Page 16 of My Mountain Man Valentine

We stepped outside. I hovered protectively by her side, scanning the street, half-expecting some lurker to jump out. Nothing but the swirl of mid-February wind. Tessa’s hand slipped into mine; she trembled slightly, but the gesture warmed my chest.

“It’s going to be okay,” I murmured, pressing a quick kiss to her temple. She gave a small nod.

Yet as we drove to Skyline Bar & Grill, my stomach knotted with dread. These Valentines had escalated to direct threats—someone was watching us closely, fueled by jealousy orobsession. And if we didn’t unmask them soon, Tessa might be in more danger than we ever anticipated.

Chapter Seven

TESSA

We left The Velvet Book in a rush, the CLOSED sign flipped and the door firmly locked behind us. My heart still pounded from reading the last Valentine. I couldn’t erase its words from my mind:You don’t belong with him…You won’t be his for long. It felt like an invasion, as if someone had stepped right into my personal world with hateful intent. And the worst part was, I wasn’t sure who was behind it.

Ryder guided me into his truck, his dark eyes flicking around the street. I knew he was utilizing his outdoorsman skills to assess our surroundings for potential threats. Only this

time, instead of Mother Nature’s wrath, we were dealing with a human’s. A few lampposts illuminated Main Street’s slushy sidewalks, though no one seemed to be out at this hour. Overhead, clouds hung low, hinting at more snow. I drew in a shaky breath as he turned the key and the truck’s engine roared to life.

“We’ll tell Levi first,” Ryder said quietly, pulling away from the curb and merging onto the main road. “I know you’re nervous, but he has to know about these letters—every detail. And…about us.”

My stomach clenched at the thought of revealing our fake arrangement. Up until now, I’d held on to the idea that maybe what was happening between us would remain our secret. At least until I’d wrapped my mind around it myself. It was all so new, and I wished we could just enjoy our newfound connection privately for a little while longer. But the letters had forced a reckoning. Someone clearly watched me enough to reference my nights with Ryder, so continuing to hide the truth from my brother felt pointless.

“I’ll do it,” I said, voice raw. “I’ll explain everything. I just…I have no clue how Levi will react.”

Ryder’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “He’ll be angry, but he cares more about your safety than anything else. That’ll override his anger. Right?”

I exhaled a bit too forcefully. “He’s never been easy to read when it comes to me. After our parents…you know. He took on the role of protector. He hates feeling out of the loop.”

Ryder’s jaw flexed, the muscles standing out under his skin. “I get it. Let’s just be honest. It’s the only way forward.”

I shifted, hugging my coat closer. The swirl of the heater didn’t fully banish the cold dread inside me. The truck spedpast dim storefronts, each sign turned off for the night. Outside Skyline Bar & Grill, a few vehicles crowded the lot. Light spilled from the windows, and through the glass I spotted Levi behind the bar. The moment Ryder parked, I steeled myself, inhaling deeply.

We trudged across the lot, boots crunching in the leftover grit of salted ice. My heart banged against my ribs as we stepped inside. The familiar hum of conversation and a faint country tune drifted over me. Valentine’s decorations—a string of paper heart cutouts and balloons in both black and red—hung around the bar. I wished I could appreciate the fun, but my mind was fixated on the ominous note.

Levi caught sight of us instantly, nodding once and tipping his head toward the hallway leading to his office. We walked past a few customers hunched over beers, exchanging pleasantries out of habit—waves, brief greetings—though I barely registered them. Every nerve in me felt tight with anticipation.

Levi ushered us into the cramped office and flipped on the overhead light. The small room was cluttered with boxes of liquor bottles, a filing cabinet jammed with receipts, and a battered desk. The door shut, muffling the bar chatter outside. He turned with arms folded, flicking his eyes between me and Ryder.

“Okay,” he said. “What’s happening? You said it was serious.”

I held out the pink envelope with unsteady fingers. “We got another…Valentine,” I managed. “It’s the third one, Levi. Each one has gotten more…personal. This one basically says they know I was with Ryder last night, and they’re warning me I don’t belong with him.”

Levi snatched the note, scanning it, his frown deepening. “Jesus,” he muttered. “They reference you ‘running to him’? Idon’t like this at all.” He locked eyes with me, voice taut. “Tess, you’re telling me someone is following you closely enough to know exactly where you were. That’s messed up. We should go to the police.”

Ryder cleared his throat. “Levi, there’s another thing you need to know first. Something we should’ve been honest about a while ago.”

Levi narrowed his eyes. “What else is there?”

I took a shaky breath. “Ryder and I…we started off fake-dating. It wasn’t real. It was just so Angelique would back off him. It wasn’t supposed to be anything more than that.”

His gaze snapped to Ryder, anger tightening his features. “So you roped my sister into a scheme to ward off your ex? That what I’m hearing?”

Ryder raised his hands defensively. “Yes. I asked her, but it was mutual. We thought it’d be a harmless plan for a short time.” He glanced at me, voice softening. “But it changed. Somewhere along the line, it stopped being fake.”

Levi slammed the note onto his desk. “And you didn’t tell me? You just let me think you two were…The whole town was talking about how you got serious overnight.” His voice cracked in frustration, and he raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t get it. Why hide it, Tessa? I’m your brother for Chrissake.”

My cheeks burned with shame. “Because I knew you’d freak out no matter what, to be perfectly honest. And it wasn’t supposed to get so complicated. But now these letters…” I gestured helplessly.

Levi’s jaw clenched and he turned to Ryder. “Dude, you put my sister in danger by parading a fake relationship?”

Ryder’s face was grim. “It was never my intention to endanger her. I thought it’d keep Angelique from causing more trouble. But it backfired.”

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