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Meadow said something to her, and she smiled, though it appeared forced. Too wide to be natural. The distant look in her eyes was eating at him.
He took a seat on the long split log positioned in front of the fire where couples usually sat together. But as soon as he sank to it, Livia circled the fire and sat far away from him.
His chest welled, caught in the tight grip of fear.
And anger too.
He had done everything in his power to escape his enemy. He’d fought to free himself. Bled for his trouble. Had broken into a cabin to find a phone to call her. And she wasn’t even going to sit beside him?
His gaze met hers for a single heartbeat before she shifted hers away, acting as though the flames held answers to whatever internal war she waged.
With his lungs burning for air, he stared at her until the brightness of the flames imprinted on his eyeballs, and all he could see were orange blotches. But he knew Livia was avoiding his gaze.
He had to put himself in her shoes. He knew how her mind worked.
She was stubborn to a fault. He thought she’d worked through that with him, but he was apparently wrong.
If he had to guess, Livia was attempting to push him away out of some misled sense of self-preservation. It was no stretch of the mind to think that she felt a deep terror at realizing he was missing. Since she’d lost pretty much anyone who was important to her, shoving him away was her way of shielding her heart from more potential pain.
Fuck if he’d let her get away with that. He’d throw her over his shoulder and spank her round ass if she even tried it.
He got up. A couple of the guys cast him looks as he circled the fire and stopped in front of her.
She fixed her gaze on his chest.
Without a word, he held out his hand. Waited for her to take it.
C’mon, darlin’. Just reach out and grab my hand. Show me that I’m not wrong about the love I see in your beautiful eyes.
She sat there, fingers tangled in her lap.
A long beat of silence passed. Even Webb noticed and faltered on the strings.
Chest bursting with annoyance, Carver dropped his hand to his side.
Fine. Let her be a stubborn ass. He’d given his all to her. He’d been willing to entertain the idea of a new life—a life much different from any he’d ever imagined.
“I see where I stand.” His words came out harsh, a little too loud.
Everyone stilled.
“You want to sit there and pretend I mean nothing to you, do that. Just stay in your narrow lane, Livia. Not really living, just existing. Get up and go to your bar. Clean up, unpack orders. Serve drinks all night. Make the rum that you never wanted to make in the first place and then go home alone to your bed and your cat!”
She winced. Her face paled in the orange glow of the fire.
He waited another minute for a response. When none came, he raked his fingers through his hair and took off walking.
He couldn’t get away fast enough. He wouldn’t stick around hoping that Livia would drop her walls with him and let him be the man she needed in her life. He couldn’t—
Brain grinding to a halt, he rounded the barn and saw it.
Red flames licking from the roof of the bunkhouse.
Chapter Nineteen
“Get the water tank and the hose!” Webb’s bellow carried over the land, sending a ranch hand sprinting for the truck used to haul water out to the animals in the pastures.
Hands plastered over her mouth, Livia stared at the bunkhouse. Up in flames.
