Page 77 of Protected By the Mountain Man

The barking grew louder, more desperate as we neared the barn. A bag of feed lay spilled about halfway there, forgotten. I grabbed the barn door, icy metal biting into my skin, and hauled it open.

Bandit burst out, his fur bristling, barks morphing into low growls. He skidded past us and sprinted to the driveway, nose to the ground, sniffing frantically. We followed…and it was only then that we saw them.

Tire treads, barely visible under fresh snow.

“Almost covered over…he’s a good dog,” Chris muttered. “Someone was here, and it looks like they left in a hurry.”

“Damn it.” I stood up, fists clenched. “This is bad, Chris. Real bad.”

“Let's follow them.”

I glanced up at the sky, the clouds heavy and darkening by the second. “We gotta find her, Chris. And fast.”

“Another storm?” he asked, following my gaze.

“Yep. A big one.” I swallowed hard. “We don't have much time.”

“Okay; I’m working on getting a trace on her phone.” Chris pulled out his phone, tapping rapidly. “I'll call it in. Get a search team ready.”

“Good.” I paced a tight circle, every nerve on edge. “Let’s go; the search team can join us.”

I turned, following Bandit's lead, the dog still tracing the scent of the intruder. Whoever had taken Kat and Livy had just made the biggest mistake of their life.

Because I wouldn't rest until I brought them home.

TWENTY-NINE

Kat

I had this horrible feeling we were going to die.

The truck’s wheels crunched over gravel and snow, my grip tight on the steering wheel. Every few seconds, I risked a glance at Owen in the rearview mirror. His face, contorted with anger, was a mask I couldn't recognize. Livy's soft sobs from the backseat were the only sound other than Owen's gruff voice.

“Keep driving, Kat. Bearclaw Mountain,” he muttered. Now that we were in close quarters, I could smell the whiskey on his breath—if the empty bottle on the passenger seat wasn’t enough proof.

“Owen, please.” My voice broke as I tried to reach him, the cousin who once built forts with me, not this stranger holding us hostage. “Remember when we used to race to the old oak tree? You always let me win.”

“Shut up about the past!” His shout made Livy whimper louder, her cries piercing the tense air.

“Okay, okay,” I breathed out, casting another wary glance his way. “Just…talking, Owen. That's all.”

“Shut up!” His voice sliced through the cab. “I'm tired of being the forgotten one. I deserve that money, Kat. After everything I've put up with.”

I swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my ribcage. I couldn’t believe he’d done all this just for the sake of selling the ranch, I hadn’t realized he had this much resentment toward us. He’d acted like he was such a good friend…but it had all been a lie.

The truck slid to a stop in the parking lot at Bearclaw's foot, an expanse of white stretching out, untouched by any but us. The snow was coming down faster now, the front edge of the storm crawling across Silver Ridge. The mountain loomed, hooked like a claw.

I’d hiked it many times…but it had never looked quite like this.

Never like a tomb.

“Out,” Owen ordered, his knife glinting as he pressed it tighter to Livy's throat.

For a second, a reckless thought sparked in my mind. I eyed the whiskey bottle, imagining the satisfying crash of glass against his skull. But my hands stayed on the wheel, my body frozen as he shoved the door open and dragged Livy out into the biting air.

I followed his instructions, no other option available. It was freezing up here, and it reminded me of how I’d so narrowly dodged death in the river yesterday.

Now, all that meant nothing.

---