Chapter 14

No!

She was going to die.

No!

She could not look.

No!

Not this again.

"Are you ok back there?" She heard him shout over his shoulder. But she doubted if he was genuinely concerned about her safety as he revved the engine, taking it up a notch faster.

She had forgotten what had attracted her to him when they were young in the first place. She guessed it was the thrill of danger as she found herself hanging for dear life.

"I will be if you will slow down." She hissed as she tried to catch her breath.

At any rate, she held on tightly around his waist, afraid that she might fall. Or worse, fly in the air and land in some dark ditch.

Damnit! Saige.

She should have insisted on staying at the cottage where it was safe. Now, she was under the mercy of this daredevil as he maniacally maneuvered his motorbike on the narrow dirt road.

She could not even look, knowing there were deep ravines in those dark areas where she could fall and nobody would ever see her again.

"Don't worry. I know this place. I can drive through this woods even with my eyes closed." He assured her, but nothing he did ensured her safety as she closed her eyes and hoped she never died.

Nevertheless, he insisted that they were running on normal limits. It would be more dangerous if they slowed down.

"Trust me!"

She guessed, at that minute, she had no choice but to put her faith in his hands.

But somewhat, why did it not convince her? She felt more like he wanted her to have a heart attack. She only finally breathe when she felt the bike slowing down and when the engine finally stopped.

"Hey! I did not mean to scare you, but it is the fastest way to the nearest neighbor if we want to get dinner." He tapped her on her hand, notifying them that they had arrived at their destination.

Maybe it was his way of telling her that she also had survived to live another night. Nonetheless, she was glad as she finally opened her eyes.

"Are you sure that we could not have taken the jeep?" It was what they rode from the private airstrip to the cottage.

She thought it was safer than his rugged two-wheel mountain motorbike. Then, she quickly opened her arms, realizing she was still clinging to him like a koala bear.

"Did you see the path? Do you think the jeep would have fit in there?" He answered with a bit of sarcasm in his tone. "We could have taken the jeep, but it would take us hours before reaching the nearest house."

She guessed he had a point, but it had been years since she rode a two-wheeled vehicle. Truthfully, her last time was with him. But then again, she remembered the only time she ever rode a motorbike was with him.

"Fine. So whose place is this?" She asked when she finally noticed the only house around those big trees and bushes.

It was too small to be an inn or a diner. Therefore, it must be the home of someone he knew.

"This is my friend's house. So far, this place is our nearest neighbor." He announced as if that should sound comforting, but, of course, it was not.

They were in a freaking woods in the middle of nowhere. The old wooden cabin, the eerie sounds of crickets by the trees, and the shadows swaying with the wind did not help as fear crept under her skin.

"Why would someone want to live in isolation?" She asked, finding it creepy and frightening.

Although she liked silence, she would never dream of living in a place away from modern technology. She believed she would never survive in a place like this.

"Some people are happy with just living with their bare necessities. They like their simple life." He explained, assisting her to the patio before knocking on the door.

She understood wanting a simple life since she had never been materialistic. However, her research was her life. She doubted she would survive without it.

It was a trait she had inherited from her father. They loved solving problems and finding solutions to conditions that seemed to be hopeless cases.

"Xavier, what brought you here in this part of the woods?" When the door opened, a man immediately opened his arms, smiling and appearing glad to see his unexpected visitor.

Then, their host turned to her with brows knitted in the middle of his forehead, seemingly curious about who she might be.

"This is my wife, Saige." Xavier immediately introduced her, which appeared to increase the man's interest. "Saige, meet Logan."

"Wife? Why haven't I heard of your wedding?" The man asked as he opened his door wide and allowed them entry. "Daisy, come out here. You want to see who just came knocking on our door."

Not a few seconds later, a bubbly woman came out of the other room and joined them. When her eyes landed on Xavier, her smile widened as if she was more than happy to see him.

"Xavier, it has been a long time." The woman hugged him before slapping him in the arms. "And who is this lovely lady?" Her attention suddenly turned to her.

"That is his wife. Would you believe it? Xavier is now married. Our Al..." But before Logan could finish his words, Xavier slapped him on his shoulder.

"Would you mind feeding us with your excellent cooking? My assistant had messed up with the arrangement and forgotten to replenish my cottage with food." He pushed the man into the kitchen, leaving her and the other woman behind.

"Congratulations, my dear. I assure you that you are lucky to marry Xavier. By the way, I am Daisy, Logan's wife." The woman ushered her to the sofa, making her feel comfortable.

She did not know why. But she suddenly felt at ease with her company. It was as if she had known them for quite some time, probably because they seemed so kind and accommodating.

"How long did you know Xavier?" She could not help but ask, wondering how someone like him would be friends with people in this part of the world.

Honestly, she just realized that she hardly knew the man she married. Even when they were young, he had always been secretive about his life. When they got back together, it was the same thing.

Now, she could not help but be curious about what her husband tried to keep from her. What was his life? What was his secrets?

"A long time, my dear."