Page 15 of My Ruthless Mountain Man

“Then maybe I need to keep you out of breath a little longer.” I pull her on top of me, loving the weight of her there. “Because once I’m inside you, I plan to stay there all night.”

Her eyes soften and she places a tiny kiss on the corner of my mouth. “I like the sound of that.”

Pulling her close, I settle her in my arms and listen to the rain pounding on the roof. Life has never seemed more perfect, and that unsettles me. If there’s one thing I learned from my days as a SEAL, it’s that peace never lasts. And when it comes to Kendall, the danger to her terrifies me.

My woman is more tired than I realized. The heavy emotions from these last days have drained her. In moments, she’s asleep in my arms.

I hold her for a couple hours, listening to the rain and living in the moment. It won’t last. I know that. Ilya is out there, and I still have to deal with Ryan and his bullshit.

The more Kendall and I talk, the more I revisit that fight on her birthday. I’ve carried guilt around for years, feeling like it was my fault that things got to the point they did. Now, I can’t help but wonder how much was Ryan’s own insecurities that played a factor. Yes, I missed the warning signs. Had I seen them and taken action, I never would have been in the SEALs. I might not have Kendall in my arms right now. Nothing about that alternate scenario feels right.

This is where I’m meant to be. I need to make him see that.

The crunch of tires on gravel pulls me from my thoughts. I slip out of bed and move to the window. Speak of the devil.

Kendall stirs behind me. “What is it?”

“Get dressed, honey. Your brother is here.”

“What?” She scrambles up faster than I’ve ever seen her move, grabs some clothes and flies into the bathroom, slamming the door closed.

Fucking adorable.

I close the door to the bedroom behind me and grab my boots and a rain jacket. It’s pouring and muddy as hell, and I’m about to meet my best friend for the first time in six years with the taste of his sister on my lips.

Nothing about this is going to go well.

Ryan is already striding across my drive. He points a finger at me. “You’re a goddamn asshole, Stone!”

He looks like hell. He’s lost at least twenty pounds since I saw him last, has a few days’ beard growth, and his shirt is stained and dirty. Gone is my friend from high school and the military. In his place is a man that looks like a strung-out addict. And he’s been living off Kendall’s generosity for three months? Fuck him.

“Looked in the mirror lately, Knowles?” I fold my arms over my chest and wait for him on the porch.

“Fuck you. You don’t know a damn thing about what I’ve been through these last years. But then you never cared anyway, did you?”

“Yeah, I did. Still do.” Though right now, I’m wondering why.

He scoffs. “Bullshit. Same old Stone. Telling me what I want to hear instead of the truth.”

“You want the truth? You’ve been blaming everyone but the person responsible for all these troubles, Ryan.”

“Who? You? I already know you’re to blame.”

Pain spears my chest. Because he hates me so much, and because he’s blinded himself to his own failings. “No.You.”

Ryan lunges forward, throwing a sloppy punch.

I grab his wrist, twist it behind him and shove him face first into the porch post.

“That’s right. Show me how much stronger you are. How much better,” he seethes as blood trickles from his nose. “I don’t know how I ever looked up to you. I thought you were amazing, bringing yourself up from nothing, seeming to care about others in a way I hadn’t seen before. But it was all a fucking lie. You’re just like everyone else.”

He said all these same things the night we fought. Hearing them again makes me release him and take a step back. “You were my best friend, Ryan. If you had told me you were unhappy?—”

“I tried, but you didn’t listen!” he shouts and swings around, glaring at me as he wipes his nose. “I would have followed you anywhere. Done anything for you. But I couldn’t make the SEALs. Look at me, man.” He waves to his body. “I never had the physique for that, and you knew it. You purposely went where I couldn’t follow, just to put me in my place. Well guess what, asshole? My parents were right about you all along. Iambetter than you. I was then, and I am now.”

Pain stabs at my heart and my chest tightens at his words. “I never meant to hurt you or go where you couldn’t, Ryan. The SEALs were what I was meant to do. I knew that even though we wouldn’t be in the same unit anymore, you were already far outpacing me on the technical side. You know how bad I am at math. I couldn’t have kept up with you if I’d tried.”

“That’s right. You didn’t try. Maybe if you’d stuck around, I wouldn’t have fucked up that maneuver that got me booted from the Navy.”

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