Page 30 of Protected By the Mountain Man

I couldn’t help him right now.

I had to act.

I charged the masked man like a bull seeing red, throwing my body against his. My shoulder slammed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending us both reeling. He fell back, his head cracking against the tile floor…but he got up.

Still, that moment had given me enough time to grab his knife.

For a moment, we locked eyes—him sizing up his next move; me daring him to make one. Then his gaze darted toward Gabe, who was struggling to get up with Bandit licking his wounds. Bandit saw the guy looking and snarled.

“Try it, and the dog will take a chunk out of you,” I warned, though my heart hammered against my ribs.

The man made his decision. With a last look that promised this wasn't over, he bolted for the back door.

I sprinted after the intruder, my boots pounding against the floor…and then flattening the tall grass outside. I paused with the knife in hand, protecting my house. In the distance, I saw the man join back up with his partner, and together they disappeared into the aspens.

The same aspens where someone had hidden the day Ben was shot.

But I had something else to worry about.

“Olivia!” My voice came out raw, scraping against the panic that threatened to swallow me whole. No response. My heart hammered a warning in my chest.

If they’d taken her…

Then a rustle from above caught my attention. Livy was perched on a thick branch of the big oak tree, her small figure clambering down with the agility of a scared cat. Before her feet even touched the ground, she launched herself into my arms, her body trembling.

“I hid,” she gasped, her breath hitching. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help, I just hid, and I…”

“You couldn’t do anything,” I whispered. “It’s okay, Livy…it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

I held her tight, relief flooding through me as her words dissolved into sobs. The relief was short-lived. Pain seared from the cut on my arm, bringing reality crashing back.

Gabe.

“Come on, Livy,” I said, my voice firm despite the fear knotting my stomach. “Stay close to me.”

We ran back inside, the house now silent except for our hurried steps and ragged breaths. In the living room, sprawled on the floor, Gabe was slowly coming around, Bandit whining beside him. His side was bleeding…but not too much, to my relief. It looked like the intruder had only nicked him, just like with me.

“Hey, hey, you okay?” I dropped to my knees, clutching his shoulder.

Gabe groaned and blinked up at me. “Kat? That you?”

“Yeah, it's me.” I fought the tremor in my voice. “You're alive.”

“Seems so,” he muttered, trying to sit up.

“Easy there, cowboy,” I said, gripping his shoulder as he swayed.

“I’m okay,” he said. “I’m…fuck, my head is killing me, but I’m okay.”

I didn’t chastise him for cursing. I didn’t tell him to stay calm. I didn’t ask where he’d been, why Bandit hadn’t been with Livy.

I just needed to hold him.

Without another thought, I flung my arms around him, pulling him close. Livy joined in, wrapping her small arms around us both.

Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder by the second. Gabe made a move to stand, but his body wasn't on board with that plan just yet. He groaned and leaned back against the wall, eyes squeezed shut.

“Stay put,” I ordered. “And Livy, keep an eye on him.”

---