Page 83 of Claimed By 3 Mountain Men

JT’s gaze snaps to mine, his eyes hard, calculating. “And you want us to help you do it.”

“It’s not a matter of want,” I reply, meeting his stare head-on. “It’s a matter of need. We can’t take them down alone. We need to work together on this, or they’re going to keep getting awaywith it. They’re on your land, JT. If we don’t stop them now, it’s only going to get worse.”

JT looks away, his jaw clenched, his hands gripping the edge of the laptop as if he might break it in half. “This is a hell of a mess, Mac,” he finally says.

“I know. But we have to stop it before it gets worse.”

Ben steps forward, placing a hand on JT’s shoulder. “She’s right, JT. We can’t let this slide. We’re in this, whether we like it or not.”

“We’ve got to take them down. For Dad. For the land. For us,” Hank says.

JT is silent for a long moment, his eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for an answer out there in the cold morning light. Finally, he nods, a short, sharp movement that’s as much an agreement as it is a resignation. “Alright,” he says, his voice firm. “We had already agreed to help you this morning, Mac. We do this together. But the fact these poachers are active changes things, it makes it more dangerous. We have to do it my way.”

"Your way?" I challenge, standing my ground despite the intimidating aura radiating from JT.

"Yes, my way. You want our help, Mac. And we're willing to give it. But in return, you will follow my lead."

I open my mouth to argue but Hank steps in before I can utter a word. "He's right, Mac," he says, his tone calm and soothing as he places a comforting hand on my arm. "We know these woods better than you do. We've spent our entire lives here."

They’re not leaving much room here, but I also don’t know what the best way to handle this situation is. I need them as much as they need me.

"Understood," I say finally, letting out a breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding. "Your way, JT." I close the laptop and hand it back to JT, our fingers brushing in the brief exchange.The touch sends a jolt of electricity through me, and from the subtle shift in his expression, I think he feels it too.

His gaze darkens, any hint of the previous anger replaced with an intensity that sends my heart thudding against my ribcage. Our eyes stay locked for a moment too long. Then his attention shifts back to the laptop in his hands.

“Mac,” JT’s voice carries a note of warning in his voice. It's as if he senses the thoughts swirling through my mind and knows the dangerous path they're leading us on. But I’m not about to back away from him, not when we’ve come this far.

Ignoring the warning, I reach out, and place my hand on his arm. His skin is warm and I can feel the heat seeping into me. His muscles tense beneath my fingers, but he doesn't pull away.

“There’s a chance we might discover that your dad was involved with them, you know that right?” I say, addressing the massive elephant in the room.

Ben nods, running his hand through a mess of his hair.

“Yeah. We know. We’re ready for whatever truth might come out of this.”

"We’ll need to prepare," he says, his voice gruff. "Get our gear together. Form a plan."

I nod, pushing down the flutter of nerves in my stomach. "Right," I say, stealing a glance at the three Truitt brothers in front of me. “Thank you.”

Hank tilts his head and flashes me a half smile, “Don’t thank us just yet.”

The sun’salmost gone now, the last streaks of light fading into deep purples and reds across the sky. The forest around us is sinking into shadow. The air has a chill to it, the kind that bitesat your skin and makes you wish for the warmth of the lodge. But we’re miles away, trying to get the last camera up before it’s too dark to see.

My leg throbs with every step, a sharp reminder of the trap that nearly cost me more than just a few nights’ rest. I try not to limp, and try to push through the pain, but I can feel the ache deep in my bones. I’m exhausted, both from the day and from the weight of everything we’ve discovered.

JT is beside me, his hands steady as he checks the camera’s position, his movements precise. He’s been quiet today, more focused than usual, and I can’t help but feel like there’s something unsaid hanging between us, something heavy and dangerous.

Everyone’s been working, following his instructions.

“Just a little higher,” I say, pointing to the tree branch I think will give us the best angle. “We need to cover the entire clearing.”

JT gives me a sharp look, his jaw clenched. “It’s fine where it is.”

“No, it’s not,” I snap, my patience wearing thin. “You’re missing part of the trail. If we don’t catch everything, this whole setup is pointless.”

“I know what I’m doing, Mac,” JT growls, stepping closer, his towering presence casting a shadow over me. “This isn’t my first time out here.”

I cross my arms, refusing to back down, even though the closeness of him, and the intensity in his eyes, is making my heart race in ways I don’t want to admit. “It’s not my first time setting up a camera either. You’re too low. It won’t capture the right angles.”

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