Chapter 4
Chapter Four
P almer
The wind shifts, carrying the scent of pine, damp earth, and something unmistakably him.
Hudson Kane walks beside me, his long strides effortlessly eating up the rough terrain my first morning in Devil’s Peak. I struggle to keep up, my legs burning with each step up the incline. I hardly slept last night, even though Hudson was a perfect gentleman and slept on the couch. Just being so near a strong, masculine man has me on edge in the very best ways.
"You sure this isn't just a ploy to get me lost in the woods so you can reclaim your bachelor lifestyle?" I tease, wiping sweat from my brow.
He grunts, barely sparing me a glance. "If I wanted you gone, you'd already be on a bus back to the city, darlin’."
I snort. "You really know how to make a girl feel special."
He stops abruptly, turning to face me. The sun filters through the trees, catching in his dark hair, making the sharp angles of his face even more intimidating. His eyes lock onto mine, that deep, stormy gray gaze stripping me bare.
"You think I'm trying to be sweet?" His voice is rough, edged with something dangerous.
I swallow hard. "No."
He steps closer. "Good. 'Cause I don’t do sweet."
I don’t move back. I should. My brain screams at me to create distance, to remind myself that this man is temporary, that this entire setup is nothing but a convenient lie. I just need to lay low for a while, figure out my next move, and give Malcolm enough time to forget me.
But my body?
It leans in, heat pooling low in my belly at the way he looks at me, like he’s seconds from pinning me to the nearest tree and devouring me whole.
He inhales slowly, as if he can smell my reaction. Then, just as quickly, he turns and keeps walking.
"Keep up, city girl," he calls over his shoulder. "Not gonna slow down just 'cause you packed heels instead of hiking boots."
I roll my eyes and pick up the pace, determined to keep up with this broody, oversized man who makes my pulse trip over itself with a single look.
Hudson stops at the edge of a rocky clearing, motioning toward the vast expanse of forest below. "This is the south boundary. My land runs all the way to the river bend."
I glance around, taking in the sheer isolation. No traffic. No city lights. No noise except the wind rustling through the pines and the occasional distant call of a bird.
"You own all of this?" I murmur, more to myself than to him.
He nods, eyes scanning the tree line. "My family’s been here for generations. Kane men don’t belong anywhere else."
I wrap my arms around myself. "Must be nice. Knowing exactly where you belong."
Something flickers across his face. It’s gone before I can name it.
Then he shrugs. "You belong somewhere too."
I swallow hard, dropping my gaze. If only it were that simple. I don't get the chance to respond, though—because suddenly, Hudson tenses. I feel it before I see it. A shift in the air. A prickle down my spine. Then—movement.
A man steps through the trees, rifle slung over his shoulder, a lazy smirk on his face. His eyes skim over me first—assessing, interested—before flicking to Hudson.
"You ain’t usually out here this time of day, Kane." The man’s voice is easy, but there’s something in his gaze I don’t like.
Hudson shifts subtly, placing himself in front of me. "Didn’t realize I needed to check in with you."
The guy chuckles, unfazed. "Just surprised to see you with company. " His eyes drift to me again, lingering this time. "Don’t think we’ve met."
I open my mouth to respond, but Hudson beats me to it.
"Back off." The words are guttural, low, possessive. The kind of tone that sends a shiver down my spine, that sparks something hot and reckless in my chest. “She’s mine.”
The stranger’s smirk fades. He raises his hands, mock innocent. "Didn’t mean to step on any toes."
Hudson doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. Just stares until the guy takes the hint and mutters a half-hearted goodbye, disappearing back into the trees.
Silence stretches between us.
I should be irritated. Should call him out for being a possessive caveman. Should remind him that I’m not his.
But instead…
I step around him, tilting my head up. "Yours?"
His jaw tightens. "You heard me."
I arch a brow. "Did you hear you?"
His nostrils flare. "Don’t start, Palmer."
"Oh, but I think I will." I take a slow step closer, testing him, watching the way his fingers flex at his sides. "You can growl all you want, Kane, but I heard what you said. And so did he."
His eyes darken.
"You’re playing with fire," he murmurs.
I swallow, pulse hammering. "Maybe I like the heat."
A muscle jumps in his jaw. His hands fist at his sides like he’s barely restraining himself.
Then, without warning, he reaches for me—gripping my chin, tilting my face up.
His thumb brushes the corner of my mouth.
My breath hitches.
"You keep pushin’," he murmurs, voice low and lethal, "and I will give you exactly what you're beggin' for."
I swallow. "And what do you think I'm begging for?"
His thumb drags lower, down the side of my throat. A slow, lazy touch that has my entire body tightening.
"You tell me," he whispers.
Heat. Everywhere. I should pull away. Should say something cutting. Should break the tension before I do something stupid. But my body betrays me, swaying closer instead. Hudson inhales sharply. His fingers tighten for a fraction of a second—like he’s about to claim me right here, against a goddamn tree.
Then, just as suddenly, he drops his hand and steps back. The loss of his touch is like stepping out of a fire into freezing cold. He turns without another word and starts walking back toward the cabin. I stand there, heart racing, watching him go. Then I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head. He can pretend all he wants. But I heard what he said.
And I’m pretty damn sure he just staked his claim.