Page 95 of Undone By The Mountain Daddies

But wearing sneakers is bad for my reputation.

I never wear sneakers. The only time I allow it is when I’m heading to the gym in a cute Alo set.

I continue walking through the forest. Weeds are everywhere. I spend most of my time tackling them and wading through blades of grass that reach as high as my hips. But it’s fun. I like the adventurous feel of it.

I sniff the air like a crazy person, taking in huge whiffs of pine. That has to be one of the best things I’ve ever smelled.

I come to a stop, waves of worry suddenly taking over my nervous system. What if I’m seen again? A team of paparazzi was up here just last night. There could be another one on its way right now.

I haven’t checked my phone yet today—just can’t bring myself to do it. Jules will have called for sure. She’ll want to arrange a meeting and do some damage control.

No doubt Knox and Cash will be plastered all over the news today. The camera team got plenty of footage to paint them in a bad light. Aggressive behavior. Assault. I can just see the headlines.

Since being up here, I’ve realized the worst types of aggression are actually very quiet. So quiet that people tend to mistake the good for the bad.

And what Knox and Cash did for me last night was good. Really good, nobody has ever stuck up for me like that before.

I press a hand on my heart. It feels heavy, like it’s taken over my entire body. When I came here, I thought Knox, Eli and Cash were the hunters. I was sure they were axe murderers. Why else would they choose to live a million miles away from the rest of the world? You don’t decide to live on the top of a mountain, an hour away from grocery stores, for no reason.

But I get it now. The real world sucks.

The sun beams down on me. It feels so wonderful to be out here but it’s time to turn around and face reality.

I start back toward the cabin, wading through the long grass, ducking under branches. I take my time. There’s no rush. I’ve been moving at a breakneck speed for ten years straight, barely stopping to breathe. I deserved a break.

But that break has reached an end.

Maybe I can change the narrative like Jules suggested. It’s the only option I have left. I can’t stay here any longer. All I’m doing is stretching out the days to avoid having to say goodbye.

But that, in turn, will only make the goodbyes harder.

It’s time to go. Men tend to leave me first. I have to be the one to initiate it this time, to break the pattern before it breaks me.

Thankfully, the cabin is empty when I make it back inside. I finish slurping coffee and return to Knox’s room. I can’t believe I haven’t checked my phone even once today. It definitely helps to sleep in until noon.

Anxiety claws at my chest when I finally reach for my phone on the nightstand. I’m sick of feeling this way. I guess that’s why I need to flip the narrative and do something different.

“Be proud of your ass,” Jules had said over the phone. “It’s a good ass.”

I do have a good ass.

I open my phone notifications. There are so many that I go numb as I scroll through. Overdue meeting reminders. Texts and missed calls from Jules.

I navigate over to social media and watch the footage from last night. Knox is launching the cameraman down the hill. I watch in awe a second time as he brings the man off the ground, threatening him.

“Speak to Sienna like that again and I break your jaw.”

“Are you filming?”

The footage dramatically cuts out when Cash gets involved.

Everyone’s reposting the video, adding their two cents.

“I think he’s a gentleman.”

“Sienna needs to get away from these men right away.”

“Is this guy even human?”