by K. C. Crowne
“Angel, you need to mind your business,” I reminded her.
“And you need to mind your body!” she yelled, walking closer to me and poking me with her finger. “If you get sick up here, I can’t do a thing about it! I don’t know how to get out of here! I sure as hell couldn’t carry your big ass out of here!” She sucked in a breath. “Go to the damn doctor!”
I stared at her, enthralled. Her face had pinked with anger and yelling. A little shocked, he was amazed by the fact that her beauty was almost ethereal. He wanted to kiss her more than he had before, and he couldn’t bring himself to argue with her as he looked down at her.
“Fine,” I bit out. We could go. But Angela was not taking her phone. I didn’t need her calling anyone. I didn’t want her to cause trouble unnecessarily. I would hide the fucking thing before she could think of it.
The doc already knew me; I’d met him when I’d bought supplies. I’d given him a fake name and could do it again. And I’d pay in cash.
“Good,” Angela said, deflating a little when she realized I wasn’t going to put up more of a fight.
I both hated and loved that she’d challenged me. No one had in a long time; no one had cared enough to. I wasn’t used to that and couldn’t get used to it. I could take care of myself. But she had a point –this wound needed to be taken care of. I couldn’t afford to get sick. I sure as shit couldn’t afford to be weak if Maksim decided to come for me.
When that happened – and it was just a matter of time – I needed to be in tip top shape so I could end that motherfucker for good.
“Where is it?” Angela asked, interrupting my thoughts.
“Not too far.”
“How do we get there?”
“On foot,” I told her, having every intention of wandering about so she wouldn’t remember the route. Once I found out who she was, that she wasn’t a danger to me, I’d ease up on the restrictions.
Angela nodded, looking dejected. “I was hoping if we could go there, I could go home.”
“You don’t want to be here.” I didn’t want her to go, but I wouldn’t admit it.
She shook her head. “It’s not like that. I just… well, a fresh change of clothes might be nice. And a toothbrush.”
“We’ll take care of it in town,” I said.
I was a fool. I hadn’t thought about what she might need. Truth be told, I loved looking at her in my shirt and nothing else. It made my cock hard and I had to control myself so I didn’t think too much about fucking her, but I still liked it. But she was probably uncomfortable. I would get her whatever she needed. Then she could stay with me for a while longer. I tried to convince myself it was for my safety, not because I enjoyed having her around. If I admitted to the latter, I would have to admit that I liked her. And that was a bad idea.
I couldn’t have her. She didn’t want someone like me in her life. And that only meant that I was going to fall short. My fucking heart would get broken, and she would walk away without a scratch.
I tried to clear my mind and think of something else.
I needed to get some wood chopped now that the rain had stopped. I glanced at my axe on the porch. The blade was getting not just blunt, but chipped, and I’d been meaning to drop by at Axel’s for a new blade.
Axel was one of my few acquaintances on the mountain.
His past was just as dark as mine. We each had our reasons to live beneath the shadows, and the forests of the mountains gave us just that.
I’d managed to tuck myself into the woods so far away no one but Axel knew where to find me. He was my neighbor – a couple miles away – though he knew well to stay the hell away from my place. And I didn’t go near his without warning. Axel and I were not comrades, though he’d offered me work.
He made his living as a lumberjack, had noticed I was good with an axe, and asked if I wanted steady income. I wanted to keep my hands busy, so twice a week I went into the forest and found the best trees, chopped them down, and made quick work of cutting the large trees into lumber that could be used at the mill or when Axel was in the mood to build some furniture.
One thing I appreciated about Axel was his need to replace what he’d taken, and though I thought it a waste of time at first, I’d learned the value. At least one day a week, alone as usual, I planted trees, replacing what I’d taken. I didn’t believe in karma or any of that bullshit, but planting the trees was a good start.
Axel and I were both up here for a reason – to get away. We might do the same work, separately, so dropping in for casual visits defeated the purpose.
Besides, I had enough on my mind with Angela on my hands. And a woman like her was a whole lot to handle.
Angela
“We’re leaving,” Viktor said gruffly.
“I’m almost ready,” I said, looking under the bed. Where the hell was my phone? I must have misplaced it since I wasn’t using it. This cabin was so small, though, surely it would take just a moment to find it.
“Let’s go,” he said from the door.
“I can’t find my phone,” I told him, glancing at him. “Have you seen it?”
“No.”
I sighed and nodded. Since it had taken some effort to convince him to see a doctor, I wasn’t going to let him wriggle out of it again. I didn’t know him well, but I certainly didn’t want him sick with infection after saving me.
“Come, Malen kiy,” Viktor said. He used the same pet name he always did, but there was an irritated tone to his voice.
I gave up the search for my phone. I wanted to call my mom as soon as we got to town, explain what had happened, where I was. That I wasn’t dead in a ditch or something. I was merely stranded and would be back in a few days, hopefully. Hopefully, I could find a payphone in town.
“Can I get to Grizzly Falls from Snowmass?” I asked as we walked through the door.
Viktor eyed me skeptically. “I suppose you could.”
“You seem unhappy about the idea,” I commented curiously.
“A lot of the roads might be affected by the storm.”
“Might?” I asked.
Viktor was acting strange. He wasn’t great at communicating, but he seemed reluctant to let me go home. It would be flattering if he wanted me around, but he could just ask for my number or say he wanted to see me again.
“We’ll see when we get there,” he answered. His eyes were stormy, his jaw set. He looked different than usual. Pensive. A little scary.
We set out through the woods in silence. I let him brood.
Snowmass was a small town, smaller than I’d imagined, but it felt good to be back in civilization. I’d heard of it, but I’d never visited. I’d grown up in Grizzly Falls and was always surrounded by the tourists who travelled, who saw places, explored. And I’d never set foot out of my little hometown.
The town was decorated for Thanksgiving, which was the next week. My plan had been to use the week of Thanksgiving to pack and get ready for Chicago. I frowned, wondering if I’d be home in time. Certainly the roads would be repaired quickly. I pushed aside my concerns and breathed in deeply, smelling fall in the air.
“Don’t you just love this time of year?” I asked Viktor.
“Autumn is nice,” he commented.
“I mean Thanksgiving.”
He frowned and asked, “What’s that?”
I laughed. “You’re not from the U.S.”
“No.”
“Thanksgiving is a celebration of when the pilgrims came to this land and settled here,” I explained. “We eat turkey and spend the day with family.”
He only glanced at me. I guess when you lived in the forest, all year round was exactly the same. My mother popped into my head, and I sighed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked me.
“I miss my mom.” I glanced around, looking for a phone. “I need to call her.”
“Let’s find you some decent clothes first.”
I nodded, glancing down at myself and snickering. My jeans wer
e ridiculous, and I was a little chilled. When we walked into the store, air conditioning blew on my face. It wasn’t as fresh or as crisp as the air around Viktor’s cabin, but it was something I knew.
We had walked through the trees for some time to get to Snowmass. It had been quite a trek. The exercise had been invigorating, though, and I had loved being surrounded by nature. Viktor had pointed out birds above us in the branches, recognizing them by the sounds they made. And he’d pointed out one or two small creatures scurrying by in the underbrush. I’d never noticed it before, but when I was between the trees without any modern technology, the world came to life. Without a car and loud music, or even a phone to distract me, it was as if nature suddenly sprang to life and I saw things I didn’t realize were out there.
It was a damn shame how fast the world had started moving forward. Out in the woods with Viktor, it all slowed right back down. And I couldn’t deny that I liked it.
Being between real brick buildings and walking on asphalt was a different sensation, though. I was very aware of the contrast between this world and the one Viktor had made for himself. Why did he stay in the woods like a recluse? I didn’t want to ask; it seemed rude since I didn’t know him well. And he was grouchy about being in town.
Viktor was serious about getting me something to wear. And even though I didn’t want to put him out, I was glad to have something other than his t-shirt and my ripped pants. In the mudslide I’d lost the truck with my wallet in it, so Viktor had offered to pay. I chose a new pair of jeans, a shirt, a pair of socks. Pajamas. My shoes were fine. I grabbed some underwear; it was certainly past time for a change.
“Look,” I said when I found Viktor close to the cashier. I held up the shirt I’d found, a big smile on my face. “A turkey dancing! Thanksgiving themed!”
He snorted. “Cute.”
“Right?” I asked gleefully, hoping to break his bad mood. Viktor shook his head, but he was smiling.
After he paid, I went back to the dressing room and changed. I felt so much better now that I wasn’t wearing torn clothes. I dumped the old clothes in the trash can and smiled at Viktor when I joined him where he was waiting for me outside.
Viktor hungrily dragged his eyes over my body. I blushed, and heat sparked at my core. But now wasn’t the time or place.
As we walked through town, I spotted a payphone and hurried to it, leaving him behind. I could call my mom and boss. I picked up the receiver and pressed it against my ear, glancing stiffly over my shoulder to ask Viktor for small change to make a call, but the disconnected tone sounded in my ear.
“The line is down,” I said with a frown.
“Phone lines washed away or something,” Viktor said with a shrug.
“Maybe…” I felt stranded, and panic filled me for a moment.
The doctor’s offices were a couple streets over, and I insisted we go there next. I noticed how people looked at Viktor when he passed. Everyone stared, caught themselves, tried not to keep staring. Viktor continued stoically, looking like he didn’t give a damn about what they thought of him.
What would I have thought of him if I’d seen him in the street? He sure was scary as hell. Especially with that scar and the scowl he wore to complement it. And he stood out among the crowd no matter what he did. A man that big just couldn’t blend in.
We entered the doctor’s office, and I was glad for Viktor’s sake that we were out of public sight. We headed to the reception desk, and Viktor announced that he needed stitches. The receptionist glanced up and did a double take when she saw him, her eyes trailing up, up, up.
“How serious is it?” the receptionist asked after remembering herself.
“It’s serious,” I answered for him. Viktor grunted in response.
“The doctor will be with you in a moment. Name?”
Viktor glanced at me. “Sean.”
“Surname?”
“Ilyich.”
I pursed my lips together but didn’t speak. When we were told to wait in the waiting area for a moment, I asked him. “Sean?”
“I don’t want people to know my name,” he stated simply, as if that were normal.
“Okay, but why?”
“I don’t want to discuss it,” he replied, looking away.
Frowning, I decided to let it drop, even though I was outrageously curious. I glanced at him, then at the receptionist and rose to walk to her desk, ignoring the grunt from Viktor. “Would it be possible to make a call? I really need to contact someone.”
The receptionist shook her head. “Sorry honey, the lines are down. It’s all scrambled because of the storms. None of us are happy.”
I deflated. When I glanced at Viktor, he looked victorious. I narrowed my eyes and he looked away. “Thanks anyway,” I said to the receptionist and returned to my seat. I pressed him about the name; it really bothered me. “Sean?”
Viktor nodded. “It’s my first name.”
Sean Viktor Ilyich? The first name seemed out of place. He hadn’t chosen his names, I guess. And who was I to call him out on it? I changed the topic.
“How often do you come to town?”
Viktor shrugged. He had to have a very high threshold with so much pain in his shoulder and shrugging like it was nothing.
“When I need supplies,” he said. “Six months, maybe.”
I gasped. Six months without seeing anyone at all? “When’s the last time you came into town?”
“Two months,” Viktor said, and he looked unhappy about being back so soon.
I shook my head, incredulous. “How do you deal with being so alone for so long? I don’t think I could do it.”
Viktor thought about it for a moment. It looked like a lot went through his mind. I wanted to know what he was thinking, but I wasn’t going to ask. He was so closed off, a man of mystery. He barely spoke. If he wasn’t a big talker with the small things, I knew I wasn’t going to get anything serious out of him.
“I’m not completely alone. There are others up there.”
“Really?” This was an entire world I knew nothing about.
Before he could answer, the doctor himself stepped out.
“Sean,” he said, and Viktor stood. I followed him into the doctor’s office. “It’s good to see you again.”
The doctor clearly knew Viktor. Dr. Bernard Hanson was an older man, I would guess late fifties, with salt and pepper gray hair and a friendly smile. I planned to wait in the waiting room, but Viktor grabbed my hand and dragged me along. We walked to an exam room, and Dr. Hanson asked a handful of questions.
I pinned Viktor with a glare every now and then, insisting he be truthful about his wound. He had some macho thing going that was unnecessary. If Dr. Hanson knew what he had to deal with, we could get out of here. I knew that was what Viktor wanted.
Dr. Hanson examined the wound after Viktor removed his shirt. I tried not to drool over his beautiful chest and hard abs, so I explored the exam room, looking at the various medical posters. The doctor cleaned the wound well and stitched it up, chatting amiably with me. Viktor barely contributed but didn’t seem to mind listening to us.
When he’d bandaged the wound, Dr. Hanson said, “Next time try not to wait so long before you do something about a wound like this. It’s going to leave a nasty scar. You’re lucky you got here before it got infected.”
Viktor nodded and thanked Dr. Hanson. I thanked the doctor too, before we walked out of the office. In the waiting room, someone recognized Viktor.
“Hey, Sean,” a young man said, jumping up. His heavily pregnant wife hoisted herself up and followed.
“It’s so nice to see you again, Sean,” she said. “It’s been too long.”
“It’s good to see you too,” Viktor said with a genuine smile.
I hadn’t seen him like this. He always seemed so sullen, but when he looked at this young couple, he appeared happy. Maybe there was something positive in Viktor, after all. Sunshine, light. Something good. He was so incredibly handsome w
hen he smiled, but he did it so seldomly.
“Hi,” I said. “I’m Angela.”
“Oh,” Viktor said, and he shook his head. “Rude of me. This is Nick and Joanne. They own the diner.”
“Well, Nick owns it. I just run the books,” Joanne said and looked lovingly at Nick.
“Soon, you won’t have to bother with that anymore,” Nick said.
“Hush, I want to. I like working with you.”
“You’ll have other things to take care of,” Nick said and put his hand on her belly.
Joanne giggled and swatted at him. “Don’t tell me you don’t think I can work and raise a child. I’m a woman, Nick. You know we can do it all.”
“You’re right, hon. You’re amazing,” Nick gazed lovingly at Joanne.
The look he gave her made my heart ache. I wanted someone to look at me that way, and without meaning to, I glanced at Viktor. I couldn’t imagine him looking at anyone like that, but a girl could wish.
“You should come eat at the diner when you’re in town again, Sean,” Joanne said to Viktor. “And you too, Angela.”
“Thank you,” I said with a smile and looked up at Viktor. “We just might.”
“We should go,” Viktor said gruffly, as if he were uncomfortable.
We said our goodbyes to Nick and Joanne and left the office.
“How is your shoulder now that it's stitched up?” I asked.
“Better,” Viktor admitted begrudgingly.
“I’m glad,” I said. “Isn’t it nice to be around people sometimes?”
“I didn’t move to a secluded forest by accident, Angel,” he retorted.
I shivered. His pet name was endearing, but there was something cold about his words that didn’t sit right. He had chosen that life.
“Why did you?” I asked, even though I’d told myself it was none of my business.
“Sometimes life steers us in different directions than we initially planned,” he said simply.
That was all he was going to give me? His mysteriousness just made me that much more curious about who he was and why he was so set on staying away from everybody. The town here was beautiful and peaceful and clearly the people were wonderful. But Viktor didn’t want anything to do with the town or its citizens.