He tugged my hand to pull me back toward him, his hand pressing against the inked skin between my breasts, the mark tingling in response. His lips brushed against mine. “I love you,mate.”
My cheeks warmed, my chest swelling at the words, at the truth only we knew.
“I love you, too,mate.”
The air was crisp against my skin, but it was warmer today than it had been in nearly a month. We hadn’t had any snow recently, and the clouds had cleared to allow the sun to warm the ground. I couldn’t believe spring was only a few weeks away.
Kat and Cody chatted away on either side of me as we walked. We’d come a long way in the last hour, despite my need to stop for periodic breaks. I missed this, missed seeing the sights, missed exercising.
“We should go camping when it gets warmer,” Kat said. “Cody’s got some great scary stories.”
“As long as we roast marshmallows, I’ll be there,” I said, looping my arm with hers.
“God, roasted marshmallows and chocolate sound so good right now,” Kat groaned, tilting her head back, her coppery braid swaying at her back.
“Anything with chocolate sounds good to you,” Cody teased, and I chuckled in response.
The trees grew thicker around us, dead twigs and leaves crunching under our feet as we walked along the base of the mountain. A strange sensation crawled across my skin, and I shivered, rubbing my arms together.
“You okay, Cas?” Kat asked.
“I’m okay, just a chill,” I said as we came to a stop. A cave came into view, carved out in the mountainside along the trail.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and something stirred in my chest.
“Creepy, isn’t it?” Kat asked, startling me.
“Yeah,” I answered warily, rubbing away the chills pebbling my skin.
“It’s supposedly haunted,” Cody said eerily, passing us to continue down the trail.
My gaze remained fixated on the dark void before me, every instinct coming to life, screaming to stay away.
“Legends say, anyone who enters never comes out,” Kat whispered in my ear, putting on her creepiest voice as she loomed against my shoulder.
I pushed her back, giggling, and she laced her fingers with mine before we continued down the trail. “I don’t know how you guys do those scary stories and horror movies. I had nightmares for weeks after that one ghost ship movie we watched.”
I’d never been able to stand watching scary movies, my imagination far too wild for my own good, and it was enough these days to know monstersdidexist.
“I love them,” Kat said.
My eyes drifted to Cody, who’d gained some ground and was several steps ahead of us.
“Can you slow down, Cody? Us short girls can’t keep up with your freakishly long legs!” Kat shouted, her voice bouncing off the mountainside and echoing through the forest. I snickered as he looked over his shoulder at us. It was a relief for her to speak up, because I couldn’t match his pace, and I was already inching toward needing another break.
Cody huffed a laugh, slowing down to allow us to catch up. My gaze drifted to him as he settled into a slower pace at Kat’s side, leaning in to brush a kiss to her cheek. Her responding giggle made me smile, her happiness a rush of warmth. It warmed my heart to hear her laughter, to see her so happy. Cody would take care of her. He’d be there to pick up the pieces. I just wished he would tell her soon so I could talk to her.
My eyes drifted upward across the bare branches of the trees, the sun warming my skin as I drew a deep breath of crisp mountain air. I couldn’t seem to get enough, though, and I glanced at Kat to whisper. “I’m so sorry, Kat. I think I need another break.”
The inner corners of her coppery brows curved upward. “That’s okay, love. There’s a place up ahead we can rest.”
I nodded, and she helped support me, her arm looping with mine. We followed the curve of the mountainside, the trees parting to reveal a small clearing, and I lifted my eyes from the ground as Kat and Cody came to a stop. I frowned, no sign of any places to sit like Kat had said.
My heart stopped, my breath catching in my lungs.
Cold, black eyes leveled on me from across the small clearing, just twenty feet ahead of us as he emerged from behind a tree.
My knees weakened. “Cole?”
