Chapter Six

Chapter 6

The cabin was quiet. Almost too quiet. But I needed that—needed the stillness, the feeling of a fresh start surrounding me. I set my small bag down on the wooden kitchen table and let out a long breath. This was home now. No more cold stares from my family, no more flinching at the sound of footsteps, no more walking on eggshells to avoid his anger.

I ran my fingers along the smooth counter, taking it all in. The warmth of the wooden walls, the slight creak of the floorboards beneath my steps, the scent of pine lingering in the air. This place wasn’t haunted by my past. It was mine.

Moving to my suitcase, I pulled out the orange prescription bottle. My fingers hesitated on the cap before I twisted it off and shook out the small white pills into my palm. The familiar weight of them reminded me of all the nights I spent curled up, drowning in my own thoughts, heart pounding with panic. I tossed the pills into my mouth and swallowed them dry.

The memories came unbidden.

Daniel’s voice, sharp and cold, telling me I was worthless. My mother’s disapproving frown whenever I cried. My father’s indifference. My friends—if I could even call them that—telling me I should be grateful. That he provided for me. That my feelings didn’t matter as long as I had stability.

Nothing I did had ever been enough for them. I was too emotional, too quiet, too much, and yet never enough.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the counter. That was behind me now. That wasn’t my life anymore. This was a fresh start.

Then came the knock.

The sharp sound startled me, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. My heart jumped, and I had to take another grounding breath before making my way to the door.

I hesitated before opening it, fingers gripping the handle tightly.

Jace stood there, looking as self-assured as ever, but it was the man next to him that held my attention. He was taller than Jace by an inch or two, his dark black hair slightly tousled, like he hadn’t bothered to tame it before coming over. But it was his eyes that caught me. Bright blue—unnaturally so. And for a brief second, as I met his gaze, I swore I saw them flicker gold.

I blinked, telling myself I was imagining things. It must have been a trick of the light.

Jace smirked, clearly enjoying the way I was looking at his companion. "Anna, this is Nolan, my older brother." he said, gesturing toward the man beside him. "Thought I’d introduce you since you’ll probably be seeing a lot of us."

Nolan’s lips quirked into something that was almost a smile. "Nice to meet you, Anna."

His voice was smooth, low, but there was something about it that sent a shiver down my spine. Not in fear, but in something else entirely.

I swallowed and nodded. "Nice to meet you too."

Jace leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "We figured we’d stop by, see how you’re settling in. Everything good so far?"

I nodded again, but my voice felt caught in my throat. There was something about both of them—an intensity that made my skin prickle, yet I wasn’t afraid. No, I was drawn in.

Nolan tilted his head slightly, as if studying me. "You sure? You look like you’ve had a long day."

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. "It’s just been… a lot. Moving, adjusting, you know."

Jace smirked. "You get used to it. This town has a way of keeping people."

Nolan glanced at him before returning his gaze to me. "And are you planning to stay for good?"

I hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yeah… I think I am."

Nolan’s expression didn’t change much, but something in his eyes softened. "Then welcome home."

Jace clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. "Guess that means we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other."

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. "I guess so."

There was a pause, a moment of something unspoken hanging in the air between us. Then Jace grinned. "Alright, we won’t keep you. Just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay."

I smiled. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

Nolan nodded, his gaze lingering on me for just a second longer than necessary before turning to follow Jace down the porch steps. I watched them go, my fingers still gripping the doorframe.

As I closed the door behind me, I exhaled slowly. 

Something about them unsettled me. Not in a bad way. In a way that made my stomach tighten, made my heart race.

I had a feeling my fresh start wasn’t going to be as simple as I thought.