ã€ŠStranded with the Billionaireã€‹


 ONE: IRENA

    Irena stood inside the elevator, tapping her feet to the music. She shifted her weight and lifted her thumb to chew. Why would Peter invite her on a Saturday? The editor never did that. And if they did, it is for a good reason. Though she tried to suppress her excitement, important words, a career-changing story, kept running through her mind.

    Her roommate Lindsay is right. There is no need to get upset if it is nothing. She took a deep breath and smoothed her skirt with her hand. There must be something wrong with her recent post. That is all.

    But Peter wanted to talk to her in person-on a Sunday. A story that changed her career reyed in her mind.

    Before she could get mad enough to dissect his intentions, the elevator rang, and the doors opened. She walked into the lobby of the Magazine, one of Country¡¯s most popr magazine headquarters.

    The hall was unusually quiet today. Sara, the receptionist, is not sitting at her desk, where the phone usually rings every ten seconds. The fountain was full and there were no fellow reporters standing around, trying to look like they were not postponing theirtest story.

    Even the dog curled up in the corner.

    Irena stopped as her heartbeat wildly.

    Wait. Dog? She looked at the ck and brown furry creature lying on the ground. He wasrge, burying half of the entrance mat under his body. Her mouth is open, allowing her tongue to glide across the marble floor. Her chest heaved.

    Her throat tightened. Why is there a dog in the building? ncing around, she did not see the owner. Fear ran down her spine as she crept toward the door, praying the animal would not wake up.

    One in fifty people bitten by a dog.

    She let the thought linger for a moment before pushing it away. Telling the truth is a coping method she started using as a child to deal with situations that make her feel ufortable.

    Now, at twenty-eight, it is boring. But her brain did not seem to notice.

    She grabbed the metal handle and pulled. The sound of the voice traveled down the hall. Sliding down the hallway, she headed for the open door: Peter¡¯s office.

    ¡°I¡¯m d we cane to an agreement, Mr. Kennedy,¡± Peter said with a hint of desperation in his usual cold tone.

    Irena pauses. Kennedy. Where have you heard that nametely?

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to put this whole situation in the past,¡± replied a soft, deep voice.

    Irena sucked in a breath as she waited just outside Peter¡¯s open door. Whatever he wants her to do, she will gracefully ept the task. His time of hardbor must end at certain point. Law?

    She walks to the open door and finds Peter. He had pulled the chair back against the desk and leaned forward with his elbows. His smile was immense. She could not help but stare at him. Since when is he smiling?

    Two people were sitting in front of him, with their backs to her. One of them had intentionally messy ck hair. His shoulders tightened under his vest coat, and from time to time he turned his attention to therge picture windows to the right.

    The woman next to him has shiny white hair that falls out at the ends. Tension filled his perfect posture and meticulous movements.

    ¡°Irena!¡±

    Peter said as his gaze fell on her in the doorway. He raised his hand to signal her toe in.

    ¡°I¡¯m so d you finally made it.¡± He shot her a sharp look.

    It is like the one he always gives her when she sends her paper five minutes after the deadline.

    She entered the room, the two guests turned around.

    The mysterious man stood up and stared at her. Now she knew where she had heard his name before.

    Sage Kennedy, also known as the heartbreaker billionaire, forced to give up histe father¡¯s way of running histe father¡¯s outdoor supply business. It was in the newspaper for weeks.

    Unfortunately for Irena, she already knows all his dirty things. Lindsay took immense pleasure in reading him every obscenity about him. Even to find out if he prefers shorts or briefs. Irena¡¯s cheeks heated up as she looked away from the suit that perfectly designed for him.

    Peter. History. Do not worry, Irene.

    ¡°Irena Derrick, this is Sage Kennedy and his partner Amanda Massey,¡± Peter said.

    She nodded but kept her back to the far wall.

    She did not know why she was here, so she did not want to interfere. What can she give Sage Kennedy?

    Sage leaves his chair.

    ¡°Here. You can take my ce,¡± he said, tugging at his cor. His vest unbuttoned, revealing the wrinkles on his white shirt. Irena tried not to stare at him. She knows little about billionaires, but she knows for sure that they do not wear wrinkled clothes.

    She raised her hand.

    ¡°Oh no. It is okay. I¡¯m fine here.¡±

    He gave her one of his million¨Cor should she say, billion-dor smiles.

    ¡°I confirmed.¡±

    She nced at Peter, who was wide-eyed and tilted his head toward the seat.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, sliding back into her chair.

    Amanda cleared her throat and turned to Peter. She wears designer sses, and her lips always pursed.

    ¡°That¡¯s her, Mr. Patterson?¡± Peter nodded.

    ¡°Correct. That is Irena Derrick. She is one of the best reporters I have had in years.¡±

    Amanda¡¯s smug gaze swept over Irena, and for a moment, Irena felt exposed. How did people do it? Steal one¡¯s entire trust with just one look. She shifted in her chair as the heat hit her back.

    ¡°Is she really the best? Because the best is the only thing that can get us out of this mess,¡± Amanda said as her gaze turned to Sage.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Irena nced at him surreptitiously. He had a distressed look on his face as he stood in front of the window, watching the sun go down. The lights twinkled against the darkening sky.

    Peter ms his hand on the table and Irena jumps.

    ¡°It was established then. She was leaving tomorrow morning.¡±

    Realizing that her life nned without her, Irena sat up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What?¡±

    Amanda sighed again. Irena felt her confidence waver.

    Peter smiled.

    ¡°You will tell a story to Mr. Kennedy. They are going to Greend tomorrow morning, and you are going with them.¡± He stared at her.

    Still not understanding, Irena leaned forward. ¡°Greend? Why are we going to Greend?¡±

    Amanda leaned over to Peter.

    ¡°Is she really the best reporter you guys have?¡±

    ¡°Amanda, stop it,¡± said Sage, turning to them. He loosened his tie. and leaving it loosely around his neck, the top button of his shirt undone, and he looked more rxed. He held out his hand.

    ¡°Miss Derrick, thanks foring.¡±

    Irena looked down at her hand. Then her gaze slid from her arm to her face. Somewhere deep inside her, she melted a little. The sheets the tabloids do not tell her, no fair judgment. He is so handsome. In a nonchnt and open manner.

    She did not answer, he gave her a half smile that made her cheeks burn.

    Embarrassed, Irena reached out and squeezed his hand, hoping he did not realize what she had just done with her feelings.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Kennedy. I have to say the newspapers are killing your most recent stories,¡± she said, allowing herself to look him in the eye.

    His shoulders tightened, he let go. A worried look crossed his face. But as quickly as he arrived, he disappeared. He bent down.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t believe everything you read. You should know that by now.¡±

 TWO: IRENA

    ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re here,¡± Peter said, breaking the trance that Sage Kennedy had forced on him. Irena turned around and focused her attention on what her editor was saying.

    ¡°They must do it. . . damage control, ¡°he continued.

    ¡°Against what?¡± Irena asked, ncing at Amanda and then at Sage.

    What scandalous information may the press have about Sage that the press has not covered?

    Sage stirred and started pacing the room.

    Amanda cleared her throat.

    ¡°There is information should be announcing tomorrow. These are part of the practices in which Sage¡¯ste father trained.¡± She turned to look at Irene.

    ¡°Practices? Like, illegal things?¡± Irena¡¯s voice softened as she watched Amanda.

    Amanda¡¯s expression hardened as she nodded.

    ncing at Sage, Irena saw a t look in his eyes. His heart rate slowed down. She feels sorry for him.

    ¡°What does this have to do with Greend?¡±

    Amanda tapped her pen on the nner in front of her.

    ¡°We will hold a press conference in Denali tomorrow morning. You will not me me if I do not give you the details right away. In general, you wille to draft articles about what you see. Paint Kennedy Outdoors in a Positive Light. Hopefully, we can helpbat the negative reaction this information will inevitably elicit.¡±

    Irena stepped back. A fragile peace? Is that why Peter called her here to write? She looked at him, but the bright smile he put on her lips did not waver. He knew it was underneath her. Why did he ask her to write it?

    ¡°You think I would be best to include this?¡± she asked.

    Peter squinted at her, and then his nerd expression returned.

    ¡°Yes. Of course, you are the best in this story.

    Irena felt like she was going to get sick. Is that all Peter saw in her? One of the girls he hired. to start writing that tasteless that the magazine has already started printing. And there, she thought she was making progress. She gritted her teeth. Why did she allow herself to hope that he would give her a break? Oh, that is right. She deserves it.

    The phone rang beside her. Amanda brought it to her cheek.

    ¡°Good morning?¡± she said get up.

    A secondter, she covered the phone with her hand.

    ¡°I should take this down the hallway.¡± Holding the diary to her chest, she slipped through the door.

    ¡°I¡¯ll use the bathroom,¡± said Sage, following her.

    As soon as the room was empty, Irena focused on Peter. Her gaze shifted from her face to the window.

    ¡°What? Say it,¡± he said with a sigh.

    ¡°Seriously? Should I make the ugly billionaire look good? She got up and started pacing back and forth. The brother was burning with anger.¡±

    ¡°They are making arge donation to the magazine in exchange for this story. I am hustling other articles so I can post it next week.¡±

    Irena¡¯s muscles tensed. Does that mean he is falsifying his story about trash that mysteriously dumped into the sea? She narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°Come on, Peter. We are not that kind of magazine. We print remarkable stories. It is not right to help people cover up the terrible things they have done.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    He avoided her gaze as he arranged the stack of papers on the table.

    ¡°That¡¯s what has to happen if we want to continue operating so we can deliver the stories that really matter.¡±

    Irena is biting her nails.

    ¡°But Sage Kennedy is ridiculous. I have seen stories about him crashing into his father¡¯s yacht when he was supposed to attend his father¡¯s funeral. No journalistic ingenuity can make this guy look good.¡±

    Peter¡¯s face paled as his gaze drifted to the door.

    ¡°Mr. Kennedy,¡± he said, gritting his teeth,

    ¡°I hope you find a toilet that meets your standards.¡± leaning against the open door.

    His heart pounded as he watched her.

    He was still staring at her as he pushed open the doorframe and entered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit ridiculous, but where did I find it?¡± His voice dropped as he stared at her.

    ¡°I-¡±

    He raised his hand.

    ¡°Listen, Miss. Derrick. You do not have to love me. You do not even have to talk to me. But what ising tomorrow has nothing to do with me and will hurt the people whose livelihoods depend on Kennedy Outdoors to stay afloat.¡± He took off his jacket and put it on his arm. ¡°So do you think your journalistic ingenuity could drop to our lowest and save those jobs?¡±

    Heat ran down her spine and into her cheeks. She pursed her lips and nodded.

    ¡°I never intended to¡­¡±

    ¡°During my audition. Yeah, I think so too.¡± He turned to Peter, ¡°Thanks for being so pleasant. I cannot wait to put all this behind me.¡±

    Peter stood up and held out his hand.

    They shook hands.

    Sage turned and headed for the door. As soon as he was a less inches away from Irena, he stopped. His deep brown eyes met yours. For no good reason, his knees weakened. Her spirit screams for her to run, but she still is rooted to the spot.

    ¡°Miss. Derrick, I¡¯ll meet you at the airport tomorrow at exactly six o¡¯clock.¡± He stopped and headed for the door.

    She nodded. She could not get out.

    When he was gone., she turned to Peter, who smiled and said,

    ¡°Wow, it would be interesting.¡±

 THREE: SAGE

    Amanda was too busy talking to the person on the other end of the call to talk to Sage, which he was grateful for.

    He followed her as they made their way down the hall and down the hall.

    He tries not to get frustrated with his pace when all he wants to do is get out of the building.

    His outfit drives him crazy.

    He wants to wear normal clothes and go back to his normal life.

    He suppressed a sigh as Amanda pushed open the ss door.

    His normal life is gone. Everything has changed.

    It didn¡¯t help that Miss. Derrick made fun of him, and in many ways.

    Her bright eyes and dusty freckles seemed to be etched in his mind, no matter how far he tried to push them away.

    Desperately distracted, he nced around, spotted the Titan, and whistled.

    This Newfounnd dog is the only saving grace he has had in his crazy life.

    ¡°Come on, boy,¡± he said, patting his leg.

    The Titan turned his head towards him and quickly stood up. The marble floors are not for dogs and cause their paws to slide down.

    When he finally sat up, he lunged towards Sage, who patted him on the head.

    Amanda shot him a sharp look as she pressed the elevator button down. She did not hesitate to show disdain for his insistence on taking Titan anywhere.

    Sage just smiled at him.

    He has been with Kennedy Outdoors since he was a boy.

    His biological mother died when he was three years old, and after his father¡¯s divorce from his fifth wife, Sage no longer relied on a wife to stay.

    Amanda is the only person in her life that hasn¡¯t changed. Well, after his father.

    But Sergio Kennedy is dead.

    All the newspapers seemed determined to remind him of this fact.

    The elevator doors opened, and they entered.

    ¡°Wait,¡± cried Irena¡¯s voice.

    The sage raised his hand to push the door. He didn¡¯t even notice that she had entered the hall.

    ¡°Lower?¡± he asked, kicking himself for looking so stupid.

    She looked at Titan and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find the next one.¡±

    The sage looked around.

    ¡°Only one.¡±

    Her cheeks flushed red.

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ll catch this. . . You know . . .¡±

    ¡°Just say it,¡± Amanda said, removing the phone from her lips.

    Irena stared at her and then at Titan.

    Sage wrapped his fingers around his dog¡¯s neck.

    This help? He asks. He knows that Titan doesn¡¯t care about Irena. He fell asleep sitting next to Sage¡¯s feet.

    The hum of the elevator filled the air.

    ¡°Come on, we won¡¯t bite,¡± he said.

    Irena gave the Titan a carefulst look, then stepped on it.

    Sage dropped his hand and the elevator buzzed.

    Irena¡¯s face paled as the door closed. She wrapped her arms around her chest and leaned against the corner.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to lose you,¡± Amanda yelled. ¡°Hello?¡± She groaned as she slipped her phone into her purse. ¡°Well, that¡¯s annoying.¡±

    The sage looked at her.

    ¡°Rx, Amanda. Anyway, you can¡¯t fix everything now.¡±

    She stared at him.

    ¡°Sage Kennedy, do you know what nightmare is about toe upon us?¡±

    She shook her head as she nced at Irena and lowered her voice.

    ¡°Your father left us a huge mess to clean up.¡±

    His tone makes him feel like he¡¯s in college, being scolded by his prep schoolteacher.

    He sat up.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    She nced at him, her expression softening.

    ¡°Why is he doing this to us? Why didn¡¯t he warn me? Now all you must do is pick up the pieces. ¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Measurement is not true.¡±

    The Sage reached out and stroked the Titan¡¯s head. Her stomach was so tight that she couldn¡¯t speak. When ites to his father, he doesn¡¯t want to try to figure out why he did what he did. It¡¯s always better to leave. That¡¯s exactly what Sage did until Amanda called him three months ago to tell him that his father had been in a car ident and that he had not survived.

    Suddenly, Sage went from a carefree life, moving from country to country without responsibility and without letting anyone down, to bing the CEO of a billion-dorpany. Who ¨C as Amanda would say ¨C is about to witness the wrath of the Eternal World that rules over them.

    Not equal to the test of fire.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°Did you know an esctor is more dangerous than an elevator?¡±

    Sage turned to Irena, whose eyes were closed.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re 10 times more likely to get injured riding an esctor than riding an elevator, which is silly because there are 10 times more elevators than esctors.¡±

    Sage nced at Amanda shrugging.

    ¡°Really, Miss Derrick?¡± Sage asked.

    Irena opened her eyes and nodded. Then she grimaced as if realizing she had spoken.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I read useless bullshit when I was nervous.¡±     A smile appeared on Sage¡¯s lips. She¡¯s worried. Apparently, her cold attitude towards him could be melted away.

    This made him curious.

    Before he could push any further, the door opened, and Irena rushed to the door.

    Sage watched her frame recede as she slipped through the front door and disappeared into the crowd.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s interesting,¡± Amanda mumbled as she stepped out of the elevator.

    Sage hissed and waved at the Titan as he followed Amanda.

    He found Miss. Derrick very attractive, even though she had just insulted him a few minutes ago. They exited the building and onto the sidewalk where Joseph, her driver, was leaning against their limo, studying his phone.

    ¡°Joseph White, hang up the phone right before I fire you,¡± Amanda said as she walked to the door of the limo.

    Joseph¡¯s face heated up as he put down the phone and looked around. When his gaze fell on Sage, Sage shook her head and smiled at him. Joseph looked relieved as he slipped his phone into his pocket and headed for the door.

    ¡°He won¡¯t save you,¡± Amanda said.

    Typical Amanda. Although she didn¡¯t watch their interaction, she knew exactly what Sage was doing.

    She turned and gave him a sharp look before getting into the limo.

    Sage gave Joseph another smile, which seemed to help him up, then he and Titan followed Amanda. Once they were located, Joseph closed the door.

    ¡°It worked for me,¡± Sage said, leaning back in the butter-colored leather chair.

    Amanda raised her eyebrows.

    The sage¡¯s resolve weakens.

    ¡°We. He works for us.¡± Amanda is the secondrgest shareholder.

    She nodded. ¡°Law.¡±

    Joseph entered the road and they drove for a few seconds before being forced to stop. Car horns red as traffic pounded around them. Sage felt suffocated sitting in his limo in his suit. He tugged at his cor again, wishing he could climb the Mountains or surf in the beach.

    ¡°I¡¯m so nervous,¡± Amanda said, nodding toward his fingers as he tried to untangle her neck from her tight shirt.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m not.¡± He dropped his hand on the chair next to him.

    Amanda¡¯s ability to identify emotions annoyed him.

    Trying to calm down, he sighed and looked out the window. previous life has ended. Living in an overcrowded city is now his future.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± she said, reaching into her pocket, then triumphantly pulling out her ringing phone. After a few hits, she lowered it.

    ¡°I have good news.¡±

    The sage looked at her.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Everything is ready for tomorrow. We¡¯ll fly to Nuuk; you¡¯ll hold a press conference ¨C I pray that Miss. Derrick will betray Mr. Patterson¡¯s trust ¨C and then we will depart. Hopefully all that hard work will drown out the words illegal poaching and endangered animals.¡±

    Sage sat up as the words shed through his mind. Leave it to his father to ruin something Sage thought they shared together. Since he was seven, his father took him hunting. He showed her how important it is to respect animals. How to kill it and clean it.

    ¡°You only kill an animal for food. Respect animals, Sage.¡±

    That memory now left a bitter feeling in his heart. It¡¯s a lie.

    Well, how do you respect the endangered ck rhino or South China tiger? He clenched his hand.

    If your father were alive today. . . The sage shook his head.

    If his father were still alive today, he would just live his life, not caring who he hurt.

    Sage nced at Amanda watching him.

    She sighed and took off her sses.

    ¡°He let us all down,¡± she said.

    His voice lowered.

    This was the first time in a long time that Sage saw his expression.

    He runs his hand through his hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s dad.¡± The sage forced a smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about other things.¡±

 FOUR: IRENA

    ¡°Oh. Mine. God,¡± Lindsay told as she stood in the middle of the kitchen in bunny slippers and a soft yellow dress.

    Irena dropped her purse on the table and walked past her.

    ¡°Come on, Linds. Not too bad.¡±

    Lindsay followed her into the bedroom. Isn¡¯t it serious? She reached out and grabbed Irena¡¯s arm.

    ¡°You were in the same room as Sage Kennedy.¡± Her voice squeaked as she called his name.

    Irena calmed down and turned around.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m in the same room as Sage Kennedy.¡± She paused as she let the words settle around her roommate.

    ¡°And Peter and a woman named Amanda.¡± She threw it at him.

    Lindsay gave him an exasperated look and went to her wardrobe, after searching for a few seconds, she came out with a suitcase.

    Lindsaysat on the bed with a dazed look on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I think the person you like is getting a little out of control,¡± Irena said as she dropped her suitcase on the bed and opened it.

    ¡°Can not control?¡± Lindsay looked at him in amazement.

    ¡°Sage Kennedy and I are meant to be together.¡±

    Irena nced at him.

    ¡°Destiny?¡±

    ¡°Miss. Guanda said she saw us together.¡± Lindsay sps her hands in front of her face.

    ¡°Please introduce us.¡±

    Irena stared at her.

    ¡°Are you serious? You want me to introduce you to Sage Kennedy because your psychic told you were meant to be together?¡±

    Lindsay winked.

    ¡°Please?¡±

    Irena shook her head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t even if I wanted to. I¡¯ll meet him at the airport tomorrow and then we¡¯ll go to Greend.

    Lindsay dropped her hand on the bed.

    ¡°Uh. I should have been a Reporter.¡±

    ¡°Journalist,¡± Irena corrected.

    Lindsay shot her with an exasperated look.

    ¡°Journalist,¡± she scoffed.

    Irena nodded, stuffing some underwear into her suitcase.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re a much better bartender.¡±

    ¡°But all I get are drunk guys. You¡­ you get billionaires.¡±

    Irena squeezed her shoulder. Going to Greend to write a story that would help soften the shock inflicted on a multi-billion-dorpany was not something she had dreamed of in school. Writing stories that changed minds and hearts used to be his goal. She bit her lip as she returned to her wardrobe. Does she sell?

    Before leaving Peter¡¯s office and making a fool of himself in the elevator, Peter promised that he would tell her moreplicated stories if she just wanted to go with Sage and cover the story.

    Now, standing in his room, it looks more like a bribe.

    Does Peter consider her a good reporter or someone he can push around? Moaning, she plopped down on the bed.

    She was sold.

    ¡°Oh, no. What¡¯s wrong now?¡± There are too many unfamiliar points.

    ¡± You are about to arrive in a romantic desert with a handsome, tall, brte billionaire. If it sells, then I will sell myself.¡±

    Irena wrapped her arms around her stomach. Her feelings are a pile of rubble.

    ¡°But it goes against everything I fought for.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, not that ridiculous oath you made yourself.¡±

    Irena rolled to the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s an important oath.¡±

    ¡°Wrong, crazy.¡±

    Irena closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    Lindsay sighed as she sat down.

    ¡°So, make this story something you¡¯re willing to fight for. It will not vite your oath. Not everyone makes sense. Not everyone is Brent.¡±

    A stomach acid rose in Irena¡¯s throat at the mention of her ex-fianc¨¦.

    She hated that even her own name made her sick.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°Oh, Linds. Why do you have to mention him?¡±

    Rolling out of bed, she stood up. Just thinking of him, her feelings were shattered.

    ¡°Because you have to move on,¡± said Lindsay, leaning down on her elbows and using her fingers to trace circles around Irena¡¯s duvet.

    ¡°Perhaps Mr. Kennedy is the way to do it.¡± She raised her eyebrows.

    ¡°I¡¯ve moved.¡± Irena took a few T-shirts from the closet and stuffed them into the suitcase.

    When she turned, Lindsay was looking at her.

    ¡°You do not have.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯vepletely moved on.¡±

    ¡°Um.¡± Lindsay turned and focused on Irena¡¯s bedside table.

    ¡°Irena, I would like to present Exhibit A as evidence,¡± she said, reaching for a drawer.

    It was the drawer where Irena hid a picture of herself and Brent that she couldn¡¯t bear to throw away.

    ¡°Wait!¡± she said as she plunged into the pit, but Lindsay was faster.

    ¡°What do we have here?¡± Lindsay asked, waving the photo in front of her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to drop that one.¡±

    Lindsay headrest.

    ¡°Actually?¡±

    Irena dry mouth.

    ¡°Correct.¡± Dang, why doesn¡¯t she seem more confident?

    Lindsay¡¯s gaze left the photo and returned to Irena.

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t mind if I burn it?¡± It can help you get rid of the bad juju in your aura.

    She narrowed her eyes as if studying the air around Irena.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Irena said a little too forcefully.

    Somewhere deep in her heart, she wasn¡¯t ready to close that door yet. Brent may return. He says he needs space to find himself again, and once he does, she will wait. She swallowed. But there¡¯s no way she¡¯d let Lindsay know she¡¯d raised that hope.

    Lindsay stuffed the photo in her suitcase.

    ¡°Here. Take it with you. Maybe you¡¯ll find the courage to throw it away when you¡¯re in Greend.¡±

    She gave Irena a sharp look and then yawned.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. My shift starts in half an hour. If I don¡¯t see you tomorrow¡± ¨C she hugged her ¨C ¡°good flight.¡±

    Irena nodded into his shoulder as she hugged back.

    Lindsay left.

    ¡°Have fun.¡±

    Irena straightened her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s for work, Linds.¡±

    She rolled her eyes and headed straight for the door.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t get a billionaire, I want him toe to you. Life isn¡¯t all about work. He¡¯ll ignore you if you¡¯re not careful!¡± she calledte.

    Irena sighed and went back to her luggage. Photo of Brent staring at her. She rubbed her hands on her pant legs as she considered taking them off.

    Then the image of Lindsay holding a session while he was away popped into his mind. Throwing the coat into the suitcase to cover it, she groaned. Since when did her life be such aplicated mess?

 FIVE: SAGE

    Darkness surrounded Sage as hey in bed, staring up at the smooth ceiling. ncing at his watch, he groaned. It was four o¡¯clock in the morning and he couldn¡¯t sleep. His mind won¡¯t stop working.

    He stirred in the silk sheets andy down on his stomach. Another hour before he needs to wake up. Another hour before damage control. Another hour before the world knows what a terrible man his father was.

    He rubs his face with his hand. Now there is no race. Too many people¡¯s livelihood depends on him. The family changes forever if he can¡¯t solve this problem. His chest contracted as he sat up. He needs a hot shower.

    Pulling off the nket, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. The heat from his heated floor travels up his legs and settles in his stomach. Elsewhere, cool autumn weather will affect people¡¯s lives. Not when you¡¯re a Davenport. He flinched as he made his way to the adjoining bathroom. He missed the way the outdoors grounded him. All those luxuries were not his, but his father¡¯s.

    As he stared at therge mirror hanging in the bathroom, his jaw clenched. One thing he knows for sure is that he is not his father and never will be. It doesn¡¯t matter how his new lifestyle wants him to change.

    Turning on the shower, he entered the enclosure. Water hit him from all sides.

    Living in a remote area taught him to take a quick shower. Ice will do it to a man. There is no time to sit there and think when your body temperature drops rapidly.

    In less than three minutes, he was washed clean. He looked around. What must you do now?

    Expensive marble walls glistening with drops of water. An entire truck could fit in that bathroom. A wave of heat swept over him. He needs to go out. Leaning over, he turned off the water and grabbed a nearby towel. Once dry, he wrapped it around his waist and stepped outside.

    While brushing his teeth, he checks his beard. Amanda would probably ask him tsk-tsk to grow a beard, but Sage didn¡¯t care. It was hisst stand against the change he was forced to make. The only image of his past life that he could keep. And damn it, I¡¯ll keep it.

    In the room, he¡¯s getting dressed. It¡¯s not in his standard shorts and T-shirt. This time in a crumpled European blue suit that Amanda says makes him less intimidating ¨C and less like a parasite.

    Even though the outfit was made of the finest fabrics, it still scratched his skin. The cor felt like he was about to strangle him and the tie was heavy around his neck. After putting on his shiny ck shoes, he stood up. Four hundred and forty-five. He still had fifteen minutes before Amanda was out the door. Fifteen minutes to be yourself.

    He grabbed the duffel bag he hid in the closet and threw it on the bed. Amanda had informed him yesterday that the maid had packed her things and was in the hallway, ready to go. He scoffed as he grabbed his pants and sweater. It¡¯s not like he went to Greend ufortably.

    After packing up his clothes, he finds all his outdoor gear and puts it on. He will find a moment to sneak in and climb. Maybe even camping. We don¡¯t expect him to always be the CEO of Kennedy Outdoors.

    He puts on his hiking boots and zips them up. Shaking his head, he slung the bag over his shoulder and opened the door. He won¡¯t think about what is expected of him right now. It just made him feel like a six-hundred-pound bear sitting on his chest.

    He clenched his fist. Right now, he needs to focus on getting to and from Greend safely. Then good. . . he will find something.

    The soft sound of the television reverberated in the hallway as Sage walked into the kitchen. He stopped and slid the gym bag off his shoulder and dropped it by the door. Georgia, her chef, is peeling apples at the counter. Her graying hair was pulled up in a bun, and from time to time she would raise her hand to adjust the e-readers she kept on her nose. She was watching the news on the small television next to her.

    ¡°You¡¯re up too early,¡± Sage said as he entered the room.

    ¡°Oh!¡± She shouted, swinging her paring knife at him. Sage raised his hand.

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Davenport, you scare me.¡± She put her hand on her chest as her cheeks flushed red. She nced at her watch and then at him.

    ¡°Well, fried apples won¡¯t be fried.¡± Then his eyes turned curious. ¡°It¡¯s only ten o¡¯clock at night. What are you doing stand-up?

    Sage ran his hand through his hair and walked over to the fridge.

    ¡°I cannot sleep.¡±

    Gianna nodded, turning her attention back to the apple in her hand.

    ¡°Worried about the flight?¡± she asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t me you if you were. I prefer my feet on the ground.

    Sage smiled as he pulled out a pitcher of orange juice and picked up a ss.     ¡°It was freshly squeezed,¡± she said, pointing to the jug.

    ¡°You worked so hard.¡± He shot her a sharp look as he poured.

    Sheughs. It is a melodious and moving sound.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll rest when I die.¡±

    Sage leaned back against the counter and smiled, allowing the familiarity of those who had helped raise him to invade his nerves. Being with them has made this transition a little easier.

    ¡°How is Peter today?¡± He asks.

    Gianna ces an apple on the tray in front of her and starts eating the next one.

    ¡°He is in Georgia now. He has a daughter.¡± She raised her inteced fingers as she raised her head. ¡°I hope it¡¯s one. I want grandchildren.¡± She smiled at him.

    He reached out and grabbed the apple she had just peeled.

    She squinted at him.

    ¡°Sage Rogue Davenport, just because you¡¯re twenty-eight doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t kick you out of my kitchen.¡±

    He smiles trying to keep the apple juice froming out of his lips.

    ¡°I love you too, Georgia.¡±

    She groaned back to the apple in her hand. ¡°Davenports,¡± she muttered.

    Sage threw the core in the trash as soon as Amanda entered the room. She wears a pressed suit, and her hair is pulled up in a bun. She looks like a top executive. Why doesn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re up,¡± she said, filling a cup of coffee. ¡°And wear something decent.¡±

    Sage tugged at his cor and nodded.

    Before she could say anything more, the camera on the TV screen showed a reporter sitting at her desk. A cloud of stress settles in the kitchen.

    ¡°More news about the Kennedy family. Things don¡¯t look so good this time. Reports have just emerged that Rogue Davenport, thete CEO of Kennedy Outdoors, was involved in the illegal poaching of endangered animals.¡±

    The reporter flipped the stack of documents in front of her.

    ¡°How deeply ingrained are this negligence in the business?¡±

    And do politicians get paid to be silent? Check out the Morning News preview, following these posts.

    The journalist has been reced by a singing chicken.

    Sage swallowed as his anger grew.

    ¡°Well,¡± Gianna said, breaking the silence and ncing at him.

    Amanda put her hand on his arm.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We can handle this. Just stick to the n.¡± She gave him a small smile.     n. They had a n. Sage finished the remaining juice and set the ss down in the sink. His stomach twisted. Why didn¡¯t those wordsfort him?

    Amanda¡¯s phone rang, leading her down the hallway. Sage opened the cupboard and pulled a cookie from the drawer he knew Gianna always kept in the back.

    Amanda was back before he finished it. His face contorted into a worried expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Sheughs.

    ¡°It was the prosecutor. Apparently, your father is used of extortion and usingpany assets to store the animals he hunted.¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°I must see the prosecutor. I¡¯ll have to go to Greend without you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sage stared at her.

    She is the mastermind behind the whole scheme.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do this without you.¡±

    Amanda shook her head.

    ¡°I have to stay here.¡± She walked towards the kitchen door. ¡°You can do it, Sage. I know you can.¡± She smiled at him once more and slipped out of the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s never quiet at the Kennedy house,¡± Gianna mumbled as she picked up another apple.

    Frustrated, Sage headed for the door where he had dropped his gym bag earlier. At least now he didn¡¯t have to worry about trying to hide it from Amanda . He is free to do whatever he wants. But right now, that wasn¡¯t the kind of freedom he wanted.

 SIX: IRENA

    As Irena weaves her way through the crowds at Sea-Tac airport, she draws one conclusion: too many people are traveling. She considered standing on a chair and telling everyone to go home but decided not to. It would probably attract too much attention from the security guards standing three meters apart.

    Pulling her luggage closer to her, she avoids an angry toddler kicking and screaming. She gave her mother a sympathetic smile as she passed.

    Irena ¡®s heels tapped on the tiled floor as she passed the counter. Sage said he¡¯d meet at the airport at six, but he didn¡¯t say where.

    Not knowing what to do, she walked over to a security guard standing next to a slowly moving stream of people. He folded his arms.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said smiling. ¡°I must meet Sage Kennedy here. Do you know where I can find it?¡± Now that she said those words out loud, she looked ridiculous.

    How many people are there in the country? And does she expect this guardian to know someone special?

    The Guardian looked at her.

    ¡°WHO?¡±

    ¡°Sage Kennedy.¡±

    The man¡¯s face flushed red.

    ¡°Did you say Kennedy?¡±

    Irena took a step back. She didn¡¯t know why Sage ¡®sst name caused an angry reaction from this man. Disgusted, she understood. But angry?

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Out of Kennedy?¡± A vein protrudes from the man¡¯s neck.

    It seems best to try to calm the man down and then strike up a conversation with him. After all, Peter was pretty clear: make Kennedy look good.

    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what you have against Kennedy s¡­¡±

    The Guardianughed.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not just me. It was a terrible family. They think the rules don¡¯t apply to them. I am a good hunter. People like them make me sick.¡± He angrily red at her.

    ¡°I understand, but-¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me you think it¡¯s normal for his father to poach animals and pay people to shut up? What kind of person are you?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°I want to see some identification.¡±

    Irena fumbled for her purse. A columnist. She took out her wallet and gave me her driver¡¯s license

    The guard took it and looked at it. Then he looked at her. ¡°Irena Derrick ?¡± he asked, but it sounded more like an affirmation.

    She nodded.

    The seconds that passed felt like hours. Finally, he sighed. Looks like he took this time to ease his frustration. He pushed his ID card towards her.

    ¡°I guess because he¡¯s a big earner he doesn¡¯t takemercial flights.¡±

    Irena ¡®s heart sank. Why didn¡¯t she think of that? What should she do now?

    He sighed. ¡°Private hangars on the southern ramp. After the main station.¡±

    She looks through the sliding door. ¡°Outside?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± How is she supposed to get there?

    ¡°Good luck,¡± he said pushing the wall. He started walking towards the line of people before stopping and facing her again.

    ¡°I will research who you agree to do business with. People like Kennedy don¡¯t care about the little ones. Take care.¡± He shot her in a sharp look then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

    Irena watched him disappear. A lump formed in his throat. What exactly happened to this family? This man seemed extremely annoyed. But he was right. She can¡¯t call herself a journalist if she doesn¡¯t do her research first.

    She goes through the sliding door and out to the drop-off area. Looking both ways, she sighed. Pulling her purse off her shoulder, she rummaged around until she found her phone. The moment she slid it off, it rang.

    She didn¡¯t recognize the sequence, but she answered anyway.

    ¡°Good morning?¡±

    ¡°Miss Derrick?¡± Sage ¡®s voice was cold.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°At the station.¡±

    His sigh was deep. As if his words worried him.

    ¡°Belonging to the trade?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Why did you go there?¡±

    His neck was burning hot.

    ¡°You never told me where I should be. When someone asks you to meet them at the airport, that¡¯s where you go.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I see, it¡¯s just that now I have to send a driver to pick you up. That made us half an hourte.¡±

    Difort filled his voice.

    ¡°Um, be more specific next time.¡± She wouldn¡¯t let that man take her goat. She will protect herself.

    He was silent.

    ¡°Hello?¡± She made sure to add some emphasis to the word.

    ¡°His name is Joseph. He¡¯ll be here in ten minutes. Be ready.¡±

    He hung up before she could answer. She clenched her jaw as she put her phone in her pocket. After finding an empty seat on the bench, she sat down next to the two elderly women.

    She tried to look busy, dusting off her pencil skirt, but the women¡¯s conversation interested her.

    ¡°Poaching? Are you sure that¡¯s what they say?

    ¡°Yes. Poaching. Can you believe it?¡±

    Irena tilted her head to hear better.

    ¡°What a horrible person,¡± the first woman replied.     Out of the corner of Irena ¡®s eye, she saw the second woman nod.

    ¡°They say he¡¯s been doing it for decades, but nobody knows because he paid people to keep quiet.¡±

    There is sarcasm.

    ¡°Rich people. Always think they can get away with everything. Always think their money will get them out of trouble.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and they say his son doesn¡¯t know, but Really? Like father, like son.¡± Miss. Derrick?¡± he asked, focusing on her.

    She¡¯s awake. ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Good. Mr. Kennedy sent me in. Ready?¡±

    A gasp resounded behind her, making her cheeks burn. Grabbing the handle of the luggage, she rushed towards the driver.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said as he opened the door. All she wanted was to disappear behind tinted windows. As he walked away from the sidewalk, she nced back. Both women had disgusted expressions as they stared at the limo.

    She crouched down. Great. What did she get into?

 SEVEN: IRENA

    After the limo had been rolling for a minute, Irena sat up. Anger flooded her body as the woman¡¯sst words ran through her.

    Does Sage know what his dad did? Is she stupid to think he knows nothing? She shook her head. Of course, he would lie. He¡¯s rich.

    The feeling of wetness on her hand pulled her out of her train of thought. She squealed and looked around. Her breathing became hoarse as she stared at the dog¡¯s face the day before. He was sitting among the parallel benches in front of her. His heartbeat coincided with the beat of his tail hitting the ground.

    ¡°W-Why are there dogs here?¡± she cried, her voice choking with each word.

    As if talking to her was the key to liberation, the dog stepped forward and pressed his face against Irena¡¯s face. She shouted and raised her hands. Ever since she was attacked by a German Shepherd as a child, she has been terrified of dogs. And this fear has not faded with age.

    The dog¡¯s wet nose rubs against its skin. She shivered as she leaned back in her seat and tried to open the door and throw herself out of the moving car.

    ¡°Uh, any help?¡± she whispered to the driver. He was on the other end of the line and didn¡¯t seem to notice her horror.

    She leaned against the door and took a deep breath. The dog doesn¡¯t seem to want to bite her, which is a good sign. Gathering up her courage, she reached out and grabbed the metal charm that was hanging around her neck.

    TITAN is stamped inrge letters. He stared at her making her heart race.

    ¡°Titan?¡± she whispered. Fear choked him.

    He tilted his head to the side, then barked and leaned toward her.

    She screamed as he rushed over. But, instead of feeling like giant teeth were ripping through her skin, the warm, wet sensation from before ran through her skin, paralyzing her. Titan put his feet on either side of her legs and climbed into herp.

    If she could curl up in the fetal position she would, but the weight of her body pressed against her legs, pinning her to the chair. She is squirming and swaying. Anything to bring the giant dog away from him.

    Sage¡¯s smug face returned to him. She should have known he was behind it all. Why would this unbearable man leave his dog in the limo? Who does this?

    ¡°Sorry.¡± She raised her voice, hoping to attract the driver¡¯s attention, but the dog¡¯srge body and shaggy coat absorbed her call.

    Before sinking into despair, the limo stopped. Titan was still on his knees, but he turned his attention to the movement on the other side of the window. The driver got out of the car and went to his door. When he opened it, sunlight flooded inside.

    ¡°Help,¡± she squealed.

    ¡°Titan!¡± growled the driver.

    ¡°What did he do?¡± Irena would recognize Sage¡¯s gruff voice anywhere.

    ¡°He¡¯s sitting on Miss. Derrick.¡±

    Sageughs. ¡°Well, he¡¯s a good boy.¡±

    Irena opened her mouth to say what she thought of the man, but a hiss filled the silence.

    ¡°Come on, boy,¡± Sage called.

    Titan gasped as he jumped off Irena¡¯sp and out the door.

    She¡¯s sitting there trying to calm down. Now the smell of dog saliva surrounded him.

    She stroked his cheek, trying to get rid of the feel of his tongue against her skin. A shiver ran down her spine. The silhouette of Sage filled the doorframe as he leaned in.

    ¡°Well, are youing?¡±

    She was sitting there staring at him.

    ¡°Did you send the dog to pick me up?¡±

    He shrugged.

    ¡°Joseph brought me Titan. I think you two would get along.¡±

    She stared at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s inappropriate?¡± She thought about telling him she had a terrible fear of dogs but gave up. There was no need to give this man more ammo to fight her.

    ¡°No,¡± he said.

    Irena clenched her jaw. Words that the rules didn¡¯t apply to shed through his mind. She is helping him, and how does he treat her? On the same level as his dog.

    ¡°If you¡¯ve stopped panicking now, the ne is waiting for you.¡± Sage stepped out of the limo.

    Irena took a deep breath and quelled the burning thoughts.

    Being a journalist means she can give sarcastic answers at any time, but now is not the time. Peter wouldn¡¯t be happy if she was fired from this assignment. From the look on his face yesterday, things didn¡¯t go as well as the magazine described. There was despair and worry in Peter ¡®s voice.

    She muttered her thoughts under her breath as she slid into the chair to the open door and out.

    Joseph took her to a small hangar where a jet was parked. Side doors open and a staircase is in front.

    She was about to get her luggage out of the limo, but Joseph took it and put it at the door.

    ¡°Need any help?¡± he asked, nodding toward the suitcase and then toward the ne.

    She grabbed the handle.

    ¡°No. I think I can handle it from here.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± he said, smiling at her.

    She returned it. In the end, the only person in Sage Kennedy ¡®s world who treats her like a human, and he¡¯s the hired maid. Amanda almost turned her nose at him, and Sage seemed to care more about the four-legged creatures than anyone around him.

    ¡°Are youing?¡± she asked Joseph, pointing at the ne.

    Heughs.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°NO. I have to stay here. I¡¯m still driving Miss. Massey.¡±

    Irena stared at him.

    ¡°Amanda,¡± he corrected.

    She leaned forward.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Joseph looked at her confused and shook his head.

    ¡°Oh no. The Kennedy family has always been nice to me.¡±

    Irena looked at it but didn¡¯t push it any further. The Kennedy family didn¡¯t care about anyone but themselves. That was evident in the findings. Recently about Sergio Kennedy.

    As she reached the stairs, the opening line of her article began to swirl in her mind: To the Kennedy family, the rules didn¡¯t seem to apply.

 EIGHT: SAGE

    Titan barked and ran around Sage as he circled the ne for pre-flight checks. There was something about Miss. Derrick that moved him. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but Titan ¡®s relentless urge to bark at him didn¡¯t help him organize his thoughts.

    He bent down and patted Titan ¡®s head.

    ¡°Be quiet, my boy. I need to focus,¡± he said.

    As he circled the ne, he saw Miss. Derrick and Joseph. They are talking and smiling. Seeing their joy upset him. But then that feeling stopped him. What¡¯s the matter with him? The day had just begun, and he was already grumpy.

    ¡°I just finished my final inspection,¡± he said, clearing his throat and nodding his head toward the ne.

    Irena stared at him.

    ¡°Sage, are you a pilot?

    Sage smiled. This ne is his child. It is his second home. A gift from her father on graduation day. It¡¯s ironic because his dad hates that he went to flying school instead of Harvard.

    ¡°Kennedy ¡®s going to Harvard, Sage.¡±

    To this day, her father¡¯s voice still rings in her ears.

    But now is not the time to think about that father. There¡¯s no need to stir up those emotions as well.

    ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t she a beauty?¡± he said, cing his hand on the outside of the ne.

    Irena kept staring at him. ¡°Will you fly this to Greend?¡±

    Why is it so hard to believe?

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a pilot. I came and ¨C before you asked me ¨C yes, I graduated from flight school.¡±

    Her cheeks flushed red. It entuates those damn freckles.

    She leans over to Joseph.

    ¡°Did you fly with him?¡±

    Joseph sneered.

    ¡°He¡¯s an excellent driver.¡±

    Irena looked at Sage then walked back to the ne.

    Suspicious enough, Sage stepped forward and grabbed the railing of the stairs and knocked them both down at once.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said as he stepped onto the ne.

    Familiar sights and scents rx him. That¡¯s exactly what he needed. He sighed as he took off his vest and hung it over the back of one of the chairs.

    A loud thud from the ne¡¯s entrance grew louder. Irena walked out the door with a suitcase in hand and a displeased look on her face. Sage started moving to help her, but then he shook his head. He even doubted that she would ept his help if he offered.

    And right now, he didn¡¯t want to be rejected by Irena Derrick.

    Instead, he turned around and took a bottle of water from the mini fridge

    .

    ¡°Where am I sitting?¡± she asked.

    He turned to her and nced around.

    ¡°Choose a seat. Any chair is fine.¡±

    She looked at him. Then step onto the chair furthest away from him.

    ¡°Did you steal everything? Or do you have a copilot?¡±     Sage nced at her. Did he detect the sound of hope in her voice? He jerked his head toward the cockpit.

    ¡°Just me and Titan.¡±

    Titan barks.

    ¡°Is your dog your copilot?¡±

    ¡°Best around.¡±

    Sheughs.

    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t care about the FAA. You feel like you¡¯re above the rules¡± she said under her breath.

    Sage stopped and stared at her.

    ¡°What?¡±

    She looked at him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You mean I¡¯m above the rules?¡±

    She pursed her lips.

    Disappointment boiled in him. She watched the news. Well, he should have expected that.

    ¡°Perhaps you should try asking questions and find out the truth before you assume, Miss. Derrick,¡± he said.

    She frowned and leaned back in her chair.

    ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯re going to tell me the truth?¡±

    He took a step forward, inches away from her. There¡¯s nothing he hates more than people assuming everything about him. He was not her father, and he was not the father of her past.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find that I¡¯m more permissive when you ask.¡± His voice was lower than expected.

    ¡°How can I believe you¡¯re honest?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have feelings for me and my family. But your review is not what I paid for in your magazine. Pick yourself up and do your job.¡± He pulled away from her and headed for the cockpit.

    His muscles tightened. Who is she to make such judgments about him? She doesn¡¯t know him.

    ¡°Sorry?¡± She almost shouted after him. ¡°Mr. Kennedy, this is not judgmental. This is a matter of right and wrong.¡±

    His gaze fell on her.

    ¡°And you¡¯re an expert on right and wrong?¡±

    ¡°I like to think people pay me to be an expert. That¡¯s the job of a journalist.¡±

    Sage snorted as he turned around and started preparing for the flight. I looked at their magazine. He knew they were in trouble. Amanda thought that Kennedy Outdoors would definitely get a standout story if they offered the Magazine a substantial amount of money. Irena seemed pretty haughty with the items they took out.

    ¡°Seven ways to please your man?¡± Are you an expert on this? He looked at her.     ¡°It wasn¡¯t my paper,¡± she said, leaning back and crossing her arms.

    He could tell he was shaking her. Her cheeks flushed pink.

    He forced a smile. All journalists are the same. Good andplete sense of their own.

    ¡°Sure. We¡¯ll agree.

    ¡°What about you? Pretending to love the outdoors, but secretly hunting illegal animals with your dad?¡±

    His chest tightened at the mention of his father. He turned and stared at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you know me or my dad.¡±

    Her eyes widened for a moment, then crossed her arms.

    ¡°All billionaires are the same.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Well, all reporters are the same.¡±

    She opened her mouth, and he could see the reporter word forming on her lips. But Joseph appeared behind her and raised her hand. hands up.

    ¡°Joseph,e in please.¡± Sage said as he looked at Irena and walked past her and the rest of the ne.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to bother you, but Amanda called you on my phone. Looks like she can¡¯t reach you?¡± Joseph hands Sage the phone.

    Sage picks it up and walks away. towards the stairs

    ¡°Hello¡±

    ¡°Sage?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why don¡¯t you answer my call?¡±

    ¡°Rx, Amanda. I¡¯m just preparing for the ne. Miss. Derrick and I will be leaving in less than twenty minutes.¡±

    She was silent for a moment.

    ¡°Joseph said he heard you arguing. Are you arguing with Miss. Derrick?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Amanda sighed.

    ¡°Stop arguing with her. We need her to write a positive article.¡±

    Sage shrugs. Amanda wants him to y nice, huh? But Irena Derrick is just that annoying. He took a deep breath.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Good. Call me as soon as you arrive in Greend. We have a lot to do.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He ended the call and got on the ne. ¡°Here Joseph,¡± he said, handing her the phone.

    Joseph picked it up and stuffed it in his pocket.

    ¡°Well, I should go. I will see you when youe back.¡± He nodded and slid out of the ne.

    There was silence as Sage gathered his thoughts. He didn¡¯t want to apologize to the angry woman in front of him. But he knew it was his duty now. Embrace those who hold their future in their hands.

    ¡°Miss. Derrick, I think we may have started the wrong way.¡±     She scoffed at him.

    Frustration built up in him, but he exhaled.

    ¡°Can we continue?

    She studied him. He flinched under her scrutiny. Finally, she sighed and sat up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move on,¡± she said, holding out her hand.

    Sage nced at it then caught his gesture. Small sparks shot out from his arm as he felt his skin. It used all its strength not to back down.

    At the end of the allotted time, he let go.

    ¡°We should move.¡±

    A nce crossed her face, and for a moment she seemed to have felt something, too. Lam shook his head. He is ridiculous. There is no feeling between them.

    Looking at his watch, he whistled. Titan thundered up the stairs.

    ¡°Time to go, man,¡± he said, patting his dog¡¯s head. Titan turned around and started licking Sage ¡®s hand.

    Sage sat up and finished preparing the ne for take-off. Irena¡¯s words shed through his mind.

    The things she said about him and his father¡­ made his stomach hurt. No matter how much he tried to push them away, they stayed.

    As he closed the ne door, he sighed. That¡¯s not what he wanted to do right now. He should never have allowed people into his life, even if she was there to help him. Experience has taught him that when you are alone, you will never hurt yourself. And Sage was determined to never get hurt again.

 NINE: IRENA

    It didn¡¯t take long before the ne was ready and rolling down the runway. As the ne took off, Irena clutched the handrails to her death. She deliberately put her life in the hands of Sage Kennedy . What is she thinking?

    She had to do some breathing exercises she learned at the yoga studio-trips requested by Bridget-to calm her nerves. It didn¡¯t help that her argument with Sage kepting to her mind. Man, he really gets goosebumps with his cocky ideas and sexy arms.

    She shook her head. It wasn¡¯t something she should be thinking about. He was a stuffy, rude billionaire. But the image of your muscr arm under the white shirt kepting back to me.

    She rubbed her eyes, ming herself. She¡¯s not going to be the swoon, swoon girl that guys like Sage attract. She is better than that.

    She leans back in her chair, tilts her head back. It makes the interior of the ne more spacious than flying in an overbooked carriage. Traveling with a rich man has its advantages. The leather seats were soft and magically adjusted to her body temperature.

    Beside her was a small bench. And behind is a small kitchen. Too many luxuries for a man. She mocked. She doubted he even knew what it was like to live like ny-nine percent.

    When they reached cruising altitude, all seemed quiet. That is not good. At times like these her mind began to spin, and she couldn¡¯t wait to make Sage Kennedy the object of her thoughts. She looked around, desperately looking for a distraction. Finally, she remembered the unfinished novel in her purse and got to work. Soon she is transported to a magical world where rich men are not stubborn fools.

    It wasn¡¯t until the ne shook, knocking her aside, that she pulled herself out of the story.

    Folding the edge of the page, she nced around. She was so absorbed in her book that she didn¡¯t notice the darkness creeping around her. Rain hit the window as she looked out. The clouds are dense and gray.

    She unbuckled her seat belt and stood, clinging to the side wall as she approached the cockpit. The ne tilted from side to side, forcing her to grab whatever she could find.

    Sage turned his back on her. He had the headset stuck to his ear and was talking into the stethoscope. Irena ¡®s ears buzzed from the sudden change in pressure. She had to swallow several times to hear what he was saying.

    ¡°¡­ sudden storm. What¡¯s the weather like outside?¡±

    ¡°Yes-target-from-the majority-or-¡±

    Sage waited for the voice to stop before bringing the receiver closer to his lips.

    ¡°You broke. Please repeat.¡±

    There was more noise, followed by a broken voice.

    Fear settled in Irena ¡®s chest.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sage? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    As if forgetting he wasn¡¯t alone, he jumped up, ring at her.

    ¡°You need to sit down and buckle up,¡± he said, reporting her attention.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°No time to exin,¡± he said, focusing on the panel in front of him.

    ¡°There was a big storm, and I¡­¡±

    He stopped looking out. Out the window, Irena followed his gaze. A bright light streaked across the sky, illuminating what looked like a dark cloud in front of them. Clouds move and move across the sky. They look like. . . birds. And they¡¯re headed straight for them.

    ¡°Drake! Now!¡± Sage screamed as he gripped the yoke and the ne jerked in response.

    Irena ran to her chair. It was hard to keep his body straight given the level of recoil of the ne back and forth. When she got to her seat, she fastened her seat belt. Looking out the window, she tried to calm her racing heart.

    But the sight of the birds surrounding the ne made his heartbeat faster. Suddenly, smoke rose from the engine through the left wing, then the right wing.

    The ne shakes. She bent down and put her head in her hands. It seems prudent to pray. Why is she here? What did she get herself into? His little apartment and his banal stories don¡¯t seem so bad right now.

    Her stomach seemed to want to leave her body when a shrill crash sounded, and the ne began to fall. An oxygen mask fell from the ceiling. Irena grabbed it and pushed it to her face. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her body. Nerves run through his muscles and are located in his abdomen.

    ¡°May Day!¡± Help!¡± Sage ¡®s frantic voice rang in his ear.

    That¡¯s it. This is how she would die. Until she almost touched her knee. Just a few more seconds and it will all be over. In a few seconds, she¡¯ll be dead.

    A scream pierced the air. It took him a moment to realize the sound wasing from his lips. Then all thoughts vanished from his mind as the sound of his horror was reced by the sound of cracking metal.

    Instinctively, she sat up. Debris from the inside of the ne flew towards her, hitting her forehead and sending her body flying to the left.

    She groaned as her vision blurred and her body went limp. She tries to fight him, but in the end, she slips into the darkness that surrounds her.

 TEN: SAGE

    S A G E

    Sage ¡®s ears buzzed as he groaned and opened his eyelids. Constant blinking seemed to help blur his vision. The red light on the dashboard is shing. A piercing sound filled the air. Sage raised his hand and held his head. What just happened?

    He looks out the window. White surrounds him. The slope of the mountain. He noticed this when he had tond the ne after both engines died. It took all of his school time before he calmed down and went flying in the snow. He winced as he recalled the sound of metal falling to the floor.

    His limbs ached, but he still endured the pain and stood up straight. Where are Titan and Irena? His heart skipped a beat at the thought of them being hurt ¨C or worse. His fingers fumbled for the seat belt.

    ¡°Titan? Irena?¡± he cried, then immediately regretted it.

    Leaning down, he touched his stomach. He pulled his finger away and stepped back. There was no blood, but his ribs hurt. He wondered if he had hurt any of them.

    After taking a deep breath, he rose from his seat and staggered toward the back of the ne.

    ¡°Irena?¡± he shouted again.

    A look of panic crossed her mind. He was trying so hard to get in touch with someone on her radio that he didn¡¯t have time to discuss with her what was going on with them. For a moment, the thought that she couldn¡¯t fasten her seat belt made her stomach tighten.

    He grabbed the side of the ne. His legs look like Jell-O. Every muscle ached. He didn¡¯t know where they were or if they were safe. But at least he¡¯s alive.

    A groan, followed by a wet sensation on his fingers, sent his system into shock. Sage ¡®s heart races as he looks down. Titan was beside him with his face just inches from Sage ¡®s hand. He gasped then leaned forward and licked Sage again.

    ¡°Hey, boy,¡± Sage gritted his teeth, reaching out and patting Titan¡¯s head.

    His throat constricted and he winced as the words tried toe out.

    Titan groaned again and rubbed his hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine. I just need a minute,¡± he said. He leaned his shoulder against the side of the ne as he breathed in as deeply as his wound would allow.     That seemed to appease the dog. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as he panted next to Sage.

    After a few seconds, Sage waved at Titan.

    ¡°Come on, my boy. Find Miss. Derrick.¡± He got up and walked.     When he located Irena, relief and fear overwhelmed him, making him shiver. He held his breath as he looked at her condition. She plopped down on a chair with a small incision on her forehead. Her eyes were closed, and she was so quiet. His heart pounded as he reached out and pressed his fingers to his throat.

    A hand gripped his arm as he opened his eyes. She stared at him and parted her lips. If her head hadn¡¯t been hurt before, then the high-pitched scream she let out was sessful.

    ¡°Miss Derrick,¡± Sage tried, but he could barely hear himself because of her screams.¡± SP. Hopeless! He tried again.

    She didn¡¯t stop screaming.

    Finally put his hand over his mouth. It muffled the scream until it stopped. Irena ¡®s eyes remained open, and her gaze scanned the room.

    ¡°Miss Derrick, you¡¯re in shock, but you need to stop screaming, she stopped.

    ¡°I will withdraw my hand. You won¡¯t start screaming again, will you?¡±

    She stared at him with fear in her eyes. For a moment his heart turned to her. She must be very scared.

    When she shook her head, he withdrew his hand.

    She sat up and looked around.

    ¡°W-What happened?¡±

    Sage plopped down on the chair beside her, and the adrenaline pumping in his veins dropped, making him shiver.

    ¡°The ne hit these birds. They destroyed the engine and I had tond in the mountains.¡±

    Her face turned pale as she looked out the window and back at him.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she stammered.

    He shrugged, ignoring the bone-chilling pain in his stomach.

    ¡°It will be fine.¡±

    Sage felt her body shiver as she turned to face him. Her face had changed as if reality had finally settled around her.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± she whispered, staring at him.

    All the affection he had for her before was gone.

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    She sat up in her chair when he blushed. On other days, he would think she looked adorable, but the rage in her eyes changed his feelings.

    ¡°What have you done?¡± she repeated, trying to stay steady.

    Sage tries to keep his voice calm.

    ¡°What did I do? Do you think I want this? That I purposely called upon Zeus to create a storm that got us into this mess?¡±

    Irena staggered as she stood beside her seat. His hands are raised for bnce.

    ¡°I should have known not to get on a ne with a partygoer. After what you did to your father¡¯s yacht.¡± She red at him.

    He raised his hand. There was no way he¡¯d let her sit there and talk about things she knew nothing about.

    ¡°I suggest you stop talking now. You do not know me.¡±

    She stares.

    ¡°Oh, I think I know just enough about you.¡±

    The heat hurt his neck.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°Really?¡± He quoted the air. ¡°What a joke. I haven¡¯t met a journalist who really cares about the truth and doesn¡¯t sell magazines.¡±

    Irena walked up to him and opened her lips. Before she could say anything, Titan. jumped on her and started licking her hands. She jerked him away and looked as if she was about to climb onto the chair to get rid of the dog.

    Sage sat up, grateful for interrupting the conversation. He was no longer interested in fighting. He needed to know where they were ande up with a n.

    ¡°I¡¯m done arguing,¡± he said, heading for the door.

    He needed to know if the ne was in a safe ce and if the emergency locator transmitter had survived the crash.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Irena said, as she ran after him.

    Sage ignored the panic in his voice as he pulled thetch and pushed the door open with his shoulder. A cold wind swirled around him as he looked outside. Snow surrounds them. He bent down. Half of the ne was covered in white powder, but at first nce it looked like there was no imminent danger. The ne appeared to be safely parked on the mountainside. But, from where he stood, he couldn¡¯t distinguish the state from anything else.

    When he turned around, he saw Irena ¡®s wide eyes.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked, closing the door to keep some of the heat they had inside the ne.

    Her cheeks flushed red.

    ¡°I thought you left me,¡± she said.

    Sage suppressed augh. She was bored with him, it was true, but he would never leave her side. He passed her, making sure to stop a few inches away.

    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve thought about it,¡± he said as he looked at her. He saw her shiver and, inwardly, he smiled.

    He went back, where he discovered his overnight sleeping bag and the suitcase the maid had packed. The first thing they had to do was find some warm clothes. The ne is protected from the wind, but without electricity, heat is prohibited.

    ¡°Take your suitcase,¡± he said, nodding at her.

    She walked over to her bag and grabbed its handle.

    ¡°Okay?¡±     He looked at her. Will he have to exin everything to her?

    ¡°Now open it up and find something to wear. It won¡¯t be long before this ne bes a metal coffin. Temperatures drop rapidly here.¡± He pointed to her pencil skirt and high heels. ¡°Not really an outfit to keep a person warm.¡±

    She opened her suitcase and rummaged through it. Sage grabbed his hiking suit from the top of the duffel bag. Then he took off his sweater and jeans. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s wearing a suit in Greend.

    He turned to see Irena still standing by her suitcase, watching her go inside.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked as he walked towards her.

    She nced at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I have is suitable for the wilderness.¡±

    He reached into his pocket and began pulling out satin tank tops and fitted pencil skirts. Underneath arece lingerie and a bra. The image of Irena wearing these items shed through his mind. Sage tried to calm his heart as he sped up.

    He clenched his fist. Calm down Sage, he med himself.

    Redirecting his energy seems like the best idea.

    ¡°Why did you bring those to Greend?¡± He tried to keep his tone harsh, but Irena seemed to have noticed.

    ¡°Not me¡­¡± She nced at him and pursed her lips.

    ¡°Well, I guess I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to crash into a mountain.¡± She stammered for a moment before turning to look at him.

    He was so distracted by her ridiculous clothing choices that he hired her. He shook his head as he pulled out more items. An image hovering above the ground. ncing at it, Sage picked it up. It was a photo of a handsome guy with his arm around Irena. For a moment, Sage allowed himself to wonder who he was.

    He shook his head. What¡¯s the matter with him? There was no reason for him to care about the details of Irena ¡®s life. She is boring and overbearing. And pissed him off.

    ¡°Boyfriend?¡± he asked, handing her the picture.

    She took it from him. ¡°Yes,¡± she mumbled.

    The story seems to be longer than it implies, but he decides not to go any further.

    ¡°Cold.¡± He waved at his belongings.

    ¡°None of them will work there. Come here.¡± He nodded toward his gym bag.

    She followed him. He grabbed a nnel shirt and jeans, then handed them to her as his eyebrows rose.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Really.¡±     ¡°Besides I¡¯m totally offended when you think you and I are the same size, I suspect your clothes protect me more than I would like.¡±

    Sage approached her. He tried to ignore her scent. Like fresh paper and summer nights. ¡°Miss. Derrick, with your skimpy clothes, you¡¯d freeze to death in the Greendic climate. As he drew closer to her and deepened his voice, his eyes widened. Good. He won¡¯t be the only annoying person here.¡±

    He looked into her bright blue eyes.

    ¡°Now, personally, I¡¯d rather leave you here. But I have a feeling Peter wouldn¡¯t be very happy if I let his best reporter fend for himself with the bears and the freezing cold.¡± pressed the clothes against her chest,

    ¡°Now be a good girl and put this on.¡±

    Her arms wrapped around the clothes as she red at him.

    ¡°GOOD.¡± She turned to walk into the bathroom and closed the door.

    Alone, Sage sighed. He will have to look around Irena Derrick. There was a fire in his eyes and a hint of wit that seemed to attract him. And that he cannot have.

 ELEVEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena stood in front of the pile of clothes she had put in the toilet. Her hands trembled as she grabbed them in front of her face. She didn¡¯t know if it was frustration with the fact that she had just survived a ne crash. A ne crash was caused by Sage. It seems to be the source of his problems.

    She looks out the door. Who does this man think he is? Frustrated, she grabbed the jeans he¡¯d given her. An arrogant man who knows all the pain in his ass ¨C he is.

    She shakes her jeans, enjoying the moment he created. After taking off her skirt, she puts on her pants and prays that they don¡¯t fit. Tucking them into her panties, she smiled. Thanks God. The distance between her belly and waist is ten centimeters.

    After rolling up the shirt a few times, the pants are still standing. She was still wearing her satin sleeveless top but had taken off her sweater. She rolled her eyes. Lindsay and her insistence on asking her to bring sexy things on this trip. She must know better.

    After Lindsay leaves the room to shower, she reappears and says she can¡¯t let Irena go anywhere with a billionaire and the rags she¡¯s wearing. Before Irena could stop her, Lindsay threw out all her sensitive clothes and reced them with ¨C as Lindsay said ¨C eye-catching menswear. Of course, these include sexy tops and useless lingerie.

    Maybe she should start speaking out against Lindsay and her ridiculous ideas. At the time, Irena wished she had a pair of Sage sweatpants and sweaters.

    She is amazed at how soft Sage ¡®s nnel shirt is when she wears it. And it smells good. She brought the rag to her nose and inhaled. The smell of a man mixed with the smell of the forest filled his senses. Her heart skipped a beat as she imagined Irena wearing the exact same shirt.

    Then Irena imagines himself smiling at her, and the image is wrong. If only he hadn¡¯t been such a rogue, she would have loved him by now.

    Lower. What a joke. He is a billionaire. There is a sense of superiority that apanies the territory. It¡¯s like a request. They didn¡¯t give you thest dor, making you a billionaire unless you have some degree of arrogance around you. And for Irena.

    Kennedy, modesty is not in his repertoire.

    After she finished buttoning her shirt, she opened the door. Her face heated up when she saw Irena Kennedy ¡®s tanned back. His muscles moved as he pulled his shirt down and stuck his hand into his sleeve.

    He looked at her and smiled. Damn. He saw her looking at him. She pursed her lips and left. There¡¯s no way to atone, so it¡¯s better to act with confidence. Even inside the house, he felt nervous in her presence.

    ¡°See? These don¡¯t fit,¡± she said, pulling up her shirt and waving at the belt she had rolled up.

    He just nodded. Why did his half smile and twinkling eyes bother her so much? He seemed to bring out the worst in her.

    ¡°And your clothes smell weird.¡± Hmm. The thought was like a zinger in his head. Now that that was said, she felt silly.

    He was still looking at her, his hand groping for the buttons of her shirt. He nodded, showing he understood.

    ¡°I will let my butler know. Can you describe the smell?¡±

    She stuffed the discarded clothes into the suitcase.

    ¡°They smell like a man.¡± Puffing her lips, she felt her cheeks heat up as she looked at him.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know why they smell like that,¡± he said, taking a hat from his pocket and putting it on his head.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    That half-smile is back. ¡°I¡¯ll have the housekeeper wash the clothes to get rid of men¡¯s odors.¡±

    She sighed in frustration. ¡°You do it.¡±

    There¡¯s no way she¡¯sing back from here. No need to try. She turned into aplete idiot. Twice. Man, she¡¯s on a reel.

    There¡¯s something about Sage ¡®s presence that shakes her. It must have been the shock of surviving a ne crash with him. That must be it. She took a deep breath. She needed to pull herself together. CURRENTLY.

    He put on his boots and stood up.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to go check where we are and the condition of the ne. I hope the external antenna in the rear beam isn¡¯t damaged. He looked at it.¡± That¡¯s the thing. connected to the emergency transmitter locator.¡±

    Irena nodded as if she knew what he was talking about.

    ¡°What if it breaks?¡± Stop, we¡¯re alone, well than we should be around the ne. At least for tonight. We don¡¯t want to be stuck outside unprotected when the sun goes down. He nced at the clock.

    Irena bit her lip. Fear ran through his veins. It still took time for her mind and body to realize she was on a ne. An airne crashed.

    ¡°Do you think you can cook?¡± he asked, pointing to the kitchte.

    She nced at him. ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be much. Patty does a great job of cleaning my ne after every flight. For our sake, let¡¯s hope she decides to give up onest time.¡±

    As for his maid¡¯s part, hope she decides to let go of Sage ¡®s hand, Irena ¡®s pursed her lips Is that all she got for him A person who does everything for him? She wanted to scold him, but bit her cheek instead. His life depends on his knowledge of the desert. It is best not to anger the billionaire until he is safely out of the mountains.

    Irena walked over to the farthest closet and pulled out a coat. When she put it on, he smiled at her. It made her ufortable. And made her worry. She took a step back. Symptoms of concussion shed through her mind. He said he was fine. But isn¡¯t he?

 TWELVE: SAGE

    Sage zipped his jacket and turned to nce at Irena. She had a displeased look on her face. He smiled at her again, hoping to ease her pain. She bent down and met his gaze.

    ¡°Youugh a lot. Should I be worried if you have a concussion?¡± She raised her finger. ¡°Most people don¡¯t even show signs of concussion. Are you confused? Are you more sensitive to light? What about the sound?¡± She bent down, studying his eyes.

    ¡°Miss. Derrick,¡± he said, stepping back.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m confused, do you think it¡¯s wise to ask me so many questions?¡± She shyly looked at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, unnecessary information.¡± She patted her forehead and grimaced as she approached the incision on her head.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he stepped forward. ¡°Let me help you with that.¡±

    He reached out and took her hand.

    She stared at him.

    ¡°I¡­ uh¡­¡±

    ¡°No apologies. I am the cause.¡± He led her to the chair and motioned for her to sit down.

    She looked worried but didn¡¯t object.

    He goes to the sink on the other side of the ne and opens the closet door. He rummaged through the piles of detergents and chemicals until he found a first aid kit. He took a tissue and a bottle of water from the fridge and came back. Her eyes widened as he knelt in front of her.

    ¡°Here, take this,¡± he said, handing her the rag. He tried to ignore the fact that she was only inches away from her.

    She picked it up and started twisting it in her hand.

    ¡°Worried, Miss. Derrick?¡±

    He looked at her. For a moment, he felt lost in her Hazel eyes.

    ¡°Irena,¡± he said.

    Her cheeks flushed red as she nodded. He opened the bottle and motioned for her to give him a tea towel. Once he got it wet, he started dabbing around her cut.

    She grimaced and held her breath. Being so close confused him. As if seeing the golden highlights in his eyes, mesmerizing orbs that glimmer like liquid sunshine, the intense hue reminiscent of molten precious metal. It radiates a rare and ethereal warmth, capturing attention with their luminosity. A sight to behold, they hold a captivating allure, sparkling with an otherworldly brilliance that enchants all who gaze into them, it¡¯s easier to hate him from afar.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, the depth of his voice surprising himself.

    She just nodded. He could tell that she was avoiding his gaze as she peeked inside the ne.

    ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± she asked and winced as he approached her cut.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. She gave him a weak smile.

    ¡°After spending the night here, we will descend the mountain and get out of here. When our direction is stable, we will head towards the water. The current will lead us to the ocean. With a little luck, we will see a boat or meet hunters.¡± He sshed water on the other end of the cloth and wiped his cut.

    ¡°I have good news,¡± he said, setting down the dirty towel. ¡°You won¡¯t need stitches.¡±

    She nced at him, her heart pounding. There was something indifference in his eyes that made her extremely ufortable.

    ¡°Do you know how to do it?¡± She looked at him questioningly.

    ¡°Give you points?¡± She nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done it many times. Sometimes with myself. Sometimes with my friends when they are stupid.¡±

    A smile tugged at her lips as if she remembered something funny.

    Sage raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°What?¡± He felt the tension drop from his shoulders.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing. You used tough. And now, Irena, that¡¯s what I don¡¯t see you doing.¡±

    His mouth hung open.

    ¡°I¡¯m smiling.¡± an iceberg.

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll agree.¡±

    When he turned around, she had a big smile on her face.

    ¡°Really?¡± His expression softened as he looked at him Sadness filled the air.

    What did he say?

    ¡°Now don¡¯t move,¡± he said, pulling the bandage closer to his skin.

    When it was safe, he dropped his hand and wiped the tips of his fingers with his thumb, trying to take away the feeling from her soft skin. It doesn¡¯t work.

    ¡°What do I look like?¡± she asked, posing.

    ¡°Great,¡± he said, instantly regretting it. Irena looked at him with wide eyes.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°As good as anyone who just survived a ne crash,¡± he added.

    ¡°Hey, you should take a look at yourself.¡± She patted his arm as she got up and went to the bathroom, where she looked at herself in the mirror.

    The weight that seemed to weigh on her chest diminished as she moved forward. For a while, they almost became individuals. He was tempted to talk about his feelings. He rolled his eyes at her.

    Can he do that? Is there really a positive rtionship with a journalist?

    After that, all the negative articles written about him popped into his head.

    Lies and stories made up just to make money. He shook his head. No, you can¡¯t confide in Irena.     She will take her secrets and sell them to the highest bidder.

    Furthermore, she has no interest in him.

    He was just a story to her.

    Another rung on his corporatedder.

    And he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that she had a boyfriend.

    Sage doesn¡¯t care.

    But it helped remind his heart and mind that she had crossed the line, no matter how frustrated he felt.

 THIRTEEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena is all alone. Scratch that. She is alone in the sense that there are no other human beings. However, there is a dog. And it stinks. Every time she moved inside the ne, Titan followed her. She had counted countless times she almost tripped over him.

    ¡°Titan ,¡± she eximed for the thirty-third time. ¡°Just go lie down.¡± Why Sage refused to take her on an expedition, she did not know.

    He had been gone for ten minutes, and Irena considered opening the door and driving Titan away. But she had promised Sage to keep an eye on the animal. She sighed. Why did she have to make promises that made her unhappy? Next time she really needs to think before she speaks.

    Titan barked at him.

    After saying that, she went into the small kitchen. Sage asks her to cook something for dinner using canned food in the kitchen. Hopefully the rescue team will find them tomorrow. If not . . . Irena shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to think about it. They will be found. Arrange.

    After opening and closing the cab, she ced all the canned goods on the counter. All the rich people¡¯s food looks at her. What does it have to do with canned caviar and pickled asparagus? His stomach churned at the thought of eating both, let alone together.

    ¡°Are you eating this?¡± she asked Titan , who was tilting his head to the side. Every moment she spent with the furry animal seemed to ay her fears about it. She doesn¡¯t like him, but she starts to put up with him. This is a step in the right direction. Especially since they need to exist together.

    Fumbling through the drawers, Irena found a can opener. It goes through vegetables and through meat. When she opened the can of salmon, Titan pped his hands.

    ¡°Ah, so you ate that,¡± she said, looking down at him. ¡°Did you know that every year there are more than 33 million cases of food poisoning?

    Titan barks.

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s horrible.¡± She took a few tes and served the food. Strange colors and even strange smells.

    Sage appeared at the door of the ne with her as he closed the door behind her. ¡°What you are doing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m cooking dinner.¡± She stopped. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m opening dinner.¡±

    Sage approached the counter and looked at the tes. ¡°Did you open all that I have?¡±

    ¡°Ah, not all. Am I staying away from pigeon pate? Seriously?¡±

    Sage takes it from her hand and smiles. ¡°I got it from a girl¡­¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I got it in Paris.¡±

    Irena looked at him. So he had a daughter in Paris. Attractive. ¡°Good. You have the favorite food of the girls you meet. That still doesn¡¯t exin why a billionaire¡¯s son eats cannedsagna. She picked up a can of Chef Boyardee and waved it over her nose.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Is your reporter surprised to hear that I might prefer this to the real thing?¡±

    ¡°Reporter. And yes. You can hire the best chefs to personally cook for you whenever you want, but is that something you choose?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡± he is getting smaller. He turned his back to her and walked over to a small table sandwiched between two leather chairs.

    Irena ¡®s stomach rumbled, and it wasn¡¯t the smell of the food. She had upset him, but she didn¡¯t know how. Apparently his father¡¯s money was not something he liked to discuss.

    As she looked at him through the window, she thought about what she should say, or whether she should say anything. Obviously there¡¯s a problem. It¡¯s probably best to keep things simple between them. It¡¯s no use trying to get to know Sage Kennedy . It was just a job. Therefore.

    Suddenly, Sage climbed into a chair and started kicking at the window. Irena looked. What is the man doing? Was what she said terrible?

    ¡°Sage?¡± She cried when she approached him.

    He doesn¡¯t stop. ss begins to crack under impact. Titan sat up and started barking.

    ¡°Sage!¡± she said, reaching out and grabbing his arm.

    When the window disappeared, Sage turned around. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You broke the window.¡±

    He nced back. ¡°Correct.¡±

    Irena sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°Where do Ie from, that¡¯s not the normal way to deal with stress.¡±

    He studied her. ¡°Emphasize?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, stressful. You know, since the ne crash, or your obvious desire not to talk about your dad¡¯s money.

    Sage narrowed his eyes as if he didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. Then he nodded. ¡°I broke the window so I could light the fire.¡± He pointed to the opening. ¡°It¡¯s to clear the smoke.¡±

    It was Irena ¡®s turn to stare at him.

    ¡°Wait. You think you pissed me off enough for me to start breaking a window? He chuckled under his breath.

    This only annoyed Irena more. ¡°Well, how do I know that?¡± After walking away saying you don¡¯t want to talk about something, you start destroying your ne.

    Sage approached her with that smug look on his face. ¡°Miss. Derrick , don¡¯t tter yourself. It¡¯s true that you annoy me, but not as much as you think.¡± He leans down a few inches from her face. Angry. How can a man drive her crazy just by being near her? She tried to think of a goodeback but lost. Instead, she gave him onest look, then turned and walked over to the counter.

    ¡°Eat it,¡± she said, setting the te on the table.

    Sage nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll light the fire first.¡± He took a metal bowl from one of the cabs and ced it in front of the window. Then he took some of the brushes he had brought from outside and broke the sticks. After tearing the handkerchiefs, he piled them into a bowl and lit a fire. A crackling sound echoed through the air as the sticks were engulfed in mes.

    Warmth filled the cabin as Sage turned and sat down at the table with her. They ate in silence, both staring at the vast whitendscape beside them.

    ¡°Did you find anything? You know, outside?¡± she asked

    Sage sighed as he put down his te and sat down. Looks like everything was destroyed.

    A shiver ran down Irena ¡®s neck. ¡°So no one knows where we are?¡±

    Sage shook his head. ¡°From what I can tell, the storm may have taken us west, but I don¡¯t know how far it will take us or even where.¡±

    Irena blinked. Fail. They were trapped. In the Greendic wilderness. ¡°Do you think someone ising to arrest us?¡± She looked at him.

    He nodded. ¡°Of course. I just wonder how well they will do.¡±

    She swallows. ¡°How difficult? Just send a helicopter to pick us up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. It¡¯s like finding a needle in a haystack. There are a million ces we could have touched. We should go down the mountain in the morning.

    Irena couldn¡¯t control her anxiety. I was nervous walking past her, so she stood up and put that strength back together. ¡°Get out of the ne? What if they find it and we¡¯re not there? It¡¯s going to be hard to tell if we¡¯re in the desert?¡±

    Sage ¡®s jaw muscles tighten. And if they ever were? found ne her hands were shaking as she gripped the counter. It seems the stress and pressure of the day has affected her. The realization that they were trapped hit her hard. She could die with Sage Kennedy being thest person she talked to.

    She turned her gaze towards him and red at him. She should never have put her life in his hands.

    He sighed. ¡°What now, Miss. Derrick ?¡± He rubbed his face with his hand.

    She opened her mouth to speak, but the words she wanted to say couldn¡¯te out. Instead, ¡°94% of air idents happen on private jets,¡± he blurted out.

    Sage stood up, grimacing, letting go of his hand. It was as if he were struggling with the thoughts that passed through his eyes. ¡°Actually?¡± He sighed as his shoulders drooped, and he walked over to the couch. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out a sleeping bag and a pillow.

    Irena ys with the hem of her sleeve. She didn¡¯t want to say it as an usation, but she feared that was the case. ¡°Sage , I¡­¡±

    He raised his hand. ¡°Listen. We¡¯re both exhausted and probably a little shaken by what¡¯s happened. Sleep well because we have a long day ahead of us. He pointed to the sofa. ¡°You sleep here, I sleep on the ground.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    He turned to look at her, anger clear in his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s your ne,¡± she whispered.

    He shook the sleeping bag and let it hover over the couch. Then the cherries go into the samepartment ande out with a nket. ¡°That¡¯s what you call a gentleman, Miss. Derrick¡±

    Perfect. Her name was Miss. Derrick again. Every time he said that, she felt like he was speaking to her mother. But it didn¡¯t seem right to talk about it at the time. Looking at his pursed lips and slumped posture, he was tired.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. If she¡¯s honest with herself, she¡¯s exhausted too. Sleep better than argue.

    He nodded and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Irena alone.

    She crossed her arms over her chest and looked around. Why couldn¡¯t she say the right things when she was with him? Why did he lose his mind every time he looked at her?

    She shook her head. Tonight, she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to think anymore. Pulling the nkets off, she

    ducked under them. Tomorrow your mind will be clear. Tomorrow will be better.

 FOURTEEN: SAGE

    S A G E

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    A hoarse whisper and a hard push on the shoulder pulled Sage out of his dream. Or nightmare. They have be one in the same.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked, straightening up and looking around.

    Irena ¡®s wide eyes looked at him.

    He pulled the nket over her. If there is danger, he cannot be entangled in it. ¡°Everything OK?¡± He blinked in the darkness, trying to focus on Irena .

    For a moment, he thought he saw his lower lip quiver. Her chest swelled at the thought that she felt fear. The urge to protect her suddenly came to him.

    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, cing his hand on her knee. Her legs are crossed in front of her chest and she hugs them.

    Her face turned pale as she approached him. She didn¡¯t seem so panicked that there couldn¡¯t be any imminent danger. Adrenaline ran through his body as he tried to rx. He moved to lean on the sofa and Irena followed him. He took his nket and ced it on theirp.

    ¡°May I sit next to you?¡± she asked.

    Sage looked at her. Her jaw clenched as she stared at the darkness around them. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. Was it wrong for him to enjoy the feeling of her shoulder next to him? That for the first time since meeting her, she seemed vulnerable?

    He shook his head. Obviously something is wrong with her. It was wrong to take advantage of the situation when she was suffering. Focusing on her, he sang in his head.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± He kept his voice calm as he looked at her.

    She closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°Unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°Is it an ident?¡± Are you scarred? Because I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. Telling her that I would take care of her was a bit too intimate. Moreover, she seems to keep her independence with all her might. He didn¡¯t want to take that away from her.

    ¡°A little,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m a little scared. But we¡¯ll be fine. As long as we stay calm, everything will be fine.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel better.¡±

    ¡°What? That I¡¯m scared?¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her nod.

    ¡°But, I think that¡¯s what you want. A man who is not afraid to show his feelings.¡±

    Sheughs. ¡°That¡¯s when you watch a girly movie and you don¡¯t cry even though you¡¯re full inside. When we¡¯re stuck in the desert, we want to know that nothing scares you.¡± She approached him.

    Instinctively, he put his arm around her shoulders. His posture stiffened, then rxed. She rested her head on his arm. He leaned down until his lips were inches from her ear.

    ¡°Nothing scares me. I¡¯m the scariest thing you¡¯ll ever meet.

    He felt his shoulders rise and fall with hisughter.

    ¡°I trust you,¡± she whispered. ¡°Most billionaires are pretty scary.¡±

    Sage stepped back and looked at her. Was that all she saw in him? Why can¡¯t people look beyond his father¡¯s wealth and define him as something else? Is that his curse?

    He was about to leave, but Irena stopped him. So he stayed, but he couldn¡¯t stop the anger that was boiling in his heart. He leaned his head back on the couch behind him.

    At least when he¡¯s alone, most people don¡¯t know who he is. He can blend in with the crowd and be like everyone else. That¡¯s Sage Kennedy and that¡¯s it. That¡¯s not Sage Kennedy , heir to the Kennedy Outdoors exclusive. And he prefers this anonymity.

    He closed his eyes, a determination rising in his chest. Once this public rtions nightmare is resolved and Kennedy Outdoors is safe, he will sell his shares and leave. Disappear into the world and never look back. There¡¯s nothing for him.

    All the people who were supposed to love him are gone, and he¡¯s fine. It was as if the world was telling him he was alone. It¡¯s time to start listening.

 FIFTEEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena shivered as she opened her eyes. She looked at the bowl of embers, Titan lying a few feet away and the white snow in front of the window. Damned. The ne crash is not a nightmare. Right. That means the embrace around her belongs only to Sage Kennedy. She could feel his chest rise and fall under her head. His heart pounded in his ears.

    She slept on Sage. Why did she sleep on top of him? What did she dost night?

    She pulled her body away from him. Once at a safe distance, she jumped off the floor and into the bathroom as her mind tried to follow.

    The snap made her shiver. Turning around, she sat down on the toilet lid in front of her. When she is alone, she is free to control her emotions. Her shoulders shook as memories of the past flooded her mind.

    She knew why she climbed into Sage Kenned¡¯s bed. She was very scared. All that she had tried to lock down since childhood spilled out. Every detail is terrible.

    She tried to hold back her sobs by turning her face to the ceiling. Why couldn¡¯t she be stronger? Why did she let what her father did to her mother creep into her life? She nibbled the inside of her cheek. She¡¯s not a little girl anymore and such a reaction makes her look ridiculous.

    But there¡¯s something about the utter helplessness she felt as the ne fell from the sky that revealed past emotions. Emotions caused her to hide under her little daughter¡¯s bed to escape the quarrels of her parents. This is where she will cover her ears and recite the information she read earlier in the day. Anything to drown out their war.

    When her parents died in a car ident when she was sixteen years old, she thought she had ovee all her past emotions. Apparently, after the ridiculous panic she showed Sage, that wasn¡¯t the case. She was as weak and scared as when she was a child.

    Wiping her tears, she calmed down. She needed to get over the past and move on. Exposing her weakness to anyone, let alone Sage, was not something she wanted to do right now. She has worked her whole life to build a protective wall around her heart, and there is no need to start tearing it down now.

    She unrolled the toilet paper roll, tore a piece and dabbed it on her cheek. There. She¡¯s had her pity party, and now it¡¯s time to move on. It¡¯s time to put on the big girl¡¯s panties and focus on what she needs to do to get out of the desert and back into civilization.

    ¡°And stay away from Sage Kennedy,¡± she whispered.

    She ran her hand through her hair and rubbed her face. Anything to make her feel a little better. She pressed the faucet and the water came out. After filling her hands, she sshed all over her face. The cold jolted her system and helped her calm.

    Waiting for a few more minutes, she adjusted her clothes and opened the bathroom door. When she opened it, she screamed. sage was leaning against the wall, inches away from her.

    There was an expression on his face that she couldn¡¯t read. It was a mixture of excitement and anxiety. His deep gaze and sly smile made his heart pound in his ears. Stupid feelings. They broke.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he said stepping away from the wall.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said, in a professional voice. There was no way she wanted to talk about what had happenedst night, and she hoped her cold temper would imply that.

    He watched her pass. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± There was a yfulness in his voice that made his cheeks heat up.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Well, I was on a ne that crashed where God knows. What do you think?¡± She couldn¡¯t let his apparent attempts at flirting distract her. She couldn¡¯t let people into her life. They hurt her. They always hurt her.

    Assuming he didn¡¯t answer, she nced at him. His jaw twitched as he looked at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood,¡± he said.

    She shrugged.

    He looked at her for a moment before groaning, going into the bathroom and mming the door.

    Irena winced as regret filled her chest. As she clenched her fist, she took a deep breath. She couldn¡¯t feel bad about it. She had to stay away from Sage. Distant. It¡¯s better for her and better for him. He was over the limit. She agreed as soon as possible.

    Though her heart tightened at that thought. Her head prevailed. Sage Kennedy has been banned.

 SIXTEEN: SAGE

    S A G E

    After a few sshes of cold water on his face, Sage ¡®s anger was smoldering. What did he do? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re begging Irena to sleep with you. She did it herself.

    He shook his head. How wasst night? The fear around him was almost tangible. Something in the past scared him. It wasn¡¯t just a ne crash, though she seemed desperate to convince him that was the case. There is something more. A deep fear.

    Although he wanted to hate her for the way she treated him, he couldn¡¯t. Maybe she was just as devastated as he was, and he couldn¡¯t me her. After all, if he wasn¡¯t her father, she wasn¡¯t his past.

    He rubs his face as he examines his reflection. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of how wonderful it felt to have Irena in his arms. She leaned on him. The warmth of her body and the feel of her flesh under his hand seemed to be etched in her mind.

    Focus, Sage , he sings in his head. Today they had to get out of the mountains and into the snow before dark. Then they have to find shelter. He doesn¡¯t have time to act like a teenager.

    He opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Irena was hunched over in a nearby chair, eating crackers. She looked at him, then lowered her eyes.

    Sage considered telling her exactly what he thought of her sudden coldness but decided against it. He wouldn¡¯t lower himself to her level. He will go beyond.

    ¡°Are you ready for today?¡±

    She just put the cake in her mouth and nodded.

    ¡°Good.¡± He looked at his shoes. High heels aren¡¯t really hiking boots. ¡°Is that all you got?¡± he asked, nodding his head towards his feet.

    She follows his gesture. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered.

    Sage scoffed. ¡°These won¡¯t work.¡± He stopped. ¡°Maybe . . .¡± He went to the back of the ne and opened a closet. ¡°Yes!¡± he eximed as he pulled out a pair of ski boots from inside. ¡°Here. Put them on.

    She looked at them. ¡°What are they?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what snowshoes are?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re designed to help you keep your skates on your pair. his feet. Feet.¡±

    She pulled them towards her and took off her shoes. Sage turned and reached into his duffle bag.

    ¡°Here are some socks,¡± he said, handing them to her. After tying her shoces, she stood up.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± she asked.

    Sage starts packing the backpack he found in the closet. He walked over to his suitcase and rummaged through it again. He wanted to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything. They need all the supplies they can find. ¡°Just to make sure everything is ready to go.¡±

    His cheeks burned as he stuffed his underwear into his backpack. Then he closed the door and pushed his suitcase away.

    ¡°Wait. Shouldn¡¯t we take him with us?¡± she asked, her voice rising an octave as she walked over to the luggage and pulled it toward her.

    Sage prepares for the inevitable fight ¡°We can¡¯t take this with us, Miss . Derrick. I don¡¯t know where we are or how far we have to get down this mountain. It will only do them all. Let¡¯s slow down.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    He walked towards her. You have to make him understand. ¡°It¡¯s not personal. I¡¯m not trying to hurt you. He¡¯s only inches away from her and he feels her tension as he steps closer.

    For a moment, he allowed himself. Smile. He appreciated her ability to evoke emotions. He bent down and let the feeling of her small body a few inches away sink into his.

    Besides, it¡¯s not bad for her to wear that.

    Warning bells rang in his head, so he cleared his throat and stepped back. He came too close. He needed to leave her. ¡°We just can¡¯t carry it.¡± He said that? He doesn¡¯t remember. All his brain was focusing on right now was the beauty of the little freckles running down the bridge of his nose.

    She bit her lower lip, then sighed. ¡°Good. But you¡¯re a billionaire. If you go back to get my stuff, I hope you get mine too.

    Sage brushed his hand away. ¡°Alright.¡± The softness of her skin against his. . He stepped back and went to the wardrobe. He ruined everything.

    He breathed a sigh of relief. Snowshoes aren¡¯t the only thing still out there. All the ski gear he brought with him on his trip a week ago was still inside. He grabbed his jacket.

    ¡°Here,¡± he said, walking over to Irena .

    She put it on. It hung from her like a sack of potatoes. He is smiling.

    ¡°What?¡± she kept asking to raise and lower her arm.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Then he took whatever he could find to keep them warm. Hats, gloves, scarves were quickly thrown onto the couch.

    ¡°Take some,¡± he said, pointing to the pile of items.

    Irena stood up and walked over. She picked out a few and returned to her seat.

    Not wanting to be distracted, Sage picked up the remaining briefcases and stuffed them into his backpack. Then he took a tarp hidden in the back and shook the canvas. Then he spread it on the ground. He will make a makeshift bag out of it.

    He took extra clothes, a pot, cooking utensils and a first aid kit. After collecting some more food, he ced them in the middle of the spider¡¯s web.

    He nced at Irena , who was watching him. She had an expression that he couldn¡¯t read. Why is she such a mystery to him? And why does he care?

    He went to the kitchen to get the remaining boxes. It¡¯s not much but enough for a meal tonight. They couldn¡¯t get too much from the bears roaming Greend .

    He puts food in his backpack and wraps the rest in a tarp. He folded it into a square, then took a string that he had stuffed into his sports bag.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Madeleine asked.

    He looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s called the Yukon Pack. I can pack more things this way than this little backpack.

    His gaze fell on the backpack. ¡°Is this what I¡¯m wearing?¡±

    Sage nodded. ¡°Correct.¡±

    Irena stepped forward and grabbed it. She then walked over to her suitcase and rummaged through it. After pulling out a few items, she stuffed them into her backpack. Sage tried not to notice that one of the items had his boyfriend¡¯s picture on it.

    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± he asked, hoping that he didn¡¯t seem very interested. Dude, what¡¯s wrong with him?

    ¡°Bret¡±.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°Huh. How long have you been together?¡±

    When she stopped, he looked at her, she looked at his hand.

    ¡°Three years.¡±

    His eyes widened. They must be serious. ¡°Three years? Oh . Are you two getting married?¡± For some reason, he held his breath.

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Her voice was calm as if she was trying to hide something.

    Sage just pushed her away. It must have been her wish that she wasn¡¯t sure about, that¡¯s all. Her strange and puzzling desire to be single.

    His stomach growled so he went to the kitchen to get a box of cookies. In the desert, it is better to bring things that cannot get wet. All canned items will be left behind.

    He opens the box and shakes it into a bowl. He hissed at Titan , who had slept all morning. He stood up and shook his body, his hair flying like clouds.

    Irena ¡®s nose wrinkled as she moved away from him. She is conceited. It takes a special kind of person to hate Titan . Everyone loves him. He¡¯s the best friend Sage could ask for. It bothered him that Irena didn¡¯t like Titan .

    ¡°Eat,¡± he ordered, and Titan happily stuck his nose into the bowl.

    When he picked up the second box, he tore it open and started eating. Stepping over to the chair, he sat down and watched Irena return to pack her backpack.

    ¡°You want to be careful,¡± he said.

    She nced at him. ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want your bag to be too heavy. Who knows what terrain we will have to traverse until we reach civilization. He took another handful of cookies and popped them into his mouth.

    She ys with the bag hook. ¡°Good.¡± Then she grabbed her purse and started pulling things out. His wallet and his sunsses ¨C a book.

    Sage argues with her about not marrying her, but then stops. Sometimes experience is the best teacher. Also, they can still use it to create fire. Which reminds him. . .

    ¡°Do you have a tampon?¡± ¡± He asks.

    Her cheeks flushed red as she turned around. ¡°So sorry?¡±

    He stared at her. Why is this so embarrassing? I know women who mestruate. At least his fifth grade teachers made sure he knew, no matter how hurtful it was for a child.

    ¡°Stamp. Do you have any?¡± Aunt Kaye Menstruation He put the pieces together ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    She widened her eyes and nodded. Then she reached into her pocket and went out.

    ¡°Good. Remember to pack them up. Oh, and if you have towels, throw them away.

    He got up and wiped the debris that had umted on the leg of his pants.

    Titan finished his cake. And stood whining.

    ¡°I¡¯ming, man,¡± Sage yelled as he walked over and opened the door.

    Titan disappeared into the powdered snow.

    Sage nced at his watch. It was seven o¡¯clock in the morning. They had to move if they wanted to go anywhere before dark. In the fall in Greend , the sun sets six minutes earlier each day. They cannot wander when the sun goes down.

    ¡°Ready to go?¡± he called her. He slipped his feet into those boots and tied theces.

    Irena is wearing a hat and gloves. Sage helps her with her backpack that seems to want to get caught in the loose parts of her coat.

    He then grabbed Yukon¡¯s bag and gestured for Irena to help him up. After standing up, he grabbed the remaining water bottles and stuffed them into his coat pocket. No need to let them go to waste.

    Sage looked around the ne and a feeling of sadness overcame him. It is his child. The only connection he had with his father. And he left her in the desert.

    He reached out and pressed himself against one of the walls. ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up,¡± he whispered.

    He walked to the cockpit and picked up the map,pass, and re gun he left there. Aftering out of the mountain, he will head west, towards the sea. If they are lucky, they encounter a swarm of fighters or signal an aircraft and this whole nightmare will be over.

    Just before leaving, he stopped. Going to the closet, he pulled out a gun and some spray. Hopefully he won¡¯t have to use both, but it¡¯s better to be prepared. They wille in handy when trying to navigate rough terrain.

    As he passed Irena , her eyes widened as she jerked her head toward the gun and spray bottle. ¡°Do we need it?

    He looked at her. ¡°Fortunately not. But it¡¯s better to have without needing than to have without.¡± He stopped at the entrance. ¡°Are you ready, Miss . Derrick?¡± lips looking out. ¡°I really don¡¯t have a choice now, do I?¡±

    Sage smiled. ¡°That would be fun. After all, what could be worse?

 SEVENTEEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena tightened her coat around her as she stood in the mountains, waiting for Sage toe along. Titan was barking and turning his head in the fine snow. She shook her head. It will be very interesting. Try to survive with a four-legged super creature.

    She looked around and her heart pounded. Huge mountains rose up on either side of them. Absorbing the white spikes, she felt grateful that they didn¡¯t fall so high. She could only imagine what it would be like to try to descend from the top.

    She turned her attention to the stretch of ice and snow that stretched out in front of them. The sun was hidden by clouds, but every now and then it broke through, illuminating the ground with its light.

    Sage jumped out the door. A sad look crossed his face. She looked at the ne on the ground. He seems to have this attachment to the piece of metal. For a moment she wondered what it was.

    He straightened his Yukon backpack and looked around until his gazended on her. As if sensing her question, he waved his hand towards the ne. ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± His voice dropped an octave. ¡°My father¡¯s.¡±

    Irena ¡®s eyes widened. How should it be? Take a ne for his birthday?

    Sage shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an airne,¡± Irena exhaled.

    Sage looked around then motioned for her to follow him. They started walking in the snow. It¡¯s not as easy as it looks. asionally there are rocks protruding from under the snow and skis are not cushioned. Irena tried not to wince as her feet moved across the hard stic.

    ¡°You need to stop thinking about things in terms of dors. Instead, it¡¯s all about proportions,¡± says Sage , following her lead.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°How much did your parents earn as a child?¡±

    When it came to her parents, Irena twisted her neck to relieve her tension. It didn¡¯t help that she slept with her head elevated a little. ¡°Ten thousand.¡±

    Sage nodded, studying the view in front of him. ¡°And what¡¯s your favorite Christmas present?¡±

    ¡°You mean, other than the stuff Santa gave me?¡± This conversation made her ufortable. The truth was that her parents weren¡¯t very interested in making a little girl¡¯s Christmas dreame true. She¡¯s lucky if she gets a gift.

    Sage looked at him. ¡°Try your best.¡±

    She stiffened. ¡°So sorry. Hmm. . .¡± Lie. Lying is always better than having ufortable conversations about his past. ¡°A doll.¡±

    Sage narrowed his eyes. ¡°And they cost, what? 100?¡±

    Irena paused. ¡°100 dors? Where did you buy the doll?

    Sage ¡®s cheeks heat up. ¡°I¡¯ve never bought a doll.¡±

    Irena kept her bnce as she continued down the mountain. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so, what, twenty?¡± he said to go behind her.

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s probably almost true.

    ¡°If your dad makes $80, 000 a year and buys you a doll for Christmas, it¡¯s . . .¡± He was silent. She nced back and saw his jaw clenched and he was watching the snow as they walked. ¡°That means your dad spent 0. 025% of your gift.¡±

    Irena is back. It¡¯s impressive. ¡°Did you find that in your head?¡±

    Sage doesn¡¯t look her in the eye. ¡°Just because I¡¯m rich doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m stupid.¡±

    Her eyes widened. ¡°I never said rich people are stupid.¡±

    He looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t get it from the way you treat me.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± That¡¯s why I treat you? What about the way you treat me?¡±

    His Adam¡¯s apple rises and falls as he watches her. ¡°How do I treat you?¡± He turned and hissed as Titan walked away. The dog turned, pricked his ears, and ran back.

    Her throat tightened. It was as if his body was trying to keep his emotions inside. History has taught him that speaking your mind will hurt you. This gave another ammo to use against you. And she wasn¡¯t sure she was ready to give Sage that power over her.

    ¡°Forget it,¡± she said, stepping forward. Cold swelled around her feet as she stepped on them. The clouds had risen and the sun was shining down on her. It¡¯s so good. It helped warm his icy skin.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sage ¡®s voice startled her. She should have heard the rustle of snow as he walked towards her, but her mind was too flustered to notice.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°For all I¡¯ve done to upset you.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.

    She turned around. ¡°You¡¯re apologizing and you don¡¯t know why?¡±

    Her lips twitched. ¡°I¡¯m just a gentleman.¡±

    Hot in the cheeks. ¡± Don¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t apologize just because you think it¡¯s the right thing to do. Do it because you feel sorry, or don¡¯t do it at all.

    He looked at her. ¡°Extra-¡±

    She shook her head. She hates imposters. People do things because society tells them it¡¯s the right thing to do. One of the reasons she wanted to be a journalist was to defy the norm.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said.

    She turned and smiled. Maybe she can teach Mr. Rich Man a thing or two.

    They continued down the mountain in silence. Titan runs around, sniffing and licking random things. Irena looked at Sage . She hated the awkwardness around them.

    ¡°Are you talking about percentages?¡±

    He looked at her, his expression nk for a moment. Then he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, percentage. So for your gift, your dad spent 0. 025% of his annual ie. Let my father buy me a ne, it costs 0. 6 percent. That¡¯s it.¡±

    Irena coughed on that number. ¡°What? Are you serious? Did your dad spend less than one percent of his ie buying you a private jet?¡±

    ¡°Oh, not annual ie ¨C worth. But yes. It is more or less so.¡±

    Irena gaped at him. She knew he was rich, but that put things in apletely different way. ¡°Wow you..¡± Words do not form in his mind. How do you understand so much money?

    Sage shuffles his bag as he looks around. ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t always have to be.¡±

    Irena blew on her gloves, trying to warm her fingers. ¡°How is it possible? Literally anything you want can be bought. Everything.¡±

    His gaze found hers. ¡°Not all.¡±

    There was a sadness in his expression. A yearning for something she could not clearly recognize. the wave ran over her. Maybe he knew what it felt like to be abandoned like her. She moved her lips to say something ¨C anything ¨C to make him feel better, but nothing happened. Instead, she pursed her lips and nodded.

    They were silent for a moment before Sage waved. ¡°We have to keep moving forward,¡± he said.

    Irena nodded and followed. As she watched her flock move as he walked, her thoughts shed through her mind. Could this billionaire sympathize with her? Here, he is given a ne for his birthday, but deep down, all he wants is just to be loved and epted?

    She shook her head, her thumb wrapped around the strap of her backpack. Having those thoughts about Sage won¡¯t help him keep the press¡¯s mind on him. They will impose her opinion, and then she cannot write an objective article.

    She pinched her cheeks and sighed. Being a journalist is all she has left, and she can¡¯t give it up just out of sympathy for Sage Davenport. She must hold him back if she wants to survive the desert and her heart.

 EIGHTEEN: SAGE

    Sage

    Darkness crept around them as they continued down the mountain. Sage nced at his watch. It¡¯s strange. They had been walking for a few hours, but they had a feeling that evening was drawing near. He looked up at the sky and anxiety ran through his nerves as he saw the approaching cloud. A storm ising.

    Panic shot up the back of his neck as he stared into space. He narrowed his eyes to see better, and a feeling of relief ran through him. It¡¯s an ice cream parlor. And like rivers, ciers flow downstream. If they followed him, they could get down the mountain before dark.

    Sage stopped. From where they were standing, the mountain had a slope of about 300 feet until it reached the cier. With the dark clouds rolling in, he knew they didn¡¯t have time to knock him down. They had to leave the mountain quickly.

    There is only one way to get off the bus in time.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Irena asked as she came from behind him.

    He bends the column in the opposite direction until the metal bes malleable and breaks. ¡°We need to slide down the mountain.¡±

    Seeing that she did not answer, he looked at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Her face paled as she stared at the mountain face.

    ¡°We have to slide down.¡±

    ¡°Like, slideshow.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going to use it as an anchor to help us control our pace.¡±

    Irena shook her head. ¡°No. Don¡¯t do that. I can not do that. Her eyes widened as she looked around. ¡°Six hundred thousand people are injured every year.¡± She stopped. ¡°Six hundred thousand,¡± she said, stretching each syble.

    ¡°Irena, listen. Are you doing well? I go down with you. He walked over to his backpack and opened it. He pulled out the extra rope he had hidden inside.

    ¡°Shall we go down together?¡± She turned back. His eyes widened.

    He nodded.

    She looked at him, then at the mountain. ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t use me as a sleigh?¡±

    Her lips moved as the image shed through her mind. ¡°Good . . .¡±

    She hit him on the arm. ¡°Great!¡±

    He covered himself with his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t hit the person who holds your future in their hands.¡±

    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Is this really the only way?¡±

    He tied the rope around his waist and waved at the rapidly rolling clouds. ¡°Did you see those? You don¡¯t want to be trapped in the storm they bring. We must leave this mountain quickly.

    Irena turned and looked where he was waving. ¡°You think I can beat him?¡±

    Sage nodded. ¡°If you trust me.¡±

    She pursed her lips, then turned. ¡°Alright.¡±

    He stopped. ¡°Actually?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I trust you enough to do it.¡±

    A sh of pride shed across his chest. Irena trusted him to do something. It was the first time in a long time that he felt the pressure of waiting on him, but he wanted nothing more than to prove he could do it.

    He moved forward until he was inches away from her. Her body tensed as he moved his hands to either side of her waist and wrapped the rope around her.

    He could feel her body beside him as he drew closer, so the distance between the ropes was only about a foot. He needed to hold her close to him.

    ¡°Ina?¡± His voice was almost a whisper.

    He pulled back to look her in the eye. They are dark gold. He could feel his fear emanating from her. ¡°Correct?¡±

    ¡°Are you scared?¡±

    Their previous conversation shed through his mind. He wants to admit that he is. But, she needed him to be strong, so he would. He gave her a smile that made her eyes widen. ¡°Of course not. Kinda easy. Simple tool. He tightened the knot he had just tied with a little more enthusiasm than necessary. Then he snatched their bags and pushed them down the mountain. They disappeared under the encroaching cloud.

    She turned to look at him and sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re confident, then I¡¯m confident.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Okay, lie down.¡±

    They have to move together until they lie next to each other. Sage stuck his foot so he wouldn¡¯t slip. Irena seems to do the same.

    He moves the twisted pole through the snow until it¡¯s deep enough. Inside, he was praying that he could control their descent. There are two things that could happen. First, what he had nned. He used a pole to keep them from sliding too quickly down the mountain and they stopped at the foot of the mountain. Or two, he¡¯ll lose control. The poles will be snatched from his hand, and they will fall.

    He clenched his jaw, focusing on the first thing. His sess depends not only on his life but also on Irena¡¯s. He will be sessful. He had to.

    ¡°Ready?¡± he looked at her questioningly. His face was as white as the snow surrounding them.

    ¡°I think so,¡± she squealed.

    Sage admires Titan. Fortunately, being a mountain dog has its perks. ¡°Come find us, mate, when you¡¯re down,¡± he said.

    Titan barks as he walks through their direction. Hopefully when they start down the mountain, Titan will follow them. Sage wishes he could do something more to help, but there¡¯s no way he cane down with two people strapped to his body.

    He took a deep breath and then exhaled. It¡¯s now or never. The storm came faster than he could have thought. They need to get off the bus, and now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sage said.

    Irena moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her face to his chest and nodded.

    Sage closed his eyes for a moment as he gathered up his courage, then pushed away with his hand. After a few good pushes, they started down the mountain.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

 NINETEEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena ¡®s body ached as they ran down the mountain. She moved closer to Sage as the wind blew past her. The air was so cold it burned his skin. She kept her eyes closed and pursed her lips.

    She winced as she was hit by a rock. She heard a groan that shook Sage ¡®s chest. He tensed as if trying to resist the urge to release whatever he was clinging to. The rock that hit him must have been different from hers.

    It felt like forever until the terrain wasn¡¯t so steep anymore, and they started to slow down. When they stopped, Irenay there, unwilling to move. There was a force in Sage that drew her in and she didn¡¯t want to let go.

    He groans again as he tries to move. Suddenly she realized she could hurt him. Or bother you. She stepped back as far as the rope would allow and nced at him.

    His eyes were closed, and his face contorted with pain. He had an injury. Her heart raced as she swept her eyes up and down his body. There was no blood she could see.

    ¡°Sage?¡± she asked, moving closer to him and looking into his face.

    He groaned again.

    ¡°Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?¡± She looked down at his body again.

    ¡°Your ribs?¡± Irena repeated, sitting down and helping him undress. She held her breath as she saw the red-green bruise crawling across her right ribcage.

    She reached out her hands and gently touched them.

    He grimaced.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered.

    He tilts his head back after closing his eyes. ¡°Too good.¡±

    ¡°How long have you been enduring this?¡± She studied the bruise. He doesn¡¯t look bright. As if he had been there for a day.

    He shook his head. ¡°I bruised them when Inded yesterday. But that rock didn¡¯t help.¡± He opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

    ¡°Did you get that yesterday?¡±

    Sage nodded.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    He looked at her with a grimace, straightening his elbows, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    She mocked. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t like it, we are a team here. We have to be honest with each other. And tell you when we get hurt.¡±

    Sage looked at her as his jaw clenched and then rxed. ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Of course.¡± Then he stopped. ¡°That you¡¯re bothering me.¡± He pushed himself with his gloved hand.

    She stared at him. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You tell the truth, I tell the truth. You annoy me.¡±

    Irena sighed in exasperation. ¡°I annoy you?¡± How can he say that? Especially when it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s the one who is annoying in the rtionship.

    He nodded, grimaced, and sat up. Then he began to untie the ropes.

    In her spare time, she stood up and walked a few feet away from him. His words ran through her like hot liquid she had just swallowed.

    Irena . Sage ¡®s voice pierced his thoughts. She turned to see him smiling at her.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Stop taking things so seriously,¡± he said, grimacing again. He turned to put his hand under him, but he stopped.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked again.

    He looked at her. ¡°It was a joke. I was just teasing you. You take life too seriously.

    She crossed her arms. ¡°Am I taking this too seriously? And you? You are not serious about anything?

    He doesn¡¯t try to stand up anymore, but instead puts his hands on the raised knee. ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    She shrugged, pacing back and forth. Now they are at the top of the cier. Snow crunched under his feet. It stretched back and forth as far as she could see.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to my father¡¯s funeral?¡± she asked, the words spilling out of her lips.

    His expression hardened as he looked at her. Irena knows she¡¯s hit a nerve, but Sage shouldn¡¯t act if he can¡¯t stand it.

    He pushes a rock into the snow. ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡±

    That¡¯s a ridiculous excuse. She wouldn¡¯t let him get away with this. ¡°Howplicated can it be? You show up in costume and pay your respects. It doesn¡¯t seemplicated. She should know. Plus, she¡¯s just a kid when ites to her parents. He is already an adult. He should have been stronger.

    His gaze turned cold. ¡°What do you know? Do you bury your loved ones?

    Irena ¡®s heart tightened in her chest. Watching two coffins fall to the ground was one of the worst experiences of her life. To this day, when that memory haunts her, tears still form in her eyelids. Stupid feelings.

    Not wanting Sage to see her cry, she turned her face away. Behind her, she heard him mumbling curses. Followed by the sound of him moving to get up.

    She wiped her tears away. Why is she so weak? She should be strong. That¡¯s how you went through life. Never let people hurt you. Never.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, approaching her.

    Irena crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. It¡¯s not her fault that she has a tumultuous past. He didn¡¯t know. She couldn¡¯t me him for that. She was really upset that he didn¡¯t even try to show up at her father¡¯s funeral. After all, he bought Sage a ne. It shows that Sergio Kennedy was at least a caring father. That¡¯s more than she can say about her parents.

    He stood beside her in silence. She let the tears fall for a few more minutes before taking a deep breath. That¡¯s when she allowed herself to mourn for her parents, then she brushed it off and moved on.

    ¡°Is that your mother?¡± he looked at her questioningly.

    Her body was heavy as her parents¡¯ gravestones shed through her mind. ¡°And my dad.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said again. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

    There¡¯s something about standing on a giant frozen river with Sage ¡®s arm around her that calms her down. There is an understanding that has been felt. It does not need to be pronounced.

    A distant barking caught her attention from behind. ncing back, she saw Titan walking through the snow toward them.

    Sage let go and pped his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve found us, buddy!¡± he cried. He bent down and reached for the dog.

    But instead of rushing into his master¡¯s arms, Titan ran to Irena and almost jumped into her arms. She screamed and covered her face with her hands, anticipating the inevitable bite.

    His weight threw her backwards, and shended hard on her butt. His breath left her body as he pinned her to the ground. He pressed his face to hers and began to lick her.

    ¡°Sage!¡± she yelled, squirming away from Titan .

    Sageughs. ¡°What? He loves you. Don¡¯t you see how he ran after you instead of me?¡±

    ¡°Take it off,¡± she begged. Titan didn¡¯t back down with his kisses.

    Sage ¡®s softugh grew louder as he approached. ¡°You heard it, buddy. Go down.¡±

    Titan nced at Sage . In the end, Sage had to grab hold of the cor and pull hard to pull the animal away from him. She was lying on the ground, looking up at the sky. It was a strange experience. Stuck with a billionaire and his overly affectionate dog. She exhaled, covering her eyes and ncing at Sage .

    He observed thendscape stretching out in front of them. His eyes narrowed as if trying to calcte distance.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, sitting up and wrapping her arms around his knees.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to estimate how far apart we are. Hopefully we can get out of the snow line before dark.

    Irena ¡®s heart skipped a beat when she heard Sage ¡®s voice. She didn¡¯t know much about Greend , but she knew there were bears and freezing temperatures. None of which she wanted to be introduced to.

    She stood up and nced at him. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sage nodded and walked over to where his bag hadnded and put it on. Irena found her and supported her too.

    After locating, Sage nodded in the direction he wanted them to go, and she followed him. She had so many questions running through her mind, but she bit her lip to keep them there. What happened at the funeral? He didn¡¯t really answer the question. Where is his mother? Why did he break down when she mentioned his family? And finally, the most telling question: why did her heart beat faster when he touched her?

 TWENTY: SAGE

    S A G E

    They will soon reach the end of the cier. They just need to do it. They had been walking for several hours already, but in front of them there was only snow and mountains. The only saving grace he can find is that the crevices in the cier are slowly widening, which means the end is a little closer.

    He heard a struggle and then Irena ¡®s exasperated sigh. He nced back and saw that she had slipped. Again.

    ¡°Can we stop for a moment?¡± she asked, lying down in the mirror.

    ¡°No,¡± he said, motioning her to stand.

    ¡°But¡­¡± she began, standing up so that her legs were sticking out of her body again. She groaned and red at him. ¡°You have boots. I have these silly ski boots. She waved her ski boots and sighed.

    ¡°I know. Once we¡¯re out of here, you can take them off.¡±

    She bit her lip, lifted her elbow and leaned against it. ¡°How much longer?¡±

    He looked ahead, ¡± Soon.¡±

    She groaned as her hands and knees pushed away. He reached out and grabbed her elbow. He tried to ignore the electric current that emanated from his hand when he touched it. It makes me vibrate in a way that a woman has never done before.

    When she was on her feet, he pulled his hand away and wiped it on his jeans. For his health, he had to stop touching Irena Derrick . With the current flowing through his body mixed with this drastic drop in temperature, he was sure to have a heart attack.

    ¡°Come on, get on the ground so you can rest.¡± He nced at her and couldn¡¯t help noticing that her cheeks were flushed. There was a look in her eyes that told her she felt the connection, too.From N?velDrama.Org.

    She nodded, following him.

    As the rifts widened, he led her to the edge where the mountain met the cier. The rocks here will make the path a little harder to navigate, but at least they won¡¯t risk falling into one of the crevices and disappearing deep into the cier.

    He let Irena take the lead. The boots made it impossible for her to bnce and he wanted to be behind to help her if she slipped. It¡¯s already starting to happen ¨C more and more.

    After another half hour of walking on the rocks, Irena slipped and this time shey on the ground.

    ¡°Sage , I can¡¯t. I just can¡¯t. She lifted her foot and started undoing theces of her boots.

    Sage knelt beside her and helped her untie them. He cradled his heel in his hand as he removed the lining and sock. He held his breath as he stared at her rough skin.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he asked, unzipping his bag and unlocking it to take out the first aid box. He took a bottle of water to soak her feet.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m weak,¡± she whispered.

    He nced at her, his heart pounding. She looks so fragile. So desperately in need of something, every part of him wants to give it to him. If only he could understand what it is.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re weak,¡± he said, grabbing the ointment and dabbing it on his blisters.

    She was silent, so he looked at her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she watched him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know me. We were crushed for, what, one day?¡± She sighed, grabbed the water bottle he put down and drank.

    ¡°Then tell me something about you. Something you never tell anyone.¡± He grabbed a piece of bandage and ripped off the wrapping.

    She was silent again. He kept working, trying to give her some time to think.

    She moves in the snow. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s one. I¡¯m afraid to go to the bathroom in the desert.¡±

    Sage chuckled at her. ¡°Not the extrovert type?¡± he asked, removing his remaining boots and starting to clean his cut.

    ¡°No. I never really cared about it.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Um, that one doesn¡¯t count. Everyone is afraid to go to the bathroom in the forest. Tell me something else.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Hmm. This is a. My roommate has a crush on you. She¡¯d probably have a heart attack if she knew I was stranded in the Greend wilderness and you were getting first aid. ¡±

    The corner of his lips curled up into a half-smile. ¡°Does she has feelings for me?¡±

    Irena reached out and patted his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t look so happy. She had a crush on Captain Crunch when we were kids.¡±

    ¡°For real?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. See, she¡¯s not that hard to please.

    Sage chuckled as he put on another patch. ¡°I guess not.¡± He fell silent. ¡°Captain Crunch. Well, at least she¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s the best breakfast cereal.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She said her spirit told her that you two were meant for each other.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± He was starting to like his roommate. She looked pretty much like the character. hey

    Irena nodded. ¡°Just a warning.¡±

    He put the sandal on his feet. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± He smiled at her and she smiled back. He really started to like when sheughed.

    Once the boot was in ce, he reached out and she grabbed it. He pulled her up. She grimaced and stomped her feet. She took a step forward, but her legs buckled and Sage reached out to catch her before she fell.

    She felt sofortable in his arms that he had to use all his strength not to pull him closer. He was lying to himself if he said he didn¡¯t like the way she started to feelfortable around him. There¡¯s a mystery to Irena that he wants to solve ¨C which he desperately wants to solve.

    ¡°I promise, as soon as we get out of the mountains, you can take them off,¡± he whispered in her ear.

    For a moment, he felt her shiver. If that¡¯s true, it¡¯s probably because of the cold, not because their bodies are so close.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered, puffing out her chest.

    He reluctantly let her go.

    Irena stopped looking up at him. ¡°We should go.¡±

    Sage nodded, letting her lead the way. As he followed her, he cursed her beating heart. He couldn¡¯t have any other feelings but purity for Miss. Derrick . Even though he had forgotten how to do the simplest tasks when he was with her.

 TWENTY ONE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena shivered again as she stepped down the mountain. The memory of Sage ¡®s body pressing against hers shed through her mind. She shook her head vigorously. We have to go.

    Before she went into a frenzy trying to decipher Sage ¡®s intentions, she stopped. In the distance, she could see trees and greenery. She turned back.

    ¡°Look!¡± She points to the changingndscape.

    A smile appeared on Sage ¡®s lips. ¡°Finally. The end of the cier.¡±

    Seeing the first sign of life healed Irena ¡®s wounds. Suddenly, the sharp pain in her legs eased. She was almost gone. From that mountain Freedom is only a moment away.

    As they neared the edge of the cier, the joy in Irena ¡®s heart plummeted. There was ake hundreds of meters high falling in front of them. Streams flow from the cier and descend along the mountain. How the hell did they get down?

    ¡°Sage?¡± she asked, turning to look at him. ¡°And now?¡±

    Sage ¡®s posture tightened as he looked around. He nced at Irena. He looked over the ledge and ran his hand through his hair. When her gaze met his, a tingling sensation red up in her stomach. He was worried. Mr. Mountaineer Man was worried. It was not good.

    ¡°Sage ? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    He took his bag and opened it. ¡°I¡­¡± He looked back again. ¡°I just don¡¯t think I can pull you down with the rope.¡±

    Irena patted her temple. ¡°What? Lower me? ¡±

    He pulled out the rope they used before. ¡°We have two choices. One ¨C I help you and Titan and then you help me too. Second, we crossed the cier and hoped that we would choose the tunnel that would take us out.¡±

    She nced at the cier. ¡°What is the probability that we choose wrong?¡±

    Sage ¡®s Adam¡¯s apple rises and falls as he ys with the rope. ¡°Probably fifty and fifty. If we choose wrong, we will disappear into the cier and never get out.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Irena ¡®s legs are getting weaker and weaker. What did he just say? ¡°Disappear in the cier?¡± Uh, let¡¯s try the waterfall. She moved closer to the edge of the cliff, but seeing the fall up close didn¡¯t make her feel any better.

    ¡°Irena , I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work. I think our best bet is to go down one of the tunnels.¡±

    ¡± Tunnel? Does disappearing into an ice coffin sound better?¡±

    ¡°Better than falling a hundred feet off a jagged cliff.¡±

    Irena ¡®s stomach tightened at the thought of what he had just said. All she wanted now was to be at home. Don¡¯t get stuck in the Greend wilderness. Why did shee back?

    She nced at Sage examining her.

    ¡°Stop talking,¡± he said, putting the rope back in his pocket and tying it up.

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    ¡°Thoughts wander in the head.¡± He took his bag and stood up.

    ¡°What? The fact that this situation is entirely your fault?¡±

    He walks towards one of the holes in the cier. It was about a meter in diameter and he had to bend over to get in. ¡°Yes. This one.¡± His voice echoed from the cier¡¯s walls as he disappeared within it.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Irena called. She wrapped her thumb around the strap of her backpack and headed for the opening.

    Sage was sitting on the bluest ice she had ever seen. He tapped it with half a ski pole. She stood a few feet away and waited.

    ¡°I understand that I have failed. I¡¯m a pilot. It¡¯s my job to protect you. He looked up and his breath caught in his throat. There was so much pain in her eyes that she noticed the floor. The emotions he aroused in her surprised and rmed her.

    An outstretched arm startled her. He had appeared at the entrance to the tunnel, and his hand was outstretched and was now wrapped around his elbow. She looked up to meet him.

    ¡°I will make sure you survive, Miss . Derrick . I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Her voice was low with each word, ¡°You just have to trust me¡± . He¡¯s Sage . A broken and worried man. And she can connect with that.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered, nodding. ¡°I trust you.¡±

    Sage looked at her again then dropped his hand. ¡°The ice seems solid, which is a good sign. All we have to do is go down. He pointed towards the tunnel. ¡°It¡¯s going to be stuffy in there, but you just have to keep moving.¡±

    Irena looks at the opening. ¡°Youe down with me. Right?¡±

    Sage nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± I have to help Sage down.

    She studied tape. It doesn¡¯t make her feelfortable having to go first. But, if going second meant that she had to protect Sage , then she preferred to go first.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, standing up and running his fingers over her arm. ¡°You can do it.¡±

    Irena nodded, but her heart was pounding. Can she do this? She is not strong. She couldn¡¯t even save her mother from her abusive father. How will she get out of the desert? Sage seems to be very confident about everything, and she just slows his pace.

    She sat looking down at the tunnel. Blue ice shines from the sun. Water seeps into pants. She flexed her fingers as the cold of the ice seeped into her bones. It¡¯s now or never. She took a deep breath and stepped back, sliding into the tunnel. She tried to suppress the scream in her throat. It was toote to panic now.

 TWENTY TWO: SAGE

    S A G E

    Sage watched as Irena disappear into the tunnel. His head ached as fear pierced him. What if something happened to him? He used to be very confident in his ability to survive, but now that confidence is gone. Maybe it has to do with the fact that two more lives depend on him. When he¡¯s alone, it doesn¡¯t matter if he puts himself in life-threatening situations. That¡¯s just him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Titan!¡± he called and hissed.

    Sage poked his head behind a rock. He nced at TItan, barked, then ran. Sage grabbed him by the cor and pulled him into the tunnel.

    Sage ¡®s fingernails scratch the ice, but Sage doesn¡¯t give in. They just had to go far enough into the tunnel that the entrance was no longer visible. Then Sage will settle down.

    ¡°How are you, Irena ?¡± Sage shouted. He waited as silence settled around him. He struggled to hear her despite the sound of his heart beating.

    ¡°So wet, my feet hurt.¡± His voice echoed from the tunnel walls.

    He exhaled the breath he was holding back. She was safe. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Wait for me somewhere.¡± Titan and I will catch up.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Sage dragged Titan down the tunnel, leaned back, and led the way with his feet. His shoes slipped several times on the wet ice, but he didn¡¯t fall. After a few turns, he found Irena leaning against an iceberg jutting out from the side of the tunnel.

    With the entrance already behind them, Sage took his seat. He lowered himself onto the ice and pulled himself behind Sage .

    ¡°I have to bring the dog,¡± she exhaled.

    ¡°Titan is my man,¡± Sage said, reaching out and ruffling the dog¡¯s fur.

    Irena shook her head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like dogs?¡±

    ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±

    Sage looked at her. ¡°How can you not love dogs? It¡¯s like a human thing to love them. This is why they are called ¡°man¡¯s best friends¡±.

    Irena moved and slid deeper down the tunnel, Sage following.

    ¡°A German shepherd bit me once when I was a child. They haven¡¯t been my best friends since then,¡± she said as she slid down an iceberg.

    ¡°So because you encountered a bad dog, suddenly all bad dogs?¡±

    She was silent for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s more about self-protection. Why allow yourself to trust an animal that might not be trustworthy? Keep your distance and they¡¯ll never hurt you.¡±

    Sage looked at her. ¡°Are we talking about dogs or people?¡±

    She stopped moving. For a moment, he was afraid that he would say the wrong thing. She looked up at him and her throat tightened. She was hurt. And not just an animal. There were people in her life who let her down. The feeling in his chest told him what he wanted to know. For some reason, he has a desire to fix the pain emanating from her.

    He swallowed, forcing himself not to speak. He didn¡¯t want to frighten this elusive woman. She is attractive and spoiled. And every time he talks to her, he wants to fix whatever she¡¯s struggling with.

    He smiled at her and nodded toward the tunnel. ¡°We should move on,¡± he said.

    She nced in the direction he had signaled, then back at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but a crackling sound echoed through the wall.

    Sage ¡®s breath caught in his throat. He didn¡¯t have time to think let alone move.

    Before he could do anything, a huge rift formed between him and Irena . He let go of Titan¡¯s cor and dashed down, reaching out to grab it.

    She moved and moved. Her eyes widened as she reached out and grabbed his arm. ¡°Help me,¡± she whispered as the ice began to separate from the cier.

    Sage wants his arm to reach farther than he knows he can. But he came up with a sinct way. Irena ¡®s fingers slipped from hers, and the iceberg she was sitting on fell, taking her with her. It plunges into theke below, spewing water around.

    Cursed, Sage studied the object falling in front of him. He stared at the iceberg, wanting Irena back to the surface. He¡¯s still about 60 feet above the water, but he needs to get down.

    She could be trapped under the ice. She may have hit her head on the way down. When she doesn¡¯t surface, Sage knows he only has a moment to get down and save her.

    Throwing his bag on the shore below, hey on his stomach and pushed his legs down. He nced at Titan.

    ¡°Follow me, boy,¡± he said, and then he let go of his lips and dived into the freezing cold water. It made his skin ache. It was as if tiny daggers pierced his body as he floated to the surface.

    ¡°Irena !¡± he yelled as he swam towards the iceberg. He couldn¡¯t see her. Taking a deep breath, he pushed into the water and searched for the depth of theke.

    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he found her sinking a few feet away. With all his might, he swam towards her. After wrapping his arms around her, he directed his body to the surface of the water. But it has been so far. Why is it so far?

    His lungs are on fire. His heart pounded in his chest. Every part of his body was calling for oxygen. He kicks his feet as he continues to push towards the surface. He will get there eventually.

    Just before the defeat, he worked his muscles onest time and came to the surface. He gasped and leaned back, cing Irena against his chest. He paused for a moment, taking in as much air as he could.

    Unable to breathe anymore, he gritted his teeth and dashed towards the shore. But, like the water, the shore seems so far away. Like he could never get there. Every time he nced at the rocky shore, his heart tightened. It was as if he were crawling towards her.

    He was delighted when he felt the ground under his feet. He half carried, half pulled Irena to shore. After discovering a tnd, he forced his muscles to move towards it. After cing her on the bed, hey down next to her.

    ¡°Irena ?¡± he asked, teeth chattering.

    Her eyes were closed and her lips were pale. Swearing, he put his ear to her lips and studied her breasts. Nothing.

    Opening her mouth, he covered her mouth and blew into her throat. His ribs lifted off the oxygen. He moved to the sternum and pressed down. He counted eachpression in his head, pausing only to inhale more air into his body.

    She must live. She just had to. He promised to protect her, now what? She is leaving him and there is nothing he can do.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Irena !¡± he shouted as he bent down and filled his lungs with air. His arm was numb, but he fought the pain. He cannot stop now. ¡°You can¡¯t leave me,¡± he whispered as failure began to swarm around him. If he didn¡¯t take off his wet clothes, he wouldn¡¯t even save himself, let alone Irena . And that¡¯s not a decision he wants to make now.

    Despite all his words about wanting to be alone, the thought of losing her after he promised to take care of her scared him. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t go to his father¡¯s funeral by himself. Why he was reckless, drunk and crashed into his father¡¯s boat. The thought of a failed life made his chest tighten again. ¡°Please,¡± he said, ncing at Irena ¡®s pale face. ¡°Do not leave me.¡±

    A sensational sound next to him. ncing up, he saw that TItan had jumped into the water from above. As he continued to press his chest, Sage watched the dog swim to shore. He was grateful for the distraction that watching Sage provided. He couldn¡¯t turn his attention back to Irena ¡®s gray skin and lifeless body. He was afraid that if he looked, he would have to admit that she was gone. And that he failed. Again.

    Her teeth chattering as she closed her eyes. Thirty seconds and then he¡¯ll stop. He would give her another thirty seconds before she needed to warm up. He looked at her.

    ¡°Can you hear me? Thirty seconds, and then you have to wake up or I have to stop.¡± He said it in his head. In his heart he begged her to wake up.

    A crackle broke his concentration. Looking down, her heart fluttered. She is spraying water and the color ising back to her skin. He helped her lie on her side and she vomited on the floor.

    When she finished, he helped her sit up, then put his arm around her.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± he breathed, savoring each moment to enjoy the feel of her body against his. He reached out to feel his chest rise and fall.

    She shivered as she rested her head on his shoulder.

    Heat. She needs warmth. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said, suddenly energized by the task at hand.

    He ran as fast as he could, grabbing some dry branches. Movement helps keep his muscles warm. The thought of Irena suffering from hypothermia burned in her stomach.

    He can save her. And he won¡¯t stop until he does.

 TWENTY THREE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena has never been so cold in her life. Everything shook as she sat on the shore watching Sage light the fire.

    A fire.

    She closes her eyes as she imagines herself sitting by the firece at Christmas. Warmth surrounded her body.

    If only she hadn¡¯t woken up. She was very happy here.

    ¡°Irena. Wake up.¡± Sage ¡®s voice interrupted his reverie.

    She groaned and closed her eyes. Why did he take her away from this memory? That¡¯s too weing. Here, his body is rxed and his mind calm.

    ¡°Wake up!¡±

    A jerk on her shoulder pulled her out of the dream she wanted toe true. Opening her eyes, she looked up. Sage opened her bag and pulled out a sleeping bag beside her.

    He¡¯s unbuttoning his shirt as he examines it.

    ¡°W-w-what are you doing?¡± she asked, shivering at each word.

    ¡°Your body is in shock from the cold. We need to warm you up. He took off his shirt and ced it near the fire.¡±

    Fire.

    Yellow and orange mes lick the wood. He looked warm, but Irena felt nothing. Part of her wanted to climb in there. To feel something on his numb skin.

    ¡°W-so fast.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I won the fastest bonfire in the Boy Scouts,¡± Sage said as he undressed. She stared at him. She wanted to tease him. To say the magazines don¡¯t seem to know what they are talking about. All polls concluded that he was wearing shorts, which is clearly not true. But she couldn¡¯t find the energy to talk. Or maybe she forgot how to put words together. She¡¯s not sure.

    Her eyes widened as he approached her and began to pull her hand up. She knew he was touching her, but she couldn¡¯t feel it. It was the strangest experience. Why couldn¡¯t she feel his fingers on her skin?

    After taking off his shirt, he turned it over and unbuttoned his pants. Had to change a few times until he took them off and put them in front of the fire.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he whispered in her ear, pulling her to her feet.

    She knew she should have been able to stand, but every time she tried, her legs would give way. Sage stabilized his body and hooked his arms below his knees, pulling her to his chest.

    She leaned against him as he made his way to the sleeping bag. His body was no longer numb. That is . . . Nothing. It¡¯s as if she doesn¡¯t exist anymore.

    ¡°Stay with me,¡± he said, taking off his sleeping bag and setting it down.

    She was too weak and paralyzed to feel anything.

    ¡°S-S- Sage ,¡± she whispered. His hot breath on her lips made her dizzy. For a moment, she remembered what it felt like to be hot.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± he said, climbing up beside her. He reached out, closed the bag, and pulled her to him.

    He put his arms around her, bent his head close to hers. She could see his chest rise and fall. Theyy there, not speaking. The only sound that broke the silence was the creaking of wood just a few feet away.

    She wants to talk. She wants to say something. Thank him for what he did. If these were hisst moments, she needed him to know that she didn¡¯t me him. That she is a bad person. She shouldn¡¯t have said those things.

    ¡°Sage ,¡± she whispered again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± he said. His voice was low and a few inches from his ear.

    ¡°But, I-¡±

    ¡°No. Now¡¯s not the time. Tell me something else. Tell me a weird fact that I wouldn¡¯t know. He tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer.

    Her skin tingles as if she¡¯s finally decided to wake up. It was a strange feeling. Like, her body decided to live and the pain was her first reminder.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me how wrong you were when you got too hot? Right now, I just want to hear your voice. Tell me something I don¡¯t know.¡± He leaned down and she could feel his warm breath on her cheek.

    She marveled at the feeling of his chest against her arm. She resisted the urge to reach out and feel the warmth of his skin. Warmth from his muscles.

    ¡°When someone lies,¡± she stammered. ¡°Their hands don¡¯t move. If they tell the truth, they will move.¡±His lungs burned as cool air filled them.

    His chest moves as if he is smiling.

    ¡°Really?¡± He asks.

    Nod.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    Why doesn¡¯t he let her say what she wants to say? ¡°Sage , I¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else, Miss . Derrick ?¡±

    She closed her eyes, forcing another fact into her head. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep, try the 4-7-8 technique. Inhale for four seconds. Hold for 7. Exhale for 8. ¡±

    She felt him take a breath, hold it, then exhale.

    ¡°Can it be used?¡± He asks.

    She rested her head on his chest. ¡°It¡¯s there for me.¡±

    He was about to step back, but she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. She wasn¡¯t ready to look at him, and she certainly wasn¡¯t ready for him to take away her heat.

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m staying here.¡±

    She moves closer, if she can. His skin felt like it was on fire. Every part of her was screaming to wake up. She almost felt the nothingness that the gel gave her.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asks. His voice was hoarse.

    ¡°Yes. But my skin felt like it was crawling out of me.

    He tightened his arms around her. ¡°Fine. He needs to wake up.¡± silent. ¡°Okay,¡± he said atst.

    ¡°I thought you were wearing panties.¡±

    A growl echoed in his chest. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Lindsay told me you like to wear shorts.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she did? Where did she get the idea?¡±

    Irena stretched her fingers over his chest and marveled at his tan on her pale skin.¡± A magazine.

    His muscles tightened around her. She worried for a moment that she had said something wrong.

    ¡°We discussed it. Remember when I said don¡¯t believe everything you read in magazines? ¡±

    Irena froze as the memory of how Sage felt about the reporters flooded her mind. ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Pants are too tight,¡± he interjected, ¡°against, you know¡­ ¡±

    She pursed her lips as the heat rose to her cheeks. Maybe she should end this conversation before it gets too intimate.

    ¡°Is there anything else about me that you think you know?¡± He asks.

    Yes. But she still pursed her lips. Right now, she didn¡¯t want to say anything that would upset him. Right now, she wanted only him and her. Not Irena and Sage . Not a journalist and a billionaire. Here, there is no need for reflection or analysis. Here they survived together. And for now, that¡¯s all she needed.

 TWENTY FOUR: SAGE

    S A G E

    An hour had passed, but Sage couldn¡¯t calm down. Irena seems fine. Her eyes were closed, hershes fluttering over her cheeks. He moved and pulled her closer. He wanted to feel his breath. He couldn¡¯t get the image of her limp body out of his mind.

    His stomach twisted as he loosened his grip on her. Part of him wanted to run away ¨C to protect himself. The other side never wanted to let go. I want to be here forever wrapped in my arms. He couldn¡¯t deny how wonderful her soft skin felt to his touch. He had to do his best not to pull her against him and kiss her.

    She survived. She¡¯s fine. His chest swelled as the fear rooted in him broke free from its icy grip. Even if she were to lie there and spew ridiculous reports in the media, he wouldn¡¯t want it any other way.

    She sighed as she walked. Her eyes opened and her gaze turned to his.

    ¡°Did I oversleep?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Are you there?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    She stepped back a little and coughed. He frowned. ¡± How are you?

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, covering her mouth.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    He nodded, reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from his cheek. ¡°The cier water is pretty clean, but there¡¯s still a risk of pneumonia. If it gets worse, let me know, okay?¡±

    Her eyes widened and she nodded. Sage propped himself up on his elbows. Their previous conversation kept spinning in his mind. He wondered how many more lies she had bought about him. ¡°Are there any other stories about me that I need to unravel?¡± He asks.

    Irena sighed and shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve decided to ignore it all. I want to know more about the real Sage . Not who the media portrays.¡±

    Her throat tightened as he turned to look at her. She hesitated. but looked up to meet his gaze.

    ¡°Really?¡± He asks. He couldn¡¯t believe it. The journalist herself is willing to do some research.¡±

    She red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised.¡±

    He purposely opened his mouth. ¡°I was just¡­ shocked.¡±

    She patted him on the shoulder as she pulled away from him. Before he could let go, he reached out and pulled her back. ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s freezing cold over there. Besides, our clothes haven¡¯t dried yet.

    She struggled for a while, before resting. ¡°Good. I will stay here. But you are on your side, and I will be on my side. ¡±

    ¡°Only you, Miss . Derrick , can make sides in a sleeping bag.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°As much as I want to respect your decree, it¡¯s best we stick together.¡± Heat is a raremodity in the desert. He approached her.

    She parted her lips, then pursued them again. Her rough posture rxed as she nodded. ¡°Good. But keep calm.¡±

    ¡°Honor of Scout.¡± He smiled as if he had lifted a burden from his chest. He was grateful to see her normal mood returned. It meant she was. it was fine, and the thought made him happier than he had been. Lam looked at her. ¡°Hungry?¡±

    Her cheeks flushed red as she nodded. ¡°Correct.¡±

    He smiles as he gets out of his sleeping bag. ¡°I¡¯ll defy the cold to bring you some food, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, then paused. ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    Irena nced at him. ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only wearing underwear,¡± he whispered, amused as her face flushed red in response. ¡°And I¡¯m sure if you see my muscles when you¡¯re not fighting for your life, you¡¯ll never look at a man again.¡± He lowered his voice with a serious expression.

    Irena ¡®s eyes widened. ¡°Are you that confident?¡±

    Sage turned and reached out of his sleeping bag. ¡°Did you see those weapons? They are just a sample of what¡¯s below.

    Her gaze fell on his chest, and for a moment he could hear his heart pounding in his ear. What could she think about for so long? Does he really want to know?

    Before they entered uncharted territory, Sage cleared his throat. ¡°So for your sanity, cover your eyes.¡± Or the one that was good for his stomach, now full of butterflies.

    She looked up at him and then closed her eyes. Sage moved and moved and finally got out of the bag. He stuffed his body in while hastily getting dressed. Thank goodness they¡¯re dry.

    He shook them. After getting dressed, he stood by the fire, stretching his fingers. It helped warm up his aching body. The sun had disappeared behind the mountain, and cool temperatures were enveloping him. He shivered as he walked on the shore. Where did his backpack go? She is the one who brings the food.

    ¡°Irena ?¡± he cried, ducking into the lump under his sleeping bag.

    She moves and sticks her head out. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the backpack?¡± He stopped and rubbed his face. He didn¡¯t remember seeing her with it when he pulled her out of theke. Titan finished warming up by the fire and followed in his footsteps.

    Sage looked down at him. ¡°Where did he go?¡± He asks.

    Titan just tilted his head to the side.

    There¡¯s a groan from Irena ¡®s manager. ¡°I took it off when it fell into the water. My wallet. My book. Mine . . .¡±

    Sage looked at her. She is studying theke. Awarenesses to mind. Her boyfriend¡¯s photo. ¡°Your picture?¡±

    She looked at him. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered. ¡°But it¡¯s probably for the best.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    She closed her eyes. ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Sage won¡¯t let go. But he also didn¡¯t want to convince her that he had to go into the water to get it. The thought of stepping into the cialke sent shivers down his back. Her skin tingles at the memory of the cold water. He couldn¡¯t go back, no matter what was lost in its depths. ¡°Do you mind if I don¡¯t jump in there?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No. That¡¯s ridiculous.

    He nodded. Well, standing out among the elements doesn¡¯t help without food. He hissed as Titan followed him and returned to the fire where he was. She stood in front of her, sping her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I let the package go,¡± she whispered.

    He turned around and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You better live than let this flock engulf you.

    She looked at the fire. ¡°But if you don¡¯t have me with you, you¡¯ll have a much better chance of survival.¡±

    Sage ¡®s stomach boiled. There is truth in his words. There was an inexperienced person standing in the way. But he would never admit that he enjoyed herpany. That he was beginning to wonder if it was better to be alone.

    She scoffed and he turned to her. What does it mean?

    She buried her face in her sleeping bag. ¡°I¡¯m just a joke.¡± His voice was muffled by the material.

    Sage ¡®s heart is out. Getting lost in the desert is his element. She must have felt out of control here. He walked over to where she was lying.

    ¡°Here I am, writing about people¡¯s lives when I¡¯m barely being myself.¡± She pulled the nket away from her face and jumped when his eyes fixed on hers. ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t even go down a cier that doesn¡¯t make room for me.¡±

    Sage leans down, elbows on his knees. ¡°You¡¯re not kidding,¡± he said.

    She nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a joke and a traitor. I¡¯m no better than the reporters the Magazine hired to write ¡®How to seduce your man in ten steps or less¡¯. ¡± She covered her face with her hand. like a dagger had pierced her stomach. Does she think her life story equates to a lousy article? Writing the story about Davenport Outdoors, even if it was to cover up something his father did, it was also to save jobs. . . to save him.

    He shook his head as he stood up. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with Irena . His presumptuous ideas and know-how will eventually hurt him. Better to stay away from her. Distant.

 TWENTY FIVE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    That night Irena went to bed hungry. When she woke up in the morning, she had a stomach ache. She blinked at theck of sleep she¡¯d had the night before. Rounds 4-7-8 did nothing for her. Not when the sky is never really dark.

    Now she knows why so few people live here. It¡¯s too cold. Too bright. And overflowing with a particrly illegible billionaire curled up beside her.

    Even though their conversation ended abruptlyst night, he still insisted that they sleep together to keep warm. He had been busy building a domed shelter while she dressed. Then he told her that they should get some sleep. Discuss in more depth. More mixed emotions. It¡¯s business as usual.

    She sighed, turning away from Sage . The leaves above her swayed in the gentle breeze. They are bright yellow and contrast with the blue sky. She fought back a cry as a cold, wet feeling ran down her cheek. pping aside, she saw Titan ¡®srge nose just inches from her face.

    ¡°Titan !¡± she hissed, pulling herself away from the dog, but not too far tond on Sage .

    Titan took this as a challenge and moved closer to her. She backed away and panic filled her chest as she lunged at Sage . He moved and wrapped his arms around her waist. She froze. Damned. What should she do now?

    ¡°Miss. Derrick, your voice is suffocating in your ears.

    It makes you shiver. She swallows. She hated how just two words left her speechless. She was focused and steady. ¡°What, Mr. Kennedy ?¡±

    His chest quivered withughter. ¡°If you want a hug, all you have to do is ask.¡±

    Heat ran down her spine as she contemted the worse. Titan , or lying here in Sage ¡®s arms. Well, she knew what her heart was saying, but her mind took it all away. She moved closer to Titan , flinching when his nose touched her skin again.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to get through this,¡± Sage said. His voice was hoarse from sleep.

    Irena tried to ignore how close he was to her. ¡°It¡¯s a deep and lifelong fear.¡± She turned with her back to Titan and only inches away from her and Sage ¡®s bodies.

    He was smiling at her on his elbow. It must have been due to the hunger that made his stomach tighten.

    ¡°Titan is the most beautiful dog you¡¯ll ever meet. He won¡¯t hurt a single fly.¡± He reaches out and ruffles Titan ¡®s fur.

    Irena nced at the animal over her shoulder. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as he leaned against Sage ¡®s hand. A surge of confidence surged within her as she moved and ced her hand gently on Titan ¡®s head. The dog whined and snuggled up against him.

    ¡°See? He likes you, Sage said behind her back. There wasughter in his voice.

    Irena began stroking the dog¡¯s soft fur. Hmm. Maybe Titan wasn¡¯t as bad as she thought. She turned and saw Sage staring at her.

    His face turned red as he looked around. ¡°Good night?¡± He asks.

    Desperate to get rid of the unpleasant feeling in the air, Irena cleared her throat. ¡°No. You snore.¡±

    His gaze fell on her. ¡°I do?¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you that?¡± Sage is a yboy. That¡¯s right, a girl once told him that he snores.

    He zips and opens the cover. ¡°I don¡¯t have many women sleeping in my bed,¡± he said as he grabbed his shoes and put them on. The fire turned into embers.

    Irena pulled the nket tighter around her, not knowing how to interpret what he had just said. Instead of speaking, she watched him fan the fire. After a few minutes, he came back to life. She could feel the heat of the fire hitting her face.

    When she was sure she wouldn¡¯t freeze to death in the outside world, she got out of her sleeping bag and stood up. Her legs were weak, but she forced herself to step on them. She wasn¡¯t going to be one of those women who desperately needed a guy like Sage to survive. She wouldn¡¯t knock him down. There must be a way for her to be an asset to their journey.

    As she took a step toward the fire, her knees buckled and she felt like she was falling in slow motion. The ground was approaching and there was nothing she could do about it.

    Before her body hit the ground, she suddenly lost her weight. It took a moment for his mind to realize what had happened. Sage put his arm around her again this morning. He pulled her to his chest.

    ¡°Wow,¡± he said looking at her.

    When she saw the worry in his eyes, she groaned. He tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the reaction I would expect from someone who¡¯s just been saved from facing the fire,¡± he said.

    Not daring to look at him, she buried her face in his shoulder. Man, he smells good. The water from theke the night before washed away all the expensive perfume from his clothes and revealed something mundane, natural, and 100% Sage .

    Being this close to him sent a warning signal to his mind. She squirmed until he put her down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, trying to hide the disappointment in her tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not intentional.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She pushed him away and shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s me. I¡¯m ridiculous. I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t be a burden, and here I am, falling like a girl in trouble.

    He was silent, she red at him. Why didn¡¯t he say anything?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay not to be great at everything. Sometimes it¡¯s good to let someone else help you.

    She raised her hand. He needed to stop. ¡°No. I am not that person. Let¡¯s continue. She forced a weak smile. Anything to get them talking about something different.

    She found a rock nearby and settled there. She pulled her clothes close to her body and looked around. ¡°So what¡¯s the n for today?¡±

    ¡°Well, I think we should pack up and hitch a ride, but now . . . .¡± He looked at her.

    ¡°What?¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Um, I think we should go get some food first.¡±

    Irena ¡®s stomach growled in response, but she shook her head. ¡°No. Maybe it¡¯s best for us to move on. Nice to see civilization and flush toilets.¡± But she just brushed it off. She wouldn¡¯t think so now.

    She¡¯s awake. ¡°Okay. Tell me what to do so we can get out of this god-forsaken wastnd.

 TWENTY SIX: SAGE

    S A G E

    Bushes surrounded them as they stood in the trees. It takes more than an hour to cross the mountain to reach the top of the forest. A thick fog coiled around them, but Sage could see below the hill that looked like a deep canyon. He felt a little hopeful. It could mean a river was there.

    He stops and throws his bag over his shoulder. He sat up, arching his back as he stretched. He gave the re gun and bear spray to Irena . It helps his joints with only bags and guns to carry.

    Titan is walking around, sniffing everything. Irena nced at Sage . Her expression hurt for a moment before she forced a smile.

    ¡°Where to go?¡± she asked.

    Sage studies her. Why does she have to be so tough all the time? He doesn¡¯t care that she¡¯s out of his element. In fact, he loved taking care of her. He just wished she¡¯d let go of her pride long enough to let him in.

    ¡°We¡¯re going down the hill. I hope there¡¯s a river there. Once we¡¯re done, we can stop. Then I went to get food. ¡°He took out a bottle of water and gave it to her.

    She took it and brought it to her lips. He tried to ignore the charm of her neck as she tilted her head back. Memories of her body pressed against his shed in his mind. He cleared his throat and looked down. It¡¯s best to focus on something else.

    If she feels heat running on her skin, she doesn¡¯t show it either. Instead, she returned the water bottle.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do it,¡± she said. Before giving up, he decided that frankness was the best policy. ¡°Do we need to wait a little longer?¡±

    Her expression hardened as she looked at him. ¡°Why should I wait any longer?¡±

    He sighed, tired of her insistence that vulnerability was a sign of weakness. ¡°You almost died yesterday.¡± His chest tightened at that thought. ¡°It¡¯s normal to need help.¡±

    Her gaze softened as she watched him. Then her shoulders sagged as she looked around. ¡°I know.¡±

    He reached out and put his finger on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you lost all your belongings.¡±

    She nced at him as if she had just remembered her belongings were gone. ¡°Oh.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Too good. It¡¯s just underwear and furniture.

    He studied her. ¡°Yeah. And the picture of you and your boyfriend.¡± Sage paused. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    She reached out and massaged his calf. ¡°Brent.¡± was calm. After a few seconds, she nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Sage uncaps the water bottle and takes a sip. Why did the fact that this guy dated Irena for three years bothered him so much? It seems to be an eternity. Admittedly, he was never engaged. Or even came close. He usually knows within the first few months whether a rtionship is working. He will free the girl when that happens.

    ¡°What?¡± His question popped into his mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Your face looks weird.¡± She straightened up and looked around her.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird that you¡¯ve been dating this guy for years and he¡¯s not moving forward in a rtionship.¡±

    She has a cough. ¡°Do you like getting married?

    Sage nodded. ¡°Or is this not part of your life n?¡±

    Irena twisted her toe into the gravel beneath her feet. ¡°No. I want to get married.¡±

    For some reason that sentence made Sage ¡®s heart skip a beat, so he turned his attention to the red and yellow leaves stretching out in front of him. ¡°Greend is beautiful,¡± he said, hoping to change the subject.

    ¡°And you?¡±

    Damn. She won¡¯t leave him alone. ¡°Me and marriage?

    She wrapped her arms around his chest and nodded. ¡°Yeah. From what I read, you¡¯re a gamer.¡±

    Sageughed. What a joke. It was a desperate attempt by a magazine to sell subscriptions.

    Irena ¡®s eyes opened. big. ¡°Is not right?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I wish. They make me more of a gamer than I really am.¡± He chuckles, shoving his hands in his pockets. ¡°They make my life so much more interesting than it actually is.¡±

    ¡°On all counts. continents?¡± Her cheeks flushed, and for a moment that intrigued him, there was no girl.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone waiting for me.¡± The words he was about to say werefortable, but the thought of being alone throbbed in his chest, so he lowered his face. ¡°It was better to be alone. No one. hope.¡± He cleared his throat and stirred, ready to start over.

    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Sage asked.

    Irena studies him. It made him feel exposed. Did he confess too much? What is she thinking? I wish I could read it.

    ¡°Brent¡¯s not my boyfriend,¡± she said, her voice low.

    Sage leans forward. ¡°What?¡± Did he mishear?

    ¡°Brent. He¡¯s not my boyfriend. Actually, I don¡¯t know where it is. He is my ex-fiance. He left me a month before the wedding day.¡± She looked down at her hands resting on her knees.

    Sage looked at her. Why did she lie to you? Why does she always carry a photo of herself? And why does he want to punch the guy in the face? ¡°He abandoned you?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°He said he needed to find himself again. Linsday said that I need to move on and hope to be able to join this trip. She insisted that I take the photos and destroy them at some point.¡± She covered her face with her hand. ¡°I¡¯m such a loser.¡±

    Sage kicks a stick. ¡°You¡¯re not a loser. This guy is a loser. You¡¯d be better off without him.

    She pursed her lips and watched him. A worried look crossed his face. She shook her head, then pushed the rock away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sage stopped. He wanted to talk more about it, but Irena seemed to want to end the conversation. So he nodded and hissed at Titan , who was sitting a few feet away, gasping and looking around. They packed up their things and walked towards the tree line.

    As they entered the forest, a crash resounded in the air. Sage jumped up and turned around. Irena raised her re gun. Smoke rises as the rocket lights up the sky.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He panted. Why is she firing res?

    Her hands trembled as she pointed upwards. He followed her gesture. A small speck crosses the sky. It¡¯s amercial airliner.

    ¡°Are you reporting this ne?¡± His mind was trying to catch up with what had happened.

    She smiles. ¡°Saved!¡±

    Sage stammered. ¡°It¡¯s amercial ne. They fly at 30, 000 feet. They¡¯ll never see res.¡± He stepped forward and held out his hand to her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you wasted a fire on that.¡±

    Irena ¡®s cheeks heated up as she stared at her open hand. ¡°How do I know?¡±

    Sage wiggles his fingers. ¡°I trusted you,¡± he whispered as she ced the gun in his hand.

    ¡°I -¡± she began.From N?velDrama.Org.

    When he looked at her, he saw her jaw clenched. Regret fills my chest. He shouldn¡¯t have been so harsh on her. She really didn¡¯t know. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make it so difficult for you. But we only have two res. And now we only have one. ¡±

    Irena just nodded, wrapping her arms around his chest. Sage sighed. It was as if the connection they had just had had suddenly faded and died. Why did he have to put her down so harshly? Man, he can be an idiot sometimes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he tried again.

    She shrugged. ¡± Carry on.

    He nodded, shoving the gun into his coat pocket.

    They turned into the woods and let the foliage engulf them as they continued on. Soon, he became too preupied with himself. navigating the terrain rather than thinking about their previous conversation. He did his best to guide them around the devil¡¯s club, a thorny nt that the natives revered for its medicinal uses, but it was everywhere.

    Irena mumbled curses as they entered each patch. Titan gave up and left. Sage thought about calling him back but decided not to. It¡¯s a dog. It¡¯s best to let him do what he wants.

    The further they went, the more worried Sage became. This is a country of bears, and most bear attacks are carried out by a frightened animal. He nced at Irena , who was red and sweaty. She had her hair up in a high bun, but a few curls were let loose and surrounded her face. When she looked up at him, her heart pounded. His disappointed look made his green eyes light up. It was a strange feeling.

    ¡°So tell me about your obsession with saying random things,¡± Sage said, raising his voice as he turned and pushed through therge leaves that surrounded them. It is better to make as much noise as possible.

    ¡°Why are you yelling?¡±

    ¡°To drive the bear away. They attack when taken by surprise. ¡±

    When Irena fell silent, Sage looked at her. She looked around with wide eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If we say it out loud, we¡¯ll be fine.

    Irena looked at him, biting her lip.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, gesturing for her to follow him.

    He heard it patting the foliage behind him.

    ¡°So what?¡± He asks.

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°Why do you have this obsessive need to repeat information when you¡¯re nervous?¡± ¡± He stopped himself. ¡°Do you have any other quirks?¡± For example, do you need to press a light switch a certain number of times?

    She scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like it . . . His voice trails off. ¡°Irena? We should talk. You know, bear. He pushed a branch aside and gave it to her as she passed.

    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t see why we have to talk about it,¡± she yelled.

    Sage looked behind him as he followed her. There¡¯s something there. Something she doesn¡¯t want to talk about. He considered asking her more questions. After all, didn¡¯t she push him back to his father¡¯s funeral? Instead, he bit his inner cheek and decided to change the subject.

    Maybe she just needed a little more time to trust him with personal information. And from the expanse of the desert around it, time is all they have.

 TWENTY SEVEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Irena hates Greend . She hates nts. She hated the constant drizzle that wouldn¡¯t stop. And she hated Sage and his nasty questions. Since she refused to answer his questions about her parents, he decided to focus on his work, his hobbies, and Lindsay¡¯s.

    She should have wiped him out, but confronting a three-meter grizzly bear because she refuses to talk doesn¡¯t seem like a better trade. So she¡¯s reluctant to share almost every aspect of her life with the talkative billionaire behind her back.

    She has another point to add to her post. The Kennedy family is curious. While they refuse to share personal information about themselves, they want to know all about you. She can incorporate that part into the story. His lips twitched. He began to take his own life.

    It wasn¡¯t until well past noon that they finally made it through the bushes and discovered the river Sage suspected ran through the canyon. Irena rejoiced as she knelt by the river and washed her face with cool water. Her lips taste salty when she licks them.

    As she pushed her knee out, she nced to the side. Sage opened his bag as Titan jumped into the water. Suddenly, the thought of tasting the drink Titan had just drank made his stomach twist.

    Explode this dog.

    She walked over to a fallen tree and sat down on it. She tried to look busy but wasn¡¯t sure what she was doing so she gave up and pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked as Sage stuffed a few bullets in his pocket and turned around.

    ¡°I hunt,¡± he said, slinging the gun over his shoulder and ncing at her.

    When ites to food, the stomach rumbles. ¡°How long are you going to be gone?¡±

    Sage looked up at the sky. The dark clouds had parted, giving them a respite from the rain. The sun shines on them, illuminating the forest floor.

    ¡°I hope it won¡¯t be long. I really want to keep going.¡±

    Irena nodded, though her aching legs disagreed. Sage stepped forward and broke a branch off the log she was sitting on.

    ¡°If it takes too long, we¡¯ll camp here overnight.¡± He gave dry firewood. ¡°Set up the fire.¡±

    She stared at him. He wants her to light a fire? He was more confident in his ability to survive than she was.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, hoping her voice would sound more confident.

    He stared at her. ¡°Do you want me to give you advice?¡±

    She forced a smile. ¡°I think I have this,¡± she said, snatching the branch from his hand.

    He looked at her questioningly, then turned and took a few steps. ¡°Don¡¯t burn the woods,¡± he said, looking over his shoulder.

    Irenaughed. ¡°I¡¯m doing very well.¡±

    Sage raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing more. As he turned toward the trees, panic settled in his stomach. She didn¡¯t want him to leave. Being around him made her feel safe. After all, the man who saved her life yesterday. Did she even thank him for that? She doesn¡¯t remember.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said breathlessly. As if the words wouldn¡¯t leave his lips.

    Sage looked at her. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday saved my life.¡± Even if she wanted to look down, she couldn¡¯t. His piercing gaze drew her to him and held her hostage.

    He took a step forward, and it looked like he wanted to reach out, and Irena held her breath. Before making contact, he shook his head and let go.

    ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility,¡± he said gruffly. He bowed his head, threaded his way through the foliage, and disappeared.

    Titan barked to where Sage had disappeared but did not follow him.

    Chills ran through her body. The memory of Sage ¡®s arms around her in the sleeping bag came back to her. She shook her head. Hard. You need to let go of your thoughts and feelings. Right away.

    Titan ¡®s barking shed through his mind. Of course. Again, she is the designated carer. Fortunately, her fear of Titan seems to have faded. Now he was more of a nuisance than a source of her terror.

    ¡°Come on, boy,¡± she called, desperately searching for a quest to keep Sage out of her mind. ¡°Let¡¯s make a fire.¡±

    After thirty minutes of trying to light the exploding firewood she had picked up, frustration red and she threw a flint at the tree. Why can¡¯t she understand that?

    Her stomach growled louder as she threw her head back and groaned. She missed the civilization where food and matches existed. She doesn¡¯t have to be with Sage all the time. A ce she can run to when things get too intimate. Back home, she can forget her feelings.

    Titan groaned as he sat down next to her. She reached out and gently ced her hand on his head. Well, at least she had a Titan . A sob escaped his lips. Those thoughts didn¡¯t make her feel any better.

    After tormenting herself for a few minutes, she sighed and stood up. Perhaps the log she picked up was too wet. After all, everything in Greend seems wet. His feet are forever frozen. It madest night¡¯s sleep worse. And no matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t escape yesterday¡¯s cold water.

    She took the saw from Sage ¡®s backpack and headed straight into the woods. Titan followed her. She sighed. He won¡¯t follow his master but hangs out with her instead.

    ¡°Why are you near this nasty man?¡± she asked, pushing a few branches away. At least she can talk to the dog about her non-existent feelings. He will not judge her. And he would never tell Sage .

    Titan was panting behind her.

    ¡°He¡¯s frustrated and annoyed and . . .¡± She sighed as Sage ¡®s face shed through her mind. It was as if he was haunting her. And question everything I thought I knew about the rich. His stomach twisted at that thought.

    First, she let Parker convince her that writing this article for Kennedy was a good idea. Now it looks like she¡¯s allowing Sage to cloud her judgment. What will this article be? Just a tidbit about how great Sage is?

    She shook her head and sighed. She won¡¯t let him change her. She will write the right Kennedy article no matter how much Sage influences her thinking.

    She turned around and went back to camp. She¡¯d better end the article now, before she let herself be seduced by Kennedy¡¯s charms. When she went back to Sage ¡®s backpack, she found her notebook that she luckily kept for herself and got going.

    When the sun went down behind the trees, she held out her hand. She wrote non-stop and her fingers cramp. Man, handwriting is much harder than typing on yourputer.

    Titan curled up against his leg. His chest rose and fell and every now and then a snore escaped his lips. She stroked him, grateful for the warmth he gave her.

    Putting the pen cap back on, she stuffed it into the cover of her notebook. Then she tore the paper and stuffed it into the back of her pants. The article she wrote was concise and to the point. And that¡¯s probably not what she wants to show Sage . At least, not before she no longer depends on his know-how to get out of the desert.

    He felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest even though he still had some guilt. Writing the article helped her remind her why she was always so apprehensive about Sage . Why did she need to keep him?

    She needs to protect herself. After all, stepping into a rtionship first was what got her into trouble with Brett. And she had promised herself when he broke her heart that she would never do it again. Thinking about yboy Sage wouldn¡¯t help her keep her promise to herself. She needed his mind to control her heart.

    Cool air surrounded her as she pulled her jacket closer to her body. Where was Sage ? Why does it take so long? She looked up, wishing she was one of the people who could tell the time at sunset. All she could see were pale purple and orange streaks in the sky. He said he would only stay for a short while. She gulped as her heart pounded. She needs to calm down. He¡¯s still fine. She is ridiculous.

    The leaves rustled above her as the wind danced through them. She nced sadly at the pile of wood she had picked up with the intention of starting a fire. At this moment, a roar of fire seemed unbelievable. She shivered as she stepped forward to find the abandoned flint. Worrying about Sage is a distraction. Even if she¡¯s bad at lighting a fire.

    Kneeling before the wood, she struck the flint. He activated it but did nothing. She moved the stick and tried again. She will understand that. She must do that. She couldn¡¯t allow her thoughts to return to Sage . Even though her heart was beating so hard, she could still hear it in her ears. She needed not to think about him.

 TWENTY EIGHT: SAGE

    S A G E

    Sage tried not to give in to the frustration that welled up in his stomach. He spent the evening following what he thought was a herd of deer, only to have the trail turn chilly. It was now miles from camp and it was getting dark.

    Not to mention he has no food.

    The rustle of the trees above made him slow down and hide behind a bush. Looking up, he saw a squirrel jumping over the top of a tree. He pulled the gun out of his hand and slung it over his shoulder. It¡¯s food and he¡¯s hungry.

    He got ready by pulling the trigger and gunfire rang out. Immediately, the squirrel fell from the tree to the ground in front of him. He grabbed her and tied her feet to the rope he carried. One more, and they¡¯ll be ready for dinner.

    Sunset surrounded him as he returned to camp. Fortunately, he left a mark on the tree, which brought him back. Without them, he cannot find his way. Everything looks the same.

    After killing another squirrel, he elerates. As he approached the camp, he strained his eyes to peer through the foliage. There was no light of a roaring fire. His stomach tightened as fear shed through his mind. Where was Irena ?

    As he passed through the trees, he looked around. Where was she?

    Titan barked and rushed towards him. Sage bent down and ruffled the dog¡¯s fur. ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice.

    Titan tilted his head to the side.

    She left you here? It was his limp attempt to ease the heaviness in his stomach. Suddenly he cursed himself. Why did he leave her alone? She didn¡¯t know what she was doing. And she almost died yesterday. Sage ran a hand through his hair as he leaned his rifle against a nearby tree and looked around.

    ¡°Irena ?¡±

    Nothing.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    His heart was pounding like it wanted to jump out of his chest and fly away. She must be fine. She just had to.

    ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± he asked Titan , who was following him as he walked the camp.

    Titan did not respond.

    ¡°Irena?¡±

    A rustle was heard to his left. He spun around, now wishing he had a gun with him. But maybe it was better. Right now he was so nervous that he might identally shoot when he didn¡¯t need to.

    The noise is getting louder and louder. Sage had prepared his position for any creatures that were about to rush through the foliage. He was silent while he waited. Hope to get the jump on the animal.

    When the creature appeared, Sage ran towards it. He turned and his eyes met hers. That¡¯s Irena. His eyes widened. She screamed and dropped the firewood she was holding in her arms.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she raised her hand and asked.

    Relief flooded Sage ¡®s chest. She was safe. Admittedly, a little scared, but she¡¯s fine. He reached out and grabbed her arm and pulled her to his chest.

    ¡°I think an animal attacked you,¡± he said, letting her body feel next to him.

    ¡°Sage ,¡± she whispered, pressing her hand to her chest and stepping back. ¡°You strangled me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± he said looking down at her. Big mistake. She¡¯s too close. He could only lean down and brush his lips over hers. And he wants it. Dude, he wants it so bad.

 TWENTY NINE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Sage is near. Too close. Part of her wanted to be in his arms, but another part wanted to run away. She has be too attached. She should know better.

    But she is very worried that something has happened to her so her presence will ease the pain in her soul. He looked at her with such seriousness that she almost leaned over. Most of them.

    Fortunately, his head is noisier than his heart. Using the little strength she had, she backed away enough to break his grip. The cool evening air surrounded her, reminding her how cold it was to be alone in the Greendic wilderness.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sage asked. His voice was lower than usual. It made her shiver.

    She nodded and bit her lip. They need to put some distance between them. ¡°What took so long?¡± she asked, hoping the coldness in her voice would help calm her pounding heart.

    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been gone all night. I think you want to keep moving forward. Now it looks like we¡¯ll have to set up camp.¡±

    He took a step back. ¡°Well, I¡¯m trying to kill dinner. How about you? Looks like you have . . .¡± ¨C her gaze swept over the campsite ¨C ¡°didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°Well, me. . .¡± The heat burned Irena ¡®s neck. The disappointment helped dispel the ridiculous feelings of infatuation she was feeling. Because she couldn¡¯t have deep feelings for Sage Kennedy . Ridiculous. ¡°I tried to make a fire, but the stupid thing you gave me to use didn¡¯t work.¡± She reached into her pocket for the flint and gave it to him.

    Sage stared at her, then his gaze slid down her arm to her face. ¡°Did you spend all of my time away setting fires?¡± Where is the wood? He took a few steps toward his meager pile and picked it up. ¡°Of course it¡¯s not bright. It¡¯s wet.

    ¡°The whole forest is wet!¡± she said as she waved her hand. The drizzle started again. Drops of water fell on his head and down his back.

    ¡°If we want to survive, you¡¯ll have to do your part.¡±

    Ah. Are not. That¡¯s not what he said. ¡°I¡¯m losing weight.¡±

    Sage nodded. ¡°Uh huh,¡± he said as he started walking around, checking the branches around them.

    There¡¯s no way Sage would set fire to her face. She has to prove herself. She is not weak. And there was no way she¡¯d let him think that way.

    Finally, the two returned to the center of the clearing with piles of wood in hand. Sage dropped his sleeping bag and started hugging them like a teepee. Irena started building a wooden house.

    For a moment, Sage ¡®s mes red up wildly while all Irena could get was a tiny spark that slowly disappeared. She tried to swallow her pride, but she couldn¡¯t ¨C she was frustrated.

    She crouched down in front of her pile of rocks and continued to rub the flint bar over and over again, only to see the spark go out for a few seconds. Tears welled in her eyes as she refused to look up. There was no way she wanted to see the triumphant look on Sage ¡®s face.

    ¡°Do you want to help?¡± His deep voice asked behind her, startling her.

    She shook her head while bowing. ¡°NO.¡±

    Seconds passed and it felt like hours. Finally, arms appeared on either side of her as Sage wrapped his arms around her.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You need to get closer to the tampons,¡± he said, his breath in her ear.

    His proximity paralyzes his limbs. All she could do was nod. He lifted the flint and rubbed it against the other. Sparks jumped out and fell onto the cotton.

    He burned it for a while before a drop of rain extinguished it.

    ¡°Try again,¡± he said, never leaving his hand.

    Irena crouched near the forest and repeated the steps. All the while, Sage ¡®s body remained close to his. After a few more blows, the cotton wool caught fire, as did the rest of the firewood she had picked up. As the mes licked the wood, Sage released her and sat down.

    She nced at him. He was watching her in a way that let her know that she really didn¡¯t want to know what he was thinking. She doubted she could digest her thoughts right now.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± he asked, leaning on one elbow and straightening his leg.

    ¡°Do what?¡± She threw more wood into the fire, the mes devouring them happily. There is something soothing about a fire. It helps warm his body in Sage ¡®s absence. She shook her head. The thought of him pressing on her needed to go.

    ¡°Are you always acting like that? Never let anyone help you?

    ¡°I let people help me.¡±

    Seeing that he didn¡¯t answer, she looked at him again. He raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±

    Sage smiled. That damn half smile. ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe you. ¡±

    Irena scooped up some bark and threw it into the fire. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sage straighten up. ¡°See, now I think you know that. Back on the ne, you made it clear to me that I didn¡¯t want to go to my father¡¯s funeral, but here you are, away from the people around you as well as me. He wrapped his arms around her knees and stared at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not far away.¡±

    Sage scoffed. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I am not. Ask me any question, and I will answer it.¡± As soon as she said those words, she regretted it. Did she really want to reveal her soul to him? What will he do with this information?

    ¡°Okay. Tell me about your parents.¡±

    His stomach is like lead in his body. Why should she keep this promise? Bridget doesn¡¯t even know everything about her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± she said as she got up and walked toward the trees.

    There was a rustle followed by footsteps. She could feel Sage as he approached behind her. Her body longed for his arms to hold her again. Stupid body.

    ¡°Just as I thought. You¡¯re wary. Yet you have the guts to punish me.¡±

    Anger red up her spine when she turned around. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like you know me.¡± She desperately tried to hold back her tears. She couldn¡¯t appear weak in front of him. She needs to be strong. She always needed to be strong.

    He leaned back slightly, as if he didn¡¯t mean to make her angry. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    She clenched her jaw as she turned to look at the trees in front of her. ¡°Because you¡¯re leaving,¡± she whispered. Finally, the truth. It was as if a burden had been lifted from her chest, and she could breathe. However, it scared her.

    A warm hand cupped his elbow. She shivered as he pulled her. She was only inches away from him. There was something very familiar about being around him. And she longed for that familiarity.

    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯ll leave you?¡± His voice was hoarse as he approached her.

    ¡°Because everyone left me. I¡¯m lonely. Now and always.¡± She couldn¡¯t look him in the eye. Here, her eyes fixed on the ground, she was safe.

    His fingers pressed under her chin as he pushed it up, forcing her to look him in the eye. ¡°Irena¡±. He whispered.

    She kept her eyes down for as long as she could. When she looked up, she cursed herself for doing it. His eyes were also filled with pain. As if he knew exactly what she was going through. A tear rolled down her cheek. He lifted his hand and brushed it with his fingertips.

    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± He whispered.

    She closed her eyes, letting another tear flow. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt myself.¡± When she opened her eyes, Sage was just inches away from her lips. His body tingled as he drew closer.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hurt you, if you didn¡¯t hurt me,¡± he said, his lips brushing hers.

    ¡°Promise?¡± If she moved just a little, her lips would touch his. And she wants it. Damn, she wanted him.

    ¡°I promise,¡± he said and closed the distance.

    Heat rushed to Irena ¡®s stomach as his lips touched hers. They warm in the cool Greendic air. She pressed her body against him as she ran her hand over his chest and revealed the feeling of his tight muscles against her palm. Her hand went down his shoulder to the nape of his neck, where she ran her fingers through his hair.

    A groan echoed in his throat as he pulled her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He took a step toward the forest and pressed her against the nearest tree as if he needed more strength. Sage stayed close, pressing a hand to her chest behind her back. He kissed deeper and the feeling of his body against his took her breath away.

    Everything she thought she knew about Sage was gone from her mind. All that remained was the joy that had just embraced her. Being so close to him that she didn¡¯t know where she was or where he started. Although it scared him to admit it, it was also fair. Exactly.

    He lowered his feet to the ground, stepped back and looked at her. His heart ached to return. She tried not to growl in protest. When her eyes met his, she held him back, letting him see her. At this point, she wouldn¡¯t hold back anything.

    He leaned forward to kiss her nose and cheeks, then gently brushed his lips over hers.

    ¡°I should make you angry more often,¡± he said, his lips a few inches from hers.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re angry. I can¡¯t help it.¡± He teased her with his lips. He leaned down to kiss her and then smiled back at her.

    Finally, she stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, and pressed her lips to his. She never wanted this moment to end. He bent down and put his arms under his knees. He hugged her to his chest and smiled at her.

    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she asked through herughter.

    He took one look at her and leaned down to kiss her. ¡°So cold,¡± he said, setting her down in front of the fire.

    She pretends to be heartbroken. ¡°My kisses aren¡¯t hot enough for you?¡±

    His expression turned serious. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t mean to say that¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± She patted him on the shoulder.

    He leaned forward and kissed her again. ¡°Actually, ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll start cooking dinner.¡± He nodded at the squirrels piled up a few feet away.

    ¡°Is it time for dinner?¡± She wrinkled her nose at them. ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have McDonald¡¯s that far,¡± he said as he walked over to them.

    Irena sat back, watching him prepare the animals. She tried not to think too much about what he was doing. Instead, his thoughts turned to their previous conversation. Suddenly she wanted him to know the truth.

    ¡°My father used to drink,¡± she said, her voice softer than she intended.

    Sage looks up from the squirrel. He looked at her but said nothing, so she continued.

    ¡°He came home from the barpletely exhausted.¡± She lifted her fingernail and nibbled it. ¡°He¡¯s not a good drunk. He¡¯s¡­ . insult.¡±

    An angry expression crossed Sage ¡®s face. ¡°For you?¡±

    Irena shrugged. ¡°Rarely. Mostly my mother paid the price. I hid in the room and heard him beat her. . .¡± The thought remains as intact as the times it happened. As if speaking the words breathed life into the memory.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, don¡¯t continue.¡± Sage had stopped skinning the animal and leaned toward her.

    Irena shook her head. ¡°I want to.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I hid under the bed and covered my ears to drown out their argument.¡± She closed her eyes. She could still feel the coolness of the wooden floor below.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you talk nonsense when you¡¯re stressed.¡±

    Irena nodded. ¡°They died when I was sixteen. Car ident.¡±

    Sage ¡®s expression softened. ¡°Both?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I lived with my aunt until I was eighteen and have been alone ever since.¡±

    Sage dropped his knife and walked towards her. He still raised his hand but leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. As he walked away, he met her gaze. ¡°I am really sorry.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Too good. It¡¯s a thing of the past.¡±

 THIRTY: SAGE

    S A G EN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    After the squirrels were cooked and eaten, Sage packed up their things. ¡°We should go,¡± he said.

    She looked at him like he was joking. ¡°What?¡±

    Sage tied up the peloton and whistled at Titan . ¡°We cannot stay where we cook the food. Hold on.¡± He nodded in the woods.

    His eyes widened. ¡°Do you think better?¡±

    ¡°Unless you want to share your space with a hungry giant grizzly bear, we can¡¯t stay here,¡± Sage said. ¡°We will set up camp further away.¡±

    She groans. He took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer. Her heart beat faster at the proximity of her body. He still couldn¡¯t imagine how much her kiss hadpleted him. For the first time in a long time, he felt happy. Moreover, she decided to confide in him. This thought made his heart race. She decided to trust him. He couldn¡¯t ask for anything more. Well, maybe his shower and bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I promised to keep you safe, and here¡¯s how.¡± He looked down at her and smiled.

    Irena ¡®s shoulders rxed as she looked up at him. ¡°Alright.¡±

    It took about half an hour to move and unpack at the new campsite. He was grateful for the distraction that building a dome structure had put them to sleep. The memory of their kiss was still fresh in her mind and on her lips. Her body wanted to bring her closer.

    But can he do it? Just step up and kiss her? She doesn¡¯t seem to object to the first kiss, but does that mean she¡¯ll be fine with thetter?

    He suppressed a groan as he gathered spruce branches for the roof. That¡¯s not what he wanted. It¡¯s elementary school. Pass notes to each other to see if the other person likes you.

    After he finished loading the branches onto the roof, he sighed. Best toe right away and ask him. He let his eyes wander to where she was sitting. She pulled her knees up and she was staring at the fire in front of her. Light danced on her skin.

    His chest tightened as he looked down. He wanted to know what that kiss meant. If she feels like him. He wanted to open his heart to her and let her do the same. But if she rejected him, he wasn¡¯t sure he could handle the pain.

    He sighed as he took a sip of water. He reviewed his work. Exhaustion invaded his body. You need to stop thinking and rest. Tomorrow, he will dissect his n. But now, they will sleep.

    Author¡¯s Note: Hello! I¡¯m new to this tform. I hope you like this story. Let Sage and Irena goes through your heart and support them as they continue their wonderful story.

    A little introduction to myself: I started writing way back 2021. And I started reading for what? Since birth. Hehe:) Writing help me to cope up with my stress and problems.

 THIRTY ONE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Sage didn¡¯t talk about the kiss for the rest of the night. In fact, he didn¡¯t move to kiss her again. It was as if their former campsite held all the magic, and in the new ce everything was still going as usual.

    Her soft breathing could be heard a few millimeters from where shey. Although they hadn¡¯t kissed again, he thought it would be a good idea if they slept in the same sleeping bag. This way, they can share their body temperature and stay close in case something decides to rush out of the forest and attack them.

    What he didn¡¯t mention was that being around him without knowing what they were was really torture for Irena . But she felt stupid asking. Who does it these days? Is there a discussion to define the rtionship? God, she¡¯s going to look like a loser.

    Shey on her side, arms crossed over her chest. She began to take deep breaths, held her breath, then released. She wanted his body to rx, and soon he did.

    The sun emerged in the little hut-like structure Sage had built. Irena closed her eyes. She wasn¡¯t ready to wake up yet. As if she had just fallen asleep. Moaning, shey down on her stomach and buried her face in her sleeping bag.

    She reached out to find Sage . Of course he¡¯s gone. Why is he hanging out in a sleeping bag with the woman he just shared a crazy kiss with? She stroked his head with her fingers, hoping that would erase the memory of his lips pressing against hers. She desperately wants their rtionship back to normal.

    Unable to sleep, Irena flung the nket off her body and sat up. The me was extinguished in a steady burn. Titan was lying next to him, his head sandwiched between his legs. She didn¡¯t see Sage . Where has he been?

    The rustling o

    f leaves beside her made her heart race. She exhaled to calm her nerves. That¡¯s just Sage . That is all.

    Titan jumped to his feet. His bark echoed in the morning air. The heat made Irena shiver as she stared at the dog. Does he know something that she doesn¡¯t?

    ¡°Titan , shut up!¡± she speaks. If it was an animal, she didn¡¯t want the stupid dog to lure her near.

    Titan did not back down. His barking deepened as his upper lip curled. Irena ¡®s heart raced. That¡¯s not Sage . That¡¯s something else. She curled her legs into her body, hiding inside the structure.

    The rustling grew louder, followed by a low growl. Her heart stopped beating as a giant brown bear emerged from behind the leaves. Titan continued to bark as he stepped back.

    The bear looked around as it slid out of the trees and into their camp. She stifled a groan as he lifted his nose into the air. She could see his nostrils re as he turned his head from side to side.

    cing her mouth on her knee, she swallowed hard at the fear exploding in her chest. Titan seemed to have regained his strength and approached the bear. Her lips curled up, exposing her teeth.

    Irena sings in her head to make Titan step back. She didn¡¯t like the dog, but she didn¡¯t want to see it hurt. But telepathy shouldn¡¯t work on animals. Titan remained wary from time to time, mustering up his courage to pounce on the bear.

    She watched with wide eyes as the bear wandered around the camp as if the ce belonged to him. It didn¡¯t pay attention to Titan . It was as if Titan , who had terrified her when she first met him, was just an annoying flea that the bear wouldn¡¯t even scratch.

    Maybe if she kept quiet, the bear would get bored and leave. Just as she was allowing herself to hope, Titan lunged forward and snapped at the bear¡¯s front paw, and the bear let out a low, bark-like growl. Titan is in trouble. She pulled the nket off her knees and jumped off the dome. His hands are outstretched. Why is his hand outstretched? What will she do against a grizzly bear?

    The bear turned his head in his direction and his heart sank. His growl deepened as he stood up on his hind legs.

    ¡°Titan . Run!¡± She shouted. She did the only thing she could think of: fell to the ground. Her body trembled as she covered her head with her hands and waited for the blow.

    But it didn¡¯te.

    Instead, Titan ¡®s growl sounded first, followed by a groan. She could hear fighting above, but she was too scared to look up. From the sounds above, she knew they were fighting and she feared the oue.

    Painful and painful feelings ran through her. All too familiar. Again, she was a child, hiding under the bed, listening to her father beat her mother. And she couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Her hearing decreases as she closes her eyes tighter. She wanted her body to stop shaking. She wanted her heart to calm down. She is useless. Neither did the Titan.

    A shot through the air. She looked up and saw Sage dashing out of the woods. He was shouting something at her, but she couldn¡¯t hear the words. His ears buzzed, cutting off all sound.

    He signaled to the retreating bear and then signaled it to get up. The signals make sense, but his body doesn¡¯t process them. She watched him kneel beside Titan ¡®s copsed body.

    The look of destruction told her everything she needed to know and everything she feared. He died. Gone. Killed trying to protect her.

    Her chest rose and fell as a sob escaped her lips. Titan is dead. Another person in her life died because she was weak. She buried her face in her hands. Why did she leave the shelter? The bear seems to be less threatened by Titan than she is. It was his fault, he died.

    She was lying on the grass feeling heavy. What will Sage tell her? She killed her dog. His best friend. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he left her to fend for herself in the desert. After all, it seems the only thing she¡¯s good at is slowing him down.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Sage ¡®s frantic voice interrupted her thoughts as he shook her shoulder.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Turning her head to the side, she looked at him. ¡°What?¡± she asked. His eyes were puffy and his features were barely visible.

    ¡°I said, are you hurt?¡±

    Irena is face down on the floor. ¡°No,¡± she whispered. But she should be.

 THIRTY TWO: SAGE

    S A G E

    There were too many emotions in Sage ¡®s body to understand any of them. There was a bear. Titan is seriously injured. And Irena sat on the floor, shaking all over.

    Overwhelmed with what to do first, Sage lets his natural instincts kick in. He leaned his gun against a tree and walked over to Irena . He needs her to gather her wits and help him. Most Titan ¡®scerations aren¡¯t that deep. But there was one that was bleeding. He put his hand on his shoulder. She turned to look at him. His eyes were red and stains were on his cheeks.

    His pulse is beating fast. Does the bear also achieve it?

    Her face disappears as she turns her head to the ground. ¡°Leave me alone,¡± she whispered.

    Sage has seen this before. She was shocked. He needed to assure himself that she was safe. He pushed her up there. His fiery gaze met hers as he stretched out his legs. There¡¯s not much time left to procrastinate. If she was hurt, he must know by now.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked as she tried to stand up.

    ¡°I need to see if you¡¯re okay.¡±

    She pulled her jacket closer to her as she pulled away from him. ¡°I told you I was fine.¡±

    Sage was tired of his stubbornness. ¡°No. What you said was that you weren¡¯t hurt. I have to make sure it¡¯s true.¡± His gaze swept over her. Relief filled his chest when he saw that there was no more blood left. He seemed to have control of his limbs. She used her arms and legs to pull herself up.

    ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine.¡± She wrapped her arms around his chest as her face twisted. He could tell she was struggling not to look at Titan .

    She turned around and tripped over a log Sage had pulled into the firece the night before. She put her head on it and raised her head to the sky.

    ¡°Good. Titan needs your help,¡± Sage said.

    Her expression turned sour as she looked at him. ¡°That¡¯s not fun.¡± went to his bag and opened it, rummaging around until he found the sewing kit he¡¯d picked up on the ne.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but Titan needs our help.¡± He motioned for her to follow as he passed her and headed towards Titan .

    He knelt in front of his dog, which turned its head slightly towards him. ¡°It¡¯s okay man. I¡¯m here.¡± He choked back the tears welling up in his eyes. He shook his head vigorously. Now is not the time to let your emotions run wild. Titan needs him.

    Irena ¡®s shadow fell over them as she stood beside him. ¡°The duke isn¡¯t dead?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    ¡°He will if I don¡¯t heal this wound.¡± He pointed to the bloodstain that had blurred the fur.

    Irena fell to the floor and reached out to pat Titan ¡®s head. ¡°He saved me,¡± she whispered.

    Sage looked at her. ¡°Then surround him, save him.¡±

    Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. The cold expression made his gaze hard. ¡°Okay,¡± she said.

    ¡°Tell me what to do.¡±

    Sage asks Irena to keep Titan still while he cleans the cut. Titan fights him first but quickly bes limp. He must have passed out from the pain. For a moment, Sage worried about Titan leaving, but he was relieved to see the dogs breathing hard but clearly.

    After saying that, he fell backwards. He did all he could. It¡¯s at Titan now. He raised his hand. Titan ¡®s blood was all over his skin. Every time he looked at her, he felt like throwing. He needs to wash it.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to wash my hands,¡± he muttered, stumbling away from Irena . She was crouching beside Titan , patting her head over and over again.

    It seemed endless until he found the river and knelt before it. He dipped his hand in the freezing water. He rushed to his skin, bringing blood with him. He stared at her, then his stomach heaved.

    After his body expelled what was left of his stomach, he sat down, not caring if the water wet his clothes or not. Titan is injured. What if he can¡¯t do it? What if he¡¯s gone? Sage would do anything to go back in time and stay instead of hunting this morning. Perhaps if he hadn¡¯t gone, Titan wouldn¡¯t have clung to life in a tiny thread.

    His shoulders shook as he covered his face with his hands. Again he made the wrong choice and everyone got hurt. He couldn¡¯t save anyone. It¡¯s stupid to think it¡¯s wise to be friends with anyone. Why he thinks things have changed is beyond him.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He looked at the river, the sound of its movement filling his ears. He should be alone. No one gets hurt when he¡¯s alone.

    After recovering mentally, he got up and headed back to the campsite. Irena had moved about a foot away from Titan , and she was hunched over, staring at a piece of paper. He stopped himself. What¡¯s that?

    Shaking his head, he crept through the trees. It is probably nothing. When he looked at her, his heart went to her. She seems so small. It¡¯s weak. And he thought it would be good for him to get involved with her.

    The promise he had made to her yesterday shed through her mind. He promises to protect her and watch ¨C not only has he crashed with her, but now she¡¯s almost died from a bear attack.

    It¡¯s all his fault. It would be better to move away. Keep her away. It will hurt, but it will be for the best. For both. He stretched and stepped through the bushes. Irena jumped when she turned to meet his gaze. She dropped the piece of paper behind her. He was even more curious when he saw her covering him with some dry leaves.

    What is she looking at? She seems very embarrassed about it. Brett¡¯s photo was in his pocket and it was at the bottom of the cialke. So what is it? He looked at her for a moment, then shook off his embarrassment. It is probably nothing.

    ¡°Is he okay?¡± he asked as he walked over to Titan.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she said. His voice was weak.

    Sage nodded. We have to move. I don¡¯t know if the bear is going toe back or not. It will be better if we continue.

    ¡°Transfer Titan ?¡± His eyebrows raised.

    ¡°Not ideal, but we can¡¯t stay here. If there¡¯s a chance we can hit someone in the woods, we have to move. Now.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Now, Irena . You¡¯ve done enough.¡± The words tasted bitter on the tip of his tongue, but now was not the time for him to stop and exin things to make her feel better. Furthermore, they need to separate themselves from each other.

    As he bravely looked in her direction, a feeling of satisfaction welled up in his stomach. Her lips pursed and her pale skin was reced with flushed cheeks. He will make her sad. Good. They just need to survive until he is found, then he can disappear and nevere back.

    She stood up with her arms crossed. ¡°Good.¡± It gasped as it passed through the trees and disappeared. As her footsteps faded, Sage looked over to where she had been sitting before. He leaned down and patted Titan ¡®s head. He¡¯s still alive, thank God. Sage felt so weak. He couldn¡¯t do anything to pull his dog over. That¡¯s Titan ¡®s will now.

    Not wanting to be distracted, Sage walked over to the small pile of papers Irena had ced on it and stared at it. Should he pick it up? Looks like Irena doesn¡¯t want you to know you¡¯re there.

    He turns around but stops. Beneath a particrly brilliant red paper, he saw the letters. He looked down to get a better look. Is that his name? He looked around before pushing his shoes off.

    Sage

    She wrote something about him. Well, now you have to look. He bent down to pick up the newspaper, the papers falling to the floor at his feet. His spine burned as he read the article she scribbled on.

    After saying that, he clenched his jaw. So that¡¯s what Irena Derrick really thinks of him.

 THIRTY THREE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Sage was silent when she returned to the campsite. She was shaky, jumping at every sound, but did feel better after having washed her face seven times in the icy water. It took all her courage to go out into the woods by herself, but facing the bear didn¡¯t seem as bad as facing the disappointment that was written all over Sage ¡®s face.

    His words had cut deeper than any words her father ever yelled at her mother, or herself. She¡¯d let him down, and Sage knew it. She steadied her breath as she walked up to him.

    ¡°What can I do to help?¡± she asked.

    Sage nced over to her. His jaw was set, and his gaze lethal. ¡°Grab the sleeping bag.¡± He nodded toward the dome he¡¯d made.

    She bit her lip to keep from saying anything and walked past him. Reaching out, she grabbed the bag and began to roll it.

    Sage busied himself behind her. She could hear his footsteps as he walked back and forth,ying things out on the tarp. She wanted to say something. Exin what had happened. But the words wouldn¡¯t form on her lips.

    Instead, she just kept rolling and unrolling the sleeping bag. No matter how hard she tried to keep it tight, the roll seemed to veer off to the side or slip from her fingers. She sighed and nced up to the sky. She needed to get home and away from Sage . She¡¯d had just about enough heartbreak for one night.

    A roaring sound filled the air. Irena dropped her gaze to look at Sage . Did he hear it too? Or was it just her desperate need for a ne to appear that caused her mind to conjure one up for her?

    The joy that flooded Sage ¡®s face told her this wasn¡¯t her imagination. There was a ne above them. She tilted her face back up and saw the pontoons that hung underneath the ne. It was small, which meant it wasn¡¯t that high up.

    ¡°re!¡± Sage yelled. He dropped the cooking utensils he had stacked in his arms and scrambled for his jacket.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    Irena lunged for it as well, grabbing onto one of the sleeves to pull it toward her, but Sage had already stepped on it. He fumbled with the pockets and then lifted his arm in triumph. The orange re gun was clutched in his hand. He raised it to the sky, and she covered her ears. He pulled the trigger back and she winced, waiting for the sound that normally came when something was shot.

    But the sound never came. She peered over to Sage who was staring into the sky before he then lowered the gun. He turned his hand to look at it and then smacked it a few times. Cocking the hammer back, he raised it to the sky again and pulled the trigger.

    Nothing.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Irena asked as she watched the ne fly from view. They still had a few moments left. It had worked once before. Why wasn¡¯t Sage trying to get the gun to work again?

    Sage kept his hand in the air as he pulled the hammer back and pulled the trigger. He did it five more times. With each dead click, his face reddened. Finally, he cursed and threw the gun into the woods.

    Irena stared at it. The ne was gone. Again. And they were left in the wilderness. Again.

    ¡°Why did you stop?¡± she asked as she scrambled to her feet and over to the woods where she searched for the gun.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± Sage grumbled as he scrubbed his face with his hands.

    ¡°But . . .¡± Irena stared at the gun and then went back to Sage . It was the only thing that could get them rescued. ¡°It can¡¯t be dead. It worked once before.¡±

    Sage nced down at her, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s dead. D-E-A-D. Dead.¡± He kicked a rock and sent it flying into the trees. He moved back to gather up what he¡¯d dropped.

    ¡°Why would you have a re gun that doesn¡¯t work?¡± she asked, tossing it to the side.

    Sage whipped around. ¡°Oh, so now the malfunction of the re is somehow my fault? I wasn¡¯t the one who shot the gun at themercial ne in the first ce.¡± In two steps, he was next to her. She could see his ragged breathing as he stared at her down.

    She winced. That was true. She had made mistakes, just like him. It was time she started owning up to them, instead of brushing them off. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have shot the re at themercial ne. I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at you just now. And I should have protected Titan .¡± There. She¡¯d said the truth. She opened herself up and forced herself to be vulnerable. Why was her heart pounding so hard?

    Sage stared at her. She could feel the confusion in his gaze. He paused before his expression hardened. What did that mean? He pinched his lips together and turned.

    ¡°Ms. Derrick, I think it¡¯s best if we don¡¯t speak to one another for a while. Let¡¯s get packed up and head out of here. Good news, with a ne that low, there¡¯s bound to be hunters around. Maybe even a shelter. We should get moving before it gets too dark.¡± He paused and nced over at her.

    Her stomach twisted. She¡¯d been truthful to him and this was all he had to say? Should there have been something more? As she held his gaze, she saw something there. Something he wasn¡¯t saying. For a moment, she wanted to know what that was. But then he turned, and she was snapped back to reality. Sage wasn¡¯t going to soften or be truthful.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said. Turning on her heel, she headed back over to the sleeping bag and began to roll it.

    She could hear Sage ¡®s frustrated grunts from behind her. She did feel a bit bad for how she treated him. He really didn¡¯t have any idea that the re wouldn¡¯t work. It wasn¡¯t as if he was out to sabotage their rescue.

    A heavy sigh sounded behind her. She turned and squinted as she looked up at Sage . The sun shone behind him. She lifted up her hand to shield her eyes.

    ¡°I just need to take a minute for myself. I¡¯ll be back in a few,¡± Sage said.

    From the look on his face and the tone in his voice, she decided not to push it. Perhaps, it would be better if they spent more time away from each other.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said.

    Sage nodded and then pushed into the woods and disappeared.

    Irena turned her attention back to the sleeping bag and focused all of her energy on getting it put away and secured. Once it was ready, she grabbed it and walked over to the other supplies and rested it next to the tarp.

    As she moved to leave, something caught her eye. Turning, she leaned down and her heart stopped. A piece of paper stuck out from underneath some folded clothes. She grabbed the corner and pulled.

    It was her article. Crap.

    Sage had seen it. He read the words she¡¯d written about him. The awful, terrible things she had said.

    She crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it into the woods. Was that why he¡¯d been so cool to her when she¡¯d returned? Was it because he had read her thoughts? That she felt that Kennedy ¡®s was nothing more than a spoiled citizen who felt as if they were abovemon decency? That they respected nothing and no one whom they felt was beneath them?

    Her stomach twisted as she thought about the other horrible things she had written about him. That she had written about his father. She chewed her lip as she nced around. True, at the time she had written the words, she was angry with him. She was just getting out her feelings. She hadn¡¯t meant the words. But, now, having spent time with Sage and getting to know him, things have changed. Those words no longer felt true.

    Desperate for a distraction, Irena headed over to Titan to see how he was doing. She knelt down beside him and rested her hand on his head. She nced at his chest and saw it rise and fall. It soothed her to watch. He was still alive. She leaned closer to his ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ever judged you before I knew the kind of dog you were. I promise if you make it out of here alive, I will treat you better.¡±

    She nced down at him and, for a moment, let the flicker of hope burn in her heart that her words just might be the key to wake him up. But his eyes remained closed and his breathingbored.

    Feeling stupid, she reached down and patted Titan ¡®s head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I thought that would work.¡± She nced over to where Sage had disappeared. Perhaps saying she was sorry to Titan made her feel a tiny bit better about what she¡¯d said about Sage .

    She sighed as she sat back and crossed her legs in front of her. It was a ridiculous thought. Sage had to be hurt by what she said about him. And rightfully so. She stood and peered past the brush that Sage had disappeared through. Should she follow after him? Tell her she no longer felt that way?

    She gnawed on her nail as she paced back and forth. How did she feel about him? If she told him she¡¯d written the wrong thing, he was bound to ask her what the right thing was. Her heart picked up speed as she thought about it. When realization settled around her, her shoulders slumped.

    She knew what the right thing was. She had fallen for Sage Davenport. Hard. He challenged her. Made her so mad that sometimes her blood boiled. But in the quiet moments, when her past came back to haunt her or she felt alone and vulnerable, he was there to be a strength. And she needed that strength.

    She needed his friendship. If she walked out of this forest without telling him, she¡¯d never forgive herself. Shaking her arms out, she drew in a deep breath. She¡¯d find Sage and tell him. As she let her breath slip through her lips, her stomach twisted. She needed to do it now, before she lost her nerve.

 THIRTY FOUR: SAGE

    S A G E

    The sun burst through the leaves above Sage . Every time the wind blew, it caused the shadows to shift below him. The steady sound of the rushing river filled the air. He had propped himself up against a nearby rock. His arms were folded as he stared out into the expansive woods in front of him.

    Irena ¡®s words kept repeating in his mind. Some were sections of her so-called article that reamed out his family and rich people in general. Some were the words she¡¯d spoken to him. And how she¡¯d spoken to him.

    He sighed and rubbed his shoulder. There was a knot that had formed there from sleeping on the ground next to her. He rubbed his arm as he thought about the feeling of having her so close to him. Sharing warmth with her.

    And the kiss they¡¯d sharedst night. The closeness he¡¯d allowed himself to feel. He reached down and grabbed a t rock. He angled his body toward the river and chucked it into the water. It plopped and then disappeared.

    He was such a fool. He should have never let himself care for Irena . She was nothing more than a reporter. There was no way he was ever going to change her mind. And he was an idiot to think he could.

    He pushed off the rock and stood. Then he swung his arms across his chest, hoping that physical exertion would help calm his pounding heart. It was conflicting with the thoughts that were racing around in his mind.

    He jumped a few times. Then growled. Good. This was helping him return to Earth and out of the clouds where he often went when he was around Irena . There was something about her that drew him in. And he hated how helpless he felt around her. Especially when he¡¯d just read her true feelings about him. Those were something he could never change.

    Once he felt that he had his emotions under control, he threw onest rock into the water and then headed back to camp. He walked through the trees, smacking the leaves as he went. Hopefully, that ne they¡¯d seen earlier meant there were hunters around, and perhaps a lodge. He allowed the idea that they just might get found today simmer in his mind. If they were found, he could get back home and put this whole thing behind him. Not to mention, he¡¯d be able to get some real medical attention for Titan .

    Sage paused. That¡¯s where he should be focusing his attention. On Titan . The one thing in his life that never let him down. Not Irena or his father. But man¡¯s best friend. Having a job to focus on had renewing effects on Sage ¡®s mood. He¡¯d channel all his frustration into getting Titan rescued. And once he was better, the two of them would escape the world that seemed to want to crush him.

    Rolling his shoulders back, he took a step forward. A crack sounded behind him, followed by a shooting pain in his shoulder. He opened his mouth, but the sound never reached his ears. The force of whatever hit him pushed him forward, and he smacked his head on the tree in front of him. He blinked a few times before he slipped into the fuzzy darkness that surrounded him.

    Irena

    The whirring sound of the helicopter des matched her beating heart. Sage was stretched out on the grass as Ash , the idiot who shot him, paced next to them.

    ¡°I really thought he was an animal,¡± Ash kept saying. Like an annoying message on repeat.

    Irena nced over to study Sage . His eyes were closed, and his skin was pale. She shifted against the hard ground. She¡¯d almost had a heart attack when Ash emerged from the woods, dragging Sage ¡®s limp body behind him.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her stomach twisted as she kept her fingers pressed into his shoulder. The bleeding had slowed, which was a good sign. But he needed medical help as soon as possible.

    The trees bent as the helicopternded next to them. Its roar deafened her to Ash ¡®s chant. She swallowed as she reached out and grasped Sage ¡®s hand. Feelings of guilt and worry raced through her.

    From the corner of her eye, she saw two men jump from the helicopter. They grabbed a stretcher and rolled it over to them. Ash had had a satellite phone and, apparently, Amanda had been quite vignt in searching for Sage . There had been a search team fifty miles out.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got this, ma¡¯am,¡± one of the medics said, waving at her to move away.

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she muttered, shock still racing through her veins.

    Not sure what to do, she stood there, helpless. They took his vitals and then heaved him up onto the stretcher.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the other medic said, cupping her elbow with his gloved hand.

    She nodded and began to walk toward the helicopter. Titan . She¡¯d forgotten about Titan . She paused. ¡°The dog,¡± she said, nodding over to his body.

    The medic looked in the direction she motioned. ¡°I¡¯ll get him. You get on the helicopter,¡± he yelled.

    She turned and climbed in after Sage . When the medic boarded with Titan in his arms, the pilot took off.

    Irena wrapped her arms around her stomach. Every feeling, from relief to frustration, to worry, coursed through her veins. They were rescued. In a matter of moments, she would be back to civilization with this whole thing behind her.

    But, as she nced down at Titan and Sage , a tear escaped and raced down her cheek. She¡¯d give that all up if it meant that these two could be okay. She¡¯d dly take their ce if it meant they wouldn¡¯t be hurt.

    As she swallowed against the lump in her throat, she nced out the window. The truth was, she was in love. And that thought scared her more than anything she¡¯d faced through the entire Greendic wilderness.

 THIRTY FIVE: IRENA

    I R E N A

    Two dayster.

    Irena was sitting in her faded red chair, staring out the window. It¡¯s drizzling here which is nothing new. Raindrops settled on the ss and then slid away, leaving a long trail behind. She shivered and pulled the nket around her. Although it had been two days, she still could not shake off the constant bone-chilling cold. It muste from trauma.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lindsay asked, walking behind her. She held a smoking cup in her hand.

    Irena slid down, nodding. ¡°I think so.¡±

    Lindsay handed him the cup, then sat down on the equally pale blue flower chair. She clicked her tongue as she stared at Irena . This made Irena ufortable, so she changed her position.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked. But she already knew what her roommate was thinking. Lindsay had been trying to convince her to talk about the ordeal since her return, but Irena couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak.

    Mrs. Brimone said she had to start talking.¡± Everything that happens to you affects your aura. It looks like . . . ck,¡± Lindsay said, shaking her head as she nced over at Irena.

    Irena groaned and threw her head back. She doesn¡¯t want Lindsay talking about her to her psychic, and she certainly doesn¡¯t want to talk about Sage and what happened in Greend . She likes to move on and forget everything she did.

    ¡°I¡¯m from¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± Irena whispered.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Lindsay sat down again. ¡°Okay. When can you?¡±

    Irena shrugged, bringing the cup of tea to her lips. She winced as the hot liquid covered her throat. ¡°I do not know.¡±

    Lindsay opened her mouth to say something, but before words coulde out, Irena¡¯s phone rang.

    Reaching out her hand, Irena picked it up and groaned. That¡¯s Peter. SHe was lucky enough to give her a few days off, watching her go through a life-threatening ordeal, but she ended the call knowing he still expected her to write, no matter what. go out.

    She bit her lip, ncing at Lindsay .

    ¡°He won¡¯t leave you alone,¡± Lindsay said, waving the phone.

    Again. Irena doesn¡¯t want to talk to her editor yet. All she wanted was to get under the covers and disappear. Live in a world where she doesn¡¯t hurt people and they don¡¯t hurt her. So she tucked the phone under her feet and listened to its muffled ringtone until it died.

    It has beenpleted. Hopefully Peter will get the message and leave her alone.

    Lindsay ¡®s phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her back pocket, nced at the screen, then at Irena.

    ¡°Is Peter calling you?¡±

    Lindsay nodded, running her finger across the screen.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±

    But Lindsay was already holding the phone to her cheek. ¡°Good morning?¡±

    Irena could hear Peter¡¯s muffled voice from where she sat. Lindsay was still staring at her, nodding.

    ¡°Oh, I agree.¡± She needs to get out of this joke.

    Irena narrowed her eyes. Why would her best friend betray her like this?

    ¡°Yeah. The story needs to be told so that both can continue.¡±

    Irena pulled the nket around her shoulders as Sage ¡®s face popped into her mind. The memories were too painful to recall, so she pressed them down with all her might.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell her.¡± Lindsay took the phone out of her ear and tapped the side. The screen turns ck. She put it back in her pocket and turned to Irena . ¡°Stand up,¡± she said, getting up and gesturing for Irena to do as she did.

    Irena buried her face in the nket. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Lindsay tugged at the nket, and it slipped from Irena ¡®s hand and fell to the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you do the whole Brent breakup with me now. You¡¯re going to wake up. You¡¯re going to take a shower. And you¡¯re going to do your job. You¡¯re a strong woman. This story needs to be written for Peter to leave you alone and, more importantly, me.¡± Lindsay stared at her. Her unceasing gaze.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°No. Now.¡± She pointed towards the bathroom.

    Irena ¡®s eyes widened as she stared at her frantic roommate. She racked her brains for an excuse, but nothing came up. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Good. She¡¯ll do what Lindsay says, but when she¡¯s done, she¡¯ll find another ce to live.

    She got up and went to the bathroom. She closed the door and turned on the water. Steam filled the bathroom as she entered the bathroom. The water hit her back as she turned to stare at the wall.

    The memory of Sage being dragged out of the woods by this hunter shed through his mind. Today, the ringing in her ears was as clear as when she realized he had been shot. But nothingpares to the pain she felt walking behind the stretcher when they took him to Anchorage General, and she told her to go home.

    That they were rescued, and that he was done with her.

    A sob escaped her lips as she put her face in the water. Her heart broke as the words she wished she had said shed through her mind. She didn¡¯t have time to fix what she broke. She couldn¡¯t go back and change what she said. What she wrote.

    She washes her hair a little harder than usual. Once she was clean, she wrapped a towel around her head and another around her body and walked out. She looked in the mirror. The wound she had in the ne crash has almost healed. She reached out and touched the scar that was forming.

    The memory of Sage ¡®s fingers brushing over her skin made her shiver.

    Why should he hate her so much? Why is she so stupid? As if she was always trying to sabotage herself.

    ¡°Are you done yet?¡± Lindsay called from the other side of the door. She tapped it a few times as if to emphasize her words.

    Of course. ve driver Lindsay wouldn¡¯t give Irena time to hate herself. Irena walked to the door and opened it.

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll drift down the drain.¡± She grabbed Irena ¡®s hand and pulled her into the room.

    ¡°Now I have prepared clothes for you.¡± She nodded to the bed.

    Irena groaned. Jeans and t-shirty on top of his nket. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t tell me what happened in Greend doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll lose your job. Peter needs to finish the Kennedy article tonight, and it¡¯s time to write.¡± Her Bright Blue Eyes Shining. morning when she smiled at Irena.

    Irena wanted to say no. She wants to be a hermit in her house. This entire article forces her to relive every minute, for better or worse, being stranded in the desert. Every minute she spent with Sage . She wasn¡¯t sure if her heart could take the pain. Avoidance became the best policy for her.

    ¡°Linds, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Lindsay shook his head. ¡°You just have to put your clothes on. That¡¯s all I asked for. ¡±

    Irena looked at the clothes. Good. She will. But there is no guarantee that she will write this article. Hopefully her frantic roommate will forget what she¡¯s been up to and that Irena will be able to put her pajamas back on and escape the world. Avoid responsibility. Get rid of Sage .

 THIRTY SIX: SAGE

    S A G E

    The silks under Sage were so soft. Almost too soft. The beeps beside him filled the silence as he stirred on the mattress. Pain shot through his shoulder and he swore. He needed to stop moving, but back in his room felt strange. It¡¯s only been five days since he was shot and he¡¯s already looking forward to leaving.

    A knock brought his attention to the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he called. Hopefully it was his doctor and he was there to say that everything is fine and can finally resume his daily activities.

    When Amanda appeared in the doorway, he groaned. Great. That¡¯s not the person he wanted to see. She hadpleted every job since the hospital handed him over to the doctor. Amanda had been hired to take care of her. It was clear that she wanted full ess to him, and the trips to and from the hospital were overwhelming.

    ¡°Nice to see you¡¯re up,¡± she said, looking at him through her sses.

    He shrugged. What he really wants to do is run away. Pack your luggage and leave this ce. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of Irena ¡®s crushed face haunted him. But he didn¡¯t want her around just because he was shot. And besides, hadn¡¯t she told him he had to be honest all the time?

    He swallows. The same feeling of emptiness settled in his stomach as a familiar thought entered his mind. Whoever told him, he wasn¡¯t being honest at all. For himself or Irena .

    Sage cleared his throat. He didn¡¯t want to think about it right now. She moved on and so did he. Or at least he will. As soon as he was no longer attached to those screens.

    Amandaes and opens the curtains. ¡°Did you see the article?¡± she asked, turning to look at him.

    ¡°What? Why?¡± Why is Amanda so mysterious?

    She rummaged through her purse and pulled out a copy of the Diary and gave it to him. ¡°It was published a few days ago. Return to page thirty-five. I am sure you will find it instructive.¡±

    Sage watched him as he reached for the magazine. He nced at the cover.

    ¡°Stranded with the Billionaire¡± is printed inrge print at the bottom of the page. Her stomach tightened. So she wrote it. The terrible article she described as an excellent one is now avable worldwide.

    He pushed him to the edge of the bed. ¡°Not interested.¡±

    Amanda nced at him. ¡°Actually?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to read bullshit.¡±

    His brows furrowed. ¡°Damned?¡±

    ¡°Trust me, I saw the first part of this article in Greend . I¡¯m not interested in reading the final version.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Did youe here for something else?¡± He asks. He¡¯s ready to move this conversation forward.

    Amanda pushed her sses up to her nose and nodded. ¡°We have work to do this morning.¡± She nodded at Sage . ¡°You will have to dress it up. You cane in, she shouted towards the door.¡±

    Two nurses and a maid in a suit walked in. They walked up to him and pulled the sheets off. Startled, Sage winced, causing his shoulder to ache.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked for a nket.

    Amanda ¡®s eyes widened. ¡°Sage , I understand you¡¯ve been through a terrible ordeal. But¡± ¨C she held up a finger ¨C ¡°you have a responsibility to thepany. No more lounging in bed.¡±

    ¡°But I think I got a lot of sympathy from the ne crash.¡± He grimaced. He hated that Amanda used the demise of this ce for publicity.

    ¡°Yes. But the news is only satisfying for so long. We will hold a press conference here where you will share the information we have nned for you to share in Nuuk.¡± She rings as she walks towards the open door. She stopped and leaned toward one of the nurses. ¡°Make sure his slingshot is clear,¡± she said, then walked away.

    Sage grimaced but kept his lips tight. He let the nurses help him get out of bed and take a shower. Once he was dressed with the sling exposed in front of him, Amanda turned around.

    She smiles as she walks across the room. Sage pinched his cheeks. He hated that Amanda made him do this. He hates this life.

    ¡°What now?¡± She sighed as she approached him. Her gaze drifted up and down him and she nodded toward the other women. They whispered to each other as they left the room.

    ¡°Guess I¡¯m not ready,¡± Sage said. His voice was hoarser than he wanted.

    Amanda stopped and stared at him. ¡°You need to stop doing this,¡± she said, reaching out and wiping one shoulder.

    Heat runs behind. What did she know? ¡°Doing what?¡±

    ¡°Run,¡± she said. Amanda has always had a direct way of speaking. She never threw a punch. The truth is more precious to her than anything else.

    ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°Sage Rogue Kennedy , I¡¯ve known you all my life.¡± She stopped, crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your good side, bad side and bad side.¡±

    He scoffed but did not deny it. It¡¯s the truth.

    ¡°You run away when you¡¯re scared.¡± She stepped back and adjusted her sses.

    Sage parted his lips. I mean she was wrong. He wants to justify all his past acts. But he couldn¡¯t form the words to say anything. The more he thought about it, the more true that statement became.

    ¡°Why are you afraid this time? What happened to you in Greend that you didn¡¯t tell me? I already knew Irena was on the side of things.¡± She nodded at the magazine on the bed.

    Sage wants to die under his control. If he even tried to lie, would she know? It seems she has a sixth sense about these things.

    ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t admit it.¡±

    Amanda smiled. ¡°You do not need to do so. Your silence tells me everything.¡± She sat down in a chair by the window. ¡°Get out.¡±

    Sage sighed and leaned against the wall. It was hard to find words to exin what happened. Especially when he wasn¡¯t sure what happened. But heid it all out in front of Amanda . He holds nothing back. He told her about the trip down the mountain. About Irena ¡®s near death in the cialke. The way they fought there were still times when he felt he could tell her anything. About the kiss.

    Amanda ¡®s eyes widened as he told how Titan had injured himself to save Irena . He told her about the article and how he waster shot. And then he ended up telling Irena to leave him alone.

    There was silence as Sage ¡®sst words hung there. He nced at Amanda , leaning her elbows on the arm of the chair and her fingers inteced in front of her. He looked at her, waiting for an answer.

    ¡°Now do you understand why I had to leave her?¡± Why did he so desperately want Amanda to approve of the way he fired Irena ? He is said to be a confident man. Just like his father. However, for some reason, his words were like acid in his throat.

    ¡°Is that what you think is best?¡± Amanda ¡®s voice was calm as she looked at him.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think is best, there¡¯s nothing I can say that will change your mind.¡±

    Perfect. What does it mean? Why is Amanda so mysterious? ¡°Don¡¯t you think what I did was right?¡±

    Amanda ¡®s eyes narrowed. ¡°Sage , you are a great guy. But you don¡¯t know how to love someonepletely. ¡±

    ¡°Wait, who said love?¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°I can¡¯t lie to you, Sage . He was afraid to love Irena . No reservation. No problem. Love her and let her in. ¡±

    His stomach tightened. Why did her words upset him so much? Can he expose himself like this? He knew there was tension and attraction between him and Irena . But trust was broken. And he wasn¡¯t sure they could recover.

    ¡°But do you think she can forgive me? Will you love me back?¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Amanda sighed as she stood up. ¡°I think you should read this article.¡±

    Sage stared at the glossy pages of the Diary. Amanda seemed convinced that everything Irena wrote would change his mind.

    ¡°You¡¯ll do what you want, Sage . When you want to know what to do,e ask me.¡± She pointed towards the door. ¡°We have the damage under control. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Sage put on his shoes and followed her. He stopped when he reached the bed. He bent down and grabbed the magazine. He could get bored in the car. That¡¯s all. Not because he was curious now about what Irena had to say about him. What does she think about their time together?

    He closes the door and walks down the hallway. He will worry about his feelings for Irena after this nightmare is over. For now, he needed to use all his mind to focus on cleaning up his father¡¯s mess, let alone his own.

 THIRTY SEVEN: IRENA

    I R E N A

    The familiar thrill that ran through Irena as she stood next to fellow reporters and photographers at a press conference no longer had the same effect on her this time.

    Still shocked that she hadn¡¯t told Lindsay about forcing her to leave, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her skirt is flying up and her heels are hugging her legs. It didn¡¯t help that there were blisters from the boots Sage made her wear five days ago.

    Furthermore, Lindsay decided that a press conference sounded extremely interesting and chose to stay and stand right next to Irena . This makes a hasty retreat almost impossible.

    Lindsay patted Irena ¡®s arm as she smiled at him. ¡°You never told me how fun these things are,¡± she said as her eyes danced in amusement.

    Irena stared at her. ¡°Probably because they don¡¯t,¡± she said. What¡¯s interesting is her bed and nket. A ce where she can hide and where the rest of the world doesn¡¯t know about her. A ce where Sage Kennedy doesn¡¯t exist.

    A, why can¡¯t you stop thinking about him? Why didn¡¯t he leave her alone? He did everything but told her he was not interested. Why didn¡¯t her heart receive the memo?

    Her article has been out for two days and she still hasn¡¯t heard from Sage . Her cheeks burned at the thought of the truths she had said there. She exposed herself and her feelings in a way she never did before.

    His silence was like a p. The worst kind of rejection. Although Peter says it¡¯s the best article she¡¯s ever written, the only praise she craves is from Sage , and she¡¯s given up hope that he¡¯ll give it to her.

    She sighed and looked around. Why are all these people gathered here? Lindsay was puzzled as to why they were here. She nced at her fellow reporters chatting among themselves. The word ¡°survivor¡± caught her attention and made her lean forward.

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t I?¡± I can¡¯t believe they held this press conference a few days after it was discovered,¡± said one reporter, ying with the tape recorder in his hand.

    Found? What does it mean? She nced at Lindsay , who was staring at a particrly handsome photographer changing lenses. Oh no.

    ¡°Lindsay , why are we here?¡± What is this press conference for?

    Lindsay looked at her. Her eyes widened as if she had been caught. ¡°It¡¯s crazy, you have to understand that you won¡¯te if I tell you who it¡¯s for.¡±

    Irena ¡®s heart felt like it fell out of her body. Her cheeks heat up as the room fades around her. She¡¯s here to watch Sage Kennedy hold a press conference. She wanted to cry and wanted to vomit at the same time. What did Linds do? She needs to leave.

    When she turned to rush out, reporters and photographers all surrounded her. There was amotion on the stage. She turned her back to the catwalk as she stared at the furthest exit, wishing she could somehow get there.

    A voicees from the microphone. Irena recognized it as a feminine voice with a business ent. Amanda .

    ¡°I want to thank all of you foring here today. I hope we can summarize this as Mr Kennedy is still recovering from the injury he sufferedst week. I want to keep the questions to a minimum so we can get out of here in time. With that said, I will pass the time to Mr. Sage Kennedy , CEO of Kennedy Outdoors.¡±

    Irena closed her eyes when she heard noises in the background, then a clear clearing into the microphone. She braced herself to hear the soft voice that had be a constant in her life in those fateful days.

    ¡°As you know, myte father, Sergio Kennedy , was the subject of many stories of illegal poaching.¡±

    Her heart beat to the rhythm of her familiar voice. This caused tears to form on her eyelids. Why is she here? Why was Lindsay torturing her like this?

    ¡°On behalf of everyone at Kennedy Outdoors, I would like to sincerely apologize to all of the loyal customers and supporters of thispany over the years. What my father did was uneptable and wrong. And I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that people will find the strength within themselves to forgive us.¡±

    Irena stopped. There was something in Sage ¡®s voice that made her turn. She hesitated, then stared at the podium. Her heart missed a beat. Sage stared at her. His ck eyes were piercing and serious.

    ¡°We were wrong. Very bad. And while we don¡¯t deserve to be forgiven for what we¡¯ve done, we hope that in time, the world can forgive the Kennedy s family. ¡±

    Sage never took his eyes off her face. Soon, reporters and photographers standing around turned to look at her. Irena ¡®s whole body heated up at the attention this caused.

    Harsh whispers draw everyone¡¯s attention to the podium. Amanda whispered things into Sage ¡®s ear. Sage turned to say something to her, and their conversation could be heard over the loudspeaker.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me she¡¯d be here?¡±

    Amanda turned to the crowd and smiled. Then she leaned toward Sage . ¡°Gifts,¡± she whispered.

    Sage stared at her for a second then turned back to the microphone. ¡°Kennedy Outdoors has agreed to donate ten million dors to protected areas in each country where my father poached illegally. While we know it can¡¯t be fixed, we hope it can begin to heal the pain caused by his actions.¡±

    He nced at Amanda , and she nodded. As if that was the relief he was looking for, he turned and ran down the stairs. Amanda approached the microphone and nodded to the audience. Arms were raised and questions filled the air.

    ¡°Wow. Interesting,¡± Lindsay said, ncing at Irena .

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Irena squealed as she tried to hold back her emotions.

    Lindsay put her arm around Irena ¡®s shoulder. ¡°Honey, you need to move on. Either with him or without him. You need to see it. Begin the healing process.¡±

    Irena moved her lips to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, she felt the building getting closer to her. Wanting a breath of fresh air, Irena just nodded and made her way through the crowd toward the exit. She lowered her head as she pushed open the metal door and stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk.

    She copsed on the brick building and buried her face in her hands. Is Sage talking about them? Is he apologizing for what he did? Has he seen my post? Does he know how you feel?

    It all made her sick. There was peace in knowing that he hadn¡¯t read her article. Knowing that the words she wrote down, even if she did not regret writing them down, she might not be seen by him. She has said that being trapped in the desert with him is the best adventure she has ever taken. That she would never go back and change what happened.

    But now that he could know every detail of her heart that she had written down, she wasn¡¯t sure how. Now all she wants to do is crawl into a hole and disappear. For all times.

    ¡°Irena ?¡± Sage ¡®s deep voice asked behind her.

    Her skin tingled as she became acutely aware of how close he was standing. He had to use all his strength to pull his hand away from his face and look. Sage was beside her with his hands in his front pockets and shoulders drooping. Was he as miserable without her as she was without him?

    ¡°Yes?¡± she whispered. She was afraid that if she raised her voice too loudly, it would scare him.

    His forehead furrowed as he reached back. He came out with a rolled up magazine. It¡¯s La Revue. His article.

    She sat up. This time she wouldn¡¯t let him go without telling him exactly what she was thinking. Sage Kennedy will listen to him, one way or another. Even if it means he can turn her down, she will say what she has to say. Only then can she really move on.From N?velDrama.Org.

 THIRTY EIGHT: SAGE

    S A G E

    Sage tried to calm his nerves by staring at Irena . Her tear-stained face and red eyes tugged at his heart in a way he had never experienced before. All he wanted to do right now was hug her andfort her.

    But there are a few things that need to be said before he can do that. And they all had to do with the article.

    On his way to the press conference, he pulled out the magazine, already hating what Irena had written. After all, he saw the first draft. But the more he advances, the more he realizes that she has changed all that.

    ¡°Is that what you mean?¡± he asked, opening the magazine to his article. ¡°Or are you just trying to sell copies?¡±

    Irena looked down at the page then back at him. She studied his gaze for a moment before nodding.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered.

    His heart was beating so hard that it could be heard clearly in his ears.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re trying to sell magazines, or yes, you mean that¡± ¨C he bent down to study the words as if he still hadn¡¯t memorized what she had written ¨C ¡±

    ¡°For some, Sage Kennedy is a conceited partygoer without thinking about how the rest of the world lives. It¡¯s the kind of lifestyle that sells stories. But today I am here to expose these ridiculous articles. What I¡¯ve learned from sticking with party animal Kennedy is that there¡¯s a lot more to it.¡±

    She looked down and kept staring at the sidewalk at their feet. When she said nothing, he skimmed down the article to a particrly confusing section.

    ¡°What about this part?¡±

    ¡°Without thinking about his life, Sage jumped into the water to save me. I. A reporter prides herself on uncovering the truth, but instead lets her own biases cloud her judgment. In all respects, he should have let me be. But he couldn¡¯t. Kennedy has a sense of duty and pride, a feeling that cannot coexist with someone who feels above thew. From my time with Sage in the desert, I discovered that there was absolutely no way he had anything to do with histe father¡¯s actions.¡±

    Sage looked up and saw Irena staring at him. There was power in her eyes telling her she meant every word. He swallowed as his throat went dry.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°And what about that?¡± he asked, his voice hoarse fromck of moisture.

    ¡°I think the most important thing I discovered while fighting for my life in the Greendic wilderness was how much Sage Kennedy and I were alike. We were both orphans. Desperate to find your ce in the world and look for the one thing that everyone is looking for for love. The kind that fills your soul and heals the cracks that life has created. And though I was afraid to say it, I found it. In the depths of the desert, I fell in love with the billionaire. Her voice softened as thest word escaped from the tip of her tongue. He paused before looking up at her.¡±

    A tear rolled down his cheek, instinctively reaching up to wipe it away. Her fingers tingled as the sensation of flesh ran down her arm.

    ¡°Irena , is this true?¡± You really need to know the answer.

    She bit her lip and nodded slowly. ¡°I mean every word,¡± she whispered.

    That¡¯s exactly what he wanted to hear. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him. He enjoyed the feel of her body next to his. The familiarity of her curves worked against him. Her shoulders shook as small sobs escaped her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said looking at her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the way I treated you. You don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    A smile appeared on her lips as she wiped her tears and looked up at him. She was about to speak, but he shook his head. He still hadn¡¯t. done.

    ¡°You¡¯re the best thing that ever happened to me. You have taught me to be strong, responsible, and to love more deeply than I ever imagined.¡± He held her tight as if afraid she would disappear. ¡°Please forgive me. Forgive the fool who waspletely covered with his pride for admitting that he too found love in the desert.¡±

    ¡°I can say now. no?¡±

    Sage nodded

    ¡°I forgive you,¡± she said as she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

    Heat ran down her body as he pulled her closer to him for the kiss. deeper. His heart sang as he wrapped his healthy arm around her. She ran her fingers through her hair. For a moment, everything blurred. They are no longer journalists and a billionaire, but a guy desperately in love with a girl. And he never wanted this moment to end.

    When she pulled away, he groaned. He never wanted her to leave his presence again.

    ¡°How¡¯s Titan ?¡± she breathed as she nced up at him.

    ¡°My dog? You stopped that kiss to talk about my dog?¡±

    She giggled and swiped at his shoulder. ¡°Come on.¡±

    Sage tightened his grip on her, so sheid her head against his chest.

    ¡°He misses you,¡± Sage said.

    ¡°He does?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Irena giggled. ¡°Good, because I have some news.¡±

    Sage pulled back. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re never going to guess.¡±

    He narrowed his eyes on her.

    ¡°I got a puppy.¡±

    ¡°Really? The girl who was terrified of Titan got a dog?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not the only one who had an effect on me.¡±

    Sage pulled her back and rested his chin on her head. ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°I love you, too.¡±

    At that moment, Sage was happy. At that moment, Sage knew that this was all he was ever going to need. He¡¯d found his person and, in her, his home.

 EPILOGUE

    S A G E

    16 monthster,

    Snow falls out of the window as Sage walks forward. He looked down at his watch. Irena was an hourte. Where was she?

    A soft Christmas bad ys in the background. Amanda did a great job finding a decorator to decorate this cabin. A Christmas tree sits in the far corner with twinkling lights. Titan was lying nearby with Irena ¡®s present tied around his cor.

    Everything is perfect. Except that Irena wasn¡¯t there. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His outfit made him feel like he was strangling her. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was his stress because he was about to ask Irena to marry him. Or that he¡¯s afraid Greend has imed it again.

    He should have known he shouldn¡¯t have booked a cabin in the mountains of Greend. But somehow he thought it would be romantic to go back to the ce where they fell in love. Man, he can be stupid sometimes.

    He should have taken Amanda ¡®s parted lips and raised his eyebrows as he told her what he had nned. But it seems like a perfect proposition.

    The headlights were shing outside the window and Sage ¡®s heart was pounding. She was here. Finally,

    ¡± Take your coat and run out. Joseph.¡± His driver is opening the back door. He nced at Sage .

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sage asked.

    Joseph looks a little pale. ¡°Not very familiar with these winding roads.¡±

    Sage reached out and patted his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Joseph shrugged. ¡°Well, we¡¯vee here, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    Looking at the limo, Sage looks for Irena . She was wrapped in a nket, her head not visible.

    ¡°Irena ?¡± he asked, sliding into the chair beside her.

    She came out with her eyes wide open. ¡°What. What. Damn it,¡± she whispered as her gaze swept over the limo.

    Sage reached out and pulled her towards him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know why I think it¡¯s so romantic. I¡¯m such an idiot.¡± He leaned down and kissed her on the head.

    Irena ¡®s rough posture seemed to rx as she leaned toward him. ¡°Not one of your smartest ideas.¡±

    Sage ¡®s heart sank. This proposal did not go as nned. How can he be so stupid?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Go inside and have some hot chocte.¡±

    Irena nodded into his shoulder. ¡°Alright.¡±

    In less than five minutes, his luggage was unloaded and into the house. Irena was cuddled up on the couch as Sage led Joseph to the limo.

    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± he said, patting Joseph on the shoulder. ¡°I owe you a big Christmas bonus.¡±

    Joseph ¡®s eyes lit up. ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± he said, smiling at Sage.

    ¡°Just tell Amanda I agree with everything you think.¡± It¡¯s Christmas. Anything he can do to keep his employees happy, he will.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± Joseph said, nodding toward the cabin. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    Nerves run through Sage ¡®s stomach when ites to his ns. ¡°Yeah, hope I didn¡¯t blow it up with all of Greend.¡±

    Joseph shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get through it.¡±

    Sage nodded as Joseph closed the door and walked down the aisle. Taking a deep breath, Sage stepped inside.

    Titan had left his corner and happily sat next to Irena . She finally got out of the nket and was patting his head. She looked calmer, moreposed.

    ¡°Is Joseph gone?¡± she asked.

    Sage nodded. His stomach tightened as he watched his hand move dangerously close to the engagement ring he wore on Titan ¡®s cor.

    ¡°Hey, Titan .¡± He whistled. Titan just gave her an unimpressed look and turned back to Irena.

    Sheughs. ¡°You still love me more than Sage , don¡¯t you?¡± she asked, grabbing the sides of Titan ¡®s face and pulling him closer to her. ¡°I¡¯m so mad that Lindsay bought a Jersey for the holiday. She¡¯d love to see you.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s going to bite you,¡± Sage blurts out. He could see the ring glittering between the folds of the fur. It was the worst proposal in the history of proposals. Scared the girl then found the ring before she had a chance to ask.

    Irena nced at him. ¡°How are you? Titan didn¡¯t bite.¡± She leaned over and let Titan lick her cheek.

    ¡°He just vomited!¡± Sage shouted this time. Anything to get him away from his dog.

    ¡°Sage Kennedy , why do you say that?¡± she asked, reaching out and wiping her face with her sleeve.

    ¡°And why are you acting so weird? It was you who invited me here.¡± She moved away from Titan but her hand remained on his head. He wasfortable next to her, cing his body next to hers.

    ¡°I¡­¡± His heart pounded in his chest. Should he do it? Stop this ridiculous scheme and just ask?

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Toote. She was touching the ring on Titan ¡®s neck.

    Kneeling on one knee, Sage took Irena ¡®s free hand and looked down at her.

    ¡°Sage ,¡± she exhaled as she stared at their hands.

    ¡°Irena Derrick. I love you more than I¡¯ve ever loved anyone or anything.¡±

    Titan barked.

    ¡°More than I love Titan .¡± He swallowed when he met her gaze. ¡°You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You are the only person I want to say good night to and the only person I want to see when I wake up in the morning. You are my soulmate. My people. . You may not want to? Do you have the honor to be my wife?¡± The words popped out of her lips at a record speed. The rhythm of his voice matches the beat of his heart.

    She studied him.

    He swallows. Why didn¡¯t she say anything?

    ¡°Sage Kennedy , I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡± She slid off the couch and knelt down in front of him. She took his free hand and looked up at him. ¡°I¡¯ll marry you on one condition.¡±

    Sage nodded. ¡°Whatever.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll never go back to this ce.¡±

    Sageughed as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers. He stepped back and looked at her.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°I can make this deal, honey,¡± he said, then leaned down for another kiss.

    Author¡¯s Note:

    This is it! If ever you reach this far, meaning you finished the story. I hope you like them, whoever you are, thank you for making time to read this and I hope it didn¡¯t disappoint you in a way.

    See you in my next story entitled SPELLBOUND BY BILLIONAIRE

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!