IRENA 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 plane 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 do last 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 f
SAGE AFTER a few splashes 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 was last night? The fear around him was almost tangible. Something in the past scared him. It wasn't just a plane 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 blame 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
IRENAIRENA tightened her coat around her as she stood in the mountains, waiting for Sage to come 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 plane 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 gaze landed on her. As
SAGE DARKNESS crept around them as they continued down the mountain. Sage glanced 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 is coming. 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, glaciers 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 glacier. 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 directio
IRENA RENA’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, Irena lay 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 glanced 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
SAGE THEY will soon reach the end of the glacier. 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 glacier are slowly widening, which means the end is a little closer. He heard a struggle and then Irena 's exasperated sigh. He glanced 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 glared 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 tr
IRENA IRENA shivered again as she stepped down the mountain. The memory of Sage 's body pressing against hers flashed 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 changing landscape. A smile appeared on Sage 's lips. "Finally. The end of the glacier." 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 glacier, the joy in Irena 's heart plummeted. There was a lake hundreds of meters high falling in front of them. Streams flow from the glacier 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 glanced at Irena. He look
SAGE 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 glanced at TItan, barked, then ran. Sage grabbed him by the collar 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 hol
SAGE16 months later, Snow falls out of the window as Sage walks forward. He looked down at his watch. Irena was an hour late. Where was she? A soft Christmas ballad plays 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 collar. 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 Greenland has claimed it again. He should have known he shouldn't have booked a cabin in the mountains of Greenland. But somehow he thought it would be romantic to go back to the place 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 ha
SAGE 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 and comfort 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" - he bent down to study the words as if he still hadn't memorized
IRENATHE 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 blanket. A place where she can hide and where the rest of the world doesn't know about her. A place where Sage Kennedy doesn't exist.
SAGETHE 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 had completed 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 access 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 glasses. He shrugged. What he really wants to do is run away. Pack your luggage and leave
IRENATWO days later.Irena was sitting in her faded red chair, staring out the window. It's drizzling here which is nothing new. Raindrops settled on the glass and then slid away, leaving a long trail behind. She shivered and pulled the blanket around her. Although it had been two days, she still could not shake off the constant bone-chilling cold. It must come 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 uncomfortable, 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 a
SAGETHE 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 shared last night. The closeness he'd allowed himself to feel. He reached down and grabbed a flat 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
IRENASAGE 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 glanced 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, laying things out on the tarp. She wanted to say something. Explain what had happened. But the words
SAGETHERE 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 's lacerations 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.
IRENA 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 place everything was still going as usual. Her soft breathing could be heard a few millimeters from where she lay. 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 relationship? God, she's going to look like a loser. She lay on her side, arms crossed over her chest. She began to take deep breaths, held her breath, then released. She wanted his body to relax, and soon he did. The sun emerged in the little hut-like