Say It’s Forever (Fate #1)

Chapter 3

3

GARRETT

W hen I pull up the long driveway through the path of trees I had to make when I built my cabin, I already know everything isn't as it should be. Bear should be out here. He always comes rushing out of the dog door when he hears my truck, meeting me in the driveway to run alongside me, but he’s not there. I know this cold snowstorm wouldn’t stop him. I’m not sure anything actually could. I lean over and grab my gun from the glove box, wanting to be prepared for whatever comes my way.

I pull around, my lights hitting the front of the house. Bear lifts his head from where he is sitting in front of the door. I tuck my gun in the back of my pants when I see there is someone wrapped around him. The small figure has a mess of long blonde hair. She doesn’t move. My chest grows tight for some reason. A rush of adrenaline fills me.

I’m used to dead bodies. It comes with this job. This, however, hits differently, and I'm not sure why.

“The fuck!?” I jump out of my truck, rushing up the stairs. My eyes track the snow on the ground, but I don't see any evidence of her footprints. The girl has been here for at least thirty minutes. This is not good, especially with the current temperature.

“Bear.” I have to force him to move, tucking my arm around the small figure so she doesn’t fall onto the porch. I turn her in my hold, her hair falling back from her face to show me she’s not a child but a young woman with the face of a fucking angel.

Her lips are full and thick, yet her features are delicate and small, just like the rest of her. I easily lift her into my arms, punching the key code for the front door. The lock pops, and I push it open, carrying her inside. I lay her down on the couch before starting a fire and hurrying down the hallway to grab some blankets out of the closet. Bear sits beside the couch, not leaving the girl's side. I don’t blame him. I don’t want to either. What the fuck? I push that thought to the back of my head.

I thought Bear was just as grumpy as me. He doesn’t care much for company either. Now he’s hovering over this girl.

“Where did you find her?” I ask Bear, tossing the blankets on the back of the couch as I stand over the girl, knowing what I have to do next. I have never seen hair as blonde as hers. I’m not even sure you could call it blonde; it might be white. It rests against her pale skin, which is free of any marks except for a small freckle next to her lips. Every inch of her is perfect.

I run my hand down my face because she truly does look like a fallen angel. She appears too flawless to be real. A fucking vision. One that is causing chaos inside of me.

Bear lets out a whine, then nudges the girl's hand. She doesn’t wake. I can see the rise and fall of her chest. The pulse in her neck. Her breathing is steady, but she’s out. Where did she come from? She’s not from town. I know without a doubt that I’ve never seen her before. I would remember her. There isn’t a chance in hell that I could forget her.

“All right.” I exhale deeply as I reach for the buttons on her coat. I quickly notice that there's another coat underneath hers. After removing the two drenched coats, I discover she's wearing a worn-out long dress that appears to be older than her actual age. It’s damp too. “Fuck me,” I mutter.

I’ll have to remove it. I go for her shoes next. They are also worn and not designed for the snow. When I get them off, along with the socks, I wrap my hands around her delicate feet. They’re so damn cold.

I rub my thumb across her tiny toes. I lean in and stop myself, jerking back before my mouth can press a kiss to one of them.

“What the fuck is wrong with me?” I stand, letting her feet go. “Get it together,” I tell myself, heading to my room to grab a pair of thick socks. I put them on her feet.

Bear lets out another whimper. “She’s going to be all right,” I reassure him, and I tell myself, too. I do my best to not stare when I remove her dress, leaving her in a simple white cotton bra and panties. I wrap one blanket around her, then lay another one over her. I place a pillow under her head.

She lets out a small sigh and snuggles in deeper. A pressure in my chest that I hadn’t realized was there lifts. Bear’s giant ass jumps up on the end of the couch by her feet. He faces her, keeping his attention trained on our snow angel. I decide at that moment that I’ll call her Snow until she’s able to tell me her real name.

When my phone goes off, I debate answering it, but it’s Ace. He’ll keep calling, or worse, show up here. That is the last thing I want right now.

“What?” I say when I answer. I sit down on the end of the couch next to her. My fingers drift down her jaw, noticing that her cheeks are starting to turn pink. That’s a good thing. Her thick lashes lay against her cheeks, making me wonder what color her eyes are.

“Damn, just calling to make sure you got home okay. It got bad out there quickly.”

“Yeah, I’m good,” I respond absently. Snow scrunches her nose, and I wonder what she might be dreaming about.

“Garrett!” my brother barks through the phone. “Are you listening to me?”

“Yes,” I grunt, standing to step away from the couch. My snow angel clearly needs rest.

“What is going on? Something is up.” Of course, he can tell I'm off. I glance back toward the couch. I tell my brother almost everything, but for some reason, I don’t want to share this. Not yet.

She’s mine.

I grit my teeth at my own barbaric thought, finding it absurd. Perhaps I am losing my mind up here alone. I don’t have a clue who this girl is or where she came from. What I do know is that no one out here wanders around in those clothes she had on in a snowstorm without a reason, and that reason can't be a good one. Not if she was willing to freeze to death for it.

“It’s nothing,” I tell him so that he’ll leave me alone.

“Bullshit.” Ace calls me out right away. “It’s not Mindy, right? She returned to the bar, pissed."

“You think I would have something going on with Mindy?” I’m actually offended.

“No, but what the fuck else could it be? Bear okay?”

“He’s good.” Great actually. I’ll have to make him a steak as a reward for taking care of my girl.

“Fine, whatever. I’ll call you in the morning to check on you.”

“I don’t need a fucking check-in.”

“Too bad,” Ace responds before ending the call. I shove the phone back into my pocket, then go back over to Snow. I sit down in front of the couch, leaning back on it. I don’t want her to wake alone and scared in an unfamiliar place.

It's probably not going to be any better to wake up to a man who is easily twice her size. Fuck. Maybe three times. But I’m not leaving this spot. Not until she wakes up, and I can make sure she's okay.

My Snow will open those eyes and show me what beautiful color they are because I know they will be breathtaking... like the rest of her.