Page 58 of Montana Silence

Jude crossed his arms and settled deeper into his chair. “Tell us again, and the rest of it. So they can hear it too. And you’re not under time pressure.”

I recounted everything from the trip, including everything that happened in the courtroom and from the attack. The things that happened between Mara and me? Those were only for us.

When I finished, I looked around the table. “I know it hasn’t been long. Is there anything?”

Daniel shook his head. “Not really. Reached out through contacts, and the Phoenix Police Department is treating it as a random act of violence. Nothing was stolen from you, and you live out of state with minor injuries. We’ll be lucky if they even follow up.”

“Theydidlook for camera footage,” Jude said. “There wasn’t any. The alley is in a blind spot, which is either the luckiest break of all time or premeditation.”

“Or a spot where they regularly grab people.”

“I’d like to think if it was a spot with regularly occurring crime, they’d take steps to correct the blind spot,” Noah said. “But you never know.”

I leaned my elbows on my knees. “It wasn’t random. Nothing about itfeltrandom. They weren’t going for my wallet. They were going forme. I could be making it up, but I don’t think so. I wish I could explain the way they looked at me in the courtroom.”

Daniel held up a hand. “We believe you, and I agree. There are too many coincidences.”

“What do you think they want?” Harlan asked me. “Targeting Mara, I understand. It’s fucked up and rage-inducing, but I can see the motivation. But why you?”

My mouth flattened into a line. Mara being chosen as a child bride to be raped at will by all the men of The Family wasn’t my story to share. Daniel and Jude didn’t even know that particular piece. “It isn’t mine to tell,” I said roughly. “But suffice it to say, he wants her alone, scared, and isolated. I don’t know what reaction they would have had if a woman had been with her. But to them? I’m a threat.”

“Noted,” Jude said with a nod. “We’re on alert. I have a few programs running for any mention of your names, The Family, and some other conditional results. And you know how we work. Keep us apprised of where you and Mara are for now, so we can be on guard.”

I blew out a breath. “She’s staying with me for the time being. Not that we feel like her house or the ranch aren’t secure. We both feel better not being alone.”

They all grinned, and I pretended not to notice.

“How’s it going?” Noah asked. “Seriously.”

“Seriously…it’s going well. I’m happy I took the risk, especially now.” I looked around at each of them. “And I appreciate you holding back on all the jokes. After some of the shit I gave you guys, I deserve it.”

“You do,” Jude said with a smirk. “But we really are happy for you. And I think I speak for all of us when I say we understand why jokes aren’t welcome right now.”

“I don’t promise shit after this is resolved, though,” Harlan said.

A laugh slipped out of me. “I know I’ve got it coming. When is Grant back?”

“They’re coming in tomorrow,” Daniel said. “They’ll be around for family dinner.”

Family dinner…

Resting Warrior was so different now from when we’d started this as seven broken men trying to do some good in the world. With Grant and Cori back from their honeymoon, baby Avery, along with Emma pregnant, family dinners actuallyfeltlike family.

Asking Mara about hosting it at my house had been more nerve-racking than I was willing to admit. I didn’t doubt my place in this family. Every man in this room was strong, loyal, and steadfast. I was honored to be here at all.

I did my best to push down the feelings of self-doubt and the deeper sense of worthlessness that popped up in moments like these. Today, they weren’t staying where I wanted them, and they filled me, wanting attention.

If I was here with these men and they called me one of their own, why was my whole life riddled with people who had abandoned me? And deeper was the worry that Mara would figure out whatever those people had seen and leave me too.

An image painted itself in my head—coming home here in Garnet Bend and finding Mara gone. Nothing more than a note. Like Jenny had. The hollowness in my chest—

I wouldn’t recover from that again. Not with Mara.

All those thoughts weren’t real, and this family wasn’t about to turn its back on me. I needed to reach out and take the plunge the same way I finally had with Mara. Fear was never a good motivation.

“About family dinner.” They all looked at me. “Would you mind if I hosted it at my house?”

Stunned silence fell around the table.

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