Chapter 14
JILLIAN
She and Redd had been arguing over stupid things for the past ten minutes, and Jillian couldn’t even remember who had started it. Poor Cindy had gotten overwhelmed and left them arguing in the hall.
“Seriously, Jillian,” Redd rolled her eyes and snorted, “what makes you think he could possibly want you? What do you have to offer him that he doesn’t already have?
” She put her hands on her hips and glared at her.
“He has a submissive—me! And any combination of women he could spank whenever he wants.” She got a calculating look in her eyes.
“He does more than just spank them. You do know that, right?”
Jillian couldn’t breathe. He was still with other women?
As in sexually? That explained why he didn’t want her when they were playing in Stepmother’s room.
She pushed the hard lump down her throat and bit her lip hard in an effort to calm herself.
She felt the tears in the back of her eyes.
There was no way she was going to let this little brat see her cry.
She turned and ran down the hall, almost colliding with a cart of food when a pair of strong arms lifted her and pulled her off her path.
“What…” She looked up into the kind, serious eyes of her older brother. “I—I’m sorry, Jake.”
He pulled her into a quick hug. “You okay, sis?”
She pulled out of his embrace and nodded, still holding the tears precariously at bay. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.”
His eyes turned cool, calculating her answer. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it, Jillybean?”
“No! I mean, no, thank you.” She didn’t want him to worry. “I just need some space. I’m going to go get some air. Go see the horses.”
“Okay.” He gave a light tug on a strand of her hair. “Be careful. And come back in as soon you feel better. The lull in the storm is about to pass. We’re about to get hammered with some killer north winds and tons more snow.”
“How do you know that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel it.” His eyes turned serious. “But know this, little sister, you better be back in this lodge, snuggled up and drinking cocoa when the first flake falls.”
She rolled her eyes at him and couldn’t help the grin that followed. “This place is having a very bad influence on you, big brother.”
“Yeah, I know. Coral said the same thing yesterday, with the same exact look on her face.” He gave her a gentle shove towards the hall. “Go have fun and decompress. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Love you.” She waved over her shoulder and jogged down the hall. She stopped at her room first and grabbed her mittens and scarf and heavy jacket. She headed towards the back of the lodge, focused on her intent, the stable. Maybe seeing some of the horses would help her feel better.
She was so focused on her destination, she didn’t see them until it was too late.
Bertram was down the other hall, firmly chastising a young maid. She was bent over, her bare bottom red under his ministrations as he scolded her about timeliness and effort. When he finished, he flipped her short skirt back down, patted her backside, and pulled her into a quick hug.
Jillian couldn’t see his face from there, but she could picture the love and arousal he must be feeling right now. He then gently tugged the young woman into a room and shut the door behind them.
That was all she needed to see. The tears fell freely now, and her stomach felt like she had been punched. Redd had been right. There was no place for her—not at this lodge, and not in his heart.
She gave a small sob and tore out the back door. Gut wrenching heaves, stutters, and hiccups took over her body. She blindly ran and tripped and stumbled her way through the woods and hills. One foot in front of the other.
Her heart felt like lead, and her head ached so badly.
She paid no attention to her surroundings until she tripped over a hidden root.
She flailed her arms, rolled down the hill, and skidded to a stop at the edge of a rocky cliff.
Her heart leapt into her throat as she carefully eased back from the edge.
It was so far down. If she had fallen… She shuddered to think of what might have happened to her had she not stopped herself in time.
She picked herself up and dusted off the dirt and snow that clung to her frigid body.
How long had she been running? She couldn’t see the sun through the trees and clouds.
The first few snowflakes fell around her, and she shivered.
Good lord, Jake was right. She rubbed her sore arms and stomped her feet.
Where was she? She was so angry at herself for walking out like that and not paying attention to where she had gone. Stupid. Stupid.
No. She was not weak. And she was definitely not dumb. She would figure out what direction she had come by looking for her footprints and other signs, and then she would go back the opposite way. Easy-peasy.
Then she heard the growls.