As we continue to walk hand in hand, enjoying the closeness of each other, we pass an old wooden den. Rows of wood form a triangular shaped teepee with ivy snaking around the surface. “Dan and I spent many hours out here playing. This place has fond memories for the both of us until mum was taken from us.”
“Did it happen here?”
“No, it was at our home in the city, but this place wasn’t the same without her. Until you came here breathing new life into the place.” He stops walking, turns to face me, and cups my cheeks. “And me.”
My heart swells. A lump forms in my throat. “I’m glad.” I choke out the words. “It’s lovely here. I love it.” My lips almost speak the words my tongue has clung to for the last few days. I love him is what I want to say, but I fear giving myself over completely. He already has my body, mind, and soul. Must he take my heart too?
A small doubt of trust hangs between us. Maybe it’s my past getting in the way of my future, but I need to be sure. No man’s ever held the key to my heart and when I hand it over I need to be sure he’ll take care of it.
We continue walking, his arm around my waist now. “Being here reminds me of living off grid with my mother.”
“What was that like?”
“We would travel around the country in a campervan. Mum had little money, but we had a lot of fun. We’d pitch up somewhere for a few weeks, then move on. What kid wouldn’t love living in a caravan on wheels?”
“Sounds fun.”
“Winters were the worst. The fun was frozen between November and March when we would huddle together in the made up bed. Some nights we would move in with whoever the flavour of the month was.”
Dom squeezes me against his side.
“I couldn’t wait to go to the big city when I was sixteen and ran away from Mum’s overbearing and overprotective shroud. I almost forgot what it feels like to live amongst nature again.”
I realise that after all this time, I actually miss my mum’s overprotective nature. If only she were still here. I think that’s why I’ve fallen so hard for Dom. His overprotectiveness is the familiar feeling from my childhood. All this time I thought I wanted my freedom, but it’s not what I want anymore. I want him, even if that comes with his rules and protection.
“And I haven’t forgotten how much you enjoyed getting off…amongst nature.” He grins, his palm sliding over the curve of my ass. “We better hurry unless you want to fuck in the rain again.”
His words send a shiver straight to my core. But this fox wants to play. “You better hurry and catch me, then.” I dash through the trees, knowing he’s going to chase me. The adrenaline pumping through me is every bit delightful as the desire bubbling under my skin.
I run as fast as I can, weaving through the pines, not looking back to see where he is. I don’t need to see him to know he’s hot on my tail. My heart pounds, both with the exertion and anticipation. Resting against a tree, I catch my breath.
“I’m coming, little fox,” There’s a smile in his voice, like he’s enjoying this just as much as me. Twigs crack underfoot. Leaves and foliage rustle as he approaches. I set off on another run, though it’s more like a jog for him. I know he’s going to catch me eventually, but I’m not going to make it easy for him.
“Don’t stray too far, Red, or I’ll have to punish you.”
I stop behind another tree to catch my breath. He’s nowhere to be seen, and I can’t hear him anymore. Holding my breath, I listen for any movement. The woodland is eerily quiet, and I wonder if he’s given up.
I risk a peek around the trunk, searching for any sign of life. Beads of sweat coats my skin, but it’s more fear than anticipation. Fear that something has happened to him, or something more pressing has taken his attention away.
With my black pumps on my feet, I pad on my tiptoes over the bramble terrain, saying a silent prayer when I don’t make a noise. The wind howls through the trees, leaves whisper to each other as the branches claw at each other. I sense eyes on me, but whose eyes, I’m not sure.
Hairs prickle over my skin, the hot blood courses through my veins now turning to ice. A shiver rocks through me as my skin turns cold, missing the warmth of his body and the fire burning in his eyes. The sun dips behind a dark cloud, turning the woodland into a forest of shadows. Thunder rumbles in the distance. The air turns crisp, and the wind picks up, howling through the trees.
I spin around deep in the woods, not knowing which way is home. My breath hitches. Home. I’ve only been here just shy of a week, and the cabin already feels like somewhere I belong, but right now, I’m disorientated. He said he would always find me, but he’s nowhere to be seen.
Another rumble in the distance sounds louder than before, the storm getting closer. My breathing accelerates, my head dizzies, and I’m becoming more disorientated. I can’t see the lake through the thicket, even the sun has hidden away.
I keep walking, hoping I’ll find the lake or the road he talked about, and figure out which way is home. Or Dom will find me first. A crackle of lightning highlights the woven canopy of branches above me. A light rain patters against the leaves overhead. The rumble of thunder shakes my bones, and I search for anything familiar.
I call out to Dom just as another flash of lightning highlights an old wooden shed. Letting out a sigh, I jog to the wooden structure. Brambles hide the view of the lake, but as I get closer, I realise it’s an old boathouse. Curious and needing shelter, I reach for the wooden door. A broken padlock dangles from a hook. With a loud creek, I open the door. The stench of ammonia almost knocks me out as I peer into the grimy, dark space.
Another bolt of lightning shines through the crack in the roof, highlighting a pale face. I step back. A scream sticks in my throat, unable to escape as I’m choked with fear.
My heart hammers like the rain hammering against the roof, dripping onto Malcolm’s lifeless body. I step back again, colliding into something hard. My blood curdles and the glass shattering scream finally breaks free.
Strong arms slip around my waist from behind, his breath on my ear. “I told you not to stray too far, Red.” He says it so nonchalant like the sight of a dead man is an everyday occurrence. Once was enough for me.
I turn around in his arms, gazing into his eyes as cold as stone. Icy fingers slither up my spine. My skin prickles with the legs of a hundred spiders, and I need to break free of his suffocating hold.
