covered pine trees, rocks, and hills. We were standing on a wooden deck leading out
to something I thought I’d only ever see on the back of a postcard.
A small lake glistened in the background bordered by mountains upon
mountains, the sky an array of stars, like someone had blown silver glitter into the
night while a full moon shaded the snow in a blanket of white light, making it
sparkle and glisten.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered. “Where are we?”
“Alaska,” Darren replied.
I turned around in shock. “Alaska?!”
“Anchorage, to be more specific.”
I turned back around to admire the view. “It’s beautiful.”
It was everything I’d ever wanted to see, and I suddenly remembered revealing
to Darren long ago that if I had ever wanted to travel, I’d want to see mountains.
And here I was, surrounded by a dream come true.
I released a long satisfied breath, unable to hide the small smile lingering in the
corners of my mouth. Manipulation at its finest.
“You remembered,” I said blankly, staring off into the night. He remembered
during our little game of pool that I’d always wanted to see mountains. And here I
was.
“Of course, I did,” he said smoothly, almost triumphantly.
Bastard.
“I supposed you’ll want a medal.”
A light chuckled rolled up Darren’s throat, igniting my skin in goose bumps.
“Just a thank-you would be nice.”
I dug my heel into the floor of the deck. I didn’t want to thank him, but it was
just another bullet I needed to bite. My arms crossed over my chest, I turned around
and looked him dead in the eyes, ignoring the smugness that lingered.
“Thank you,” I said sincerely, and it left a sour aftertaste in my mouth.
“You’re welcome,” he replied with a smirk. “But this isn’t the end of the
surprise. There is still so much more to show you.”
I lifted my brows. “There’s more?”
“Much more”—he nodded—“come on.”
Darren took my hand and led me back around to the front of the house, but I
couldn’t keep my eyes off the beauty around us, even if it was dark out. But when
we did reach the front of the house, the trees around me were forgotten. The house
before me was like nothing I had ever seen before, and I couldn’t help but gasp at
its architectural beauty. The house was a massive log cabin, with wide-open
windows, cobblestone walls, and at least a foot of snow covering every inch of the
roof.
“Like it?” Darren asked as he watched me, that smug smile returning.
“It’s … gorgeous,” I said. I couldn’t lie. It was definitely a dream home.
Darren then put his leather gloved hands over my eyes and held me still. “Last
time. Now, keep ‘em shut.”
“Okay.” I groaned, my voice a little shaky. I didn’t like the vulnerability he was
creating, but I went with it.
“Follow my steps,” he ordered.
Again, I followed every move he made, stepping where he told me, even up the
steps to the door. I listened to it open, and a welcoming blast of warm air that
smelled faintly of cinnamon immediately greeted me.
We walked further, my boots connecting with stone floor until it transitioned to
wood. With each step, the sound of Christmas carols playing in the background
grew louder and louder until the unmistakable “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
strung itself through my ears. Darren then finally stopped my advancement.
“This was all for you, Jaden. Merry Christmas,” Darren said softly and pulled his
hands from my eyes.
It took a few blinks for my eyes to focus, but when they did, it was like Christmas
had vomited itself all over the house. A massive Christmas tree decked out in
lights, beads, and ornaments stood tall in the center of the room, surrounded by
more Christmas decorations covering nearly every inch of the giant room I stood in.
Christmas carols played over the speakers in the corners of the ceiling, and the
bowl of Christmas potpourri companioned with red candles confirmed my
suspicion of the scent of cinnamon.
The room we were standing in was a grand foyer with a gray slate stone tile floor,
the walls stacked with large wooden logs, the furniture consisting of antique yet
comfy looking burgundy red couches facing each other in front of the biggest stone
fireplace I had ever seen. A fire had been lit, giving off a wave of soothingly warm
air while a rustic chandelier glittered above me, together cascading the room in a
soft, warm glow.
The scene was nothing short of breathtaking, and it made me forget that Darren
was even standing in the room while the guards busied themselves behind us. It
suddenly dawned on me that he had done all this for me, to make me happy. I knew
it was another form of manipulation, but … goddamn was it working.
I turned around to find him standing a few feet behind me looking perfectly
pleased with himself, his hands in the pockets of his
