Page 254 of Mountain Boss

The man is clutching his leg, letting out moans of pain, but his head is lifted, looking at Lady Bear with terror in his eyes.

Part of me wants her to rake her claws across his throat. To make him bleed like he made me bleed.

I want her to rip his fucking head off.

I want payback for the way he made me feel.

But then I remember the gun in Sterling’s hands. And even if the awful man might deserve death, Lady Bear doesn’t.

In the calmest voice I can manage, I speak to Sterling. “Please don’t shoot her.”

Sterling is holding still, keeping his eyes on the big girl inching closer to the man, who is bleeding a hell of a lot more than I am.

“I won’t.” His calmness is more convincing than mine. “Unless she tries to hurt you.”

“She won’t hurt me.” I will the words to be true. “Right, Lady Bear? You’re a good bear.” She turns her head back to me. “You’re so pretty.” The tears I thought were done continue to fall from my eyes.

The bear is so close.

She turns back around, sniffing in my direction.

“Thank you for showing up when you did.” I mean it. I mean it so much. “I love you,” I whisper, meaning that too.

Her eyes sparkle in the moonlight.

And then she’s gone.

Lumbering back into the woods.

I exhale.

My neck and side muscles ache from holding myself up.

The quiet is broken when the creepy man screams loudly.

I turn my head to find Simpson pressing his foot into the man’s destroyed knee.

“You fucked up coming back here.” My mild-mannered coworker leans his weight onto his foot, and the man on the ground screams louder.

And just like that, my brain can’t handle anymore.

I flop onto my back.

Chapter 197

Sterling

“Fisher,”I call out, and as soon as he looks my way, I toss my shotgun to him.

He releases Ben’s collar and catches the gun.

I don’t wait for him to point it at the man on the ground.

I race Ben to our girl.

I slide the last foot on my knees. “Courtney.” I reach for her, my hands tentative but needing to touch her. “Cookie, talk to me.”

She’s flat on her back, eyes closed. And if I hadn’t heard her talking to that fucking bear a moment ago, I might think she was passed out.

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