s exactly what you were trying to do.”
“Mind your own business.” I have to adjust myself as I turn the truck down the trail up ahead because I’m getting hard thinking about putting my cum in Evie. God, how I want her to get her pregnant and make her stay with me. I’d keep her on her back with her legs open until she’s bred and then…
“Earth to Connor.” Wilder cuts off my thoughts. “Look, I’m not trying to get in your business.”
“Then don’t.”
He sighs like he thinks I’m being ridiculous and maybe I am.
“I’m just trying to get you to be realistic.
This girl comes from a totally different world than we do.
Hell, she’s not even within driving distance of this place.
She’s some richie up here for a weekend romp in the snow, and I don’t want to see you get trapped. ”
“That’s not what it’s like.” I glare over at him as I put the truck in park. “She’s different.”
Wilder shrugs. “I hope she is, cousin. I truly hope she’s the one for you, but until you figure that out, I’d be careful about who you decide to put your claim on.”
Wilder jumps out of the truck and slams the door, leaving me with his parting words. I’m thankful we dropped Natalie at the office because I’m sure she’d be echoing her twin right now. The two of them share a brain most days, and I really don’t feel like getting piled on right now.
Am I aware that it’s only been twenty-four hours that I’ve been with Evie? I’m not stupid, I know that this is incredibly fast, but has Wilder forgotten my parents? Hell, his own mom and dad had that same instant connection, and his mom still talks about it even since his dad passed.
This thing that’s happening between Evie and me is special, and I’ll be damned if I don’t see it through.
She and I are on the same page, I can feel that in my soul.
Either Wilder and Natalie get on board or they get left out, because she’s the one for me.
I just need to try and figure out how to get Evie to stay. Forever.
When I get out of the truck, I see the accident up ahead and the kids standing around.
Wilder is talking to them, and I unhook the winch from the front of my truck because that’s the only way we’re getting that snowmobile out.
Those idiots not only ran it down an embankment, but they managed to hit a tree at the same time.
I’m careful as I climb down the edge and clip the metal winch to the back of the machine.
Once it’s secure, I pull my way back up the cord and to the truck to turn it on.
“Hey!” someone barks at me as I’m reeling in the machine, and I look over to see the fucker from the office yesterday walking toward me. When I ignore him, he comes and stands right in front of me. “Hey, I’m talking to you.”
“So you are.” I ignore him as I keep the cord tight and steady as the machine slowly comes up the hill.
“Where’s Evie?”
He doesn’t deserve an explanation, but I decide it’s better to get him out of my face before I do something I regret. “She’s got a safe place to stay.”
“And is that in your bed?”
Finally, I turn my gaze on Carter and glare at him. “Disappointed it’s not in yours?”
His jaw ticks, and I’ve hit my mark. “Your piece of shit equipment almost got me killed.”
“Too bad,” I mumble as I go back to watching the winch.
“I already called my parents, and they’re going to sue your asses off until I own this mountain.”
The laughter that escapes me bubbles up so quickly that I can’t hold it back. “Sure, kid. Tell them to have at it.”
“Are you laughing at me?” Carter’s face is red, and he looks pissed now.
“Oh, I definitely am.” I turn off the winch when the wrecked snowmobile is safely back on the path, and I go over to unhook it.
“Listen up, you backwards hillbilly redneck. Nobody treats me like this.”
My smile widens as I turn around to face the little shit, and I take a step toward him. He takes a step back in fear, and I’m glad at least part of his brain is working properly.
“As long as your skinny ass is on my land, I’ll treat you how I like. Go on and run home to Mommy and Daddy.” I lean in close, and this time when he backs up, he hits my truck. “Because up here, you’re my bitch.”
“That’s enough,” I hear Wilder say before he steps between me and Carter. He looks at me and rolls his eyes like he’s annoyed he’s having to separate us.
“You’ll regret this,” Carter spits as he takes out his phone.
“What the hell has gotten into you?” Wilder hisses at me, and I push away from his hold.
“Nothing, just trying to get this done, and that little fucker is in my way.”
“Are you sure it’s not because that kid was the one trying to get with Evie yesterday?” He raises his eyebrows, daring me to deny it.
“Are we towing this back to the shop or what?” I ask, ignoring his question.
“Damn it, Connor.” He grits his teeth in frustration. “Don’t bring trouble up here.”
Glancing over at Carter as he talks on his phone, I can’t help but wonder if trouble has already found us.
“Where are the rest of them?” I ask, noticing the group of kids from earlier have gone.
“I told them about the forecast and the storm coming. Someone said they might be going home early. I’m not sure, but I know we need to get this pile of metal out of the road.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll turn around and hook it up to the back. We can pull it the rest of the way to the shop.”
It takes longer than we anticipate to get the snowmobile tied off and ready to go. When we drop the destroyed vehicle in the building behind the office, it’s almost dark. We go to the office to check on Natalie, and once inside we see she’s in a tizzy.
“What’s going on?” I ask, and Wilder shrugs as we watch her end the call she was on.
“Where the hell have y'all been?”
“Taking care of the snowmobile,” I say, and she rolls her eyes.
“And you can’t bother to answer your phone?”
“I didn't bother to bring it with me this morning since I was with Wilder the whole time.”
“The storm coming in is worse than we thought.”
“Don’t tell me we’re stuck with those shits for longer than a weekend?” I say, but Natalie’s face is serious.
“She’s gone, Connor.”
“What?” Wilder and I say at the same time.
“The kids all got their stuff, and one of them must have found out where Evie was staying. They made her get her gear, and they took off. I tried to call you and tell you, but they’re already gone.”
“She wouldn’t leave,” I say, trying to figure out how the fuck this happened.
“I don’t think she had much of a choice. Thanks to your confrontation with that Carter kid, his parents had his lawyer call and talk to her.”
“She’s over eighteen. They couldn’t make her go unless she wanted to.” Wilder looks at me, and I glare at him. “She didn’t want to go.” I know that deep in my soul. She may have been forced, but she would only have done it if there was no other choice.
“I’m sorry, Connor. There’s nothing I could do to stop them. Their plane left an hour ago.” Her eyes are sad when she looks up at me. “She’s gone.”