Chapter 2 — Arrival at Blackthorn Ridge

Victoria

Victoria adjusted the cuffs of her tailored blazer with deliberate precision, her sharp silhouette a striking contrast to the untamed wilderness beyond the SUV’s tinted windows. The vehicle’s tires crunched against gravel as the road twisted upward, carving through a dense, ancient forest. The towering pines seemed to close in around them, their gnarled branches forming a cathedral of green that filtered the sunlight into shifting, dappled patterns. The air outside appeared pristine, untouched, but to Victoria, it felt oppressive, as if the wilderness itself resented her presence.

Beside her, Sophie Hart fidgeted with the vibrant scarf draped around her neck, twisting the fabric between her fingers in a rhythm that betrayed her nerves. Despite the cheerful patterns of the scarf and her usual upbeat demeanor, Sophie’s movements carried a jittery energy that filled the silence.

“Do you think they’re all like him?” Sophie finally asked, her voice pitched with forced lightness, though her green eyes darted nervously to Victoria for reassurance.

“Like who?” Victoria responded, not looking away from the window.

“Lucas Grey,” Sophie said, lowering her voice as though the forest might overhear. “He didn’t exactly scream ‘welcome wagon’ on that last video call.”

Victoria allowed herself a faint, dry smile. “Approachability doesn’t close deals, Sophie. Results do.”

Sophie nodded quickly, her fingers still twisting the scarf. Victoria turned her hazel gaze back to the window, tracing the forest’s darkened depths. There was a stillness to the wilderness—a watchful quality that pricked at her composure. It was as if the land itself weighed her intentions, probing for weakness. She dismissed the sensation, rolling her shoulders back slightly, though her fingers brushed against the cool surface of her Onyx Fountain Pen tucked in her pocket. Its familiar weight steadied her, a tangible reminder of her control.

The lodge emerged suddenly from the embrace of the forest, a striking presence at the road’s end. Everpine Lodge was larger and more imposing than the photographs had suggested. Its dark timbers bore the weathered dignity of age, standing in studied defiance of the wilderness around it. A wide wraparound porch extended along the front, offering an unbroken view of the towering peaks that framed the horizon. It exuded a quiet power that unsettled her, a stark reminder that this wasn’t just another negotiation—this place, and the man who owned it, were different.

As the SUV rolled to a stop, Victoria’s gaze landed on the man standing at the lodge’s entrance. Lucas Grey leaned against one of the porch’s thick wooden beams, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Even from a distance, his presence was commanding, his rugged features set in an expression of practiced detachment. His amber eyes, sharp and unyielding, appraised her with a scrutiny that made her feel as though he’d already formed his verdict. The faded flannel shirt and worn jeans he wore should have clashed with the lodge’s dignified backdrop, yet somehow, they seemed an extension of it—natural, unforced, and unapologetic.

Victoria stepped out of the SUV, her designer heels clicking against the gravel with a confidence she didn’t entirely feel. The mountain air brushed against her skin, cool and almost biting, but she ignored it, straightening her blazer as though donning armor. Sophie scrambled out after her, clutching her tablet like a shield.

“Ms. Lane,” Lucas greeted, his deep voice resonating across the space between them.

“Mr. Grey,” she replied, her tone polished and unyielding. She extended a hand, her hazel eyes meeting his amber gaze head-on. He didn’t take it. Instead, his gaze lingered on her for a heartbeat too long, a flicker of something—amusement? Irritation?—crossing his features before his lips curved into a smirk that bordered on a warning.

“You’re persistent,” he said, his voice edged with dry amusement.

“I’m thorough,” Victoria countered, lowering her hand without missing a beat. “A trait I’m sure you can appreciate.”

Lucas’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes narrowed slightly, as though weighing her words. He pushed off the beam with an easy, deliberate motion and gestured toward the lodge. “Come inside,” he said simply, turning on his heel and striding toward the door without waiting for her to follow.

Victoria hesitated for the briefest moment, her gaze sweeping over the lodge again. There was something about it—a presence, a weight—that gnawed at her carefully maintained confidence. She could feel the forest at her back, its stillness pressing against her as if urging her to turn around. Sophie’s voice broke the spell.

“Wow,” Sophie murmured, her green eyes wide as she took in the lodge. “It’s... beautiful. Almost like something out of a storybook.”

Victoria didn’t respond. Instead, she squared her shoulders and stepped forward, her heels clacking against the wooden porch as she followed Lucas inside. Sophie trailed behind her, a step slower.

The lodge’s interior was warm and inviting, yet undeniably primal. A massive stone fireplace dominated the open-plan main room, its crackling fire casting flickering shadows across the polished wooden floor. The air smelled of woodsmoke and pine, undercut by a faint trace of something wilder, earthier. Wildlife-themed décor adorned the walls—photographs of wolves prowling through snow, antlers mounted above the mantel—and the furniture was handmade, sturdy yet elegant in its simplicity. Victoria’s gaze caught on a small wooden carving of a wolf’s head perched on a side table, its craftsmanship so detailed it seemed almost alive.

“This is the heart of Everpine Lodge,” Lucas said, his voice low and steady. He leaned casually against the back of a leather armchair, his posture deceptively relaxed. “Where guests come to disconnect. To remember what the world looked like before people like you started carving it up.”

Victoria’s lips pressed into a thin line, but her expression remained composed. “People like me?” she echoed, arching a brow.

Lucas’s gaze didn’t waver. “Corporate types. You see the land as numbers on a spreadsheet. I see it as home.”

She bristled at his words but forced herself to remain calm. “I see it as an opportunity,” she said smoothly. “Your lodge has untapped potential, Mr. Grey. With the right partnership, we could create something remarkable here.”

Lucas snorted, the sound low and derisive. “Remarkable for who? The suits in your boardroom? Or the tourists who’ll trample through this place without a second thought for what it means?”

Sophie shifted uncomfortably, her fingers tightening around her tablet. Victoria, however, held her ground, her hazel eyes locked with Lucas’s unwavering amber gaze.

“With all due respect,” she said, her voice sharpening just enough to convey authority, “those tourists would bring revenue to this town. Jobs. Opportunities. Isn’t that worth considering?”

Lucas’s jaw tightened, the muscles flexing beneath his tanned skin. For a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath, the crackle of the fire the only sound.

“You don’t get it,” he said finally, his voice quieter but no less resolute. “This isn’t just a lodge. It’s part of something bigger. Something your numbers can’t measure.”

Victoria hesitated, the sincerity in his tone catching her off guard. “And what would that be?” she asked, her curiosity genuine despite the tension between them.

Lucas didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned toward the window, his gaze fixed on the forest beyond. The golden light streaming through the glass cast his profile in sharp relief, emphasizing the rugged strength of his features.

Sophie cleared her throat hesitantly. “Um, maybe we could—”

“Thank you, Sophie,” Victoria interrupted, her tone curt but not unkind. Her assistant blinked, then nodded quickly, retreating to a quieter corner of the room.

Victoria stepped closer to Lucas, her heels sinking slightly into the thick rug. “I didn’t come all this way to argue with you, Mr. Grey,” she said, her voice softening just enough to sound sincere. “I came because I believe in this project. And I believe we can find a way to make it work—for both of us.”

Lucas turned his head slightly, his amber eyes meeting hers. There was a flicker of something in his gaze—doubt, curiosity, or perhaps something deeper—but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“You’re wasting your time,” he said gruffly, though his tone lacked the finality of his words.

“That’s for me to decide,” Victoria replied, her hazel eyes unwavering.

For a moment, the silence between them was almost palpable, charged with unspoken conflict. Then Lucas straightened, his expression hardening once more.

“Stay in town if you want,” he said, his voice clipped. “But don’t expect me to change my mind.”

With that, he strode past her, his boots thudding softly against the floor. The door swung shut behind him, leaving Victoria standing in the center of the room, her heart pounding harder than she cared to admit.

“Well,” Sophie ventured cautiously, stepping up beside her, “that went... about as well as I expected.”

Victoria exhaled slowly, her gaze lingering on the door. “It’s just the beginning,” she murmured, more to herself than to Sophie.

She adjusted the cuffs of her blazer, her mind already churning with strategies. Lucas Grey might be stubborn, but so was she. And she wasn’t leaving Blackthorn Ridge without a victory.

Outside, the forest seemed to hum with quiet anticipation, as if it, too, knew the battle had only just begun.