Page 101 of Her Redeemed Protector

As I prepare to mount, I face an unexpected hurdle. The saddle Savannah had stashed in the trailer isn’t what I’m expecting. I couldn’t fit even half my ass on it. Looks like it’s bareback for us.

Climbing onto Misty, I lean in and whisper, “Take me to her.” And we start forward.

Just then, my phone rings. With my flashlight tucked in my armpit, I answer. It’s Chase, but the weak signal completely fades before I can answer. I switch to my satellite phone as he tries again.

“Comet, I’m held up. Friggin’ landslide has blocked my route, but I’m navigating through,” Chase reports.

“Head to Lakefall,” I reply, feeling Misty pulling in that direction.

“Roger,” he says, and then the line goes dead.

Misty picks up her pace, shifting into a determined trot. “Let’s go find her,” I murmur. No matter what it takes, I’m ready to face whoever took her. She will be safe in my arms. Tonight.

40

SAVANNAH

As my eyes adjust to the barely lit interior, the rustic outlines of a lodge take shape from the shadows. I’m perched awkwardly on a crude wooden stool, my wrists bound tightly to a rough-hewn pillar, its faint scent of pine resin permeating the air. This has to be the hunter’s lodge Fabian mentioned, hastily erected to exploit the natural bounty of the forests surrounding the Mitchell Ranch, or what remains of it.

The building is basic, with exposed wooden beams and a thin roof that flaps in the wind, allowing the occasional draft to sweep through the space. It’s stocked with the essentials of a hunting outpost—maps, knives, traps, and extra rolls of rope. The walls are adorned with a couple of rudimentary racks holding rifles and shotguns.

Juliet’s voice interrupts my scrutiny. “Not much to look at, I know,” she says, catching my gaze sweeping the room. “I’ve taken over the estate. Under a pseudonym, naturally, hidden behind a shell LLC of my own making. This lodge? Merely a side venture while I clean up the remnants of West Sun. It’s also a prime hunting ground, you know. I’m even considering offering taxidermy,” she chuckles dryly.

It’s friggin’ cold in here. Then I realize I’ve been stripped of my jacket, socks, and boots, likely as a precaution to prevent my escape. Battling the pounding in my head from the earlier hit to my temple, I peer out the window into the darkness. I have no clue where I am on the property.

“Pining for your old home now? Feel the sting of irony?” Juliet sneers. “Oh, this isn’t where your home stood, darling. Remember? It sank into that gaping crater West Sun carved out for their lavish resort.”

“Why drag me into this, Juliet?” I ask, my voice steady despite the surreal turn of events. “You don’t need to wax nostalgic with me.”

“On the contrary. I do,” she replies. “We’re at the old north rest stop. You and your father would have passed through here countless times with your herds. Tragic, isn’t it?”

“Your beef is with Fabian, not me. Leave me out of this.”

“Lies!” she snaps.

“I’m not mixed up in your problems with him!”

“Oh, really? Moved on to a younger, better man, I hear. What’s his name… Huxley?”

“Yes, Huxley. And unlike what you’re insinuating, I wouldn’t stoop so low as to entangle myself with Fabian again!”

“Saw you with Fabian. And that ring he was buying you from Pierro’s downtown? It’s not just any jeweler, you know. I heard Salma Hayek was a regular.” Her smile is thin, like a kid who wants what someone else has.

I shake my head, frustration mounting. “You’ve got it all wrong, Juliet. I turned down his proposal flat out. Didn’t you see that?”

“You’re just playing hard to get, Savannah. I know your type. You push a man away just to pull him back,” she sneers. “Saw you at the clinic, too. A woman knows these things. You’re a cheater!”

“That’s ridiculous! I’m not involved with Fabian, and I’m certainly not pregnant with his child!”

“Fine, call it wisdom then,” Juliet retorts, her tone condescending. “You and Fabian are always at each other’s throats but can’t stay away. Add a baby, and suddenly, you’re playing happy families.”

“You’re delusional, Juliet. You don’t know the first thing about me. Not about your own daughter either.” The pieces click into place, revealing a dark picture. “You’re the one who ordered the Brutes to take Kayla!”

“I’m far more than a background player, Savannah.”

“Your daughter almost died that night!” I shoot back, haunted by the image of Kayla trapped in the burning house. “If it weren’t for Huxley, she wouldn’t have made it.”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. Ever hear of ‘curiosity kills the cat?’ That’s Kayla. She messed with the wiring in that ancient house.”

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