Page 20 of Mountain Protector

“I chose ink.” She says it simply, but I can hear the pride beneath the words. “Haven’t taken a dime from them since.”

“That couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t. Me and Lainey lived on ramen for a year.” She shrugs. “Worth it, though.”

I lean back in my chair, studying her.

“Your father still cares about you. Enough to hire me when he thought you were in danger.”

“I know. In his own controlling way, he loves me.” Ruby sighs. “We talk occasionally. Holidays, birthdays. It’s civil now, but there’s always this undercurrent of disappointment from him.”

“He’s proud of you,” I say, surprising myself with the certainty in my voice. “He might not understand your choices, but he respects your determination.”

Ruby studies me across the table, her gaze more penetrating than I’m comfortable with.

“You’re not what I expected, Clay.”

The sound of my name on her lips sends heat through my veins.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Some robotic security guy who’d just see the tattoos and make assumptions.”

“I try not to judge books by their covers.” I hold her gaze steadily. “You’re not what I expected either.”

Her eyebrow arches. “Oh? And what did you expect?”

I take a slow sip of wine, considering how much to reveal.

“Someone spoiled. Entitled. A rich man’s daughter playing at rebellion.”

Ruby’s eyes flash, but I continue before she can respond.

“Instead, I found a woman who walked away from privilege to build something of her own.” I lean forward, letting her see the admiration in my eyes. “Someone who creates beauty with her hands and stands her ground even when it costs her. That kind of strength is... rare.”

The firelight catches the flush spreading across her cheeks. She looks down at her plate, suddenly intensely interested in her pasta.

“You don’t know me that well,” she says quietly.

“I know enough. I know you’re stubborn. Independent to a fault.” I set my glass down. “I know you’re talented. I know you’re brave, even when you’re scared.”

I pause, watching her reaction carefully before continuing.

“And I know that whatever this is between us, it’s not just about me being hired to protect you.”

The air between us grows thick, charged with unspoken tension. Ruby’s pupils dilate slightly, her breathing visibly changing. She opens her mouth to respond, then closes it again.

“Clay, I?—”

“You don’t have to say anything,” I interrupt gently. “I’m just being honest about where I stand.”

She stares at me for a long moment, something vulnerable flickering across her face before her walls come back up.

“Where you stand is as my bodyguard,” she finally says, but there’s no conviction in her voice. “That’s all this can be right now.”

“Is that what you want?”

“What I want is complicated.”

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