Page 257 of Mountain Boss

Cook and Dale jog into view, with the new guy carrying the heavy bolt cutter. They both look this way but don’t stop, disappearing down the driveway toward the gate.

“That’s the guy you beat up, isn’t it?” Courtney asks, eyes back on Creep.

“It is.” I shake my head. “I should’ve told you. But I didn’t want you to be afraid.”

“What did he do?” she asks.

Simpson can hear her question because he kicks him again.

“He was following you… Was trying to get into your cabin.” I don’t tell her how close he was. And I don’t need to because now, wherever she goes, Ben will be at her side, paying attention when she isn’t. “I got to him before he could do anything. Tried to teach him a lesson.” I heave out a breath. “I underestimated him.” I make sure Courtney is looking at me. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. I never thought he’d come back.”

She shakes her head. “Stop that right now. You couldn’t have known. And I’m glad it was me and not some other woman.” She brings her fingers near her neck again. “Now that he’s done this, he’ll go to jail, right?”

I nod. “He should. You have…” I swallow. “Injuries. And we have witnesses.”

“Got you one better.” Fisher hands the shotgun to Simpson, thentakes his phone out. “Started recording when we got here. Got him holding Court at knifepoint and shoving her toward that bear.” He does something on his screen. “Got one short version and a longer one with you blowing his fucking knee out. Which one do you want me to share with the cops?”

I shake my head. This kid. “It’s not exactly a secret that someone shot him.”

Fisher lifts a shoulder. “Maybe not, but in the confusion—with the bear and all that—maybe we can’t remember who did it.”

“Appreciate the offer, but I’ll own it. It’s not like I killed him. And when the rumors get around, people will know not to mess with my girl.” The faint sound of sirens breaks through the night. “Simpson, put the gun on the ground behind me.”

He steps away from Creep, who is starting to moan himself awake, and empties the shells from the gun—putting them in his pockets—before setting the firearm down a few yards behind me.

Red and blue lights bounce off the trees as Cook and Dale step up to join the group.

“I can get up,” Courtney tells me.

I press a kiss to her forehead. “You can stay right here.”

Chapter 198

Courtney

Sterling pauses. “Maybe we should wait.”

I smile at the man. “You said you wanted to show me something.”

His eyes drop to my neck and the bandages the EMTs put on my cuts last night.

“Sterling. They’re just scratches. I can walk a bit.”

Honestly, I want to stay inside and cuddle up with him and Ben on the couch all day. But Sterling told me he wanted to show me something. So I’m going to let him show me something.

He puffs out his cheeks, then nods. “Okay. But if it’s too much, tell me.”

“I promise I will.”

Sterling takes my hand, and we start down the path that leads from his back deck to the little lake behind his house.

Ben bounds ahead of us, turning back when he gets too far away, then darting back down the path.

I take a long inhale.

It’s beautiful out today, the sun making it feel warmer than it is. But I’m still wearing my new winter jacket and boots.

Sterling insisted.

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