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  The kid was wise. Listen to the kid. Finally, the jaws released enough of their hold and he scraped his leg out of the trap. As soon as he was free, the trap sprung, snapping into the air.

  “Shit,” Lynx said, jumping back. “Your fucking father should have been shot for laying traps like that around here!”

  Aidan grabbed his lower leg as feeling began pumping through his veins like hot oil.

  “Do you think it’s broken?” Lynx asked.

  “Don’t know. Hurts too bad to tell.”

  “Fox, bring that sled over here.”

  Fox positioned a sled next to Aidan and they both helped him into it.

  “Let’s get out of here. This place always gave me the creeps.” Lynx pointed at Fox. “You and I are going to have a talk later on how you know where the booby-traps are hidden.”

  Fox gulped and looked away.

  “Lead us out of here, Fox.” Lynx grabbed the rope tied to the sled and pulled, following Fox’s trail. They reached a crew-cab 4x4 pick-up with the National Wildlife Refuge seal painted on the side.

  Aidan stood with Fox and Lynx’s help, using the door of the truck as a crutch. He climbed in, clamping his mouth shut as he bumped his leg.

  “Working for the State?” Aidan asked when they were under way. The snow came at them so hard there was no visibility.

  “Yep,” Lynx answered, concentrating on keeping the truck on the road. How he could tell where it was, Aidan hadn’t a clue.

  Aidan turned around to Fox, sitting quietly in the backseat studying Aidan. “Thanks, Fox. I owe you my life.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said, giving Aidan a hesitant smile.

  They pulled into the heart of Chatanika. An old gold mining dredge sat like a metal monster to the left, the main tourist attraction. The old lodge cabin squatted across the street on the right. A few outlying cabins dotted, circling the center of town, vague shadows in the rapidly falling snow.

  “We won’t be able to get you to Fairbanks in this weather,” Lynx said, parking the truck and switching off the engine. He turned to Fox. “Run and get Eva. I’ll get him into the lodge.”

  Fox jumped out of the truck and took off.

  Aidan wanted to insist they drive him to Fairbanks. He didn’t want to meet any more people from Chatanika. At least he didn’t recognize anyone by the name of Eva. She must be new. But if he went into the lodge, memories where going to swamp him. “Who’s Eva?”

  “My wife. And, lucky for you, an NP. She’s the best thing we got in medical care out here.” Lynx stepped out of the truck and walked around the front.

  Aidan opened the door and gritted his teeth. Getting into the lodge was going to be the easy part. Seeing the occupants was going to hurt.

  “Ready for this?” Lynx asked.

  Aidan didn’t know if he was asking about his physical well-being or the emotional havoc to come. “Not much choice in the matter,” he mumbled.

  Lynx put his arm around Aidan’s back. Aidan swung an arm around his shoulder and they hobbled to the front door of the lodge.

  The door opened and Fiona, Lynx’s mother, stood there, looking the same as Aidan remembered. Round and happy—well, more concerned at the moment—she’d always seemed to make the best out of what life handed her, and it didn’t seem as though that had changed.

  “Aidan Harte! I thought I’d seen a ghost when you pulled up.” She quickly looked him over. “Always coming to my place injured in one form or another, aren’t you?” She motioned for them to follow her. “Come on. Let’s get you patched up. Can’t wait to hear the story on this escapade.”

  A lump lodged in his throat as he looked around the lodge. The walls of its rough homespun interior were decorated with vintage mining materials and snow shoes, while over-sized furniture sat in intimate corners and soft old leather couches flanked the stone fireplace.

  Fiona was the closest thing to a mother he’d had growing up, since his own mother had checked out most of the time. Fiona had fed him cookies, washed his scraped knees, and scolded him within an inch of his life when he stepped out of line. Damn, he didn’t want to deal with these old feelings.

  God, he hoped Raven was no longer living here.

  Please, he prayed, let Raven be happily married and living in the Midwest somewhere. Far away from Chatanika.

  “Bring him in here.” Fiona opened the door to one of the guest rooms. The room was decorated simply, with an old quilt on the bed, a wooden rocking chair in the corner, and an old thrift store dresser. Criss-crossed skis hung above the queen size bed, and diamond willow lamps sat on birch nightstands. Nostalgia hit him like a snowplow. The lump in his throat grew.

  Lynx threw him down on the bed, and Aidan landed with a bounce. He held up his leg to keep blood from getting on the spread and gave Lynx a dirty look. He didn’t care that Lynx hated him, but he needed to take better care with Fiona’s things.

  “Lynx,” Fiona scolded. “That’s no way to treat an injured man.” She’d grabbed towels from the bathroom, and folded back the quilt, laying the towels down. “All right, Aidan, you can set your leg down now.” She gave him a once over. “Whatever did you do to yourself?”

  “He got himself caught in one of his father’s bear traps,” Lynx said with a sneer.

  “No.” Fiona gasped. “Oh, you poor thing.”

  Next she was going to be kissing his forehead and smoothing back his hair like she used to do. He wondered if she still had blueberry shortbread cookies in the cookie jar.

  “What is Earl thinking?” Fiona tsked.

  “Apparently, he’s no longer thinking or doing much of anything.” Lynx gave a cat-like grin. “Earl’s dead.”

  Fiona sighed. “Well…”

  There was no, ‘Isn’t that a shame.’ Or, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss.’ Nobody in the room would shed a tear for Earl Harte.

  “I take it you sent for Eva?” Fiona asked Lynx, who nodded. “Good. I’ll go and grab some medicinal beverage. Aidan, I’m sure you could use a drink.”

  Oh yes, he could. “Thanks, Fiona. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome. It’s good to see you, son.” She walked over to the bed and smoothed the hair back on his forehead. “You always did have the best manners around.” She left the room. The lump that had been forming in his throat clogged it closed.

  “Suck up,” Lynx said. “I’ll never understand why she doesn’t hate you like the rest us.”

  He had to clear his throat to speak. “She doesn’t blame me for the sins of my father.”

  “Acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

  “Have you ever seen an acorn tree growing in Alaska?” He tightened his jaw. “And I’m not my father.”

  Lynx snorted, but looked away like maybe Aidan had touched a nerve.

  A woman entered, who Aidan thankfully didn’t know. A little thing except for her very pregnant belly, with blond hair cut short and spiked around her pixie face. She reached up and gave Lynx a kiss. Interesting. She also carried a black bag. Must be the nurse practitioner.

  “Harte this is Eva, my wife. Eva, this sorry excuse for a man, is Aidan Harte.”

  “Nice to meet you.” She glanced at Lynx when he snorted again. “Are you going to be helpful?”

  Aidan couldn’t help the chuckle.

  “What?” Lynx demanded.

  “Just interesting to see who wears the pants in your relationship. Really nice to meet you, Eva.” He gave her a full smile.

  She smiled back and set the bag on the side of the bed, next to him. “Let’s take a look at you. Fox said you were caught in a trap?”

  Aidan nodded.

  She opened her bag, yanked on a pair of latex gloves, and pulled out scissors. She started at the hem of his jeans and carefully cut up the sides of one leg and then started on the other. “Your pants aren’t going to survive. Let’s see if we can save the rest of you.” She gave him a twinkling smile. “Lynx bring me over that trash can.” She indicated the one in the corner
. Lynx begrudgingly brought it over. Eva stopped and straightened, looking Lynx in the eye. “If you’re going to be like that, send someone else in here to help me.” She discarded the ruined jeans in the trash can.

  “Fine.” Lynx made a face, the same one he used to make when they were kids and Fiona would make him do something he didn’t want to.

  “Good.” Eva turned back to Aidan, and threw a crocheted blanket over his lower half, covering his batman boxers.

  He was going to like this woman. Lynx had grown into a bear of a man. His Athabascan and Tlingit heritage shone through like muscle. His black hair, dark eyes, and tanned skin contrasted with Eva’s short blond, blue-eyed, ivory-skinned, fairy looks.

  Eva surveyed Aidan’s leg. “Lucky you were wearing boots.”

  Yeah, one thing he had to be grateful for tonight, while so many other things had gone straight to hell.

  Fiona entered the room with a bottle of whiskey and no glass. “Better drink up, my boy, before Eva goes any further. She’s cute, but wicked.” Fiona handed him a bottle and stuffed pillows behind his back when he sat up to drink. He took a long swallow, and relished the burn as it flowed down into his gut. His eyes watered, and he did everything he could not to cough. Not in front of Lynx, who was waiting to insult him. He took another swallow and then handed the bottle back to Fiona, who sat it within easy reach on the nightstand.

  “All right, what can I do to help?” Fiona asked.

  “Get him to drink more,” Eva said, going for the boot laces on his good foot first. “You’re going to need a new pair of boots.”

  “Beats a new leg.”

  Eva chuckled. “I like a man who can keep a sense of humor at times like this. Unlike someone else I know.”

  Lynx folded his arms and rolled his eyes.

  “I like a woman who’s capable and pretty to look at.” Aidan flirted back and smiled when Lynx gave him the evil eye. He grabbed the bottle and took another swig. It barely burned at all this time. He swallowed some more, loving how it warmed his blood as it swam through his body.

  Eva started on the chewed up boot, cutting through the laces with her sharp scissors. A hush settled over the room, and Lynx and Fiona leaned in. “Step back and give me room to work.” She glanced at Aidan. “Why don’t you take another drink?”

  “Sounds like a dandy idear,” he slurred. He wasn’t much of a drinker. Since his mother had been a lush, he’d stayed away from it. The alcohol hit him hard and fast, like a moose during rutting season. He downed another long swallow. It was too much effort to get the bottle back onto the nightstand, so he cradled it in the crook of his arm. He was feeling no pain.

  Until Eva—the evil fairy from hell—pulled on his boot.

  “Ahhh!” He screamed like a baby. He’d tried to keep it in. Even bit his tongue, but with the booze, the holler had escaped.

  “Damn, I hope you didn’t break this,” Eva scolded him like it was his fault he was hurt. “No way we can get you to Fairbanks with that storm out there.” She surveyed the situation. “We need to get that boot off. If he broke it we’d better leave it on until we can get him to a hospital. But then what kind of infection has already taken up residence from the trap?”

  Aidan quirked a brow. “Are you expecting an answer from me?”

  “She likes to talk out her problems,” Lynx said, scowling. “Leave her alone.”

  Aidan took another swig of the whiskey, really getting into the numbing effects.

  “How’s he doing?” Fox asked, rushing into the room, his eyes wide as he viewed Aidan’s leg. “Ooh, that doesn’t look good.”

  Aidan hadn’t looked. In fact, he’d looked at everyone and everything in the room, avoiding the sight of his mangled leg.

  “Fox, you shouldn’t be in here,” Lynx said, walking over to him and laying a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t you have dogs to feed?”

  “That’s what I was doing. They’re all bedded down for the night.” He looked at Aidan, worry shining in his eyes. “Is he going to be all right?”

  “He’s going to be just fine.” Fiona walked around the bed and reached for Fox. “Come with me. I need your help getting him something to eat.” Fiona steered him out of the room, giving Aidan a backward glance with a wink.

  “Let’s get the boot off,” Eva announced, tightening her lips. “I think that’s the best course of action.” She went right to work. Before Aidan could down any more of the bottle, she had his boot off in one quick excruciating yank.

  “Shit. Fuck. Son of a bitch!” He gasped—had trouble getting his breath back—and started to shake.

  “Sorry about that,” the demon nurse from hell said. “Guess I could have warned you, but I prefer the rip-off-the-bandage method. Why prolong the pain? Now let’s take a look.”

  The edge of his vision started to blur. God, he hoped he passed out.

  Then she walked in.

  Raven.

  The woman who had haunted him all his life. From his dreams to his fantasies. The woman who had broken his heart.

  “So it’s true,” she said, glaring at him from the doorway, her hands planted on her hips. Her voice was deeper, huskier. It vibrated through him like a stone thrown into a pool of water. She slowly stalked toward the bed. “I can’t believe you had the nerve to come back here.”

  He gazed up into her dark, bewitching eyes. How he had loved to gaze into her eyes for hours as he stroked her soft, honeyed skin. “Why aren’t you in the Midwest?” he asked. And he thought dying was the worst thing that could happen to him tonight.

  “Midwest?” She frowned and glanced at Eva and Lynx. “Did he hit his head too?”

  “Nope,” Lynx answered. “But he’s had a lot to drink.” He indicated the half empty bottle of whiskey snuggled in the crook of Aidan’s arm.

  He took another swig. Man, that went down nice.

  “Where’s Fox?” Raven asked.

  “In the kitchen with Mom,” Lynx said. “He found Aidan, saved his sorry ass. He also knew how to navigate Earl’s booby-traps. It would be interesting to know how he knew that.”

  “Yes, it would. In the meantime, what are we going to do with him?” She pointed at Aidan as though he was something rotten that needed to be disposed of.

  He wasn’t worried. Hell, he was feeling fine. Aidan took another drink and some of the liquid dribbled down his chin. If they were going to kill him, they would have left him to die in the trap. With the temperature dropping to well below zero, he wouldn’t have made it through the night.

  Eva wiped the blood, rust, and dirt from his leg, while Aidan lost himself in gazing at Raven.

  She’d changed since he’d last seen her. At eighteen she’d been a skinny thing, all limbs and sharp angles. She’d gained weight and it had settled in all the right places. She was curvy. The kind of curvy a man could spend hours navigating, losing himself. He remembered the night they’d given each other their virginity. How they’d fumbled, laughed, and spoke of forever. How would it be to lie with her now?

  “Ouch.” He jerked as Eva poked him. “That hurts.”

  “Well, yeah.” Eva snorted. “You got your leg caught in a trap.”

  Weren’t nurses supposed to be compassionate?

  “Lynx, hand me that syringe.” She held her hand out. “Yes, that one.” She glanced at Aidan. “You’ve got a lot of crap in these wounds.” She glared at him like it was his fault. “I’m going to flush them out with saline and hope we wash out all the debris.”

  Aidan dropped his head back on the pillow as Eva went to work on him, snapping orders at Lynx for more towels.

  “What are you doing back here, Aidan?” Raven asked, her lips flattened into a line. She had such nice full lips that could stretch into a wide, welcoming smile. Why couldn’t she have smiled at him when she saw him instead of the scowl that wrinkled her forehead and made him feel like scum? Didn’t she have any fond memories of him that she revisited?

  “Earl’s dead,” Lynx answered for him.

/>   “Well.” Raven folded her arms under her breasts—breasts that were considerably larger than they had been at eighteen. “It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

  “I need those tweezers.” Eva pointed to a sterile package in her bag, snapping her fingers for Lynx to speed it up. For such a little thing, she had a Napoleon attitude. She tore into the packaging and pulled out wickedly sharp, stainless steel tweezers. “I didn’t get all the debris with the wash. I’m going to have to dig some of it out with the tweezers. Raven, hold his shoulders down. Lynx, you hold his leg immobile. And I mean don’t even let it twitch.” She flicked a glance at Aidan. “You aren’t going to like this.”

  “Surprise,” he said. “I haven’t liked any of it so far.”

  She smiled at him as though she approved and then narrowed a look at Raven. “Hold him down.”

  Raven took a deep breath, her eyes slanting. She didn’t want to touch him. But then he didn’t want her touching him either, for different reasons all together.

  She sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hands on his shoulders. Her scent drifted to him. In all these years she still smelled the same. Earthy. Berries, ferns, exotic underbrush. He vaguely felt Eva poking at him. The real pain came from having Raven so close and discovering he still had unresolved feelings for her hidden in the depths of his mangled heart.

  And she still hated him.

  “All right, I hope I got it all,” Eva said. “That trap must have been decades old and reverting back to nature for the amount of rust I washed out of the wounds. When was the last time you had a tetanus? Earl Harte should be shot for leaving things like that around his place.”

  Aidan laughed, though the sound was more sardonic than happy. Earl had been shot all right.

  “Aidan?” Eva hollered at him. “Tetanus shot? When did you last have one?”

  “Can’t remember,” he mumbled.

  “Are you allergic to any antibiotics?”

  “Nope.”

  “Are you all right?” Raven asked, looking suddenly concerned.

  “Do you care?”

  She tightened her lips, released him and scooted off the edge of the bed. “No.”