Page 89 of Claimed By 3 Mountain Men

JT straightens, wiping the sweat from his brow as he looks down at the unconscious men. “That went better than I expected,” he mutters, but there’s no humor in his voice.

I let out the breath I had been holding and step back from the guy I’ve got pinned. He’s still conscious, glaring up at me with wild, furious eyes, but he doesn’t dare move.

Mac comes beside me, her breathing hard but steady, her eyes wide as she looks from me to JT to Ben.

“We did it,” she whispers, more to herself than anyone else.

“Yeah. We did,” Ben sighs, shaking his head.

But as the adrenaline begins to fade, I realize that this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.

JT steps forward, his eyes locking on the man I’ve got pinned. “Who are you working for?” His voice is cold, and dangerous.

The poacher glares up at him, blood dripping from his nose. “Go to hell.”

JT’s jaw clenches, and I can see the fury boiling just beneath the surface. He crouches down, getting in the guy’s face. “You’re going to tell us everything. Or you’re going to wish you had.”

I glance at Mac, her face pale, and I know she’s thinking the same thing I am.

This fight isn’t over.

Not even close.

23

MAC

The adrenaline still pumps through my veins as I stand next to JT, watching him stare down the poacher with an intensity that makes the air around us feel thicker.

The police should be here any minute, though it will likely take a bit longer since we’re so far in the woods.

My breath is shallow, my fingers tingle as I grip the knife still held tight in my hand. I can barely hear the rustle of the leaves around us or the crackling of the dying fire. All I can focus on is the look in JT’s eyes—dark, angry, and demanding answers.

The poacher beneath him sneers, blood dripping from his mouth, but he’s not saying a damn thing. Not yet. JT’s face hardens, his voice low and cold. “Tell me the truth. Was my father involved with you?”

The words hang in the air, and for a moment, the only sound is the wind rustling through the trees. My heart pounds in my chest, a sudden rush of fear and anticipation floods through me.

The poacher laughs, a hollow, guttural sound, and spits blood onto the ground. “Your father? That piece of shit? He wasn’t working with us, you idiot. He was trying to stop us.”

Hank’s jaw tightens, his body goes completely still. “What did you say?”

The poacher sneers again, his eyes glint with something twisted, almost gleeful. “Luke Truitt tried to shut us down. The old man thought he could get in our way, play the hero, save the day.” He chuckles darkly, the sound grating on my nerves. “He underestimated what we were capable of.”

I glance at JT, his knuckles white as he grips the poacher by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. His voice is deadly quiet, controlled but seething with rage. “What do you mean, ‘underestimated’?”

The poacher coughs, blood dribbling down his chin as he laughs again. “We set up the ‘accident’ that killed him. We warned him to stay out of our business, but he didn’t listen.”

My stomach lurches, and the ground beneath me feels like it’s tilting. Luke didn’t die in some random accident. It wasn’t bad luck, or an unfortunate tragedy. He wasmurdered.

All three Truitt’s go rigid, and for a moment, I think they’re going to kill the guy right here and now. JT’s fist tightens around the poacher’s collar, his eyes blazing with fury. “You killed our father!”

The poacher’s smile falters, fear flickering in his eyes, but he nods, his voice is shaky now. “He shouldn’t have gotten involved. He should’ve just let us be.”

My eyes dart to JT, his face a storm of emotions—rage, grief, and something I can’t quite place. His grip tightens again, and I see the strain in his muscles, the barely-contained violence simmering beneath the surface. Hank takes a step forward, holding his knife up, ready to strike, but Ben stops him dead in his tracks.

“JT,” Ben says sharply. “Don’t.”

His eyes flicker to his brothers, the fury is still there, but his grip loosens just slightly. He’s breathing hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly, but he doesn’t let go completely.

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