At night fall, the cold and dark blanketed the shack in shadows and snow, while we held off the urge to rest with a discussion of sleeping arrangements.

After thinking about what was fair and what we all felt comfortable with, Owen seemed to come up with the best plan. "Since you guys been here longer and are used to sleeping in the bed, have it tonight. Then tomorrow night we'll switch."

"That should work." I nodded, but the thought of closing my eyes and putting my guard down in close proximity to stranger had me on edge. However, it took a lot to prevent my imagination from playing out the kinds of sinful scenarios that I had read about in romance novels. The what-if thoughts made my heart flutter and heat rush my cheeks. I glanced to Owen, trying not to allow my facial expressions to give away those puzzling yet inappropriate feelings I couldn't shake. "Where are you sleeping tonight?"

Owen looked around the room as if he had many options. The glow of the lantern contoured his sharp jawline and played up his gentle masculine features. "I'll sleep here. On the floor."

While Ethan helped Owen place clothes and blankets on the floor to provide a cushioned barrier for him to sleep on, I took the opportunity to look past my reflection in the window and out into the darkness.

What might I see? With such a wild and rampant imagination, would I see another horrid sight? I overlooked the fear and stared beyond the glass at the frozen lake. The large white ice seemed to be the only area that shone with the light of the moon.

Words could never explain the beauty.

Maybe I was wrong. How could I have ever imagined such evilness taking place on that beautiful piece of nature?

I turned back to the boys who were already resting in their preferred sleeping spots.

"I forgot how cold this place gets in the winter." Owen rubbed his palms together to produce warmth.

No matter what, I couldn't get rid of the sadness that weighed heavy in my gut for Owen. "You come here because it makes you feel better about yourself?"

"That's right." He ran his slender fingers through his hair, bringing attention to his bright stands. "Isn't that the same reason you came?"

I scratched my temple. "To feel better about myself?"

He nodded. "Your dad drank too much, made you guys feel like crap, so you ran away. And now, being here make you both feel better about yourselves. Am I right?"

I tilted my head, replaying and dissecting the day's conversation in my mind. "We never said that."

"You said enough." He shrugged. "I just pieced the rest together."

***

Morning seemed to come with an abrupt and rude awakening from the sun's rays. The bright sunshine beamed through the window and prevented me from opening my eyes, but the sound of Ethan and Owen on the floor near the bed engaging in a hushed discussion piqued my interest.

"You read that a lot?"

"I read it every day."

Owen snickered. "Do you believe everything in it?"

"Well . . . yeah." Ethan's words were barely audible. "Don't you?"

"No, not everything." The bass and confidence in Owen's voice was a stark contrast to Ethan's soft-spoken tone. "I think they added most of that stuff to control everyone. I don't think all of it is God's words." He snorted.

"What do you mean?" Ethan probably had that confused look on his face he'd often give me when I questioned certain phrases in The Bible. "What parts are you talking about?"

"Well, like the ten commandments, for instance." Owen's voice became more assertive as he spoke with sureness, like a teacher with knowledge. "Originally there were dozens of commandments that Moses supposedly obtained from God. So how did we end up with only ten? And who decided those were the most important? Thou shall not covet thou neighbor's crap, thou shall not do what makes you happy in fear of going to Hell, thou shall not do this and that... It's all ludicrous to me."

"Well, I believe it." It was easy to know when Ethan was angry or offended. He'd give quick and short responses, if any.

Owen laughed quietly, probably sensing Ethan's annoyance. "What else do you believe in?"

Silence filled the space for a few seconds before Ethan answered, "Love?"

"Ah, I see. You're an incurable romantic, huh?" Owen seemed excited about the change of subject.

"I ... don't really know anything about romance. So..."

"Do you love Allison?"

When hearing the question, I held my breath in anticipation of the answer.

"Of course, I love her. She's my sister." Ethan sounded shocked and disappointed that Owen would even ask. Almost as if he expected him to already know the answer.

"Oh, come on." Owen snickered and his voice changed subtly, almost as if he were teasing. "You know what I mean. I see how you guys sleep together. How you're all cuddled up and holding onto each other for dear life."

"Because we're cold!" Ethan's tone went up an octave. "Nothing more."

"Come on, you can tell me," Owen urged. "She's not your real sister. It's okay if you have thoughts about her."

Ethan huffed, blatantly irritated. "I don't, I haven't, and I never will."

Owen scoffed. "She's feisty, but she's a good-looking girl. Right?"

I sat up in bed. My gaze connected with theirs as they turned in my direction. "You know I could hear, right?"

Ethan dropped his head and closed the bible he cradled in his lap.

Owen flashed a charming and innocent smile. "So, you heard everything?"

"Yes, I did." I folded my arms over my chest, annoyed that he would embarrass Ethan the way he had. "I wish you'd leave Ethan alone with all the weird questions."

"Okay, okay." Owen slid over, putting more space between him and Ethan. He rested his back against the wall and kept his eyes on Ethan. Ethan sat crossed-legged and avoided eye contact while he played with the book's corner pages. Ethan was different and fascinating in his own way. He was unlike the heroes in romance novels in looks, behavior and mannerisms, which was probably why Owen seemed more curious and captivated with him.

After a few seconds of silence, Owen grinned. "You know, something's been on my mind since we met."

"What's that?" I wiped sleep from my eyes and placed my hair in a neater ponytail.

"Why did you guys refer to me as the knight?" He looked back and forth between me and Ethan. "Is it because I'm handsome?"

I bit my lip in shame. "When there's nothing to do, I look out the window and make up stories to pass our boredom. The lake is our stage. You must've been near it, on your way here, when I saw you." I stood and wrapped the blanket around my freezing shoulders while I replayed my visions and tried to decipher what was real or imagined.

"So ... you saw me?" Owen seemed confused.

"Yes, I- The day before you knocked on the door." I wanted to say, "With the dark-haired girl," but kept that to myself.

"Yes, I was on my way here but got lost and disoriented, and forgot where this place was." He playfully hit his head with his palm and rolled his eyes. "It's been a long time since I was last here. I was out there searching for this place for a while."

Ethan shot me a look, but I wasn't sure what it meant or what he was thinking.

"What?" Owen asked when he caught a glimpse.

"Nothing." I shrugged and went to the window. After pulling the thin curtain aside, I sat in the chair and tightened the blanket around me.

Ethan stood and retrieved his notepad from the bookcase. He flopped down on his favorite part of the bed and began to doodle. He cleared his throat. "Who is it that you see today, Allison?"

He called me Allison, unaware that I was Sonya today; a Latin princess with all the desires a girl could want.

"I see a cold, frozen lake off in the distance." Although boredom was a threat, my mood didn't allow me to imagine. Or was fear halting my creativity?

"You don't see anyone?" Owen sat forward, intrigued. "Any towers, dragons, or ... knights?"

"None." I shook my head.

Owen rubbed his chin. "You know what I see?"

I zeroed in on his bright smile. "What?"

"I see a gorgeous girl with beautiful eyes, lovely thick hair, and great lips. And she's looking at me like I've lost my mind." He laughed, nearly blushing.

"You mean me?" I poked my chest bone.

"Uh-huh," he winked.

For the first time since our initial meeting, I saw sweet sincerity in his eyes.

And during the silent moments that followed, I replayed his words over and over in my mind along with his wink. My belly fluttered like tiny, warm fingers tickling from the inside. The sensation increased whenever I stared into his honey-colored eyes. Eyes that were so light brown they were almost transparent, which made his gaze haunting, powerful, and sensual at the same time.

What went through Ethan's mind when he looked at Owen?

Did he see a sensitive, heart-broken peer who missed his father and felt mistreated by his mother? Did he see a strong, confident, man with flaws like any other, but was in search of the same freedom we sought? Did he see a cold, calculated murderer?

When I stared into those eyes, I didn't see a murderer.

I didn't want to see one, either.

What do you see in Owen now that you've gotten to know him a little more?

You're awesome for the reads, votes, and comments! <3