Page 79 of Protected By the Mountain Man

“You bitch!” Owen’s enraged scream pierced the snowstorm. “I’ll fucking kill you!”

I could see him through the flurries, running toward us. He was tall, fast; there was no way we could escape with me carrying Livy.

“Keep moving!” I pushed her forward.

She hesitated.

I couldn’t let him take her. Not her.

“Go!” I yelled at Livy, shoving her ahead of me. “I’ll distract him!” Tears blurred her face as she looked back, shaking her head. “Run!”

“Kat—” She choked on a sob.

“Go!” It was a command now.

She turned, her figure small and fragile against the storm, and ran. I watched for a moment, making sure she didn't fall again, then I waved at Owen. “Over here, asshole!”

I made sure I had his attention…saw the blood running in a crimson rivulet down his forehead.

Then I ran in the opposite direction from Livy, toward a clearing where he could see me—at least long enough for Livy to get away.

I sprinted away from him, keeping only enough distance to set my trap as I searched for a hiding place. I found it a moment later—a boulder—but he was already closing in. I ran toward it, lungs burning with the quick inhales of snow and frost.

Owen, furious and spitting curses, blundered into the clearing. I pressed myself flat against the cold earth behind the boulder, frozen in place, barely daring to breathe. His eyes scanned the white expanse, looking for any sign of movement.

“Come out, come out!” he taunted, his voice a growl that made my blood run cold. “You can't hide forever!”

I had this vague, stupid memory of playing hide and seek with him as kids.

He’d always been very good at it.

I waited, every muscle tensed like a coiled spring. He stepped closer, boots crunching on the frosty crust.

This was it—the moment to act or be caught.

I couldn't let him find Livy. Couldn't let him win.

With a burst of adrenaline, I lunged from my hiding spot and threw myself at him. My body slammed into his with all the force I could muster, sending us both tumbling to the ground. We grappled, my fingers searching for the knife, his hands like iron. He was strong, but desperation lent me a frantic energy. I clawed at his grip, trying to wrestle the knife away.

He pushed, and I felt myself losing ground, the strength ebbing from my limbs. In one swift movement, he shoved me off. My back slammed against something hard—a branch, jutting out of the ground. Pain exploded at the back of my skull; warm blood trickled down my neck.

Dizzy, I rolled over, squinting through the snow. Owen stood over me, knife in hand, his silhouette fuzzy from the wound to my head.

“This is it, Kat,” Owen sneered, looming closer. “The ranch is mine now.”

I couldn't muster a response, my head pounded with each beat of my heart.

“Should've stayed in California,” he growled.

I lay there, staring up at him. The cold seeped into my bones, numbing everything but my fear. I squeezed my eyes shut, and thought of Gabe.

Gabe, with his strong jaw, that half-smirk he gave when he thought he was being clever. Gabe, with the dark hair I wanted to thread my fingers through one last time.

If these were my last moments, I wanted them filled with thoughts of him, not this…not terror and blood in the snow.

“Goodbye, Kat.” Owen's voice felt distant, as if coming from far away.

This was going to hurt.

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