Page 2 of Mountain Protector

The name hits me like a splash of cold water.

Vincent Holloway. The financial fraudster my dad helped put away five years ago. The man who stood in court and promised to make my dad pay for his testimony.

“How did that happen?” I ask, keeping my voice low.

“Prison transfer. He had help on the outside. That’s not important right now. What matters is the threats he made against our family.”

“Dad, that was five years ago. He probably doesn’t even remember my name.”

“He had articles about you in his cell. Recent ones. The feature in Tattoo Weekly. He knows where your shop is.”

My stomach drops.

“I’ve already contacted Hunt Security,” he continues. “They’re sending a bodyguard to your apartment tomorrow morning.”

I sigh through my nose. “Dad, I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“This isn’t negotiable, Ruby. Holloway is dangerous. He lost everything because of my testimony. Men like that don’t forgive.”

“So I’m supposed to just let some stranger follow me around all day? Watch over my shoulder while I work? Sleep outside my bedroom door?”

“If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, yes.”

I rub my forehead and feel a headache blooming. “How long?”

“Until they recapture him. The head of Hunt Security assured me they’re sending their best man. The company specializes in high-risk protective services.”

“Fine,” I concede, though every independent bone in my body protests. “But I’m not changing my schedule for this.”

“You will do whatever is necessary to stay safe,” my dad says firmly. “This isn’t one of your rebellions, Ruby. This is your life.”

The call ends with tense goodbyes and promises to check in later. I stare at my phone for a moment, trying to process this new reality.

A bodyguard. Someone watching my every move. The absolute nightmare for someone who fought so hard for freedom.

When I return to the front, Lainey and Marcus are waiting, their expressions telling me they overheard enough.

“Everything okay?” Lainey asks.

“Not really. Some guy my dad testified against broke out of prison. Apparently, he’s holding a grudge.”

Marcus straightens, instantly alert. “What are you going to do?”

“According to my dad, I’m getting a bodyguard tomorrow morning. Some security specialist who’s supposed to shadow me until they catch this guy.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Marcus says. “These situations can turn dangerous quickly.”

Of course, he’d say that. Marcus works in private security himself, though more in the corporate sector than personal protection.

“It’s smart to have backup,” Lainey adds softly. “Even if just for peace of mind.”

“My peace of mind would come from not having a stranger invading my space and tracking my every move,” I counter. “I haven’t lived by someone else’s rules since I left home at eighteen, and I’m not starting now.”

Lainey takes my hand. “This isn’t about rules, Ruby. It’s about safety. Let the professionals do their job.”

I know they’re right, logically. But logic has little to do with the suffocating feeling that comes with someone else making decisions about my life.

“The security person will be at my apartment tomorrow morning,” I say, trying to sound more accepting than I feel. “I guess I’ll figure it out then.”

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