Page 58 of Protected By the Mountain Man

I reached into my pocket and yanked out my phone, looking down at the screen. There were no alerts, but I pulled up the camera feeds anyway. Everything was quiet, Bandit snoozing on the couch.

“We’re all good,” I said. “But I don’t think we should go out again until the police have found whoever’s trying to hurt you.”

“We,” she echoed with a bitter laugh. “How do you know I’m not going to kick you out after the shit you pulled tonight?”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. Part of me wanted to give her a flat-out no; she needed me there to protect her and Livy, and there was no way I would abandon them. Another part of me wanted to beg for her forgiveness.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said quietly.

“Right,” she said. “And I should trust the guy who clearly hasn’t changed from when he beat my brother half-to-death?—”

“I went ahead and called it in.” Both our heads snapped toward Chris, who’d reappeared in the driver’s side window. “Y’all gonna be able to get out of here okay?”

I nodded. “Should be able to, but stick around for a second just in case we can’t. I’ll…”

I trailed off, seeing how Chris winced.

“Something the matter?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Look, Gabe—I was actually heading out to the Martin place to talk to you,” he said. “Talked to about a dozen people down at the Spur who said you kicked some guy’s ass.”

I groaned, reaching up to pinch the bridge of my nose. “Damn it…is he pressing charges?”

“He actually dipped after everything went down, but Jake O’Hara wanted me to tell you he wants you off his premises until further notice,” Chris said. “Sorry.”

“As if I would show my face in there after what I did,” I muttered. “Uh…tell Jake I’m sorry, okay? I mean it.”

“Will do,” Chris said. “And I’ll let you know if the guy you hit shows up at the police station. You two want an escort back to the house?”

I looked over at Kat, who was clearly still rattled.

“Yeah,” I said. “That would be great.”

The drive back to the house was quiet, Kat looking out the window with her arms crossed over her chest. Chris’s squad car stayed behind us all the way back to the ranch, and we parted ways at the driveway. The house was quiet, the lights glimmering in the distance as we pulled up and I parked next to Kat’s SUV.

She wouldn’t speak to me—not even as she slid out of the passenger side, grabbed her keys, and put them in the door. I could hear Bandit barking from inside the house.

And I…

Fuck. I was angry.

All I’d done was try to protect her. This whole time, I’d tried to protect her. I’d done a lot to change, I’d put in the effort, and she still couldn’t see that?

How much longer would I have to pay my dues? The self-flagellation was killing me.

I would’ve driven off without her, back up toward the cabin, but my desire to protect her overwhelmed all of that. I cursed and shut off the car, pulled the keys out of the ignition, and stalked toward the house. Kat was already inside, but she’d left the door unlocked for me; she knew I wouldn’t go.

I followed the sound of her footsteps down the hall, finding her standing at the bathroom mirror. She was taking off her makeup at the sink, her jaw set. She was holding something in, that was for sure—but I didn’t know if I wanted to hear it.

“We should talk,” I said.

She looked up at me, rolling her eyes. “About what?”

I crossed my arms, wanting to take her on. I couldn’t stop thinking about her saying I hadn’t changed, when I had changed. I’d taken care of her, worked here for free, rebuilt the barn.

And more than all of that…this was my home now. Kat and Livy and Bandit were like family.

I was in love with her and she thought I was a monster.

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