Page 14 of The Trail Boss

He crossed his arms, his broad shoulders filling the narrow space between the kitchen and living area. “That pole didn’t come down on its own, Roxie.”

She rolled her eyes. “We’ve been over this. It’s an old building. Things break.”

“It wasn’t wear and tear,” Gavin said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Someone tampered with it. The scratches on the mount were fresh. Whoever did it knew exactly what they were doing.”

Roxie’s jaw tightened, but she shook her head. “Why would anyone do that? It doesn’t make sense.”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

“And what? You think I’m just some damsel in distress who needs a big, strong cowboy to swoop in and save her?”

Gavin’s eyes narrowed, his frustration flaring. “This isn’t about you needing saving. It’s about someone wanting you hurt—or worse.”

“I can handle myself,” she shot back, her voice rising.

“Can you?” he challenged, stepping closer. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re doing everything you can to ignore the fact that you’re in trouble.”

“I’m not ignoring anything!” Roxie’s hands balled into fists at her sides. “I’m surviving, Gavin. That’s what I do. I don’t need you or anyone else telling me how to live my life.”

Gavin held her gaze, his dark eyes steady and unyielding. “You’re right. You don’t need me to tell you how to fix your life, but whether you like it or not, someone out there is gunning for you. And until I figure out who, I’m not going anywhere.”

Roxie exhaled sharply, her breath hitching slightly as the weight of his words seemed to settle over her. Neither of them spoke, the air between them heavy and crackling with energy.

“You’re infuriating, you know that?” she said finally, her voice quieter now.

“Comes with the territory,” Gavin replied, his lips curving slightly.

She shook her head, turning away to busy herself with the pile of mail on the counter. “I don’t have time for this,” she muttered, flipping through the stack with jerky movements.

“You don’t have time to stay alive?” Gavin asked, his tone softer but no less serious. “Once you’re dead you’ll have no time at all.”

Her hands stilled, and she turned back to him, her expression wavering between anger and something more vulnerable. “Why do you even care?”

Gavin stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low rumble. “Because you work for me, because my best friend’s little sister cares what happens to you. Because I’ve seen what happens when people ignore the warning signs. And I’m not about to let that happen to you.”

Roxie’s breath caught, her chest rising and falling as she held his gaze—he watched as the fight seemed to drain out of her, leaving only the exhaustion and fear she’d been trying so hard to hide.

But then she blinked, straightening her shoulders. “I don’t need your help, Gavin,” she said, her voice steadier now.

“Maybe not,” he replied, stepping back toward the door. “But you’ve got it anyway.”

As he reached for the handle, she called out, her tone begrudging. “Thanks… for caring, I guess.”

Gavin paused, glanced over his shoulder and turned to face her. “You’re welcome, darlin’.” He tossed her a panic button. “Keep that with you. If anything happens—even if you think you’re just overreacting—you hit that panic button, and you’ll have help.”

“You have people watching me?” she asked somewhat outraged,

“That surprises you? I thought you were brighter than that.”

Before Roxie could say anything else, he left, his mind already turning over the growing list of threats tied to her name. She might not want his help, but she damn sure needed it. And was damn sure going to get it.

He stopped at the unit he had parked outside her apartment. “She’s probably in for the night, but don’t count on it. She has the panic button now.”

“We’ll make sure nothing happens to her, boss.”

Gavin nodded and he lingered outside thinking about their heated conversation, his jaw tight as he replayed her words inhis head. He might’ve walked out, but he wasn’t ready to leave just yet. The woman had enough pride to fuel a whole damn rodeo, and while he admired it, her stubbornness made her blind to the danger surrounding her.

As he headed toward his truck, something caught his eye. A black SUV sat idling in the narrow alley across from the building. The windows were tinted too dark for him to make out the driver, but the vehicle’s position—half-concealed between the alley’s shadows—set his instincts buzzing.

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