Chapter 3
Sara
The heat from the house slammed into me the second we crossed the threshold, almost suffocating after hours of being frozen to the bone. My body didn’t know how to handle it. My skin prickled, and every single muscle trembled like I’d been plugged into a socket.
Lucas’s arms stayed tight around me as he carried me inside, and his chest was solid beneath my cheek.
I should’ve protested, should’ve insisted I could walk on my own, but I couldn’t seem to find the strength.
Not after what I’d just been through. Not when every step outside had felt like sinking into ice.
The room we entered was wide and open, built of rough-hewn logs and stone. A massive fire roared in the hearth, casting warm light over polished wood floors and heavy furniture. It was beautiful… and intimidating.
Five men stood waiting, each one different, but all radiating the kind of presence that made my stomach knot. These weren’t men who lived ordinary lives.
And they weren’t alone.
There were also women who stood close by, some at their sides, others watching carefully from a slight distance. Couples? Strong, unshakable pairs who seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces.
Lucas’s deep voice rumbled through his chest beneath me. “Found her stuck halfway up the mountain. Car was buried. She was trying to dig it out on her own.”
Embarrassment burned in my cheeks, but the way he said it carried no judgment, only concern.
I looked up at him. In high school, he’d been the lanky guy who kept mostly to himself.
Quiet. Kind. I’d searched for excuses to talk to him, but Chad or one of his buddies always shut that down.
I had a list of people I was allowed to speak to, and an even longer one of those I couldn’t.
Still, my heart had skipped every time I saw Lucas. He always asked how I was, like it mattered, like someone cared. Maybe he saw what everyone else didn’t. Those small moments had carried me through more than anyone knew.
Now… damn. He wasn’t lanky anymore. He was all hard lines and muscle. Strong. Capable.
I turned my head so I wouldn’t be caught staring, no matter how badly I wanted to. He was pure eye candy, sure—but there was more to him than that. Lucas had once been the quiet boy who made me feel seen. Tonight, he was my savior again.
The tallest man, with broad shoulders, dark hair, and eyes sharp enough to cut, stepped forward. His expression was unreadable, but there was a weight to him, like gravity bent around where he stood.
“Good thing you got to her in time,” he said, his voice low and commanding. Then his gaze shifted to me. “I’m Jacob.”
The name hit like a punch of recognition. Even I’d heard whispers about Jacob Cardosa. His reputation wasn’t the kind of thing you didn’t know, even if you never spoke of it out loud.
“I… I’m Sara,” I managed, my voice raw from cold and fear.
His stern expression softened by the smallest fraction. He gave a single nod.
A stunning dark-haired woman stepped forward next, her smile warm and disarming. “I’m Lily. Come sit by the fire and warm up. We’ll get you something hot to drink. Carter?” She glanced at another man who was as equally as intimidating as the first.
He nodded. “I’m on it.” He left the room without any further instructions.
Lucas lowered me carefully to my feet, his hands steadying me when my knees wobbled. I clung to his arm, embarrassed by how weak I felt but unable to let go just yet.
Another man stepped closer, he was older than the others but his posture was just as protective and coiled. He had a brunette tucked against his side, small but fierce, judging by the steel in her eyes.
“I’m Jax,” he said, giving me a curt nod. “This is Briar.”
“Hi,” Briar added gently, her tone a stark contrast to his gruffness.
The woman who had stood next to Carter raised her hand as if to say hi. “I’m Callie.”
I waved back. Kind of… a very awkward wave, but she smiled, and I felt a bit more relaxed.
The last couple approached more slowly. The man had a quiet, commanding strength, his presence less sharp than Jacob’s but no less formidable. The woman with him had kind, watchful eyes that softened some of the tension in my chest.
“I’m Bear,” he said simply. “This is Hailey.”
The names blurred together in my mind, my head spinning with exhaustion and the sheer size of these people’s lives.
I felt small. Like I didn’t belong in this room full of warriors and survivors. Like a cracked piece of glass dropped among polished stone.
The first man, the one who had opened the door came over next. He had a striking blonde woman who came with him. “I’m Diesel, and this is Sam. So tell us, how in the hell did you end up on our mountain? You’re damn lucky Dice found you.”
“Dice?” I looked up at Lucas confused.
“It’s a name the guys gave me when I first got here. It just kind of stuck.”
My brow furrowed. “Why Dice?”
The door burst open, bringing in a gust of snow and icy wind. A younger man, probably around the same age as me and Dice, came in, shaking his coat and body as he secured the door. “Damn it’s colder than a…. Who’s this?” His eyes landed on me with both a curiosity and almost playful expression.
“Tactful as always, Fox.” Jax laughed and ushered Briar to the chair close to the couch where everyone seemed to be congregating.
“Wait. Do I know you?” Fox leaned in closer, his eyes slits as he examined me. “I think I know you.”
My heart raced. I didn’t really want anyone knowing me right then. Lucas was enough. And honestly, he had a warmth to him that felt, dare I say, safe?
Lucas’s arm tightened around me as he guided me down onto the couch beside him. “Back off, Fox. She’s been through enough tonight without you in her face.”
Fox snapped his fingers like something clicked. “You graduated the same year as me! Twenty-twenty. Crazy year, huh?. Not really a graduation, but still…” He grinned. “I remember you. Well, from before everything shut down. Don’t remember much from earlier years. I was… preoccupied.” He winked.
“Um, yeah.” It was all I could manage to say.
“You were with that Chad guy, right?” Fox asked casually, like we were just two old friends catching up.
I winced. Visibly.
Lucas growled. Actually growled. Then muttered a vicious curse under his breath as he stood. “I’m going to find Sara something dry to wear.”
I hadn’t even noticed I was still practically thawing out and dripping all over the couch and floor. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
Lily shook her head. “Do not even worry about it.”
“One perfect cup of cinnamon hot cocoa,” Carter announced as he returned, a travel mug in hand. Steam curled from the vent as he held it out. “Sometimes, I impress myself.”
It smelled heavenly as he handed it over to me. But the warmth it fed my fingers was even better. I closed my eyes and melted into the heat. “Thank you so much.”
Jacob looked at Lucas with a nod. “You good?
Lucas nodded.
Jacob clapped a hand on my hero’s shoulder, almost as if to say good job. “Take care of her. We’ll figure out how to get her car out and her home safely when the storm lightens up. Could be a few days.” He then glanced at me. “You are welcome to stay here with us in the main house.”
Lucas shifted, and I felt the need to stay with him. “Is… is it okay if I stay with Lucas?”
Fox’s brow rose a mile. “You mean… you want to stay with Dice?”
Jax shook his head and laughed again. “Yes, you know some women prefer a man who has… hobbies. Maybe you should get one.”
I wasn’t sure what that was all about, but I was resolved and would fight to stay with Lucas.
Jacob smiled and wrapped an arm around Lily drawing her in close to his side. “Sara, it was wonderful to meet you, even if the circumstances weren’t ideal, but… welcome.”
Welcome.
That one word meant more than he would ever know. Lucas stood up and offered his hand that I took immediately, holding my mug in the other.
Maybe that wrong turn up the mountain was right after all?