Chapter 36

His teeth chattered the entire drive back, and he had to turn up the heat in the car because he was freezing. He kept his eyes firmly on the road, hyper alert to everything going on around him. After slamming the brakes hard to avoid hitting a squirrel, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to relax a little.

Not until he parked outside the cabin did he allow himself to calm down. To breathe.

“Shit.” He forced his trembling fingers to release the seat belt and open the car door. “Shit, fuck, shit.”

A puff of crisp mountain air found its way into the car and wafted over his face, bringing a comforting scent of pine trees. It cleared his head enough for him to be able to get out and walk the short distance to the porch on wobbly legs. He sank down on the stairs, bent forward, and put his head between his knees.