Page 9 of Mountain Protector

Adrenaline floods my system.

I spin toward the sound, positioning myself between Ruby and the potential threat.

“Stay here,” I command.

ChapterThree

RUBY

“Clay?”I call out.

No answer. Just the hum of the fluorescent lights and the tick of the vintage clock on the exposed brick wall.

My heart hammers against my ribs as I stare at the empty hallway where Clay disappeared moments ago.

I thought my dad was being ridiculous, hiring Clay as my personal bodyguard. But right now, with Clay out of sight and that sound still ringing in my ears, I’m grateful he’s here. The thought of facing this moment alone is something I don’t even want to think about.

I glance at my phone sitting on the counter, wondering if I should call for help. But who would I even call? The police? My dad? The mere thought of contacting him makes my stomach knot.

Fortunately, Clay emerges from the hallway a few seconds later, his broad shoulders filling the narrow space. His eyes immediately lock onto mine, and his face softens.

“Everything’s okay,” he says as he walks toward me. “Just a shelf that fell over in the storage room.”

Relief washes over me in a dizzying wave. I force a smile, trying to hide how freaked out I actually am.

“See? Told you nothing to worry about.”

Clay stops a few feet away, studying my face with those intense blue eyes that seem to see straight through my bullshit.

“You okay?” he asks.

I start rearranging the ink bottles on my counter, desperate to appear busy and unbothered.

“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Clay takes another step forward. “You’re shaking.”

Am I shaking?

Before I can process it or object to it, his arms are around me, enveloping me in warmth and security. I stiffen for a half-second, my body’s automatic response to unexpected physical contact.

I’m not used to being touched like this. Not by clients who respect my professional boundaries, not by the few casual dates I’ve been on, and certainly not by a man my dad hired.

But there’s something about the solid wall of his chest against my cheek and the steady beat of his heart under my ear that melts my resistance. My body betrays me, relaxing into his embrace as if it’s where I belong.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, his voice rumbling through his chest and into mine. “I’ve got you.”

This isn’t me. I don’t fall apart. I don’t lean on others. I don’t need protecting.Yet here I am, drawing strength from his embrace like it’s oxygen.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble against the soft fabric of his shirt. “I swear I’m not usually like this.”

His hand strokes my hair, gentle despite its size.

“It’s okay to be scared,” he says. “There’s no need to apologize.”

I pull back slightly, needing to see his face. “I wasn’t scared. I was just surprised.”

The corner of his mouth twitches, not quite a smile but close. “Of course. My mistake.”

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