Blood Ties

Unwanted Reunions

Gabriel Ward's truck rumbled to a halt at the edge of the gravel path, its tires sinking slightly into the wet, uneven ground. The cabin loomed ahead, weathered and defiant amidst the sea of pine trees, a testament to the legacy of secrets and grudges that bound him to this place. The storm clouds overhead promised a downpour, and the scent of rain was sharp in the air.

As he stepped out, the wind bit through his jacket, stinging his skin. His boots crunched on the gravel, each step a reminder of the battles that brought him back here. He was no stranger to facing demons—he carried them in the lines of his face, the shadows in his eyes—but facing her was another matter.

The door opened, and there she stood: Evelyn "Eve" Harper. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, framing eyes that gleamed with a mixture of surprise and something colder. The years had honed her features, turned the defiance in her stare into a blade that could cut through steel.

"You came," she said, her voice icy but steady. Her eyes searched his, as if hunting for weaknesses.

"You asked," Gabriel replied, his tone even. But they both knew that wasn't the full truth. He hadn't come just because she'd called—he'd come because the ghosts of his past whispered that it was time.

Eve stepped aside, holding the door open with an arm crossed over her chest. "You shouldn't have," she muttered, but the door shut behind him before he could respond.

The interior of the cabin was a stark contrast to the storm raging outside. The flickering fire cast dancing shadows on the worn wooden walls, revealing cracks and imperfections that time refused to heal. It smelled of smoke, pine, and something faintly metallic. Memories surged—laughter, arguments, slammed doors—and Gabriel shoved them down, focusing instead on the woman standing a few feet away.

"Where's Richard?" Gabriel's question was curt, more out of necessity than politeness.

"Out gathering wood," Eve said, her voice sharp, defensive. She leaned against the mantel, her posture casual but tense. "He thought we'd need more before the storm hits full force."

Gabriel nodded, though he knew the real reason Richard was absent: the man couldn't face him, not yet. The silence stretched, fraught and heavy, until Eve broke it.

"Why are you really here, Gabriel?" she asked, the steel in her voice belying the vulnerability in her eyes. "It can't just be to play peacekeeper."

"I'm here because I have to be," he said, his gaze unflinching. "Whatever mess this is, it involves both our families. And if we don't figure it out, we're all as good as dead."

Eve's eyes narrowed, anger sparking to life. "Funny, coming from the man who used to make sure I knew my place."

Gabriel's jaw clenched. "Things change."

"Not enough," she whispered, and in that moment, the room felt smaller, the air charged with things neither of them dared to say.