A Reason to Live (Reason #3) - C.P. Smith

Table of Contents a reason to live Copyright Acknowledgements Dedication Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Epilogue About the Author Books by CP Smith



a reason to live cp smith

Copyright Copyright © 2016 by C.P. Smith This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either a product of the author ’s imagination or used fictitiously. All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. First Edition: February 2016 Formatting: Affordable Formatting Cover design: cp smith Cover Photograph Depositphoto Information address: [email protected]

Acknowledgements With each book the list grows. However, this book wouldn’t have come to pass if not for the daily cheerleading of two ladies who kept me focused and off the edge of the cliff. Julia Goda and Mayra Statham, I love you both! Thank you for slapping me across the face every time I was pulling my hair out. Angela Shue, Kelly Marshall-White, Michelle Reed, and Sallie Brown Davis, thank you for your eagle eyes and for beta reading like pros! Deb Hawblitzel Schultz, you’re my favorite hooker! Thank you for handling my affairs, my launches, my crazy ass. To my Bunco Babes . . . 13 years and still going strong. You’re my touchstone, my sisters, my family! To my husband and children, thank you for understanding that writing for me is more than just a profession, but a reason to breathe Thank you to all the bloggers who support and review my work. You’re the backbone of the indie world and I appreciate you more than you know.

Dedication I dedicate this book to all the women out there who have been mentally or physically abused. Stand strong, know you’re not alone, and that love is just around the corner.

Prologue Love’s greatest cure is salvation of one’s soul Twelve months earlier . . . “Sergeant Sherman?” Sergeant Shane Sherman looked up from the report he’d been filling out and gave Private Emma Jane Sloan his full attention. “Yeah, Sloan?” “Sorry to bother you, Sir, but is it true you’re heading stateside next week?” “That’s correct. Back to civvies for me, Private.” Private Sloan, a kid barely out of high school, had stuck close to Shane from the moment she found out he was from her home state of Alaska. She’d lost her stepfather in high school and couldn’t afford college, so she’d signed up for the G.I. bill hoping to study to be a nurse. She was freckle-faced with bright red hair and blue eyes as clear as the sky, but she was too young, in his opinion, to be in this war. She was unprepared for the death and destruction at such a young age. Because of this, Shane had worried she couldn’t hack it in Afghanistan and, against protocol, had kept a close eye on her. “It won’t be the same without you here, Sir,” she mumbled quietly, but Shane could see the fear written across her face. Laying his pen down, he stood from his desk in the infirmary and looked down at her. She stood erect, at attention, just as she had been trained to do, yet it seemed unnatural for someone so young. The civilian in Shane wanted to reach out to the frightened girl, but military regulations forbid fraternization with subordinates. “You’ll be okay,” he responded, hoping like hell that he was right. “Stay alert and keep close to Sergeant McElroy.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but she took a deep breath and held them back. Seeing that, Shane had to bite his lip to keep from wrapping her in a brotherly hug. Jesus, she should be back home on a date, not tending to the wounded. “Will you write?” she asked with hopefulness in her big, blue eyes. “I mean, will you keep in touch with the unit?” “You bet. I’ll send the whole unit pictures of the bears we have back home.” Private Sloan smiled then dipped her head, shoring up the nerve to ask him something. “Um, I was wondering, when I come home, do you think I could, ah, come up and visit you?” she finally asked, the crush she had on him shining in her eyes. Shane took a deep breath before he spoke; he didn’t want to lead her on. He was twelve years her senior and didn’t see her as a woman; he saw her as a kid sister. Most men would have seen the offer in her eyes and jumped at the chance to sleep with an attractive, young woman, but Shane wasn’t like most men. War had changed him. He’d intended to be career military, but after ten years in the Army, he’d seen the senseless killing firsthand and now couldn’t wait to return to Trails End and settle down

with a woman. He would find someone soft and warm, someone with a backbone who could give as good a she got, and get on with his life. No more sand, blood, or death for him. He’d go to work for Max Hunter, build that cabin he always dreamed of and raise a brood of kids. He’d live life free and easy, away from blood and death, with a good woman by his side. “My door ’s always open to a former soldier. If you need me for anything, you only have to ask,” he replied, hoping she understood that she would always be a friend, but nothing more. He saw her smile falter slightly, but she recovered quickly, nodding her head. “Thank you, Sir,” she answered, then stepped back, saluted him, and waited for him to return the respect given. Just as Shane raised his own salute, an explosion could be heard in the distance. The popping sound of M240s reverberated in the smoldering heat, and Shane turned on his heel and hit the ground running out of the triage tent with Private Sloan following. Barking out orders as he went, he saw his team begin loading into the RG 33 armored ground ambulance, ready to assist with the injured. Shane headed for the driver ’s seat while searching the melee for Private Sloan. He found her wrestling with supplies and ordered her to ride shotgun. Whenever they assisted ground forces under attack, he kept her close. She was the youngest of his unit and the most inexperienced. She’d joined the military to get an education, not to die at the age of nineteen, and he intended to keep her alive so she could follow those dreams. Shane threw the armored vehicle into drive and took off behind a support platoon heading for the action. He could see mortar fire in the distance and his heart rate sped up. The damage 81 mm ammo could do to a body turned his blood cold, and he took a deep breath for what was to come. He’d seen enough death and destruction to last two lifetimes and wondered each time they were called to action if his luck would run out. The sense of impending doom was stronger now with his deployment over and his returning stateside just days away. He couldn’t shake the feeling that if he didn’t tread lightly, something would happen. Because of that, his survival instincts had kicked in harder than ever before. For himself, as well as for the men and women under his command. Keeping his attention focused on the vehicle in front of him, he strained to see when a flash of light in the distance lit up the cloudy sky. He braked hard when the truck thirty meters in front swerved suddenly and then flipped as an explosion blinded him. He sat stunned as he took in the devastation around him. The mangled heap that had once been a military transport now lay smoldering with the bodies of injured soldiers lying scattered on the ground. Shane gunned the engine and drove the armored ambulance in front of the men to protect them from further harm. Then he and his men bailed out to help retrieve the injured. Not about to allow Sloan to exit the vehicle while they were under attack, he ordered, “Ready the IVs while we Evac the injured,” as she sat wide-eyed in the front seat. One by one they assessed who could be saved and whom they’d already lost, then carried them back to the ambulance. Their mobile Medivac could handle a triage of six, but Shane wasn’t leaving without their fallen brothers, so he ordered his men to retrieve those who had died. They’d made it thirty feet when the thunder of an IED shook the earth. Shane shouted for his men to drop to the dirt then covered his own head and kissed his ass good-bye while seconds passed like hours. The explosion that followed knocked him senseless, spewing shrapnel into the air. Hot metal burned his

arms and face as fragments rained down on his unit. He could hear his men shouting as the dust cleared, and then bit by agonizing bit, he turned his head toward the explosion that had rocked the earth. The heat from the fire scorched his eyes, but he couldn’t look away. The RG 33, along with Sloan and the rest of the injured, was obliterated.

*** The air was crisp the day Private Emma Jane Sloan came home for the last time. Shane had stayed with her the entire trip, escorting her back to Alaska. Her family was waiting on the tarmac when the plane touched down; he knew them immediately. The shock of red hair and bright blue eyes told him exactly who her mother was. From the window, he watched in solemn silence as her mother placed her hand on her daughter ’s coffin and wept. Shane turned his head, unable to watch when she broke down, her legs giving out as her wails of heartbreak bounced around the plane’s fuselage. It was a sight he wouldn’t forget as long as he lived; a sight he knew was his fault. He should have ordered Sloan to stay on base. She’d had no business in Afghanistan and he knew it. He should have pressed his superiors about transferring her, but he hadn’t. She’d been determined to pull her weight and become a valuable soldier in the Army, so he’d kept an eye on her instead of listening to that inner voice that told him to transfer her to a desk job. Her death was on him and no one else. Shane deplaned as the honor guard readied themselves to escort Private Sloan to the back of a hearse. As he made his way down the steps, dark auburn hair the color of rich mahogany caught his attention. Dressed in a black wrap dress and standing behind Sloan’s mother was a petite woman with devastated pale-green eyes. When he made it to the bottom step, the woman turned her anguished face in his direction, and their eyes locked and held. A burn deep in his gut began to eat its way up his chest, constricting his lungs, as her eyes seemed to burrow into his soul, piercing his heart. Then her gaze softened as if she could read his tortured mind, and her bottom lip began to tremble. He recognized her immediately; she was Private Sloan’s older sister. Sloan had shown him her picture once and spoken briefly about the woman who was nine years her senior. She’d told him with pride that she was a court appointed child advocate who counseled and evaluated custody for children who were under Child Protective Services' care. Having those pale-green eyes turned his way with something akin to sorrow for him, reminded Shane that when he’d seen her picture, he’d thought she was sexy as hell. The kind of sexy that told a man she’d get off on being on her knees while his hand guided her mouth, but wouldn’t take shit from him either. The kind of sexy that said she’d partner with him in life, bear his children gladly, and do it all while warming his bed with enthusiasm. The type of woman he’d wanted to find when he came home after ten years in the military. However, that was then and this was now. Everything had changed. What dreams he may have had were in a holding pattern. He knew he couldn’t move forward with his life until he conquered his demons and learned to live with the guilt. Shane turned his attention away from hers and then moved to stand with the other officers. When it was time to load the casket into the hearse, he sharply raised his hand in salute to the girl who had been more kid sister than soldier in his mind. As he stood locked in place, watching as her flag-

covered coffin slipped silently into the back, he remembered Sloan’s blue eyes smiling, her face lit up with laughter. He could hear her voice saying, “Sir,” as the doors slammed shut, and his hands shook at the memory. Even though the weather was cool, sweat ran down his back as he tried to gain control of his tattered soul. He was hanging on by a thread and he knew it. Once Sloan’s coffin was loaded, her mother and sister turned toward the line of officers. What they did next almost took Shane to his knees. Both women shored up their backbone in the face of Emma Jane’s death and presented a united front to Shane and the other officers; saluting back for their fallen daughter and sister. Jesus. Shane squeezed his eyes shut to block out the sight. When he opened them again, he met soft, palegreen eyes. Eyes that held sorrow and understanding. Eyes that told him she would forgive him for her sister ’s death even if he couldn’t forgive himself. When those same eyes started moving closer to him, their intent clear, Shane instantly broke from their pull and stepped back from the formation. Then he turned without another glance and headed for the airport and a bottle of whiskey.

One Don’t Shit a Bullshitter Twelve months later . . . “Hey, Em,” I whispered to my baby sister ’s grave. “I know it’s been two weeks since I was last here and I’m sorry for that. My life’s kind of out of control right now.” I took a deep breath and tried to assemble my thoughts. That wasn’t easy considering my situation. It had been a year this week since Emma Jane’s death. Every time I came here or thought about her, the knot in my chest would constrict and I fought back tears. After everything we’d been through growing up, losing her the way we did was still inconceivable. I knew she was gone, but I swore I could hear her voice so clearly sometimes that I turned around, expecting to see her standing behind me. “I found the letters you wrote from Afghanistan while I was packing this week. It’s still so hard to accept you’re gone, pipsqueak.” A gentle breeze swept over my face as I stared down at her grave. It felt like someone playing with my hair, and I could almost believe she was there with me. Scanning the view of the mountains in the distance, I took a deep breath. Most days, it was loud inside my head with all things I wished I’d said to her when I’d had the chance, all the things I should have said but never did. “God, Em, I wish you were here,” I whispered. “Your death has given me so much clarity about my life,” I admitted. “I finally walked away from Jerry. I realized you were right; I do deserve to be with a man who will always be there for me and consider my feelings in all things. Even at nineteen, you saw Jerry for who he was—a boy masquerading as a man.” I knew why she was so astute at her young age. You didn’t live through what we did and not come out of it a whole lot wiser about men. Brushing a leaf off her headstone, I tried to remember her voice. I’d had her picture etched into the granite, so when Momma or I visited we could always see her bright eyes. Looking at them now, I could tell they were laughing at me, saying, “I told you so.” “You know it’s funny, Em, but all that soul-searching reminded me of something I’d forgotten. Do you remember when you were little and we watched that movie about the girls who wrote down a list of qualities they wanted in a man, and then they wished hard for it to come true?” I chuckled at the memory. I could still see Emma clearly writing her own list. “What I never told you, since I was older and didn’t want you to think your big sister wasn’t cool, was that I made my own list that day. I wished for someone brave and loyal, someone who wouldn’t lay a hand on me, of course, and for love so profound that time would stand still in the face of its presence.” I smiled as I recalled my childish, teenage wish. “I knew at the time it was silly to wish for something that couldn’t happen. But I have to tell you if I could have dreams come true, besides having you back, I’d wish for that man to walk into

my life so he could help me.” Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly before I spoke the next words out loud. “I’m in trouble, Em, and not the kind of problem that ice cream can fix, either,” I finally admitted as my bottom lip trembled. If only ice cream could fix the danger I was in as it did a skinned knee. After years of being on the receiving end of an abusive stepfather, I obtained a degree in counseling and now dedicated my life to saving children just like Emma Jane and myself. I couldn’t sit idly by knowing there were other monsters out there like Richard, other helpless children like my sister and myself suffering because of them. So for the past four years, I’ve worked as a liaison between Child Protective Services and the court system. In the course of my job, I evaluated and counseled children who were suspected of neglect or worse. If I discovered during my counseling sessions they were being abused, I reported my findings —along with any evidence—and the custody of the child was revoked or changed. Because of this, I was threatened from time to time. “I didn’t tell you before now because I didn’t want to believe there was a problem,” I explained as if she’d answered me back. “Six months ago, I began receiving odd notes and gifts. Based on the fact the gifts were old dolls, it was clear to me a client’s parents were upset about a ruling. I thought they’d eventually calm down and go away, but they’ve progressively become more threatening, and now it’s apparent that they aren’t going to stop. I went to the police and filed a report, but they say there’s nothing they can do to help me until they make a move against me.” I’d been threatened before—it comes with the territory when you’re dealing with scum—but this was different. This threat was clear and absolute. Whoever this was wanted to harm me. And I couldn’t protect myself against the threat because my observations were with the children, not the adults. Most of the parents or guardians were unknown to me, so this put me at a disadvantage. They could walk right up to me on the street with a smile on their face and I wouldn’t know they were dangerous until they plunged a knife into my heart. Because of this, and the fact that the police couldn’t help me, I knew I had to get away for a while. I needed time to think and consider my options; options that I wasn’t certain included coming home to Fairbanks anytime soon. Not after I received a rag doll in the mail with her eyes gouged out and a noose around her neck. Scanning the cemetery, I kept my eyes peeled for anyone who looked as if they were watching me. My Jeep was already packed and my furniture in storage. I was leaving Fairbanks that day to escape the madness for a while. After that? . . . Will I ever feel safe again? Placing my hand on Emma’s picture, I traced the outline of her smile. “I can’t wait around for this person to come after me, so I’m leaving for a while. I’m hoping they’ll think I’ve moved on and give up tormenting me. I promise I’ll come back as soon as I can, Em. I just don’t know when that will be.” Picking up the wilted flowers I’d placed on her grave during my last visit, I gasped when I found a naked Barbie hidden beneath them. She was missing her head and had a large red X on her back. The hair on the back of my neck began to rise as I stared at the doll. Turning quickly, I scanned the parking lot. There were no other cars around, which didn’t help to settle my nerves. I was alone in the cemetery with no one to hear me scream.

Turning back to the doll, I noticed a note tucked beneath it. Scanning once more to make sure I was safe, I bent and retrieved the slip of paper and began to read. X marks the spot with a big question mark. I’m coming for you. But when? Dropping the note in terror, I spun in circles, looking deeper into the dark corners of the cemetery. The flowering bushes turned sinister, their shadows became murderers wielding knives as I blinked back tears. “I don’t know what to do, Em,” I muttered as a single tear ran down my cheek. “I’m so tired of being scared.” I stared blindly at her grave and suddenly felt weak compared to Emma, who’d been so brave in the face of the war, determined to defend her country. My eyes blurred with unshed tears as I pictured her as she was before she died: soft-spoken, a little shy, yet resolute to be the best soldier she could be. Her letters home, filled with her trials and tribulations while in Afghanistan, were a testament to how hard she’d worked and how brave she’d been. I thought about those letters, filled with stories of her unit and the horrors of war, and pulled them from my purse. I opened one I hadn’t read the night before and scanned it until my eyes stopped on a passage near the end. Sergeant Sherman is the bravest man I’ve ever met. He’s the complete opposite of our late stepdaddy dearest. He runs straight into the battle, disregarding his own safety to help those who are injured. I’m lucky, Sage. Really lucky. I couldn’t have asked for a better commanding officer. Gray eyes the color of gunmetal flashed across my memory as my sister ’s words rang in my head. I closed mine and thought back to that horrible day when Emma Jane came home. Sergeant Shane Sherman looked tortured by Emma’s death. I’d tried to reach out to him, but he’d left suddenly. At the funeral the next day, surrounded by friends, I’d watched him stand removed from the crowd, hidden behind sunglasses. Even so, I could tell when he was staring in our direction. I’d been in a grief-ridden daze since we’d heard about Emma’s death, but regardless, I couldn’t help but notice a man that striking in appearance—and grief. His dress blues couldn’t hide what lay beneath; a body honed to handle the punishments of war: broad shoulders, a lean waist, and arms that tested the strength of the fabric that held his muscles in check. But it was his gray eyes that captured my attention the most. He’d taken off his sunglasses when he approached my mother, and even though pain shadowed their smoky depths, I knew a woman could lose herself in them with no hope of surfacing. My attention was glued to him as he shook my mother ’s hand and gave his condolences in a hard, husky voice. When he’d turned briefly to me, I’d held my breath, uncertain of what to say for once in my life. However, he didn’t speak; he’d just nodded once without making eye contact and then turned to leave. Before I could thank him for watching out for Emma while she was under his command, he’d disappeared into the crowd. That was the last time I’d seen him, but it wasn’t the last time I’d thought about him. Whenever my mind wandered to those awful first days after Emma’s death, Sergeant Sherman always made an appearance. “You said he lived in Trails End,” I whispered as I stared at Emma’s grave. “Where the bears are . . . Maybe I could disappear there for a while?” I looked over my shoulder one last time and surveyed my surroundings. Turning back to Emma’s

grave, I stared at the offending Barbie for a moment and then kicked it to the side. Then I leaned down and placed the fresh flowers I’d brought on her grave, running my hand lightly over her headstone one last time. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise. Don’t worry about me, pipsqueak. I’ll be just fine.”

*** The wind kicked up from the valley below as Shane looked down at Trails End. He was standing on a lookout just down from Grizzly Pointe after a long day of cutting trees for Max. The town seemed full of life as he watched; the end of a long summer ’s day was behind them as they settled in for a cooler evening. He could see the Carnies arriving for the annual carnival. Large flatbed trucks hauling a Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, Swing Slides, and Hurricane Rides crept toward the field near the inlet of Crystal Lake. What had once been a sleepy lumber town had grown in size since his return from Afghanistan; thanks in part to the press that Max and Mia received after opening their nature preserve and fighting off a cop turned killer. Alaskans had fed off the stories coming out of Trails End and came in droves to see the bears. Once here, they discovered they liked this bit of paradise in the wild. Some liked it so much they were building luxury cabins so they could spend their weekends in what Mia had dubbed Pleasantville in the Alaskan Frontier. They even had new commerce. Two souvenir shops had opened in the last three months, and with whitewater rivers close by that boasted 3-5 grade rapids, an older Scotsman by the name of Gregor MacGregor had opened Trails End Rafting Excursions six months ago. Not to mention, with the influx of new visitors and weekend vacationers, Smith Mercantile had begun adding on to their establishment to handle the supply and demand. With construction almost complete, they now boasted an even bigger selection of food and wares. All this attention and influx of people amused most town folks who knew all along that Trails End was a little piece of heaven on earth. Even Shane found it comical. “Are we done for the day?” Buddy asked Shane as he continued to stare at the town. “Yep. Max is back, so I’m heading down to have a drink with him and Mia.” “Thank Christ for that,” Buddy mumbled under his breath. “What was that?” Shane asked, a grin pulling at his mouth. “Nothin’. It’ll just be good to have Max back, is all.” Shane smiled at his obvious relief. Max had put Shane in charge while he was on his honeymoon, and Shane had made sure that the boys met their daily quota, and then some. He’d worked the boys ten hours a day since the sun stayed higher and longer in the sky this time of year. They were exhausted, but he knew they wouldn’t complain when they got their paychecks. Clapping Buddy on the back before he turned and made his way to his truck, Shane climbed in and groaned. His back ached and his mouth was dry. All he wanted to do was go home and let the day drain away. Especially today of all days. It had been one year exactly since Private Emma Jane Sloan had died under his command, and he was feeling raw again. He’d spent the first six months after arriving home licking his wounds and readjusting to civilian life. The last six he’d found a way to put some of the war behind him by keeping busy. But the 18th of July would forever be branded into his soul; a reminder he’d fucked up and as a result, a kid lost her life.

As much as he’d like to go home and lock the door from the outside world, unfortunately for him, Max and Mia had arrived home earlier that afternoon and Shane had promised to meet them. So, he went home, showered, and then headed to town to pretend he didn’t have a care in the world like he did most days. When he entered Last Call—the only bar in Trails End established when the town was founded in 1898—he wasn’t just struck by how full it was, he was also assaulted by Joanne Drummond and Suzy Wills’ rendition of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” on the karaoke stage. Last Call was an old time saloon with scarred pine floors and a long oak bar, original to the establishment. Ralph Potter, the descendant of the original owner, didn’t stock crap for fruity drinks either. He sold beer, hard liquor, and had a limited menu with one of the best damn burgers he’d ever eaten. Shane grimaced when Suzy hit a wrong note and headed toward the bar for a shot of whiskey. He whistled between his teeth at Ralph to catch his attention. Ralph jerked his head, indicating he’d heard, so Shane sat down and turned toward the stage. As he watched the Barbie Twins shake their asses, he felt someone slide up beside him, so he turned and smiled a genuine smile for the spitfire of a lady sitting next to him. “How’s my boy’s business? Is it still intact or did you run off all his employees while he was on his honeymoon?” Maxine Hunter, Max’s mother and constant pain in Max’s ass, asked. “Ten-hour days are good for the men,” he replied. “They said you dogged them like a Drill Sergeant.” “They needed discipline, Maxine,” Shane grinned. “I’m not sure if you noticed this, boy, but you’re not in the Army anymore. The men around here aren’t used to working all day and then having to drop and give you twenty.” Shane’s smiled slipped at the mention of his Army days. He pulled it back into place quickly, though, and slung his arm around Maxine’s shoulders. “Just making sure Max comes home to a profitable business, is all. The way you keep pushing him and Mia to have kids right off, he’ll need the money.” “Is that so?” “Surely is,” Shane answered with a wink, but the look on Maxine’s face told him she had a different theory and he was about to hear it. “Is that why you helped Gregor free of charge with his rafting tours? Because you’re worried, he won’t be able to feed his kids?” “He’s an old man and a confirmed bachelor. He doesn’t have children,” Shane replied. “But he is on a budget.” “What about helping out at the nature preserve when you’re not splitting logs for Max? Or working free of charge on Smith’s add-on? Hell, Shane, you practically built that yourself.” “What’s your point?” Shane sighed. “My point is: you seem to spend an awful lot of time doing for others, and I want to know when you’re gonna start doing for you?” Shane removed his arm from around her shoulders when he heard a shot glass hit the bar behind him. He turned and picked it up, then raised a salute to Maxine. “To the nosiest woman I know.” “Is that so? . . . Ralph,” Maxine hollered over her shoulder, “give me a shot as well.”

Ralph complied with her request, and Maxine lifted her drink to Shane. “To the biggest bullshitter I know,” Maxine said with a smile, then threw back the whiskey and choked a little as Shane smiled. He followed with his own shot as Maxine caught her breath then nodded to Ralph to fill him up again. “Maxine, you’ve always known this about me, so don’t act surprised.” Maxine narrowed her eyes at Shane and then scoffed. “What?” “Don’t shit a bullshitter, Shane Sherman. You don’t think I’ve seen the pain on your face when you think no one is watchin’? I know when I see a man carryin’ the weight of the world on his shoulders. The man you were at twenty is not the man who came home,” Maxine informed him, getting to the heart of the matter. “I know you probably saw and did things over there that will scar you for the rest of your life, but it’s time to move forward. You were gonna go to medical school and become a doctor, weren’t cha? Now you’re workin’ part-time wherever you’re needed, and half the time you’re not gettin’ paid.” “Maxine—” “Get on with your life, Shane. The only way to put the past behind you is to look forward.” Shane turned toward the stage so she wouldn’t see his reaction. He’d spent the last twelve months pretending he was fine for this exact reason. He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to explain how he’d gotten a nineteen-year-old killed. And he sure as hell didn’t want to see the pity on people’s faces when they found out. “I’m right, aren’t I?” Maxine asked, her voice suddenly gentle and comforting. Shane turned his head and saw the pity he’d wanted to avoid. He didn’t deserve it; he’d screwed up and a kid had died. He didn’t want pity or understanding, he wanted to turn back the clock and have Sloan transferred so she’d be home right now on a date with a pimple-faced kid. Turning back to the bar, Shane picked up his shot of whiskey and threw it back. Then he stood, his face blank of emotion, unable to don his fake façade at that moment, and threw bills on the bar. “Been a long day, Maxine. Tell Max and Mia I’ll catch them tomorrow,” Shane mumbled before buzzing a kiss against her cheek and turning toward the door. “Shane,” Maxine whispered, regret coloring her words as she reached out her hand and grabbed his arm. “You’re family, you and Max, and I love you like a son. I only want what’s best for you.” He turned back and saw the guilt on her face. Christ, she felt sorry for upsetting him and that was almost as bad as pity. “I'm all right, Maxine,” Shane lied, “I’ll talk to you soon,” he finished and then squeezed her hand before letting go and moving toward the door. Even though it was eight in the evening, it was still bright outside when he pushed through the bar ’s door and caught sight of Max. He had Mia pinned against his truck, his massive frame bent so he could devour her mouth. Shane’s mood had deteriorated after Maxine’s confrontation, so he tried to move past them unnoticed. Unfortunately for Shane, Mayor Madison took that moment to holler out a greeting to the newlyweds on his way to the bar, causing Max to turn. Escape eluded him. When Max looked up at the mayor ’s greeting and caught him leaving, Shane called out, “I see the

honeymoon isn’t over.” He turned up his smile, his façade firmly back in place, and then winked at Mia. “When you get tired of the big guy, you know where to find me,” he crooned, his voice as smooth as honey. Max didn’t comment on his proposition, per usual, he just pulled Mia into his side and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders while he glared. Keep them off balance and they won’t ask questions. “You do like playing with fire,” Mia giggled, her crystal–blue eyes sparkling with mirth. “I like playing with fire, bears, black-haired beauties with . . . What the fuck does your T-shirt say?” Looking down at her shirt, Mia giggled. “Property of Thor, God of Thunder,” she answered, then turned and smiled like a lovesick fool at Max. “Subtle, Max,” Shane chided. Max shrugged and pulled Mia in closer to his side. “So, how are my bears?” Mia asked as she and Max moved toward him. “Booboo’s a pain in the ass because he wants to be fed six times a day.” “Booboo is not a pain in the butt. He just likes spending time with you. I think he follows you for a reason. I just haven’t figured out that reason.” “He’s a pest.” “You love him, admit it.” Shane grinned. He was fond of the damn bear, but he’d never admit it. “What about Nala?” “I spotted Nala with her new cub day before yesterday. She won’t let me close enough to see if it’s a girl or a boy, though.” “Finally. I’ll head out tomorrow and see if I can find her.” “Take Jake with you,” Max ordered. “Max, I’m perfectly capable of—” “Falling off a cliff, I know. Not. Without. Jake,” Max warned. Shane had heard this song and dance since Max and Mia had hooked up. She was the clumsiest woman Shane had ever met and she kept Max on his toes because of it. In fact, her clumsiness brought the two of them together just a few months after he’d returned home. Just as they reached him and Max put out his hand to shake Shane’s, he heard Maxine call out, “Are you pregnant yet?” “We’ve only been married two weeks,” Mia gasped in reply. “And?” Maxine answered, moving in for a hug from her son. With both Max and Mia holding Maxine’s attention, Shane saw his opportunity to make an escape before Maxine could corner him again. Stepping back, ready to call out he had an errand to run, his progress was halted when he felt a presence behind him. “Excuse me, Sergeant Sherman?” a soft, sweet voice asked from behind him. Shane whipped around at the sound of her voice. A voice so similar to one he hadn’t heard in exactly one year. Auburn hair threaded with copper highlights glistened in the late day’s sun. It surrounded cat-like pale-green eyes that had haunted his dreams, and he froze. His heart rate began to accelerate at the sight of Private Sloan’s sister, and the need to retreat was overwhelming.

“Sergeant Sherman, I’m—” “I know who you are,” he bit out, taking a step back “I just wanted to thank—” “I don’t want thanks, not from you, not ever. Especially not today,” he growled. “We got a problem?” Max asked when he walked up beside him. “None whatsoever,” Shane answered, trying to hold it together. “The lady was just leaving,” he continued then turned on his heel and headed for his truck as his hands shook and adrenaline pumped through his veins.

*** “That’s the problem, I can’t go home,” I whispered as I watched Shane retreat. “Why can’t you go home?” I turned at the question and found a beautiful older woman with long gray hair braided down her back. She was trim, smartly dressed in jeans and a lightweight sweater, and she shrewdly assessed me, looking back and forth between the retreating Sergeant and myself. “I, ah, sorry, can you excuse me for a moment?” I answered then took off after Shane. Something wasn’t right with him, and after years of dealing with abused kids and their emotional baggage, I had a bad feeling I knew what. “Wait!” I called out, but he kept walking at a fast pace. So I kicked up my own and caught up with him. Grabbing Shane’s arm to halt him, I gasped when he swung around. There was obvious pain written across his face when he turned, but he quickly wiped them clean of emotion and began to glower. “Oh. My God. You blame yourself for Emma’s death, don’t you?” I spit out quickly. “Go home,” he ordered again. “It wasn’t your fault.” “Go. HOME,” he roared. I jerked back, my hands rising out of habit to protect myself when a man raised his voice, but I pulled myself together and straightened my back against his anger. I couldn’t allow this man to blame himself. “Sergeant, just as words have greater power than any blow a man can throw, this guilt you’re carrying over Emma’s death only has power because you allow it to. You have to know deep down that her death wasn’t your fault.” “Stop talking,” he forced out between his teeth, his tone almost begging as he held on to what was left of his control. “But I want to help—” In a move I’d experienced many times before by my stepfather, Shane crowded into my personal space in an attempt to intimidate me. However, it accomplished the opposite this time and I didn’t cower. I knew what type of man he was from Emma’s letters, so his attempt to scare me off backfired. Instead, his nearness caused my breath to hitch and my knees to grow weak. He was so close and undeniably male, my body tingled with awareness. And the worst part was he caught my reaction. His

expression softened minutely when I gasped and he scanned my face as if he was searching for an answer to an unknown question. When I licked my lips, nervous at having him that close, I swear his attention settled on my lips and grew hungry. There was a moment of pause as we stared silently at one another. His size and strikingly handsome face stirred something deep within my bones and the need to comfort him was strong. Without thinking, reacting solely on instinct, I raised my hand to his face and placed it gently on his cheek. His eyes closed at my touch. My own moved to his lips as they tightened in response, and I found myself whispering, “You’re lost, aren’t you?” He didn’t answer at first. Then he mumbled softly, “Yes.” “You feel unworthy of happiness.” “Yes.” “You blame yourself for Emma’s death,” I concluded and he mouthed, “Yes,” without a sound spilling from his lips. “Please don’t blame yourself. I don’t.” His expression changed from bitter sorrow to disbelief in a blink of an eye. Then, without warning, he clipped, “Not another word or so help me God,” on a short growl, crowding me backward as he spoke. I liked to think I was good at my job because I’d been one of those kids who’d hid beneath the bed when their stepfather had been drinking. I didn’t like the loss of control or the frustration that came along with it. And this man, who had been kind to my sister, who had looked out for her while away from her family, had lost control and was suffering because of her death. “I’m a counselor, Shane, I know how guilt works. Which means I also know it’s sent you spiraling down a dark hole. You’re off balance, Sergeant. You need something concrete to hold on to, a reason to live, something to steer your focus away from your guilt so you can gain back control. You need to —” Shane moved suddenly, stopping me mid-sentence. I took a startled step back, flinching, hands raised again out of habit, and bumped into the bed of his truck, which allowed him to pin me against it. He was breathing hard trying to gain control. His attention dropped to my lips again, then moved to my hands pressed to his chest, and he mumbled, “Fuck.” Then, without warning, he bent at the waist and tossed me up and over his shoulder like a child. I was stunned silent, afraid to move. It had been a long time since someone had physically compelled me to do anything against my will. Shane walked back to where his friends stood and lowered me gently to my feet. When I finally opened my mouth and tried to argue his caveman treatment to my person was out of line, he pointed a finger at my face and ordered, “Stay.” There was something in his rough voice that suggested he expected me to obey without question. And for some odd reason, I did until I came to my senses. “I’m not a dog,” I muttered under my breath as he walked away. Too many years of cowering to my stepfather had taught me to stand my ground, so when his stride hesitated at my reply, I took satisfaction in knowing he’d heard. “She’ll do . . . and about damn time if I say so myself. Wouldn’t you agree, Mia?” the gray-haired woman oddly said when he walked away. I was just as stubborn as he was pigheaded, though, so I moved to follow him. I had to reach him somehow, to help him, but a warm, soft hand grabbed my arm, halting my progress. I turned toward

the person, ready to argue, and found a gorgeous, black-haired woman with crystal-blue eyes wearing a quirky T-shirt and huge black glasses. “I couldn’t agree more, Maxine,” she said. “Come inside and have a drink. I think Maxine and I need to hear your story.” “But I need to talk to Sergeant—” “Shane isn’t going to listen to you right now,” the older woman interrupted. “If you want to help him, then let him be for a while.” “Help him with what?” a seriously hot mountain of a man with green eyes and longish, brown hair that looked like he tugged at it regularly, rumbled low. Lord, men grew big and gorgeous here. “Seriously, Max? How did I raise a man who’s that obtuse?” The man she called Max narrowed his eyes at his apparent mother and growled, “Pain in my ass,” if you can believe it. He turned to the stunning black-haired woman after glaring at his mother and grabbed her neck, kissed her hard, then turned and marched off inside the bar. “I’m Maxine,” his mother said as I watched Max stomp inside, linking her arm with mine. Then she turned me toward the bar as well and started walking. I looked back over my shoulder and watched Shane drive out of the parking lot, aching to help him. “This here is my daughter-in-law, Mia Hunter, and the thunder God that just stomped off is my son, Max,” she explained, breaking into my thoughts. “Um, Sage Sloan.” I introduced myself, looking back and forth between the two women. There was something familiar about them. “Wait, you’re the bear lady, aren’t you?” “That she is,” Maxine stated with pride. “Great name, Sage, makes me think of a green meadow during springtime . . . Anyhoo, now that we have the introductions out of the way, tell me everything you know about Shane.” “Oh, um, not that much, I’m afraid.” “Yeesh, Maxine,” Mia chided. “Sorry, Sage, you’ll have to excuse my mother-in-law. What she is trying very tactlessly to ask you is, are you and Shane lovers, former lovers? Also, why is he so angry and determined to see you leave?” “You call that tact?” Maxine asked, then oddly mumbled, “Watch out for that rock,” as Mia opened the door to Last Call. “The direct approach is always better than beating around the bush, don’t you think?” Mia replied, but managed to stumble on the rock despite the forewarning. “I’m not sure I should—” “Trust me, it’s best to give in now. You’ll lose the battle, I can assure you,” Mia stated as they led me to a table. “Max hasn’t won a fight in thirty-two years.” I believed Mia when she said they’d wear me down. There was also a look on both women’s faces that said they cared a great deal about Shane. So, twenty minutes and a thousand questions later, both women sat silently pondering all I’d explained. I scanned the bar, taking in all the local color while Maxine and Mia sat stunned when my eyes fell on a calendar behind the bar. “Is today the 18th?” I turned and asked them both. “Yeah,” Maxine answered. “Oh, God. No wonder he said not today. I lost track of what day it is traveling here.”

“What’s significant about today?” Mia asked “Emma Jane died the 18th of July. Not only did I catch him off guard, but I also brought up all his feelings of guilt on the very day of her death.” Mia groaned and sat back in her chair, covering her face with her hands. Maxine turned toward the bar while I contemplated all the ways I’d screwed up, and shouted, “Maximilian! Shots. STAT.” “I should go,” I told them and started to rise. “I should try and find him and make things right.” A bottle and four shot glasses landed on the table before I could leave, then Max took a seat next to his wife. “What are we toasting?” he asked as he started filling the glasses. “Not what, but whom. Private Emma Jane Sloan, United States Army,” Maxine answered, then grabbed a shot glass and raised it. I turned to her in shock. Tears welled as we stared back at one another. With a nod of appreciation, I reached out and took one for myself. Then I raised it and mumbled in a broken voice, “To Em,” as a tear trailed down my cheek. “Who’s Emma?” Max asked softly. “My sister. I’m Sage Sloan, by the way. My sister was in Sergeant, I mean Shane’s unit in Afghanistan. She died one year ago today, and he blames himself for her death.” Max looked at his mother then closed his eyes slowly, muttering, “Jesus.” He stayed that way for a moment then he opened his eyes and turned back to me, clinking his glass to mine. “To Emma,” he stated with emotion. Mia and Maxine followed suit, then we all threw back our shots. Max stood immediately after, pulling his keys from his pocket, asking Maxine to take Mia home. Then he kissed his wife sweetly and marched out of the bar with a determined look on his face. “Now that we have the four-one-one on Shane, how about you tell me why you’re afraid to go home?” “I’m sorry?” I replied, stalling. “Don’t give me that ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ look.” “What look?” Mia asked. “Are you in trouble, Sage?” “Um—” “You’re staying with me. I’ve got an ax under my pillow.” “I don’t think—a what under your pillow? “ “An ax. You know, sharp edge, used for chopping. I won’t take no for an answer, so don’t even try,” Maxine warned. I stared for a moment then decided she was joking. An ax? Funny woman. “But I’ve already rented a cabin outside of town and planned to look for a job tomorrow if I decide to stay. I’d just be in your way.” However, after my encounter with the Sergeant, I knew I wasn’t staying long. I’d have to leave Trails End so I wasn’t a constant reminder to him of Emma Jane. “What danger?” Mia asked again. “It’s not smart for a woman to be on her own when trouble is following her. Just ask Mia.” Maxine pointed to her daughter-in-law, and I remembered reading about her brush with a killer. “How on earth did you know?” “Easy. When Shane said, ‘go home,’ your face lost all its color. The thought of returning scared the

shit out of you.” “What trouble?” Mia fairly shouted. After dealing with the two women for close to an hour, I figured out quickly it was easier to give in than to try to stall. Besides, there was no harm in telling them the truth if I wasn’t staying long. “I’ve been receiving threatening gifts and letters for the past six months. I work as a liaison between Child Protective Services and the courts back home. I counsel children in abusive or neglectful environments and help determine who is awarded custody. It’s clear someone out there doesn’t like a decision we made and now they’re threatening me. So, I packed up my life, took a leave of absence from my work, and told my mother I was going on a three-month cruise so she wouldn’t worry. I didn’t have anywhere else to go, so I came here.” “You came here hoping Shane could help you, didn’t you?” This woman was too shrewd for my own good. “Honestly, I’m not sure why I came. But the fact that Emma said he was a good man, one of the bravest men she’d ever met, I guess made me hope he could help me. I see now that was a foolish thought.” Both women’s faces softened, and I lowered my gaze. God, I’m an idiot for coming here. “What do the police say?” Mia finally asked. “Their hands are tied until this person makes a move against me,” I answered with a shrug. Maxine scoffed in disgust. “Well, fear not, young lady. We take care of our own here in Trails End. Once I tell Maximilian what’s what, he’ll make sure Chester keeps a close eye on you. My boy is on the city council and a leader in this community. When he bellows, people listen,” she stated proudly. “Now then, let’s get Mia home and check you out of that high-priced cabin so you can relax. I’ve got a hot tub on my deck if you brought a bathing suit, and Mia can tell you from personal experience it does the trick when you’re stressed.” “Um, I’m pretty sure staying with you is a bad idea.” “Pish posh, you’re staying with me and that’s final.” “Is it worth arguing with her or should I throw in the towel now and accept my fate?” I asked Mia. “I told you before; Max hasn’t won an argument in thirty-two years . . .” “Fine, I’ll pack my bags,” I replied, throwing my arms in the air in surrender. “What about that bathing suit? Did you bring one?” “Um, no, I don’t think I brought one.” “Excellent . . . I mean, no problem, no problem at all. If my memory is correct, and it usually is, Mia didn’t have one either, and it served her well. Right, daughter-in-law?” I looked across the table and caught Mia nodding in agreement with Maxine. I don’t know why, but something told me there was a story there, one I needed to hear.

Two Hot Tub The sharp crack of Shane’s ax bounced off the valley as it split cleanly through the wood. Fatigue had finally set into Shane’s biceps after an hour of splitting logs, but he kept going. He’d burnt off most of the adrenaline that pumped through his system from the confrontation with Sloan’s sister. Now, each rise and fall of the ax was more about keeping hold of his control as he digested her words. Just as words have greater power than any blow a man can throw, this guilt you’re carrying over Emma’s death only has power because you allow it to. He’d spent the last year trying to come to terms with his guilt, and in the course of an hour, both Maxine and Sloan’s sister had unraveled his hard-won progress. Reaching down to grab another log, Shane paused when his thoughts drifted to Sloan’s sister. He closed his eyes and saw her face as she’d fought with him. He’d been angry at first, had crowded her to get her to stop talking, but she’d licked her rose-colored lips, drawing attention to her full, generously curved mouth that tempted a man to take, to taste, and he’d all but forgotten his name. When her voice had softened, nailing with pinpoint accuracy the way he felt, he couldn’t speak. After fighting the darkness, having it laid bare in the simplest terms was almost a relief. But the moment was lost when she’d offered her blind forgiveness. She'd feel different if she knew the truth, and the thought of those pale-green pools that drew him in and made him feel weak staring back at him with hate, had sent him over the edge. He’d lost it then and cornered her, but the sweet scent of flowers hit him square in the lungs, and for half a second he’d wanted to kiss her rather than send her away. Her hands at his chest, pushing him back, had broken the spell she had him under. So he’d done the only thing he could before he made the biggest mistake of his life, short of not transferring Sloan, and removed her from his space before he kissed her. Shaking off the memory of soft curves and hair so silky-looking he wanted to wrap his hand in it while he took her mouth, Shane raised his ax and swung hard, splitting the wood down the center. Tossing the two halves onto the growing pile of firewood, he paused when he heard tires kicking up rocks on his drive. Shane’s house, located a few short miles from town, was his childhood home. His parents held on to it for him after they’d moved to the lower forty-eight for a warmer climate, knowing he’d want to return to Trails End once he discharged from the Army. He loved his childhood home, but one day when his life was sorted, he planned to build his own cabin high up on the ridge overlooking the town. Turning toward the drive, he watched as Max pulled up and parked. He’d been waiting for him to arrive since he left Last Call. He knew Maxine would get the truth out of Sloan’s sister and sic Max on him, but he was surprised it had taken more than an hour for him to arrive. This either meant Emma Jane’s sister could hold her own against Maxine or Max had been avoiding the hens as they interrogated the woman. The more he thought about it as he watched Max peel out of his truck, the

more he knew the answer. Max would avoid a headache that came along with dealing with his mother for as long as possible. Shane leaned down and grabbed another log as Max made his way over to him. He refused to look him in the face, knew if he saw pity looking back, he’d lose his cool again. “I see Maxine hasn’t lost her touch,” he muttered as Max walked up and leaned against a tree. “Nope.” Silence ensued as Shane raised his ax and swung hard. When the log broke apart, he repeated the action again and again until he couldn’t take the silence any longer. “Just say whatever it is you came to say,” he bit out. “All right,” Max said, pushing off the tree. “I’ve known you all my life, Shane. There’s not a better man around or a more loyal friend than you are. I don’t know what happened with Sage’s sister, or why you think it’s your fault, but I do know there’s no way in hell you purposely did anything to harm that woman. I don’t need the details; I just need you to know that I’m here when you’re ready to talk." Shane stared back at Max, assessing. There was no pity written on his face. Only the acceptance of a man who’d known him all his life. After carrying around the burden of guilt for the past year, the thought of laying it out for someone who understood him was tempting. So tempting that he found himself letting it all hang out. “She couldn’t handle being in the trenches,” he started. “I knew this and should have requested a transfer. But there was a drive in her to better herself that kept me from following my instincts. She was nineteen fuckin’ years old, Max. She should have been at home on a date with some kid, but now she’s dead because I didn’t want to crush her spirit.” “Did you force her to enlist?” Max asked. “No,” he answered with a frustrated sigh. “Pull the trigger or explode the bomb that killed her?” “No.” “Was she a danger to the rest of your unit?” “No, but that doesn’t change a thing.” “I agree, it doesn’t, but it also doesn’t mean it was your fault. You’re a man like me,” Max pointed out. “I’m worse,” Shane countered. “Always have been and you know it.” Max paused, then nodded. He knew Shane’s natural inclinations ran deeper than his. They were like-minded; in fact, it was his possessive nature and need for control that had formed their bond in early childhood. That, and the fact they found out they were distantly related on his father's side through their great-great-great-great grandparents. But Shane took his need for control to a different level. So much so, Max knew Shane’s head would explode if he tied himself to a woman like Mia. Where Max liked control, Shane demanded it, and that would never fly with his tenacious wife. “Agreed, you're worse. But like me, you take your responsibility to those who depend on you seriously. You feel like you fucked up even though you didn’t, and I get that. But in time you’ll see that some things are out of our control like I did when I lost my dad. I should have been the one directing the men the day he died, but I wasn’t. I knew his hearing was going, but I didn’t want to make him feel less of a man because of it. Now he’s gone and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it but

accept that shit happens and then deal with it the best I can. Simple as that.” Shane had just left Trails End for the Army when Max’s father was crushed by a tree. He hadn’t been here to see the aftermath of what his death had done to Max. But knowing Max as well as he did, he knew that even ten years later, he was holding on to some of the guilt. “Jesus, you’ve turned into your father,” Shane grunted as he considered Max’s advice. Max nodded at the compliment, and then, just like his father would do for Max when he was screwing up, he laid it out for Shane. “I know guilt like this takes some time to process, I get that. And looking back now on the last year, some of your decisions and actions make more sense. But hear me when I say you need to find another way to cope. Especially when it comes to my wife.” Shane’s lips twitched when he saw the fire in Max’s eyes. “Figured it out, did you?” “Yeah, and for the record, I’m not gonna beat the shit out of you for flirting with Mia just so you can feel like you’ve been punished,” Max bit out. “I’ll bear that in mind.” “That would be the smart thing to do,” Max replied, punctuating his answer with a glare. Seeing Max’s every action directed by his love for a woman still amazed Shane, and his face broke into a smile. The king of the mountain had fallen hard. “Well, I’ve always been smart,” Shane conceded with a smirk. “That, you have. Now, enough bullshit. Get me a beer and then tell me how my company is holding up after two weeks without me.” Shane had visited the past enough for one day, so he lay down his ax, slapped Max on the shoulder, and jerked his head toward the house for him to follow. When they entered his kitchen, Shane grabbed a beer for Max as he organized the last two weeks in his head. “That woman has a backbone, I’ll give her that,” Max mumbled as Shane handed him a beer. “And a great rack in case you missed it.” “Jesus, Max, if you want me to stop flirting with your wife, I suggest you don’t bring up how perky her breasts are when I’m around.” “What did I just say about this shit?” Max guffawed. “You brought it up.” “I’m talking about Sage,” he gritted out. Max watched in fascination as Shane’s face blanked of emotion at the mention of her name. Then a spark ignited like lightning in a storm. Max grinned slowly as he popped the top of his beer. Oh, how the tables had turned. He’d watched their encounter closely, curious as to whom the woman was, and in between all the shouting, he could tell Shane was highly attracted to her. Seeing his possessive side ignite at the mention of Sage’s generous breasts confirmed his suspicions. “Don’t go there,” Shane ordered. “Interesting name, don’t you think?” Max continued, leaning against the wall, fully enjoying Shane’s discomfort. Shane continued to glare as he grabbed another beer. He didn’t want to think about Sage Sloan’s name or her rack . . . Or her fuckin’ lips. Even so, he still found himself asking, “Did she leave?”

“I doubt it.” “Why’s that?” he asked, pissed at himself for hoping she hadn’t left. “Maxine took a shine to her.” “Christ,” Shane grumbled, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling. “Yeah.” Max grinned. “The poor woman doesn’t have a clue what she’s in for.”

*** “Bathroom’s down the hall, kitchen’s through the great room, and the hot tub is off the kitchen. You can bunk in here,” Maxine pointed out as she showed me around her three-bedroom cabin. “Okay, now that you have the lay of the land, I’ll whip you up something to eat.” “You don’t have—” “No bother, no bother at all,” Maxine interrupted. “Why don’t you jump in the hot tub while I’m cooking? It does wonders for what ails you, and while you’re soaking, I’ll call Chester and let him know you need to speak with him.” “Maxine, I appreciate the room and all, but I don’t suspect I’ll be staying past tomorrow. There’s no need to involve the police.” “And I say there is no place better than Trails End to lie low for a while. You know people here now, and we’ll watch your back.” “Yes, but Sergeant—” “Shane,” she corrected. “Shane . . . He won’t want me to stick around. I stirred up raw emotions he was dealing with, and now I’ve made it worse. It would be best if—” Maxine butted in and floored me with her response. “What if I said the only person who can help him is you?” “How do you figure?” I asked. “If he’s feeling guilty about your sister ’s death, then who better to help him get past it than the one person who knows exactly how he feels?” She was right on that account. That’s why support groups were so successful because those who participated didn’t feel alone. However, in Shane’s case, my presence was a deterrent. “I’m not sure he’ll see it that way.” “No, I don’t suppose he will. But that’s neither here nor there when it comes to what is best for him. You leave that to me. Just go soak your bones and don’t worry about a thing.” “I honestly believe I should leave town,” I pushed again. “And I honestly think you need to get in my hot tub and quit talkin’ about leavin’. Besides, at my age and with my medical condition, it might put me in the hospital if you leave. I’ll worry somethin’ fierce about you out there all alone.” That caught me off guard. For one, she looked healthy to me. Secondly, no one else treated her as if she were fragile. If anything, they didn’t hold back one iota. “If you’re sick, that’s all the more reason—” “Arguing makes it worse . . .” She grinned. She was totally lying now.

Why? “All right, I’ll stay for now, but please don’t trouble yourself on my account. I’m not hungry. I’ll just retire and get out of your hair.” “No! Just go soak in the hot tub like I said,” she replied exasperated. “But I didn’t bring a suit.” “Don’t need one. There’s no one around for miles,” she explained and then turned and headed down the hall. I watched her retreat, then hauled my duffle and backpack into the bedroom and fell on the bed. I was exhausted. I’d spent two days traveling to Trails End because I kept backtracking to make sure no one was following me. The muscles in my neck were stiff from all the traveling and my nerves were frayed after my encounter with Shane. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent a quick text to my mother telling her I’d arrived safely in Anchorage. I hated lying, but it was better this way. Lying down on the bed, I closed my eyes and thought about my encounter with Shane. I’d been in town all of an hour when I asked where I could find the Sergeant. And no matter whom I asked, I received the same response. “This time of day, Last Call.” So I’d headed there on the off chance they were right and surprisingly found him in the parking lot as I pulled in. I’d sat in my Jeep a few minutes, watching him. He’d changed in the year since I’d seen him. His hair was longer and instead of a uniform, he wore faded jeans and a flannel shirt. He looked almost wild compared to the spit and shine officer I’d met. He seemed bigger than I remembered as if he’d spent the past year bulking up, and the woman in me stood up and took notice. So much so, my heart beat wildly at the thought of speaking to him and by the time I got the nerve to approach him, my mouth was dry. But no matter how much he’d changed since Emma’s funeral, his eyes hadn’t. The pain they’d held at the funeral, the smoky depths that captured your attention and pulled you in, were no different when he’d turned and directed them at me fully. Even so, it was all I could do to speak. Everything about him screamed MAN! He wasn’t some hipster version of one with their lumberjack beards or a monster hiding under the guise of a man, but a red-blooded, genuine article, wouldn’t-lay-a-hand-ona-woman-no-matter-what-she’d-done male. The kind of man you knew would fight back your demons and keep you safe. The type of man who saw women as equals, but still maintained a masculinity that you naturally wanted to follow. The kind that believed if you belonged to them, then they belonged to you completely. And most importantly, the type of man I’d yet to meet in my life and wanted desperately to find. Recognition had immediately sparked across his face before the pain had replaced his shock. Thinking about it now, I never wanted to see pain like that on his face again. For someone as brave as my sister said he was, a man among men, I knew it had to be eating at him to show that kind of weakness to anyone. The longer I lay there thinking about Shane, the more I stiffened up. Relaxing in a hot tub sounded like heaven right about then, but miles from neighbors or not, I wasn’t going in naked. So I discarded my bra, threw on an old T-shirt, but decided to keep my shorts on until I got in the hot tub. Maxine was on the phone when I entered the kitchen; it was a cook’s paradise with stainless steel appliances and marble counter tops. I motioned toward the back door and she smiled, shooing me out

with her hand. As I passed the center island, I froze. Sitting in a stack next to a large, pink bag were catalogs for Passion Princess Sex Toys. When I looked back at Maxine in shock, she reached out and handed me one. I took it so I wouldn’t insult her, then turned quickly in embarrassment and headed out the door. “Grandma Maxine sells sex toys,” I mumbled. After the week I’d had, it tickled my funny bone, more than it should. I threw my head back and laughed, relaxing my pent-up nerves. I couldn’t wait to tell Emma Jane about Trails End and the people I met during my stay. The hot tub was already bubbling, so I took off my shorts and climbed in. The sun was lower in the sky finally; it was sunset, which generally hit around midnight in July, and the stars were beginning to twinkle. Before I knew it, I was drifting off to the sound of frogs calling out to their mates.

*** The sun had finally set, so Shane kicked back in a chair with a beer, watching, but not hearing a damn word they said on ESPN. He was chewing on what Max had said while Sage’s words also bounced around. You’re off balance, Sergeant; you need something concrete to hold on to, a reason to live. “A reason to live?” he mumbled. He’d had that once. Had dreams to fulfill and a life he wanted to build. But the past year he’d shoved it out of his mind in order to get up each day. He was coasting through life on autopilot and he knew it. Taking each day as it came instead of living it. “Christ,” he spat out and then sat back and ran a hand over his face. Reaching for his beer, he curled his lips around the rim as his cell phone began to ring, so he reached out and answered it without looking. Even though it was midnight, the sun had just set. During the summer months, folks in Trails End didn’t keep to a normal schedule. They stayed up and enjoyed the sun while they had it, so it wasn’t unusual to receive a call late at night. “You got Shane,” he answered around a swallow of beer. “You got Maxine.” He sighed when he heard her reply and set his bottle down. “Maxine, I’m tired and don’t want a repeat of our earlier conversation.” “Whatever. I’m not calling to bust your chops anyway. I wanted to know if I could borrow one of your guns.” “I’m sorry? I must have heard you wrong.” “A gun, Shane. Do you have a gun I could borrow?” “All right, I’ll bite. What in the ever lovin’ name of God do you want with one of my guns?” “It’s not for me, it’s for Sage.” “Sage?” “Yeah, you know Sage. Pretty little thing with the big, green eyes and large . . . Well, you know. Anyway, she’s got some crazy person after her and I wanted to give her a gun so she could protect herself,” Maxine explained. Shane sat straight up at her explanation and narrowed his eyes. “You wanna explain what you mean

by she has a crazy person after her?” “Well, according to her, she’s been receiving threatening notes and gifts. The kind that would send you running to the mountains to hide, poor thing. You see, she works with Child Protective Services and helps decide who gets custody of abused or neglected kids. She seems to think someone who lost custody of a child isn’t too pleased with her.” “Jesus, Maxine, you go to the police when you’re threatened, you don’t go gallivanting around the mountains unprotected.” “She knows that, Shane . . .” “. . . And?” Shane finally asked when she didn’t elaborate. “They said they couldn’t do a dang thing until she was physically harmed. Can you believe it?” “Say that again?” he ordered. “No, I don’t suppose a man like you with all your training could believe it any more than I did. Anyhoo, that’s why I’m calling. Can she borrow a gun? If the police don't help her, then I will. I was gonna show her how to shoot and maybe throw an ax, then I’ll—” “I’ll be there in ten,” he clipped short then hung up and grabbed his keys. Ten minutes later, he pulled up in front of Maxine’s cabin and found Chester ’s police cruiser sitting in the drive. He was instantly mad at his friend. A tiny woman like Sage deserved police protection, not the runaround or bureaucratic red tape. He didn’t knock when he reached the door; he walked straight in like he’d done all his life. He heard voices coming from the kitchen and found Martha Tallchief, Chester ’s mother and the town’s postmaster and head gossip, sitting with Maxine at her table drinking coffee. Unlike Maxine, Martha was a stout woman with short, gray hair of Native American heritage and she dressed like most of the men in town. Flannel shirt and work boots. Shane scanned the room but didn’t see his old friend. “Where’s Chester?” “Talking with Sage, I suppose.” “Where’s Sage?’ “Out on the deck,” she answered with a grin. Shane turned and headed for the deck, his earlier decision to stay away from Sage forgotten in the wake of the danger to her person. When he opened the door and stepped outside, he froze in place. Sage was bent at the waist, pulling on shorts over a heart-shaped ass, her T-shirt soaked from having been in the hot tub, and Chester was watching her as she dressed. Chester was an old friend, one he trusted until that moment. At nearly six-foot, Chester didn’t have Shane‘s height of six-foot-two, nor his bulk. The only man bigger in town than Shane was Max. But Chester was a good-looking Native American man with black eyes and a wicked smile the ladies loved, and right then, knowing he was watching Sage, Shane hated him. Sage turned when she heard the door shut, and her gaze locked with his. Her white shirt clung to her curves, transparent from the water. When he caught a glimpse of rose-colored nipples, possessiveness the likes he’d never felt surged, and he erupted, knowing full well Chester couldn’t have missed the sight. His voice, when he finally spoke, was a deep, rolling thunder, menacing, in a tone that left no question of his anger. “You wanna give the lady some privacy?”

Sage looked down at her shirt when she caught the direction his focus had landed and quickly covered her breasts with her arms before turning to grab a towel. Chester turned his back on her, and Shane leveled his friend with a murderous look. Chester heeded his warning, mumbling, “I’ll wait inside,” leaving him alone on the deck with Sage. A spark of jealousy reared its ugly head once Chester left, and he asked accusingly, “You always change in front of strange men?” Caught off guard by his anger, Sage widened her eyes at the bite in his voice and then narrowed them. “I was in the hot tub and he asked me to come inside. I asked him to turn around while I got out and he did.” Shane looked over his shoulder and glared at Chester through the window. It looked like he’d be adding a second topic of conversation to his list of shit to set straight with the man. “All right, but explain to me why you were in the hot tub in the first damn place if you knew a man was on his way over?” “Listen, Sergeant, I don’t like what you’re insinuating. I didn’t know that—” “Shane,” he corrected. He didn’t want to be referred to as Sergeant, not by anyone, least of all her. “Fine. Shane . . . Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot earlier and I’m sorrier than you’ll ever know, but please don’t come out here—” “Why’d you come to Trails End?” he interrupted. He didn’t want to think about the why and how of her and Chester alone on the porch, he wanted to know why the hell she came here in the first place. That question had been nagging him all the way to Maxine’s cabin. Why, if she was in trouble, would she look up a man she didn’t know instead of heading to her family or the authorities? She hesitated when he asked, and looked down at her feet. After a moment of pause, she squared her shoulders, lifted her head, and answered with a casualness that didn’t ring true, “I was in the area and remembered you lived here. I thought I would pop in and thank you for—” “Don’t say it,” he clipped short. He couldn’t handle her thanking him for anything to do with her sister. He was too riled up. She took a few deep breaths after his outburst, nodded, then continued. “As I was saying, I was in the area and thought I’d stop in and say . . . hi.” The word liar bounced around in his head, and he grew more pissed off. “Maxine says you’re runnin’, that some person is after you, and your first thought was to contact me. A man you don’t know.” “I already went to the police and they can’t do anything to help until this person makes a move. I left town hoping my departure might calm things down. Then I found myself in your neck of the woods so I thought—” “Bullshit,” Shane bit out, his voice hard and unyielding. “Trails End isn’t on the way to—or from, for that matter—anywhere . . . So, I’ll ask again, why are you here?” “I wanted to say thank—to say hi.” “You wanted to say hi to a man you don’t know while you’re runnin’ scared?” he sarcastically accused. She’d held his eyes until then, but when he called her bluff, she looked away. She was lying and she

knew he knew it. Twelve months of breathing and eating the guilt over her sister ’s death had worn his control thin. And today of all days, she showed up with no forewarning, kicking him in the gut with her presence. Therefore, he didn’t have the time or inclination to be patient with her. Wanting the truth, he moved toward her and got right into her space, using his size once again to intimidate her into telling him the truth. “You came here hoping I would help, didn’t you?” When her eyes widened and she looked away, he had his answer. “Eyes on me,” he commanded. Her head came up immediately, and she looked at him. He could see color warming her cheeks and her pale-green pools were bright with unshed tears. She licked her lips again. A nervous habit, he decided, but the effect was still the same. Hunger set in, his blood began to burn, and his cock ached. “Answer me,” he demanded, his attention dropping to her mouth. “Yes.” “Even though you don’t know me?” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because Emma Jane said you were the bravest man she’d ever met.” A direct hit to his soul. Shane closed his eyes and hung his head. “She said you cared more for the men who were injured than your own safety. That—” “Don’t,” Shane grit out. “But you need to know how much she admired—” “Jesus, I don’t want to hear this,” he hissed. “Trust me, Sergeant. My sister knows a good man when she sees one. We both do. Please don’t beat yourself—” Shane couldn’t bear to hear another word. His only recourse was to shut her up, so he grabbed her neck and slammed his mouth over hers. She gasped when his lips met hers and he took full advantage. Anchoring her mouth to his with the scruff of her hair, Shane bent her head back so he could control the kiss. Her hands were pinned to his chest, but as he deepened the kiss, they moved up and wrapped around his neck. Warmth crawled up his spine and settled in his chest, replacing the constant ache he’d grown used to feeling inside. He lost himself in the taste of her lips and the feel of her soft curves pressed against his body. Lust pumped through his veins in primal need. A need that spoke of claiming, of possession. The taste of her—sweet, sultry, all woman—drugged him, and he drank deeper until the need to rip the clothes from her body consumed him. Tearing his mouth from hers, Shane buried his head in her neck, determined to take his fill of her sweet scent. She whimpered, “Shane,” as he ran his tongue along her neck, but something about the way she pronounced his name reminded him of Sloan and he froze. Realization of what he was doing crept in and he pulled back, abruptly setting her aside, regretting the loss of her warm body wrapped around his instantly.

Sage staggered when he let go, looking helpless, reminding him further of her younger sister, making the ache return, slamming into his chest like a freight train. He knew then he’d screwed up. He should have stayed away. Now the taste of her lips would haunt him as well. “Your sister ’s faith in me in was unfounded. I’m not who you think I am,” he said without feeling and then turned his back to leave. “Bullshit,” she shouted though her voice trembled with emotion. “Tell me, Shane. Tell me what happened that makes you think you let Emma Jane down!” Shane twisted at her plea and saw tears running down her cheeks. At the sight of her anguish, he was unable to keep the truth from her. He’d done enough; he might as well rip the Band-Aid off and set her straight so her perception of him was clear. He was no hero. “Emma shouldn’t have been there,” he began. “She wasn’t cut out for war. I knew this and should have recommended her for a transfer, but I didn’t.” Now that he’d started, he wanted to cut his confession from his soul and lay it bare in front of her so she could tell him what a bastard he was. “If I’d followed my gut, she’d be alive today. As I said, your sister ’s faith in me was misguided. I’m not who you think I am.” Now she knew the ugly truth. Sage was silent, her breathing shallow as she digested his admission. He held his breath while he waited for her recriminations and blame to begin. Instead of screaming, though, she turned her back on him and her shoulders shook. He could hear her all but silent tears, as he stood there motionless. He started to reach out to her but dropped his hand. He was the last person she’d want to comfort her. Instead, he turned and left Sage to her grief, erecting another wall to block out her tears so he could breathe. If he’d been listening, though, instead of building that wall, he would have heard her tear-choked voice mumble, “You’re exactly who I think you are.” When he entered the kitchen, his attention on Chester the whole way, Maxine asked with concern in her voice, “Is everything all right?” “Fine,” Shane answered then ordered, “Outside,” to his friend. He heard the back door open as he kept moving toward the front. He didn’t turn back to see if Sage was all right, and he didn’t wait to see if Chester followed him out the front door. Her tears were still echoing in his head, and he needed space before he put his fist through a wall. When the door finally closed behind him, he turned to Chester and let loose his anger and frustration. “You’re gonna listen to what she has to say and then you’re gonna do everything in your power as the chief of police to keep her safe. Do I make myself clear?” he clipped short. “That goes without question,” Chester replied. “You’re also gonna keep your fuckin’ eyes to yourself,” Shane rumbled low in a warning. “That might be hard.” Shane’s head jerked back as if he’d been punched. Deciding Chester must not have understood him clearly, Shane moved in closer and got right in his face. Chester didn’t budge. He stood his ground even though it was clear Shane was on edge. “I saw that,” Shane replied sarcastically, his eyes lighting with fire. “But you’re gonna do it anyway

or I swear to God you’ll answer to me.” Chester finally swallowed and looked away. Shane took a deep breath to control his anger and continued so he could leave quickly and end this night. “This bastard isn’t gonna stop, not if they harassed her for months. You need to be focused on that and not on her ass.” “Leaving her ass out of it for a moment,” Chester answered, still not cowering to Shane’s mood, “I agree they aren’t gonna stop. But let’s assume for now they didn’t follow her here. She’s safe for the time being, but I’ll contact FPD and see if they’ve had any other reports of harassment. If someone is pissed off at Sage—” “Miss Sloan to you,” Shane interrupted. Chester grinned. “If someone is pissed off at Miss Sloan for a ruling that she and others made, she’s not the only one who might be in danger. We might get lucky and whoever this is will trip up with someone else.” “I don’t like the idea of assuming she’s safe just because she’s here. Don’t slack off hoping FPD does their job. Be vigilant, Chester.” “You know I’d take that as an insult if we weren’t friends and I didn’t know you were looking out for the woman.” “Take it however you want, just do your job,” Shane bit back. “Speaking of my job, are we done here so I can go inside and interview the victim?” “Yeah, just remember what I said. Eyes on the job and not on the woman. She’s been through enough.” Chester stared at Shane for a moment, then he looked back at the cabin. “You know, she’s an attractive woman, seems mellow enough, not prone to hysterics,” Chester stated. “Maybe she’d be willing to make Trails End home for the right man.” “Nothin’ is gonna happen between us, so get that out of your head.” Chester grinned slowly, and then he asked, “Who said I was talking about you?” Chester ’s meaning nailed a direct hit to his gut, and he scowled. “Don’t piss me off.” “I’d say you’re already there, my friend.” “Yeah? Then trust me, you don’t want to make it worse,” he warned. “Christ, Shane, you know as well as I do that the men in this town are gonna stand up and take notice of a woman like Sage. If not me, then it’ll be someone else,” he explained and that settled in Shane’s chest like a lead ball, feeding his anger. Before he could reply, however, or put a fist to Chester ’s jaw, Maxine’s door flew open and Martha came bursting out. “Let’s get a move on. Sage isn’t feeling up to answering questions right now, and I got an early morning.” “Guess I’ll be back tomorrow, then,” Chester mumbled with a grin, throwing out, “Later,” and flicking a two-fingered salute at Shane as he walked to his car and folded in. Shane watched the cruiser ’s taillights until they were gone, his jaw working overtime as he clenched his teeth. He needed to get out of there before he made things worse for the both of them. Looking back at the cabin before he left, he caught Sage watching him from the window. Their

eyes met and held, and he forgot to breathe. A small, sad smile finally pulled across her lips and she raised her hand to the window. Watching Sage, he remembered the way her mouth had opened for him as if she’d done it every day. He also remembered the way her body felt warm in his arms, the sweet taste of her lips, and the scent of flowers in her hair. The urge to walk the few feet to Maxine’s door and claim that mouth again was strong; instead, he tore his attention from Sage and mumbled, “Christ,” before turning and heading for his truck. Fate was laughing at him now. The first woman to make his blood burn with hunger was the one woman he couldn’t have. Whether or not Sage could forgive him was irrelevant, she would always be a constant reminder of how he failed a nineteen-year-old kid.

Three I’m Confused The sun rose at four oh six. I knew this because I’d watched it rise above the trees in all it’s aggravating splendor. So much had happened in the few short hours since I’d arrived in Trails End that I couldn’t sleep and the constant sun wasn’t helping matters. I kept dissecting my interactions with Shane, his admission and belief that he was at fault for Emma’s death and the look on his face when he left. Guilt is such a powerful emotion; one I knew well. I still carried guilt that I couldn’t protect my mother and sister from Richard even though I was a child when he came into our lives. So I understood better than most that Shane’s belief that he was at fault was a cross he’d have to bear until he let it go. Coupled with the fact I believed he was suffering from PTSD, I knew when he admitted what he perceived to be his fault in her death, it was his road to travel alone. I wanted more than anything to help him, but for a majority of veterans, conventional therapy to combat PTSD did not work. After meeting Shane, I could see why. The strong-willed ones, the leaders among men, view it as weak to seek help, and they cope the best they can. That’s what Shane’s been doing, and because of this, nothing I said—or anyone else, for that matter—would speed up the process until he was ready to see the truth. Emma’s death was a byproduct of war, nothing else. But hearing the sorrow in his words, knowing that he’d been beating himself up for a year and that my coming to town unannounced had made it worse, killed me. I don’t know what I was thinking coming to Trails End. Why I thought a man I’d never met could help me, I’ll never know. Though it did prove one thing, you shouldn’t make rash decisions when you’re stressed. When you do, you wreak havoc on those around you and end up kissing a man you barely know. Not that the kiss was a bad experience. On the contrary, it was the best damn kiss I’d had in my life. So good I could barely stand on my own two feet when he pushed me away. And because of that kiss, I was confused about what to do. I’d felt a connection when our lips met. I knew he did as well when he’d tightened his hold and buried his face in my neck. Nevertheless, when he left last night, it seemed like he was saying good-bye. So that left me with one question rolling around in my head all night. Should I stay or should I go? My gut told me that I would be a constant reminder to Shane about Emma if I hid here until I could return home. That it would force him to come to terms with his guilt or make it worse. I just wasn’t sure which, but it was more than likely a little of both. I’d also be lying to myself if I didn’t admit that a tiny part of me hoped whatever passed between us might be real, and he’d kiss me again. Due to my stepfather ’s abuse, I never felt safe around men. Other than Jerry, who was no threat because he was weak and selfish, my experience was limited because of my uneasiness. However, the fear that generally accompanied being around an unknown male vanished when I was near Shane, and I couldn’t ignore it.

With all that rolling around in my head, it took until morning light, well, mid-morning light, to conclude I would stay and play it by ear. Maxine might be right when she said I might be the only person who could help Shane. However, attracted to him or not, kiss or not, I owed him for taking care of Emma. I heard Maxine approaching as I gazed out the window, daydreaming once again about Shane, and I turned toward her voice as she entered the kitchen. She was on the phone, not paying attention to her surroundings, just talking away. “Workin’ on it, but he isn’t takin’ the bait like Maximilian did. He’s stubborn to the core. Pigheaded. If I were his mother, I’d be damn proud, too . . . Yes, I know I can’t force these things, Martha. Do I look like I was born yesterday? . . . Jesus, don’t answer that, it was a rhetorical question,” she replied as she filled her coffee mug. “We stick to the plan. You make that call first since I can’t, then call around and keep me up to date on his location. Got it? Right. Check in with you later,” she ended then hung up and turned toward me, gasping when she found me at her kitchen table. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. I . . . I have a heart condition.” “I’m sorry,” I tried to appease. “Sounds like you’re having trouble with someone?” “Uh, yeah, with, uh, with Cowboy,” she replied. “You’re having trouble with a cowboy?” “No, with a bear.” “With a bear?” “Exactly.” “I’m confused.” “You’re confused?” “That’s what I said.” “Well, we don’t have time for that. We gotta get to the grocery store, the lumberyard, the post office, Last Call, find you a job, and then head to any other place I can think of while I’m out. Oh, and we need to stop by the police station so you can talk with Chester.” “You have to go to all those places today?” “And any other place I can think of while I’m out.” “Wow. Well, I don’t want to hold you up, so I can head to the police station on my own and look around for a job.” “NO!” “No?” “That’s what I said.” “I’m confused again.” “Maybe you need some bran in your diet?” she offered. “For confusion?” “Yeah, it helps clear you out so you can think. Now, jump to it, missy. Daylight’s a wastin’.” “Maxine, there are close to twenty hours of daylight this time of year. How is it wasting?” “Did you not hear how long my list was?” she argued, folding her arms across her chest. “Point taken. I’ll get my bag,” I answered. Maxine was nuts. My kind of crazy, but crazy nonetheless. I was still confused when we left, though,

and I wasn’t sure what about. We made it to town ten minutes later. But when I say ‘we made it to town,’ I mean we got there and drove in circles. Maybe she has Alzheimer’s? “Um, Maxine?” “Mm.” “Did you forget where you were going?” “I’m planning my day accordingly. I don’t wanna waste my time running from one end of town to the other, do I? That’s just time-consuming.” Trails End was a quaint town. Almost picturesque in a Norman Rockwell sort of way. Most of the businesses were right on Main Street, housed in log cabin styled buildings with green metal roofs. One end of town backed up to a crystal-clear lake—aptly named Crystal Lake—and the whole area was nestled in between two great mountains. It was picture postcard perfect, but what it wasn’t, was huge. If she traveled from one end to the other several times in her busy schedule, she’d add ten minutes to her day. “Tell me about your family, Sage. Are your parents back in Fairbanks? What does your father have to say about all this foolishness with the cops?” My heart began to race. The topic of my stepfather always caused a small amount of anxiety because Emma, Momma, and I had spent fifteen years locked in hell with a man who was untouchable. Detective Richard Heller came along when my mother was still mourning our father. He insinuated himself into our lives, obsessed with my mother, and married her within six months. The first few years were good until he started drinking to alleviate the stress of his job. Then it wasn’t so good. He was possessive of my mother ’s love and hated that she doted on my sister and me. The first time he lost control and hit her, she tried to leave with Emma Jane and me. He caught her, and in a fit of rage that terrified us all, he threatened to hunt her down and kill her if she tried to leave him again. She believed him, and I was old enough at that point that I believed him as well, so we stayed and the cycle continued. We never knew when he would binge drink and lose his temper, so we walked around on eggshells when he was around. He could go months without an incident, then something at the department wouldn’t go his way and the Hyde side of his personality would appear. Turning to the police for help was out of the question because he was one of them. Richard was a detective in narcotics and on a first name basis with most patrol officers, all the way up the ranks to the lieutenants. He’d covered his tracks by complaining about his rebellious teenage daughter for years. How she hated him and didn’t want him in the house. So any calls that came in from me were handled as a temper tantrum from a rebellious youth, and then punishment afterward was severe. I stopped calling after the second beating. If we ran, we knew he would find us because that’s what he did. He could snap his fingers and we’d be hunted down and home within hours. We were trapped. Until one day, when everything began to unravel for him. When it came time for me to go to college, I refused to leave Momma and Emma Jane alone with him. So I lived at home, worked part-time, and went to school at nights. Even though money was always tight, my mother had secretly saved for years so she could buy me something special for the

day I graduated college. She’d bought diamond stud earrings to signify a bright new beginning and signed the card from her and my father, saying how proud he would be of me if he were alive. Richard found the box, read the card, and lost control. When I arrived home from class, I knew something was wrong. The lamps were overturned and the pottery was shattered. I found my mother barely breathing on the floor of their bedroom with my stepfather passed out on the bed, the smell of whiskey heavy in the air. I called 911, and when the paramedics saw the house and my mother ’s condition, they called the police. He’d always been careful when he hit us. Just enough to take out his anger, but never enough to send us to the hospital. This time, he couldn’t cover up what he’d done because there were witnesses. Mother was able to get a restraining order against him, and he was suspended from the department until he underwent anger management classes. Thus began the next two years of him blaming his suspension on our family and terrorizing us with phone calls. Until one day he drank too much and broke the restraining order. He picked the lock on our house while we were gone and was waiting for us to come home. Thankfully, we were able to get away from Richard. We called the police and they arrested him. We would finally have our day in court for everything he’d put us through, and he would more than likely do time. However, before he could stand trial for his abuse, he’d gone fishing with some friends on the Tanana River and gotten drunk. He fell overboard into the rushing water and drowned. That was over four years ago and a day didn’t go by that I didn’t think about what he did to my family. I hated him. Plain and simple. I also hated talking about him. “My mother lives in Anchorage and my father is deceased,” I replied. “So you’re all alone back in Fairbanks?” Yeah, I was, and I didn’t want to talk about it either. What I wanted more than anything was to get out of the Jeep and burn off some of the anxiety that was causing my heart to race at the thought of Richard. “Um, Maxine, why don’t we park halfway down and walk. We can drop off your purchases as we pass by your car, then I’ll buy you lunch someplace when we’re done.” Maxine looked at me oddly when I didn’t respond to her question, then she gazed at her watch and nodded in agreement. Space had just opened up in front Trails End Rafting Excursions, so she pulled in and parked. I started to open my door to get out when an older, silver-haired man with a barreled chest and ruddy cheeks came out and posted a help wanted sign out front. I was reading the sign stating one should inquire within when I heard Maxine gasp. I looked back to check on her and found her staring at the barrel-chested man. I turned my attention to him and caught him staring at Maxine as a sly grin pulled across his mouth. “You okay?” I asked. “Hmm, what?” she responded. “Is he a friend of yours?” “Who? Gregor?” “If the good-looking older gentleman’s name is Gregor, then yes.” “He is good-looking, isn’t he?” She sighed with appreciation.

Oh. My. God. Maxine is crushing on this man. “Do you like him?” “Don’t be ridiculous. My husband is dead.” Um, what? . . . “Yes, he is, and I’m sorry about that, but you’re not if you haven’t noticed.” Maxine turned her head and looked at me. For once, she didn’t have a witty comeback. “Look, he just put up a ‘Help Wanted’ sign, so I think I’ll inquire about the job. You wanna come with me?” She looked back at the man she called Gregor and watched him hang a pot of flowers on his porch. His waist was still trim and you could see his muscles straining as he lifted the plant above his head. Even I had to admit for a man his age he was in great shape. No wonder she couldn’t take her eyes off him. “I’m going in now,” I said, opening my door. “I’ll just wait here,” she mumbled. “Suit yourself. I’ll be back in a jiffy,” I replied, then climbed out and shut my door. “Excuse me, sir,” I called out to Gregor. He gruffed out, “A moment, lass,” in a warm Scottish burr that had Americanized over time, and hung a second pot of flowers on the porch truss. When he was done, he turned to me and smiled. Whoa, no wonder Maxine was smitten. His smile would weaken any woman’s knees, no matter her age. “Now then, wee lass, what can I do you for?” “I, uh, I saw your sign,” I pointed toward his window, still a little dazzled if truth be told. “I’m here for a couple of months or so. It may be longer, may be shorter, but while I’m here, I need a job.” “Is that so?” He raised a brow in humor. “Yes.” “Hmm. Tell me, can you cook?” “Um, yeah. Are you looking for a housekeeper?” “I’m looking for a cook.” I looked back at his business sign to make sure I’d read it correctly and noted he indeed ran rafting tours. “But don’t you run rafting trips?” “That I do, lass. Gregor MacGregor at your service,” he announced, putting out his hand for me to shake. “Sage Sloan.” I smiled and shook his hand. “Now then, I am lookin’ for a cook. Typically, I conduct one-day excursions on the river, but I added three-day trips to my itinerary recently. I had my guide’s doin’ the meals but they aren’t the best cooks. So I need someone to cater to the privileged city folk who pay me to take them down the Yukon.” “So you’re looking for someone to cook for a large group, three meals a day while on the river?” “That be the gist of it. Can you swim?” “I can swim.” “Ever run the rapids?”

“No, but I’m not afraid to try and I’d love to learn.” “Then you’re hired.” “Just like that?” “Just like that. I’ll have one of the guides take you to the river and teach you the basics before our first trip.” “Thank you, so much. My life’s been a little . . . off-balance recently, so this is just what I needed.” “Happy to help. Do you have time to fill out the necessary paperwork?” “Yes, sure.” Gregor motioned for me to lead the way to his office, but not before I caught him looking at Maxine’s Jeep. Hmm . . . I filled out the necessary paperwork and gave him my number so he could call me later and tell me who would be training me. He gave me a list of meals that worked best on the river. I was to choose what I wanted to cook, and then he would give me his credit card so I could purchase the food. “I’ll text you once I find out who’s available. Most of my guides have full-time jobs and work for me on the weekends. I’ll see who has time this week to get you squared away.” “When is the next rafting tour?” “Not ‘til Friday, so we have a few days to get you water ready.” “Okay. Thank you again, Mr. MacGregor,” I said, reaching out to shake his hand. “I appreciate you giving me the job.” “Happy to have you, lass. But please, call me Gregor. Any friend of Maxine’s is a friend of mine,” he answered, jerking his head toward Maxine’s Jeep. I don’t know why I said it; it just slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself. “You should ask her out for a drink or something.” “Pardon?” he replied, confused. “You should ask Maxine out for a drink or dinner.” Gregor ’s face softened and he looked at Maxine before he shook his head. “As much as I’d love to do that, she’s off-limits.” “Off-limits? Why?” “Because, lass, she is the Queen of Trails End and her King is dead. The court jester does not court a grieving Queen.” I looked back at Maxine for a moment, wondering how far I should push the matter. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I thought and then whispered, “Maybe the Queen is looking for the court jester to sweep her off her feet?” “Aye, she might. But the Prince of Trails End would run him out of town if he so much as looked at his mother.” Max . . . Hmm. “Gotcha. I’ll think on that,” I smiled. “You do that, lass. In the meantime, I’ll find a guide who’s free and call you later.” “Right. Later, Gregor,” I smiled, then turned toward Maxine’s Jeep. When I opened my door to see if she was ready, I caught the tail end of a conversation she was

having on the phone. “That’s correct. Sage just got hired by Gregor.” “Maxine, who are you talking to?” She hung up quickly and smiled. “Martha. I was, uh, just gettin’ an update on Cowboy.” “On the bear?” “That’s right.” “I’m confused again. Is he hurt or something?” “A little bent, but not broken. He’ll be right as rain once he settles with the right female.” “Well, is Mia bringing in a female from someplace else?” “Nope, the one he wants is already here.” “Then what’s the holdup?” “Cowboy is stubborn. Like my Max.” “Must be in the water around here,” I grumbled. Stubborn as a mule was a phrase I’d thought when arguing with Shane. Maxine got out of her Jeep and turned in a circle, looking up and down the street. “I think we should start with Smith’s.” “Is that the grocery store?” “Yeah.” “Won’t the food spoil while you’re running your other errands?” Maxine looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded. She turned and looked up the street again, and it was then I was sure she was having memory problems. “Did you bring your list?” “List?” “Of what you needed to pick up.” Her phone rang before she could reply. She held up a finger, answered, listened for a second, and then mumbled, “Right, thanks.” “More news on Cowboy?” I asked. “Not exactly,” she replied. “Let’s start with the lumber yard,” she stated with enthusiasm then turned and headed down the street. Trails End Lumber was also the local hardware store. When we entered, Maxine said she needed a new ax so we headed off down a narrow aisle. She kept looking up one end and down the other, mumbling, “Not this one,” until she stopped and said, “Here we are.” I rounded the corner and saw a good-looking man stocking screwdrivers just ahead. When we reached him, Maxine stopped. “Jonah, meet Sage. She just got to town and she’s single,” she stated with no lead-in. “Is that so?” he asked as a slow grin pulled across his mouth. “You two talk while I get an ax,” Maxine ordered then disappeared around the corner. “Um, hi.” “Hi.” “You work here I take it?” “I do.”

“Great . . . “ Stimulating conversation. “You want to have dinner sometime?” Oh, dear lord. “Oh, um, that’s very kind of you, but I—” I stopped talking when Jonah’s attention shot over my shoulder and the air around us began to hum with energy. I started to turn, but a deep voice filled with anger stopped me. “When you’re done askin’ out the new girl, can you get me those blades Max ordered?” I turned slowly and looked up. Shane was glaring, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he stared Jonah down. Jonah must have felt the anger rolling off Shane in waves because he turned quickly and headed toward the back. Then Shane directed his attention to me. “Hi,” I squeaked out. The last time he’d been this close he’d kissed me. “Hey,” he answered, still scowling. “Fancy bumping into you,” I stupidly, stupidly said. “Small town, it’s gonna happen,” he gruffed out. I made the mistake of looking at his lips when he spoke and felt the warm burn of blush run up my neck at the memory of what that mouth felt like against mine. When silence passed between us, I looked up and saw the same hungry look on his face I’d seen the night before, and took a step closer. “Shane,” I whispered, raising my hand to his arm. He stepped back before I could touch him and muttered, “Excuse me,” walking away without another word. I followed him with my eyes until he turned the corner and disappeared. Maxine walked up, scowling as well, and grumbled, “Worse.” “Pardon?” “Nothin’. They don’t have the ax I wanted, so let’s leave.” I turned and looked over my shoulder in the direction Shane had gone, hoping for one more glimpse of the man. He was nowhere to be seen. I turned back and nodded. “Where to next?” “My guess would be the post office.” “All right, let’s go to the post office.” “Though, it could be Smith’s,” she muttered, gazing off into the distance. “Give me a second to think.” “No rush,” I quickly answered. While I waited, I made a mental note to ask Mia if Maxine often lost track of what she was doing. “Post office,” Maxine finally decided, so I followed her to the door. When we stepped outside, a good-looking man was walking toward us and Maxine hollered out to him. He approached with a devilish smile, nodded once at me, saying, “Ma’am,” then wrapped his arm around Maxine’s shoulders and buzzed her with a kiss on the cheek. The man was built like a logger, with muscles as far as the eye could see, and his dark-brown eyes were compelling, crowned with thick lashes that any woman would kill to have. “This here is Jake. Jake, this is Sage. Jake works for Max, but most of the time he babysits Mia.” “Why do you babysit Mia?”

“She gets into trouble a lot.” “What? How so?” “You name it, it’s happened.” “Okaaay,” I replied, deciding there must be a miscommunication on my part. I thought Mia seemed calm and rational. I couldn’t picture her causing trouble. Still, forewarned is forearmed. “I, uh, I plan to go up and see the bears with her soon. Should I be worried?” “Only if you’re standing in front of her.” “Sorry? I’m confused.” “Seems like you’ve been confused all day,” Maxine snickered. The door to the hardware store opened and Shane came out still scowling, heading for his truck. He loaded a box into the back then began to open his door when he caught sight of us and paused. I started to raise my hand to wave at him when Maxine said, “You know, Sage here is new to town. You should take her out for a drink sometime.” My focus shot to Maxine and then to Jake. His devilish smile turned more so and he replied smooth as silk, “Be a pleasure.” “That isn’t necessary . . . Truly.” “How about I take you to Last Call tonight and buy you a welcome to Trails End drink?” “Oh, umm.” Shit, I’m stuck. I couldn’t very well say no to Maxine’s friend after she took me in. “What I mean to say is, that would be nice, thank you.” Shane ripped open his truck door, catching my attention. He mumbled something under his breath as he climbed in and slammed the door. He had glared at our group before he started his truck, then he drove off in a tear, tires screeching as he pulled away. So much anger. He needed to deal with his guilt before he exploded. “That should just about do it,” Maxine muttered, smiling. “Do what?” Jake asked. “Oh, uh. I just remembered I liked the ax with the pink handle so I’m gonna go back inside and get it. Sage, we’ll head to the police station after this so you can talk to Chester, then head to lunch.” “What about the rest of your errands?” “Oh, um,” she hummed and hawed. “I forgot what I wanted to get. I’ll make a list when we get home and do it tomorrow,” she rattled off and then turned and headed back into the hardware store. Jake and I watched her go inside. She was getting worse as the day passed, so I whispered, “I’m worried about her. She seems off today.” Jake looked back at me with humor in his eyes, then he replied in all seriousness, “Naw, that’s just Maxine. She’s off every day.”

*** Shane sat at the end of the bar and glared. He had a beer in one hand and his other was clenched tight as he watched Sage and Jake laugh. Max was scowling, which told him Mia had done something Max deemed dangerous. Any other night he would have sat at their table, but he wanted to avoid the temptation to shove his fist down Jake’s throat.

When Mia started laughing at something Max said, he stood abruptly and headed toward Shane with a look of contained fear on his face. He stepped up to the bar and shouted out to Ralph for a whiskey. “What’d Mia do that has you riled?” Shane asked. Max waited for his shot to be poured before he turned to Shane. “Threw strawberries to Nala to gain her trust then picked up her new cub to determine the sex,” he grumbled. Then he threw back his shot and bit out, “I just had to fall for a woman with a death wish.” Shane chuckled as he raised his beer to his mouth, but it stopped midway when Jake moved his arm to rest on the back of Sage’s chair, leaning in to whisper something into her ear. Jealousy reared its head again and he grumbled, “Fuck,” as his fingers turned white around his bottle. At his expletive, Max followed the direction of Shane’s attention and shook his head. “Thought you weren’t interested?” “It’s complicated.” “Nothin’ complicated about it if you want her.” “I’m responsible for her sister ’s death. It doesn’t get more complicated than that.” “I’ll repeat what I said yesterday. You’re not responsible, but that doesn’t matter until you believe it,” Max stated, looking back at Sage again. “Did she tell you she blamed you?” “No.” Max looked back at Shane and raised his brows. “She tell you to go to hell?” “No,” Shane replied, tearing his eyes off Sage. “She tell you she never wanted to see you again?” “Enough,” Shane gritted out. “You’re starting to sound more like Maxine every day.” Max smiled then looked back at Sage one more time. He caught her staring in Shane’s direction. “I’ll agree that I’m like Maxine sometimes,” he smirked. “And just like my mother, I can be tenacious when I see the truth in front of me.” “What truth is that, Max?” “I’m thinkin’ this is similar to what you did with Mia, but in reverse. Now you’re punishing yourself instead of waiting for me to kick your ass.” “Big man, you could try, but it wouldn’t be an easy task,” Shane clipped, feeling his temper rise. When Sage leaned away from Jake, her back rigid in reaction to his closeness, her focus shot to Shane again. Max guffawed, “Oh, I’m gonna enjoy this.” “Enjoy what?” “Watching you fall.” “It’s not gonna happen.” Max tapped the bar for Ralph to fill his shot glass again, then threw it back before leaning in and laying a little more truth on Shane. “Newsflash, Shane, you’re halfway there. The right push is gonna send you into the abyss and you’ll never surface again. Trust me, I know. You just need to pull your head out of your ass and see what’s right in front of you.” “Max, there’s nothing in front of me but a path to heartache.” “You’re wrong. Your future is in front of you. You’d see it if you’d stop looking at the past,” Max

answered, slapping Shane on the shoulder, leaving him to ponder those words of wisdom. Shane had had enough torture and advice for one night, so he threw some bills on the bar, rose from his stool, and headed for the door. He looked back one last time before he left and caught Sage watching him. “Leave it be; nothin’ but pain there,” he reminded himself and walked out. His phone rang as he opened his truck door, so he paused to answer. Pulling it from his pocket, he noted it was Gregor MacGregor calling. “You got Shane.” “Shane, my boy,” Gregor replied cheerfully. “I’m hoping you can help me out of a pickle. I hired a cook for our three-day expeditions, but she doesn’t have any rafting experience. Do you have time to train her in water safety tomorrow?” Not wanting to be tied down to one particular job, Shane floated between Max, Gregor, and the new addition to Smith’s Mercantile. Now that Max was back, his schedule was wide open and he figured Gregor knew that. “Why are you hirin’ an inexperienced rafter for your advanced expeditions? That seems an additional headache, Gregor.” “The boys are lousy cooks so I need a woman’s touch at the skillet “All right, but you should have hired someone with rafting experience to cook. Devil’s Run is no place for a beginner.” “She’ll be fine. She’s got a fire in her belly that tells me she doesn’t back down from anything.” Shane sighed as he climbed into his truck. “Fine, tell her to meet me at Little Big Horn at nine tomorrow morning.” “Will do. Thanks, Shane,” Gregor replied, hanging up quickly before Shane could ask the woman’s name . . .

Four Nose and Toes out of the Water The road leading to Little Big Horn was narrow. A canopy of pine trees suppressed the sun’s rays as I maneuvered around tight bends and steep inclines. Gregor ’s text the night before was brief. Be at Little Big Horn at nine. Ask Maxine for directions. I didn’t know whom I was meeting, but I figured it didn’t matter. So, with a map in hand, I found my way to the clearing that abutted the Yukon River. Nervous about getting lost, I’d left earlier than was needed and arrived first. Parking to the side so Gregor ’s guide could pull past me, I climbed out of my Jeep and took in the river. The Yukon was slower moving in this section, but I could hear the rapids further down. Towering canyon walls tapered the river as boulders directed the water through narrow openings, creating the class four and five rapids. I’d never been rafting, and to say I was stoked about learning today was an understatement. Maxine had lent me her neoprene base layers called Hydroskins and waterproof outer layers called Dryskins since the water was close to freezing. I was shocked at first that she had a need for them— being in her sixties, I wrongly assumed she would avoid an activity like rafting—but I was learning quickly that age didn’t stop Maxine from anything she wanted to do. Except pursuing a man she wanted. With my Hydroskins already on, I pulled out the Dryskins and began pulling them up my leg. I heard a vehicle approaching, so I turned as I finished dressing. An old, black truck came around the bend and I recognized it immediately. Shane? He came to a halt at the opening, and I covered my eyes so I could see past the morning sun. He was staring at me—his jaw ticking in anger for some reason—then he gunned the engine and pulled in. His door opened wide and he bound out. He slammed it hard before he barreled down on me. “You’re not working for Gregor,” Shane ordered, catching me off guard. “What? But he hired me yesterday.” “Call him back and tell him you changed your mind.” “I don’t understand? Why would I do that?” “His three-day excursions are for experienced rafters, not a beginner. You’re in over your head.” “Gregor didn’t seem concerned,” I argued. “Gregor ’s been rafting so long he thinks Niagara Falls is a walk in the park,” Shane returned sarcastically. “But I need this job. I have limited savings until this stalker business is behind me and Trails End is a small town with a limited job market. Look, Shane, I’m a strong swimmer and catch on quickly. Please, just show me the ropes today and I’ll prove I can do it.” Shane clenched his jaw again, but he didn’t say no. I stood locked in place while he decided, hoping

he would see reason. After waiting a moment more, he finally muttered, “Shit,” and turned toward his truck. I let out my breath and tried to relax as he walked away. Unprepared to spend time with Shane after being in his presence twice the day before—both times uncomfortable—I was off-kilter and unsure of myself. Is it me or the reminder of Emma Jane that pisses him off? “Stay focused, Sage. Learn to raft first, worry about Shane later. If you don’t have a job, you can’t stay here to help him,” I mumbled then moved toward his truck. There was a tarp over the back of his truck secured with bungee cords. He unhooked them as I walked up and pulled it back, exposing what looked to be a two-man raft. He pulled out two life vests and helmets, tossing them on the ground before he wrestled with the raft. Once the raft was out of the truck, he threw the vests and helmets inside and carried it to the edge of the river. He grumbled, “Safety first,” as he picked up a life jacket. “This is your PFD. Portable floatation device. Keep it on at all times when you’re on the water.” He flipped the jacket over, pointed to a cushioned flap on the back, and then continued. “When you wear it, make sure the pillow isn’t tucked into the back, it’ll keep your head above water if you fall in.” Shane helped me get the vest on and secured the four buckles, tightening the straps. When he was satisfied it was secured, he tugged on the top to check the fit, leaning in close to my face as he did. I held my breath at his nearness, keeping my focus trained over his shoulder as he worked. When he was done, he leaned down, picked up a helmet, and put it on my head. I couldn’t help but look at his mouth while he adjusted the strap. It was at eye level. “Make sure it’s not so loose that it slips over your chin,” he instructed in a clipped voice. I was in a haze when he spoke; distracted by the way his mouth formed the words. He smelled like musk, maybe sandalwood, and the heady scent made my toes curl. When he paused for my acquiescence, I couldn’t form a sentence, so I nodded that I’d heard him. He turned after I agreed and repeated the same with his own vest and helmet. Once done, he grabbed two paddles out of the back of his truck and handed one to me, and through it all, he still scowled while he completed his tasks. “The paddle,” he started in a business-like manner, “has an inner core that is metal, so don’t let go of it unless you want to knock someone’s teeth out. One hand should always be on the T-grip, even if you’re stationary. When you stroke, hold the shaft with one hand and the T-grip with the other. Use the whole blade when you stroke, not just the tip. Also, don’t use your arms; you’ll tire out quickly. Lean forward into the stroke like this and then lean back as you pull.” “Got it. One hand on the tip, one hand on the shaft, and use my back not my arms as I stroke,” I muttered as he demonstrated the correct form for paddling. Shane didn’t continue for a moment, so I looked up. He had an odd look on his face. “What?” I asked. “T-grip, not tip,” he rumbled low, then turned and walked over to the raft. I was beginning to think he hadn’t had enough coffee. “There are three main parts to a raft. The floor, the thick outer tube, which you sit—” He paused and mumbled, “Christ,” for some odd reason, then cleared his throat and continued. “And the thwarts

that run across the raft for stability and balance.” Shane then pointed to an inflatable brace running crossways on the raft. “There are three thwarts on the bigger rafts Gregor owns. You use them to secure your feet so you don’t fly out of the boat during rough rapids.” “Got it. They secure my feet so I don’t fly out . . . But what if I do?” “Nose and toes out of the water,” he answered. “Umm. Can you be more specific?” “Yeah, we’ll practice in a bit. First, get in the raft and I’ll launch us from the bank so I can work with you on your form.” Following his instructions, I reached out and took his hand so he could help me into the raft. Then he shoved off from the bank and settled in across from me. “Normally, I would put you in front and myself in the back as the rudder, but I want you within reaching distance. Now, there are only a few calls that are given when rafting with a group: forward, back, all forward, high side, and if we need to turn around, then one side is told to paddle forward while the other side paddles backward. “Got it.” “Plant your right foot under the front thwart and your left foot under the back thwart.” I did as he said and he nodded when he was satisfied. “Good. For now, since the river is slow, we’ll practice all forward. That means you don’t stop paddling until I say so. And we do it in sync. Got it?” “Got it. In Sync, not Backstreet Boys,” I replied smiling. Shane’s constant scowl finally lifted and his lip twitched. “All right, smartass, let’s do this.” For the next two hours, we practiced paddling. We ran a few grade three rapids (which rocked, by the way), then he taught me how to float nose and toes out of the water, and why that was so important. Feet can’t become tangled or pinned as easily, causing you to drown, if you lie on your back. You can also use your feet as buoys to bounce off the large rocks and boulders. Overall, I think I did well, and by the end of the training session, Shane actually smiled. “Well?” I asked as he carried his raft back toward Little Big Horn. “You’re not like Mia, that’s for sure, but you still have a lot to learn.” “What does that mean exactly? Is she some sort of hot shot rafter?” Shane began to laugh so hard that he dropped the raft. “What?” That was the first time I’d heard Shane laugh since I met him and I felt the stroke of his laughter in my bones. Between the sound of his voice and the happiness shining from his eyes, I felt intoxicated and off balance. “Mia, a hot shot rafter?” “Didn’t you just say I wasn’t as good as Mia?” I breathed out. “No,” Shane scoffed,” I said you weren’t anything like her. Which means you passed.” “So she isn’t . . . she isn’t athletic, I take it?” I stumbled over the words, still trying to find firm ground. Lord, the man, had an effect I’d never experienced. “No, she isn’t athletic. Clumsy is being nice; more like a disaster waiting to happen. Max’ll have

gray hair before he turns thirty-five, keeping her alive.” “Ah, well, that explains what Jake said yesterday,” I replied. Shane grew quiet as I moved to help with the raft, but he picked it up and started toward our vehicles before I could help. “Let’s get you back so you can go home and change clothes,” he said, his tone dry and emotionless. Just like that, he’d gone from carefree and laughing to sullen. “Thanks,” I replied, concerned. “I’m freezing even though Maxine’s gear kept me dry.” He’d picked up his pace and I tried to keep up, but his long legs ate up the distance quickly. He paused from time to time to check on me, but he didn’t say a word when I caught up. Once we got within fifty yards of the vehicles, his pace increased again and he pulled ahead. He was tossing the raft into his truck when I arrived, so I handed him my helmet and vest. “Thank you for the lesson,” I said as he secured his gear. “Least I could do,” he mumbled and then turned to leave. “Least?” I asked, confused. He looked over his shoulder and the answer was written in the stormy color of his eyes. Least meaning: he felt responsible for my sister ’s death, so therefore, it was the least he could do. I shouldn’t have been surprised. I knew how he felt. But a part of me had believed he’d gone to the trouble of teaching me how to raft because we had a connection. That he’d felt it as well the night before and was drawn to me as I was to him. But I realized in that instant he was acting out of obligation, maybe even pity for my situation, and it hurt worse than it should. All the feelings I’d been holding on to that day came crashing through my system at once and I spit out, “Don’t do me any favors, Shane. I don’t want your pity any more than you want mine.” He spun around at my outburst before he could check himself, and I saw his emotions mirrored my own. Vulnerability. Fear. Desire. They all swirled at the same time. Without thinking, just acting on instinct, I stepped toward him and whispered, “Shane.” He didn’t move away, so I took another step forward. I could feel my mouth run dry as my heart began to race, so I licked my lips. Shane’s attention dropped to my mouth, and I could see the naked heat reflected in them. Feeling emboldened by his smoky depths, I opened my mouth to ask if he wanted to get a drink sometime, but he stepped back, cutting off my question. “Get on home now and change,” he ordered. The hope which burned bright an instant before, crashed at his dismissal. I nodded reluctantly and stepped back, hurt and disappointed. I knew when I decided to stay, my presence might be an issue, but I’d prayed I was wrong. The counselor in me knew not to push him, but the woman in me ached to try —especially after the laid-back fun we’d had on the river. “Later,” he rumbled low, then turned and headed for his truck. Feeling rejected, I headed to my Jeep and climbed in. I pulled out and watched from my rearview as he followed. When we reached the main road, he turned one way and I turned the other. It felt like a

metaphor for our relationship or lack thereof. We were like magnets as our opposite forces pushed away from each other. He was the North Pole and I was the South, and Emma lay in between as we pushed and pulled at each other. Still hurt by his rejection, I didn’t realize I was crying until a tear fell onto my lips. I headed to Maxine’s to shower and change. When I arrived, there was another Jeep in the drive. As I entered the cabin, I could smell chocolate in the air, so I headed toward the kitchen. I found Mia stirring a large pot on the stove as Maxine was placing what looked like chocolate suckers onto wax paper. Maxine turned as I entered and smiled, picking up one of the suckers and thrusting out her hand. “Cock-o-late?” she asked. My eyes grew wide as I stared back at a spotted white chocolate penis. “I’m afraid to ask,” I answered as I took the cock shaped sucker. “Cookies and cream flavor,” was her reply. “Yes, I can see that. But why?” “They’re party favors,” Mia said over her shoulder. “Okaaay . . .” “Maxine and Martha sell sex toys and have monthly parties. You came to town at the right time, she has one tonight.” My mouth dropped open . . . “That explains the catalogs.” “Mia helps me out, and since you’re here now, you can too. I’ve got a new line of lingerie I want you and Mia to model for me tonight at the party.” “Model for whom,” I squeaked out. “My party guests, who else?” “Maxine, I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable—” “Pish posh, sure you can. It’s just a bunch of women,” she explained then grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the kitchen toward the bedrooms. “I put the samples on your bed. I want you to try them on for me so I can see what they look like.” “But I have to take a shower and go grocery shopping for Gregor.” “Speaking of Gregor, how did it go with Shane this morning?” “Fine. He taught me the right way to row and float.” “That’s it?” “Should there have been more?” “A hell of a lot more if he would pull his head out,” she groused. “Is he takin’ you out again?” “He didn’t say.” “He didn’t say?” “No.” “That man,” she huffed. “Take a shower and I’ll call him.” “Why are you gonna call him?” “I’d rather kick his ass,” she mumbled, “but I’ll call him. You need more time with him, uh, more time on the water, I mean.” “I can practice on my own, there’s no need to bother . . . Wait, why do you want to kick his ass?” “Cause he’s worse than Max.” She sighed dramatically then turned and marched down the hall.

Worse than Max about what? I swear every conversation I had with that woman, I felt like we were talking about two different things.

*** Pulling backward into a parking spot, Shane watched a car drive down Main Street and pull into the ever-growing yards of vehicles that had turned out for the carnival. He was parked across from Gregor ’s office, debating his sanity. Being in Sage’s company had left him on edge and he wasn’t thinking straight. In the course of a few short hours, he was debating his decision to keep her at arm’s length. Their attraction to each other was strong. She tempted him at the most primitive level. Brought out his protective instincts at a frightening rate. However, in the long haul, he was sure the elephant in the room would eventually destroy whatever feelings developed. Yet, here he sat, staring at Gregor ’s door while contemplating what would amount to emotional suicide. He couldn’t tolerate the thought of Sage on the river with little to no training, felt a responsibility to keep her safe. But to keep her from harm meant spending three days with her—in close quarters, no less—and therein lies the problem. A sharp rap on his window caused Shane to turn his head. He found Chester peering into his passenger window, motioning for him to unlock the door. He punched the lock and waited silently as Chester climbed in and shut the door. “You look like a man with a problem,” Chester said as he turned his body to face Shane. “You would be correct.” “You know, if you’d let people in, we might be able to help,” Chester replied, crossing his arms. “A man’s any man at all, he can figure his own shit out,” Shane answered back. “Not if that man is hangin’ on to the past.” Shane closed his eyes and leaned his head back. The past was like a noose around his neck, and if he weren’t careful, it would tighten until he suffocated. “I’ll let that simmer for a while,” Chester muttered. “I was actually headed to update Sage on the investigation when I saw you sittin’ here. Heard you spent the morning teachin’ her how to raft. How’d she do?” Rolling his head on his shoulders, Shane sighed before he answered. “Not bad for a beginner, but she’s in over her head if she falls in. Devil’s Run is no place to lose your rafting virginity.” “Maybe someone should keep an eye on her then,” Chester suggested. Shane shot his friend a blank look and wondered if he read minds. “Maybe,” he finally mumbled. Shane’s phone began to ring, so he held up a finger and picked it up from his dash, answering. “You got Shane.” “You got Maxine.” He sighed deep and long. “I’m busy. You’ve got ten seconds to bust my chops then I’m hangin’ up.” “Only need five. I need to talk to you about Sage. Come by the house tonight.” “Just tell me now.”

“I don’t have time, just be here at seven. You can join us for poker night,” she rattled off then hung up without waiting for an answer. Shane stared at his phone. That woman was a pain in the ass. “Problems?” Chester asked. “No, but I feel Max’s pain.” Shane grinned. “Tell me what you found out about Sage’s stalker.” “FPD has more than one complaint. One from a circuit judge and one from an attorney. The MO is different from Sage’s, though. One had his tires slashed and the other is receiving phone calls.” “Doesn’t mean it’s not the same person,” Shane offered. “No, it doesn’t. They said they’d keep me advised if they catch the perp. Until then, we stay vigilant,” Chester said then took a deep breath and continued. “I found out something else I thought you should know.” “What’s that?” “Sage filed a police report a little over four years ago against her stepfather . . .” “What the hell for?” “Seems the late Richard Heller, Sage’s stepfather, liked to use his fists on Sage, her mother, and her sister. He almost killed her mother in an attack. She spent a week in the hospital recovering.” Shane sucked in a sharp breath through his nose and his fists clenched. Sloan was five foot three and a hundred pounds wet. Sage wasn’t much bigger; their mother was even smaller, and though Sage had a backbone, all three women were soft-spoken and kind, further fueling his anger at the thought any man had laid a hand on them. A dozen images shot through his mind as he remembered Sloan’s reaction to his men fighting in the ranks. How she would cower when punches were thrown, even Sage’s own reaction to his shouting at her the first night they met. She’d jerked in fear, stepping back and raising her hands as if to ward off a blow. Then he remembered what she’d said immediately after. Just as words have greater power than any blow a man can throw, this guilt you’re carrying over Emma’s death only has power because you allow it to. Rage pooled in his gut and worked its way up his chest until it took up permanent residence. He wanted to dig the bastard up and kill him again for laying a hand on Sage and her family. “He raised his hand to Sage?” he hissed. “He did.” “He put her mother in the hospital?” “Almost killed her and then broke his restraining order two years later and went to jail. He died before he could stand trial.” Shane reached for the steering wheel and wrapped his hands around it tightly. His knuckles turned white as he tried to rein in his need to tear someone limb from limb. “And now she dedicates her life to saving battered and broken children only to run scared because of it,” Shane bit out, his temper flaring higher with no outlet. “Seems like. I’d say if any woman needed a man to look out for her, Sage fits the bill.” Because Emma Jane said you’re the bravest man she’s ever met. Replaying Sage’s words, it hit him suddenly. For the first time in a year, the knot in his chest was gone. Now it was replaced by an even stronger emotion. A need to protect at all costs.

The revelation hit him so hard that he ripped open his door without a word to Chester and stormed across the street, looking for Gregor. The words mine to protect sped up his heart and anchored permanently in his brain. He might not be able to offer her a relationship, but she was his responsibility to keep safe. He shouted, “Gregor!” as he entered, looking left and right for the man. “Shane?” He turned at his name and barked out, “She isn’t ready for this trip. Find someone else.” “Then work with her,” Gregor suggested. “You’re leavin’ in three days; I need a few weeks. She was exhausted after an hour, Gregor, how is she gonna handle three days on the river?” “I’ll put her on my boat and keep an eye out then.” “What if she falls in the river and is too exhausted to keep her wits?” Shane argued. “She’ll be fine, no need to worry.” Not risking it, Shane thought. “Not good enough. If you’re dead set on taking her, then put me in the rotation. If she’s going, I’m going.” Gregor looked stunned by his request and narrowed his eyes. “What’s this about? Why are you so concerned?” “It’s complicated,” Shane bit out. “It always is,” Gregor mumbled in agreement. “Just put me in the rotation and you can keep my pay.” “Like you’ve ever taken my pay before today,” Gregor scoffed, leveling Shane with a knowing look. “She means somethin’ to you, doesn’t she?” “Just put me down for the same trips as Sage,” he answered, avoiding Gregor ’s question. It didn’t matter if she meant something to him or not. He’d failed her sister, but he wouldn’t fail her. Gregor walked to his scheduling book and opened it. “Joel will not be happy about this,” he replied absentmindedly as he marked out his name and jotted down Shane’s. “He’ll survive.” Shane stuck out his hand for Gregor to shake. “Och aye, he’ll survive all right, but when he gets a good look at the lass and realizes he missed out on rafting with her, he may feel like he’s been cheated,” he answered, shaking Shane’s hand. Shane gritted his teeth and turned, mumbling under his breath, “Swear to God, everyone’s trying my last nerve today,” as he headed for the door. Gregor watched with satisfaction as Shane made his way across the street and climbed into his truck, a sly grin pulling at his mouth as he picked up his cell phone and dialed Maxine. “I know I’m supposed to call Martha in case Sage overhears, but I wanted ya to know that Shane just left. I’ve no bloody idea how it went this morning, but he just stormed in here and insisted he go on the rafting trip.” “That worked better than I thought it would. If being stuck on a raft with her for three days doesn’t wear him down, I’ll hang up my meddling shoes. He’s proving to be difficult, Gregor. He’s got a will of steel that’s unlike any I’ve seen. Hell, Max is strong-willed and he folded after one kiss.”

“He’s carryin’ a burden, Maxie. He isn’t thinkin’ straight.” “Do you think he’ll forgo what he wants as a penance for the past?” “Could be. Lots of folks withhold what they actually want in the name of what they think is honorable,” he answered. Maxine’s breath hitched then she whispered, “Gregor,” understanding his meaning. “Don’t go worryin’ your pretty little head about it, lass. I’ve been alone a long time now, I’ll survive.” “It’s just that Max—” “Once a mother, always a mother. I get it,” he cut in. “Gotta run now, Maxie. You take care,” Gregor stated and then swiped ‘end call’ before he said too much. Curling the phone in his hand, he closed his eyes and remembered the one and only kiss he’d shared with Maxine. The memory was bittersweet, but it would have to carry him for the rest of his days.

*** Gregor was sitting at the bar when Shane entered that evening. The old man didn’t frequent Last Call on a regular basis, which was surprising for a Scotsman. He looked like Shane felt on the inside. Beat up and broken. Shane started to move in the opposite direction but hesitated. Sighing, he walked toward the old man. “Beer for me, whiskey for Gregor,” Shane shouted at Ralph as he sat down beside the old man. “Why you drinkin’ alone, old man?” Gregor turned his head and looked at Shane then he looked down at his empty glass. “Just thinkin’.” “That’ll get you in trouble,” Shane pointed out. “Aye, it will.” “Anything particular on your mind?” Ralph laid their drinks down before Gregor could answer, so Shane raised his beer and toasted. “To a life with nothin’ to think about.” Gregor grinned and raised his glass. “To a life where the thinkin’ is about fast women and faster rapids.” They clinked their drinks together, both men grinning, and took a drink. “You sure you’re thinkin’ about fast women or just one particular pain in the ass?” “You know?” “Not hard to miss if you got eyes that see.” Gregor ’s head dropped back on his shoulders and he sighed. After a moment, he turned and looked Shane dead in the eyes. “Spent my whole life chasing the rapids. Didn’t wanna settle down. Wanted to live life hard and fast. Now I’m at the end of it and my pecker still works, thank God.” Shane raised his beer to that and Gregor imitated. “But I got no lass waitin’ at the end of the day. I was foolish, Shane. I met her two years before Tom and did nothin’ about it.” The sip Shane had been taking didn’t quite make it down and he choked. “Are you sayin’,” Shane coughed out, “that you and Maxine have a history?” “Not in the sense you think. She was high-strung and glorious to watch. But I knew she was lookin’

for a man who would give her a family, so I kept her at arm’s length. I wanted her, make no mistake about that, but my need to be free, to live my life the way I always wanted, overshadowed what I felt for her.” “So you showin’ up in Trails End wasn’t a coincidence?” “No. I hadn’t seen Maxie since I left for the next rapid, but I never forgot her. I found my way back to Gunnison last year and inquired about her. Found out where she lived and that she was a widow.” Shane stared at Gregor and saw the laugh lines around his eyes. He’d lived a life of adventure, doin’ what he wanted. But at the end of the day, it was about havin’ someone in your life who belonged to you, and he looked away. He saw his future if he didn’t get a handle on his past. “I wouldn’t let Max know you’ve been carryin’ a torch for his mother all these years.” “Aye. The Prince of Trails End loved his father very much.” “I also wouldn’t let Max hear you call him a prince either,” Shane grinned. “Why?” “He prefers god of thunder.” Gregor smiled. “Got himself tied to a high-strung and glorious woman just like his father. He saw what he wanted and grabbed hold with both hands. You and I should follow by example.” “You grab hold of Maxine with both hands and she’s liable to crack you over the head with her ax.” “Would be worth it to get my hands on her,” Gregor grinned. “Hands on whom?” Max asked from behind both men. Shane turned and looked at Max. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.” “Fair enough. Consider the topic dead,” Max answered and then took a seat next to Shane. Shane looked over his shoulder for Mia and didn’t find her. “You flyin’ solo tonight?” “Yeah. Mia’s helpin’ Maxine tonight with a party.” “She’s havin a party tonight? Jesus. Good thing you told me, she wanted me to stop by for one of her talks. I’d have been scarred for life if I saw what you saw last year.” “We don’t talk about that,” Max grumbled. “Right,” Shane chuckled. “What happened last year?” Gregor asked. Max scowled at Shane in warning. Shane didn’t give a shit. It was a funny story. “Imagine Max walkin’ into his mother ’s house to find her bent at the waist with Martha standin’ behind her with a strap-on dick the size of a horse’s.” Gregor ’s eyes glazed over and Shane knew the man didn't imagine Martha standin’ behind Maxine. “That’s not the party.” “Jesus, how often do they strap that thing on?” “It wasn’t the cock that scarred me for life,” Max answered with a sigh. “It was the strip poker. I still can’t look at Randy King without wanting to deck him.” “I’m missin’ something,” Gregor said. “Why do you want to punch Randy King for a hen night poker party?” “Because,” Max grit out. “It was a co-ed poker night. Maxine invited men to play.”

Shane’s conversation with Maxine ran through his head and he stood, knocking his stool over. “What?” Max asked. “Maxine didn’t just want to talk,” he bit out. “She invited me to play poker tonight.” There was a moment of silence, and then birds took flight when a thundering shout rocked Last Call and Max and Shane came flying out.

*** “As you can see, ladies, the Passion Princess line of lingerie is the highest quality, guaranteed to raise your man’s blood pressure,” Martha said as Mia and I stood in front of them. I was wearing a lavender, laced, mesh teddy with diamond strapped criss-cross details. The amount of see-through fabric covering only my breasts, stomach, and woman’s parts was negligible. And the criss-cross ties on the side holding the front and back together were sexy but uncomfortable. I liked to sleep in the nude, not that this outfit was meant for anything but being stripped off the moment a man saw it. Mia, on the other hand, was decked out in dominatrix leather. The barely-there halter covered fifty percent of her boobs and the matching leather shorts highlighted her firm ass. She was also sporting a riding crop, which she found amusing and used on my butt. “Doesn’t the leather chafe?” an older woman asked. “Actually, if feels soft against my skin,” Mia replied. “Seems like it would stick,” the woman mumbled. “Don’t forget about the easy access, Gail. The crotch has snaps so you can get down to business quickly,” Maxine pointed out. If you asked me when I came to Trails End if I could see myself modeling skimpy lingerie in the near future, I would have thought you were nuts. “You don’t find this the least bit odd, do you?” I mumbled to Mia. “I did a year ago, then I saw how much Maxine enjoyed helping women appreciate their sexuality.” I looked at Maxine and wondered about her own. She was an attractive woman, one who looked ten years younger than her sixty some odd years, then thought about how she looked at Gregor. “What about Maxine’s sex life,” I whispered to Mia. “I think she and vibrators are intimately involved,” she whispered back. “But what if she had the chance to, you know, find her sexuality with a red-blooded man?” “She’s never indicated she was looking.” “But what if she were? Would you and Max be okay with that?” Mia looked at Maxine and shrugged. “I wouldn’t care, but Max is protective.” “Shouldn’t she be allowed to enjoy what’s left of her life?” Mia looked at me for a moment, then grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side. “Okay, spill. I can tell by the way you’re acting you know something.” “Gregor,” I whispered. “What about him?” “Your mother-in-law has the hots for him, but she won’t go after what she wants because of Max.” “What?” Mia whisper-shouted with eyes the size of saucers.

“Yeah. I caught her making googly eyes at him yesterday and confronted her about it. Then I encouraged Gregor to ask her out, and he said flat out he couldn’t because of Max.” “Oh. My. God.” “Exactly.” “I’ll have to think about this for a while. I’m not sure what Max would think, to be honest.” “What are you two whispering about?” Martha asked. Mia looked over her shoulder then back at me and whispered, “We’ll talk later.” I nodded and we both turned to head back to the party when the front door flew open and Max and Shane rushed in. They looked like wild animals standing in the entry, and we froze in place, shocked silent. “Fuck,” Max hissed when he saw his wife’s appearance, and Shane followed with an equally deep growl of, “Me.” “What are you doing here?” Mia asked. Max came unstuck, looked around at the crowd, then crooked his finger at his wife. Shane, on the other hand, stayed glued in place, his jaw ticking as he scanned me from head to toe. That’s when I remembered what I was wearing. “I’ll just,” I mumbled, pointing toward my bedroom. “Good idea,” Shane choked out. I turned, took two steps, and heard him suck air into his lungs. That’s when I remembered my ass was on display, and I took off running for the bedroom. The door slammed behind me as I headed for my bag, but it opened again, and I spun around as Shane came stalking in. “Is this some sort of game you and Maxine are playin’?” “What?” “Parading around in next to nothin’ when you know I’m on my way.” “I didn’t know—” “It’s bad enough I can’t look at you without seeing Emma Jane, but now I’ve got your body burned into my brain, taunting me with what I can’t have,” he growled. I grabbed a shirt and tried to pull it over my head, but he grabbed it and threw it aside. He backed me into the wall and then buried his face in my neck. “This can’t happen. Even if we both want it,” he whispered against my neck. “You don’t know unless you try.” “I know because every night I see the wreckage. Every fuckin’ night I see her face, a face that’s similar to yours,” he explained. “With time you’ll get past—” Shane’s tongue snaked out, and he tasted my skin. I gasped and grabbed hold of his shirt, tilting my neck so he could take his fill. “You deserve a man who can make you his whole world. I’m broken, Sage. You need to let it go,” Shane whispered in my ear. He pulled my hands from his shirt and then pushed off the wall, fixing me with dark-gray, anguished eyes. I started to reach out to him, but he shook his head and turned, walking away from me and out the door. I was frozen in place, trying to wrap my head around what had happened when I heard the front door slam, and I jumped. I was still leaning against the wall, my heart pounding in my chest. I moved

then and grabbed my shirt, pulling it over my head. Maxine walked in as I pulled on my shorts, her face a mask of concern. “What happened?” she asked. “He was pissed and accused me of playing games.” “At least he’s feeling somethin’. Frustration is better than nothin’ any day of the week.” “He said I knew he was on his way.” Maxine looked away and mumbled, “He’s confused. I told him to stop by at seven after the party so I could talk to him. It’s not your fault he came early.” “Why did Max come with him?” She hesitated for a moment then said, “Beats me. I never know what my son will do.” Something about how she was acting didn’t ring true, but I let it go. I had other issues to worry about. It was becoming apparent that I couldn’t help Shane, and I needed to think. To reflect on whether I should leave or stay. Grabbing my running shoes from the floor, I headed for the door. “Where are you going?” Maxine called out. That was the million-dollar question.

Five Rock Bottom Jogging is where I did my best thinking. No matter the problem, the pavement beneath my feet kept me centered and focused. And right now, I needed to focus. I’d let my emotions lead my interactions with Shane, and I needed to take a step back and allow my analytical side to take over. He was depressed, carrying guilt around over Emma’s death, and holding back from life and happiness to purge himself of the guilt. He didn’t believe he deserved anything good in his life, and that included me. He could be helped, but not by me. I was part of the problem. Not to mention, emotionally compromised. When I wasn’t around him, I could think clearly. In his presence, I turned into a lovesick fool with hearts in her eyes, and my education flew right out the window. “Is this what it’s like to be in love?” I whispered. The pounding of my feet on the quiet mountain road seemed to answer my question with a steady slap, slap, slap, that matched my heartbeat. Love was messy. It sent you spiraling out of control, and if you’re lucky, you landed on your feet in one piece standing next to the object of your desire. “Okay, so I’m spiraling, but I haven’t landed yet.” If I kept my head clear and focused on the objective, helping Shane, I might get out of this in one piece and not have to leave. Or I could shoot myself in the foot and act like a starry-eyed heroine in every chick flick I’ve ever watched, which meant I was about to act like a psychotic. “Brilliant. Years of college down the drain because history tells me where love is concerned, I’ll have no control.” Unfortunately, the farther I ran, the more frustrated and confused I became. “Oh, God, it’s happening already,” I groaned and stopped dead in my tracks, walking in circles to catch my breath. I looked at my watch and saw it was after eight. I’d been running for more than an hour, which also meant I had an hour of running to get back to Maxine’s house. “Shit,” I cursed, looking up at the sky. “I should have run in circles instead of a straight line . . . And taken this damn teddy off,” I grumbled as I tried to dislodge it from my butt crack. Turning around, I headed back the way I came and began to look at my surroundings. Pine trees flanked both sides of the road, growing off the side of sheer cliffs. I could hear a river flowing up ahead, so I stopped when I reached it and watched the water rush past. White foam floated on the top, clinging in places to fallen logs and rocks. Further up the river, I could see large logs in a shallow cove soaking. A truck came around the bend as I stood at the river ’s edge and slowed. I turned to look and the person stopped, their passenger window rolling down. It was Max. “Hop in, I’ll take you back to Maxine’s,” he said then leaned over and opened the door. I climbed in, grateful for the ride.

He pulled out his phone as I buckled up and swiped ‘call.’ “Found her. Bringing her home now,” he stated and hung up without waiting for a reply. “You were looking for me?” “You stormed out on foot, tearing off into the night. You didn’t think people would worry?” I looked at the sky. The sun was still shining brightly. “Tore off into the night?” “Figure of speech,” he grinned. “So what did you decide?” “About what?” “About Shane.” “Jury is still out.” Max nodded slowly, saying nothing in reply. The cab grew silent and I became uncomfortable. Was he waiting for me to continue? “He has a lot to work through,” I provided, unsure of what else to say. “That he does. But he’ll get there.” “PTSD can be difficult to treat.” “I imagine it plays a part in what’s going on with Shane, but it’s not his biggest problem.” I turned sideways in the seat and looked at Max. “Why do you say that?” “Shane likes control even more than I do. He’s not struggling because of PTSD, he’s struggling because he’s stubborn and feels guilty. A man like Shane doesn’t like to fail at anything, especially not his responsibilities to his men or women in your sister ’s case. Failing to keep her safe by not fulfilling his duty to her can be as debilitating as PTSD.” “I can see that,” I mumbled. “Tell me what he was like as a child?” Max looked at me and grinned. “He’s two years younger than me and tried to boss me around, succeeding half the time, from the age of five.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “I can definitely see that.” “He’s a good man. One of the best I know,” he replied seriously then glanced at me with a questioning look. “He’d be worth the trouble if you’re interested.” “I’ll get back to you on that, too,” I replied smiling. “He’ll fight you on it, though.” “More than he already is?” “Probably. He thinks he’s saving you both from heartache.” “Maybe he is, but it’s more important that he forgives himself at this point. He won’t move forward with me or anyone else, for that matter, until he does.” Max nodded as he turned the corner onto the street that would take us to Maxine’s. As we drove closer to her yard, I could see Shane leaning against his truck and Mia standing next to him. “Did your mother call out the cavalry because I went for a jog?” “Yep. She’s taken a shine to you so get used it. She’ll be in your business from here on out.” “I’m beginning to see that.” When Max put his truck into park, I climbed out slowly, hesitant about what to say to Shane. He kept his attention trained on me as I walked around the front of the truck, his jaw ticking the whole time. “Can we talk?” I asked him.

He pushed off his truck. Then his face grew taut and his mouth pulled into a sharp line as he clenched and unclenched his fists. His overall demeanor screamed he would do all the talking, so I braced as he started straight in. “A woman’s got a stalker on her tail, she doesn’t go off without someone with her. Next time you want to blow off steam, have Maxine follow you in her Jeep.” Max grunted at Shane’s outburst, mumbling, "Splashdown.” Shane’s attention swung to Max and he bit out, “What?” “You’re fuckin’ blind if you don’t see it,” Max answered. “And you were clearheaded?” “From day fuckin’ one. You’ve stepped off the ledge, hit the water, and you’re still denyin’ it. Stop fightin’ fate.” I looked back and forth between them trying to follow the conversation. Was it just me or did everyone in this town talk in code? “Look, Shane,” I jumped in, “you’re right, I shouldn’t have run off like that. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. But you were so angry when you left that I needed to think. I honestly didn’t know I would worry anyone.” Mia said, “What?” while I waited for Shane to respond, so I turned and looked back. Max was glaring at her. “Oh, for God’s sake, Max. What?” He pointed at me and answered sarcastically, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Mia rolled her eyes and grinned, then wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging the brooding giant. I turned back and found Shane grinning as well. “I’m clearly missing something,” I mumbled. “Hang around long enough and you’ll figure it out.” I wanted to hang around longer and figure them all out. I wanted to figure Shane out, to help him heal if he’d let me, but first, I had to get him to trust me. “Look, about earlier,” I started. “I didn’t know you were coming over. If I had, I would have covered up.” “Forget about earlier. It doesn’t matter.” “It matters to me.” “It’s not gonna happen between us, Sage, you need to accept it.” Shane took a step back to emphasize his point. He was only a few feet away, but it might as well have been a mile. “Shane—” “Inside before I leave,” he ordered then he turned his back to me, refusing to hear me out, and headed for his truck. My frustration with his stubbornness was building to a crescendo. If I weren’t careful, I’d lose control and unleash all my pent-up anger at his unwillingness to listen. Falling for someone is harder than the movies make it look. Clearly Hollywood needs to stop producing happily ever after ’s and focus on reality. My experience, thus far, has proven love is anything but easy. Sometimes it’s ugly.

Sometimes it’s cruel. And in my mother ’s case, bloody. “You're stubborn and kind of bossy, you know that, right?” I shouted at his retreating backside. I had to let off a small amount of steam, like a pressure valve, or I’d blow my top like a pressure cooker. “Yep,” he actually admitted, which frustrated me more, then ordered again, “Inside, now.” Deep breath, in and out, Sage. “Fine,” I grit out after counting to ten. It was just as well he left. Neither of us was in the right state of mind to hash out our differences. In fact, I was beginning to think those who stayed single their whole lives knew exactly what they were doing. “Hey, Sage,” Mia shouted as I turned toward the cabin. “Let’s go to the carnival tomorrow. Max won’t ride the rides with me. He says they aren’t big enough for thunder gods.” In a moment of weakness, I looked back at Shane and sarcastically asked, “Is that allowed or do I need an escort?” “Now the claws come out,” Shane sighed. “Even kittens have claws when they need them,” Mia responded. “Kitten? I’m no kitten,” I defended. “No, you’re not. You’re more like a minx,” Shane stated, opening his truck door. “Soft and sweet looking until you bite.” “I have claws,” I muttered. “Big scary ones,” I complained. “Inside, Sage,” Shane ordered yet again. I rolled my eyes, almost stuck out my tongue, and started to turn toward the door. Then I realized he was bossing me around again, and I stopped dead in my tracks. “You know, I don’t need you ordering me around.” Shane didn’t reply. He crossed his arms and stared daggers until I threw my hands in the air and headed for the door. “He better get his shit together soon,” I mumbled under my breath. “If a man’s gonna order me around, I should at least be getting something in return for my trouble. Like an orgasm . . . or twenty.”

*** “So tell me what’s actually going on with Shane?” Mia asked, looking over her shoulder at where Shane, Max, and Chester were standing. Apparently, I did need an escort to go to the carnival. Licking cotton candy off my fingertips, I looked back at Shane and scowled. “Hot and cold,” I replied. “He can’t get past the fact I’m Emma’s sister.” “And the hot part?” she asked, wiggling her brows. “He’s kissed me.” “And?” “There were fireworks and my knees gave out.” “Good kiss.” “Great kiss,” I agreed. “But this guilt he’s hanging on to is stopping him.” “And if he weren’t?”

“If he weren’t, what?” “If he weren’t, would you be open to seeing where things went?” I pointed to a bench that was vacant, and we moved to it and sat down. Then I turned to her and took a deep breath. I wasn’t ashamed of my past abuse; it just took a lot out of me when I brought it up. However, it was about time I shared it with someone here. “I’m not the type of woman who falls into relationships quickly,” I explained. “I have trust issues because my stepfather was abusive.” Mia’s mouth dropped open when she heard this, and she asked, “He didn’t, you know—” “No! But he was verbally and physically abusive.” “Bastard,” she mumbled, her eyes sparking with fire at the news. “Yeah, very much so. And because of him, I don’t trust men easily. Emma and I learned early how to spot an abusive man; it’s one of the reasons I’m successful with the kids I counsel.” “Because you were one of those kids?” she asked. “Exactly. And because of the abuse. I was twenty-seven before I trusted a man enough to have a relationship, and even then I chose poorly. He never laid a hand on me, but then I knew he wouldn’t. He was weak, not dangerous.” I explained. “But I thought I needed a man who was easily controlled to avoid a man who might abuse me.” I shrugged, then shook my head and snickered at how foolish I’d been. “I won’t soon make that mistake again.” “So where does Shane fall on your radar?” “Shane?” I tilted my head and thought about the list I’d made all those years ago. “You know, I made a list of qualities I wanted in a man when I was a teenager. For obvious reasons the list was specific, and the shoes impossible to fill. But even though I knew such a man didn’t exist, I still prayed he’d find me someday.” “How does Shane hold up against that list?” “He fits them all.” I hadn’t realized Shane matched the list until that moment, but it was true. He fit my dream man to a T. “Holy cow . . . So does that mean you’d be willing to live in a place like Trails End for a man like Shane?” I looked around at the carnival, across the crystal water to the mountains beyond, and then thought about the people I’d met in the three days since I’d arrived. “I could think of worse places to live,” I stated, smiling. “It is kind of Pleasantville-ish, isn’t it?” “In a Mayberry, USA, kind of way,” I agreed. “So what are your thoughts on Shane? Do you think he can overcome this guilt he’s carrying around?” “Sure. I’m just not sure if he can ever look at me without seeing my sister. He’s dealing with PTSD, though Max thinks it’s not his biggest problem. He may be right since PSTD isn’t my area of expertise. If I were at home, I would consult with professionals who have experience dealing with combat soldiers returning from war. Though, I do know conventional therapy with ex-military seems to fail.”

“Does anything work?” “I read animal therapy seems to help.” “Like training dogs?” “Dogs, horses, wolves. Animals seem to have an innate sense when a person is hurting. They bond with the veterans and give unconditional love. Something about that appears to help them readjust to civilian life.” “What about bears?” she mumbled, her brows pulled together in thought. “No idea. I suppose if a bear were tame enough, it could happen.” A smile pulled across her beautiful face. “Oh, he’s tame,” she grinned. “Are you thinking of having Shane take care of one of your bears?” “He already does. He and Booboo are thick as thieves.” “Maybe that’s why he’s not as lost to the PTSD as others. He’s been getting therapy all along and he didn’t even know it.” “Yeah, I think you’re right.” “Then encourage him to continue working with the bear.” “I definitely will. Shane is Max’s closest friend, and since they’re technically related I—” “Wait, Shane and Max are related?” “Distantly. So distantly, they don’t bring it up. I only found out myself when I addressed the wedding invitations. Shane’s grandmother and Max’s grandfather were cousins on his father ’s side. They share the same great-great-great-great grandparents. Though, I think everyone in this town is related by degrees since they don’t tend to move away. But enough Hunter blood runs through Shane’s veins that he and Max seem cut from the same cloth. They’re more like brothers than fourth cousins. And because of that bond, I want to see him happy. Since he came home, he hasn’t been living, more like existing. He jumps from job to job and helps anyone who asks, refusing to be paid most of the time. If it weren’t for the fact he saved every penny he could while he was enlisted, I don’t know how he would survive.” “He’s doing penance,” I mumbled. “Penance?” “Working for whoever needs help without being paid. It’s kinda like those who think you can get into heaven by doing good deeds. He must think if he lives his life in a selfless manner, then he might be forgiven.” “Does that ever work?” “It’s a short-term bandage. Eventually, he’ll crash.” “Well, what can we do to help?” she rushed out, her love for her friend clear on her face. “All you can do is support him. Listen when he wants to talk. Until he’s ready to make a change, he won’t move forward.” Mia slumped back on the bench and sighed. “Now I’m depressed,” she stated, looking back at Shane and Max. “I think it’s time for a distraction. Ready for the Ferris Wheel?” Turning, I looked back at the slow-turning wheel and nodded. As we stood to make our way to stand in line, I heard a child cry out. Turning my head to the left, I caught a large man bent at the waist

with his hand wrapped tightly around a boy’s arm, the other hand buried in his hair, tugging his head back. Few things in this life cause me to react quickly. I’m usually guarded and weigh my options, but seeing the frightened look on the child’s face and the rough hold the man had on him, I reacted immediately. One moment I was twenty feet away, the next I was grabbing his arm, pulling him off the child while Mia shouted behind me. The man was drunk and he stumbled as I shoved him back. His glassy eyes met mine when he recovered, and he leered. Then he swung at my head as the boy took off. I ducked easily. Five years in self-defense classes taught me how to react quickly. When he righted himself and started to swing again, I landed a heel to his instep followed by a knee to the groin. He went down on one knee, grunting as he went, but it didn’t take him all the way down like I thought it would. His head shot up and he leveled me with a scowl. He looked furious. So much so, I tried to take a step back out of his reach, but I wasn’t fast enough. He lunged, taking me to the ground, and then cocked his fist. He weighed a ton, and I wasn’t able to dislodge him, so I closed my eyes and turned my head, waiting for the blow that never came. He was airborne and on his back before I could take another breath. When I opened my eyes and turned my head, I found Shane standing over the man, ready to throw a punch. “Shane, don’t!” I shouted. Chester moved in quickly and restrained the drunk man while Max grabbed Shane’s arm to hold him back. Shane scowled at him, then turned around and looked at me, shrugging off Max’s hand as he reached out to help me up. Once I stood, he scanned my body from head to toe and then leveled his scowl at me and seethed, “I should put you over my knee. Jesus, woman, what did you think would happen when you took on a drunk man?” “I didn’t think that far out, Shane,” I admitted. “I just knew I couldn’t stand by and let him hurt that boy.” Max and Mia walked up before Shane could continue, and he bit his bottom lip while he glared. “Nice knee to the groin,” Mia said. “I have the knee part down, but the foot to his instep coupled with the knee was a thing of beauty. Could you teach me?” Max turned and looked at his wife with a look that said Mia was nuts, then he grumbled, “You don’t need to know how to take down a two-hundred-pound man.” “True, but I might want to take down an arrogant husband.” Mia smiled innocently at Max. Max’s eyes shot to me and they narrowed, then he turned to Shane and crossed his arms. “Don’t say a word,” Shane ordered at Max. “I got nothin’ to say that I haven’t said already . . . Except, misery loves company.” Misery loves company? Ignoring Max, Shane leaned down and grabbed my bag, mumbling, “Five-foot-nothin’, weighs nothin’, but she charges in like an invading army.” “I was trying to save a boy from abuse,” I sighed, snatching my bag from him. “Look around you, babe, there are hundreds of men here you could have asked for help,” he snapped between clenched teeth, his arm sweeping the entirety of the carnival.

“That may be true, but I learned a long time ago not to depend on men for anything. Every one of them has let me down.” Shane’s head jerked back as if he’d been hit, and the fire in his eyes burned brighter. “I’m not like other men,” he hissed. My mouth snapped shut because he was right. He wasn’t like the other men in my life. “I know you aren’t,” I whispered contritely. His fire banked to a low simmer at my apology. “You should have asked for my help instead of going off half-cocked. You could have been hurt or worse.” He made me feel like a child, making my temper flare. “Well, I didn’t ask you because I’m not your problem.” “The minute you drove into this town lookin’ for me is the minute you became my problem.” Hearing that, I thought my head might explode. He’s hot, then he’s cold, he’s distant, then in my face. I was done with his mood swings. Broken or not, he didn’t have a right to order me around. No one did. “Really? Well, you’ve made it clear since I arrived you wanted me gone, that I should forget about you. So you’ll be over the moon to know I’m letting you off the hook.” Mia giggled at that point and turned to Max. “Remember this part?” “Yeah,” Max grinned. “Foreplay.” I scowled at them both and they smiled. Then I turned to Shane. “Since nothing can happen between us as you said, you steer clear of me and I’ll steer clear of you. Does that work for you?” “Not in the fuckin’ least,” he replied, crossing his arms. “You’re a smart guy, you’ll adjust.” “Sage?” Chester called out so I turned and headed toward him, more than done with Shane at that moment. The man who’d attacked the little boy and me was being ushered away in handcuffs. He glared over his shoulder at me as he fought the handcuffs, but I ignored him. “Do you know that man?” I asked Chester. “Yeah, his name is Roger Brown. He gets mean when he’s been drinking. We took his son to a squad and contacted his mother. I’m chargin’ him with resisting arrest, public intoxication, and assault.” “Chester, if he’s willing to manhandle his son in public, I can only imagine what he’s doing behind closed doors.” “Agreed. I’ll have one of my men look into it. If we need assistance with the boy, do you have time in your schedule?” “I’m leaving Friday on a rafting trip, but I’m available until then. Just call if I can help.” “Sounds good,” Chester answered, then reached out and squeezed my hand before he turned and headed toward the parking lot. When I turned back toward Shane, I caught him scowling after Chester. Then he leveled his oh so unhappy frown on me. The urge to stick out my tongue was strong, but I held it back. “I think what we need is a distraction,” Mia said as she walked up to me.

“Ferris Wheel?” “House of Mirrors, I think. Come on.” Mia grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the building. I shot Shane a look of scorn as we walked away, but he upped the ante and won the stare-off when a twitch developed in his right eye. “Asshole,” I mumbled. “How’s that list looking right about now?” Mia asked as we paid the ticket vendor. “Like a stupid teenage girl wrote it and didn’t have a clue.” “Give it time, you’ll change your mind,” she giggled as we walked into the House of Mirrors. “Probably,” I sighed. “But the way I’m feeling right now, if I could find someplace else to hide while my stalker cooled his heels, I’d go. Oh, well, at least I have a job to take my mind off Shane. I can’t wait to go rafting this weekend.” We stopped in front of a mirror that distorted our heads and Mia said, “I’ve always wanted to learn. Is it hard?” as she made a face. “I didn’t think so. But I’m sure when you’re in grade five rapids, it’s a different story.” We moved around the corner and found a maze. Turn one way, and you find a dead end; turn the other, and you find your way out. In the center was a circle of mirrors that distorted our body image. We moved to each one and laughed. In one, our already generous breasts looked ginormous and Mia giggled, “Max would love that.” “How do you like being married?” “Most days, it’s paradise.” “And the others?” “I understand why Maxine sleeps with an ax under her pillow,” she deadpanned. “Wait, she actually sleeps with an ax under her pillow?” “Oh, yeah. Max said she used his dad for target practice. I think she had the right idea.” A group of people moved in behind us so we turned the corner. “Left or right?” I asked. “You go left and I’ll go right and we’ll see who gets stuck.” “Sounds good,” I laughed, then turned left and made my way around the corner. More mirrors reflected my image as I turned and then turned again. One mirror made me look like the fivehundred-pound woman at the carnival, so I puffed out my cheeks and turned sideways to see what a big butt would look like on me. As I checked out my ass, out of the corner of my eye I saw movement and looked up. I caught what I thought was a man wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap watching me. He ducked back into the shadows, and the hair on the back of my neck began to rise. “Mia?” I shouted, hoping she was close, feeling alone and vulnerable. She didn’t respond, so I kept moving forward, afraid to go back. But I came to a dead end. “Shit.” Turning around, I made my way back the way I came, peeking around corners to make sure the mysterious man wasn’t waiting to attack. As I turned the next corner, I shouted, “Mia?” again. I paused to see if she’d answer, but got no reply. When I turned the next corner, the lights went out and I froze. I could hear other people in the maze moving around, their startled screams bouncing off the walls. My heart began to race. Was I just being paranoid or did I actually see a man watching me? Reaching out, I put my hand to the wall and began moving forward. I took another turn and bumped

into a solid wall, then backed up. “Turn the lights back on,” I shouted. Someone bumped into me and I screamed. A male voice whispered, “Sorry,” and I panicked. “Who’s there?” I asked, putting my hands out. I found dead air. “Is someone there?” I whispered. When I received no answer, I began moving forward again. I needed out of this place. “Mia?” I shouted for the third time. “Sage?” she finally shouted back, and the glow of a cell phone broke the inky darkness. “Thank God,” I mumbled and took off in the direction of the light. As I made my way closer, I was bumped from behind and knocked to my knees. I screamed out as I went down, and Mia came running toward me, shouting, “Watch it, buddy,” as a man pushed past her. “You okay?” she asked, putting out her hand. “Yeah. Just freaked out by the dark.” “Me, too. Let’s get out of here.” We clung to each other as she used her light to guide the way. When we rounded what I hoped was the last corner, we both came to a screeching halt and cried out when her phone illuminated a scowling Max and Shane. “You okay?” Max asked, taking hold of her outstretched hand. “The lights went out,” she replied. “And before you blame me for this, I was nowhere near the light switch, nor did I trip and bust the fuses.” Max smirked at her defense and pulled her into his arms. “Doesn’t matter,” he answered, “the law of averages says if it can happen, you’ll be close by.” Shane put out his hand to help me out the door and down the stairs. I took it because I wanted out of there. “Thanks,” I said once I was breathing fresh air. “We need to talk.” “No, we don’t. I let you off the hook, Shane. I no longer need your help.” Shane rolled his lip between his teeth, no doubt to control his anger, then grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side where we had privacy. “Listen to me and listen good. I couldn’t save your sister, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let anything happen to you.” “So your only interest in me is out of some duty to my sister?” If he agreed, I knew it would crush me. How had this man come to mean something to me in three days? “It has to be that way. We’re only askin’ for heartache if we go down that road.” “Because you think you’ll never be able to forgive yourself?” “Because we’ll never be able to look at each other without seeing Emma Jane. It’ll never work.” “Don’t you dare speak for me,” I shouted, ripping my arm from his grip. The psychotic I was afraid would rule my emotions finally made an appearance and put on her boxing gloves. “I, for one, like remembering my sister. When I look at you, I don’t feel sad, I feel grateful she had you as her friend while she was in the Army. If you can’t see past your unfounded guilt when you look at me, that’s your issue, not mine.” “It’s not unfounded.”

“In your mind maybe, but I don’t blame you. It was a tragedy of war. You need to face that, Shane, or you won’t move past it. Talk to Max, talk to one of your former men, hell, talk to Maxine before you drown in this guilt. If you don’t, you’ll be folding it around you like a blanket to keep you warm at night,” I choked out as tears welled. I wanted more than anything for this man to see me differently, as more than just a reminder of my sister ’s death, but it was clear he was lost to his demons. He looked stunned at my outburst and didn’t reply. They thought I was a kitten because I was softspoken, but when push came to shove, I was always a lioness. When a knot started forming in my chest, I turned to walk away. But I stopped when a voice inside my head urged me to make it clear to him exactly what he’d be giving up if he rejected me. So I turned back and bared my soul. “You told me once you weren’t the person I thought you were, but you’re wrong. You’ve just forgotten who that man is. You’re walking alone through life, Shane. If you’d given me a chance, I would have tried to be your anchor, to keep you grounded, given you a reason to live. You could have breathed me in, even when it hurts to breathe, and I would have helped you heal,” I cried out. “You could have found love so profound it stopped time in the face of it—that’s what I would have given to you if you’d been brave enough to try.” I didn’t wait for his reply. I turned to leave as soon as I finished. But Shane grabbed my arm and spun me around before I made it one step. I gasped when my chest slammed into his and then his mouth was on mine. I wanted to cry at the intensity of the kiss, at how beautiful it could be between us. But heartache was mixed in with his passion as he drew out the kiss, bending me at the waist to control every nuance. When he finally broke from my lips, he placed his forehead on mine and stared into my eyes. I saw his pain, his uncertainty, what I didn’t see was forgiveness for himself. “Sage.” His voice was strained. The longing, the pain in that single word was heartbreaking “I wish I could help you,” I whispered, reaching up to run my hand down his cheek. “You deserve love and so much more.” Shane held my gaze for a moment longer then kissed me softly before releasing me. I stepped back, refusing to look at him because it hurt too much, and made a decision that would save us both the heartache he feared. Turning to my right, I found Maxine and Gregor standing next to Max and Mia watching us, all with identical looks of sadness. They cared so much for Shane. He had the support he needed. I could only pray he reached out at some point and took it. Moving toward Maxine and Gregor, I shored up my defenses for what was to come. When I was standing in front of them both, I spoke. “Gregor, I made a mistake. I won’t be staying in Trails End as I thought.” Maxine widened her eyes in response and she turned to Gregor, placing her hand on his arm. He looked at her and put his own hand on top of hers. Something passed between them, like minds speaking without words. “I’ll be in a pickle if you don’t at least help out this weekend. Can you put off leaving until then?” I thought about my proximity to Shane until I could leave and nodded. It would be easy to avoid

him on the river so I could delay leaving until we returned. “All right. I’ll stay until after the trip.” “Thank you, lass,” Gregor responded, reaching out to squeeze my hand. I was on the verge of tears again, so I excused myself and headed for my Jeep. Max was talking to Shane as I walked away, so I put my head down and kept moving. I felt Shane’s eyes burning into my back as I left. Once I was far enough away, I turned back and caught sight of Shane walking away alone, heading for the lake. I watched until he made it to the water ’s edge and lowered his head. My vision clouded as I took him in. I was aching to reach out to him one more time, but I didn’t. Nothing I said would change a thing until he was ready to accept the truth. I wasn’t sure if I’d see him again before I left, so I watched a moment longer than I should have. Then I tucked the sight of him away in my memory, said good-bye to what might have been, and went back to Maxine’s. After dealing with my stepfather, Emma Jane’s death, hiding from a stalker, and now dealing with Shane, I was emotionally exhausted. I couldn’t stop the tears if I tried. As a rule, I tried not to focus on things I couldn’t change, told myself what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger, but at that moment, it was a lie. Some pain can stop you in your tracks and halt your life. Some pain is so debilitating that you can’t see past it. It took the last year to bring me to that point, but here I was, lying on the bed in Maxine’s home with the blinds pulled and the lights off. It wasn’t until that moment when Shane’s rejection tipped me over the edge that I finally understood him. And that caused the tears to flow harder. The ache of all I’d lost was so intense I wasn’t sure if I could move from the bed if the house caught fire, and it was eye-opening. I realized that’s what Shane had been living with for the past year, and I ached more. I couldn’t breathe adequately; my lungs were constricted by a choking feeling of loss and regret. I wanted to take a knife and cut the pain from my chest so I wouldn’t hurt anymore. I don’t know how Shane got up each day with that type of pain radiating through his system. But it proved how strong he was. How brave he was that he faced each day without sharing his burden with a single person. I called him a coward. “I’m so sorry, Emma,” I whispered into the darkness. “I wanted desperately to help him. For you, for him, and for me. I don’t know what to do. Do I stay and fight or do I leave?” The door to my room flew open as I lay there waiting for an answer from my sister that would never come. “We need to talk,” Maxine said as she entered and flipped the light on. Rolling to my back, I covered my eyes from the blinding light and mumbled, “What?” Maxine sat on the bed, so I moved up and leaned against the headboard, wiping my face dry before pulling my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. Her face softened as she took in my tears. “I got a story to tell you,” she started in a soft voice. “One I never told Maximilian.” “What kind of story?” “One about love lost and found. You see, my husband Tom loved another woman before me. Max knows about his father ’s first love; so does the town, but he doesn’t know the whole story.” “Okay.” I was intrigued of course, but a little confused why she was sharing her husband’s past.

“I met Tom when he was thirty-eight. I lived in Gunnison, Colorado, at the time, and he was passing through on his yearly vacation. He liked the look of the town, so he decided to stay for a few days. What you need to know before I continue is we Gunnisons have a way of knowing the minute we see our soul mates. It happened to my dad, his dad, my brother, his son Jack, and even Maximilian. It also happened to me. Tom walked into the bar I was in, and the minute I looked at him, I knew. He was ten years older than I was, but I didn’t care. I could see it in his eyes,” she explained with a faraway look. “You’re saying Max knew as soon as he looked into Mia’s eyes?” “Oh, yeah. He may not have figured it out right off, but something happens when you meet your soul mate. You see, soul mates are two halves of the same whole, so when you meet, it’s like coming home. But it’s different for everyone. The Gunnisons, for instance, just instinctively know when we meet our other half. We become protective, possessive, almost instantly. And the Hunters, like my Max and Tom, the ground beneath their feet shifts and a calmness kinda washes over them.” “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. Aristotle.” Aristotle’s quote was based on Greek mythology where humans were believed to be born with four arms, four legs, and was half male and half female. But after they conspired to climb Mount Olympus to attack him, Zeus ordered them cut in half. Since that day, it’s believed every human spends their life searching for their other half. I hadn’t given much thought to the legend until Maxine told her story. “You know Aristotle, I see.” “I do. And I think it’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” “It is,” she agreed. “It can also be a curse, though.” “How so?” “Well, for one thing, not everyone realizes what’s happening and they fight it. Some will go as far as to push the other away, causing heartache and disappointment. And in some cases, separation for the rest of their lives.” “Did Tom fight it?” “Oh, Lord, yes. And that’s the part that Max doesn’t know,” she informed me, so I leaned in closer, my attention riveted to her story. “Okay, I’m listening.” When she moved closer and took my hand, I knew she was about to lay some wisdom on me I needed to hear. “See, the reason Tom wasn’t married at thirty-eight is his first love had died in a hunting accident. It’s a sad story, I’ll tell you about it some time,” she explained with a flip of her hand and then continued. “Anyhoo, he vowed never to marry after that; was convinced he’d lost his one and only true love, you see. So he walked around a shell of a man for years until he met me. But I recognized him immediately as my other half. I also saw the darkness he carried within him and knew I’d have to fight for him. That’s what Max doesn’t know. He thinks his father took one look at me and fell head over heels, so let’s keep it that way.” She winked. “But the whole truth is, I fought tooth and nail to bring him out of the dark and into the light with me. And once he paid attention to me and honestly looked with his whole heart, he realized who I was. His soul mate.” I could see Tom as he fought his feelings for her, and his face morphed into Shane’s. “You’re telling me this for a reason, aren’t you?”

Maxine nodded and her eyes sharpened, pinning me in place. “I see the same look on your face I had when I met Tom. You see Shane’s soul, his dark, and his light, don’t you?” “Yes,” I agreed. “But he’s pushed me away. I don’t think he’ll let me help him.” “A woman’s any woman at all, she digs her feet in and fights for what she wants.” “But how do I fight when I’m the problem?” “You gotta pull from that place in your gut that feeds you when you think you can’t go on. You use it to fight, to guide you, to sustain you when you think you can’t handle one more thing, and then you hand it to Shane to guide him out of the darkness.” “I’m worried he can’t be helped,” I admitted. “Nonsense. Shane’s born from the same mountain stock as Max. They don’t lie down easily. They’re strong, courageous—albeit stubborn to the core—warriors. He’s been injured, broken even, but he’s made of sterner stuff. He just needs a reason to fight back the darkness, and that’s where you come in.” “But how? Do I follow him around and get in his face?” “Nope. It’s easier with men like Max and Shane. He’ll come to you.” “Why would you think that?” “Shane wants you. Which means he won’t want anyone else to have you. Eventually, the need to claim you will weaken his defenses and then he’ll open his eyes.” “If you’re saying I should flirt with other men, then the answer is no. I won’t play—” “Goodness, no. That’s distasteful and unbecoming of a real woman. Just don’t leave Trails End. Put yourself out there so he is forced to deal with you, is all I’m saying. Conduct yourself like always, and no matter what he says, brush it off. Don’t run from the fight, stay and fight. He’ll see that you’re made of sterner stuff just like him and can bear the weight of his darkness. When he sees that, he’ll fall.” “But I have fought and it seems to have made no difference.” “Oh, it’s chipped away at some of his armor. But he’s got a stubborn streak the likes I’ve never seen. Dig deep, Sage. Square your shoulders and show him you can handle anything he throws at you. By doing that, you’re giving him your strength to let go and move forward.” “Give him my strength? . . . I can do that. I’ll start tomorrow,” I agreed, then wrapped my arms around her and gave her a hug. “I’m thinking tonight. Say, eight, at Last Call.” “That soon?” “No time like the present.” “All right. Any more wisdom you want to impart to me before tonight?” “Yeah,” she replied with a sly grin pulling across her lips. “Wear something green, low cut, and leave your hair down.” “Isn’t that playing games?” “Nope. You’re just working with what your mama gave you.”

*** You could have found love so profound it stopped time in the face of it—that’s what I would have given

to you if you’d been brave enough to try. Shane closed his eyes and attempted to block out Sage’s words. Whiskey wasn’t easing the hard edge that had set in since she’d confronted him. He was sitting at the end of the bar at Last Call, and everyone was giving him a wide berth. Max and Mia were at a table with Maxine, talking in whispers as they kept an eye on him. Tapping the bar with his finger, he watched Ralph Potter fill his shot glass again. Then he threw it back. “That’s your fourth,” Ralph pointed out. “Either you eat somethin’ or give me the keys to your truck.” Shane stood and pulled the keys from his pocket, dropping them on the bar, then tapped it again and waited. He saw Ralph look over his shoulder at Max and gritted his jaw. “Are you pourin’ or turnin’ into a mother hen?” Ralph locked eyes with Shane, his brows pulled down in concern, then he lifted the bottle and filled his glass. “Obliged,” Shane muttered. He lifted the shot and got it halfway to his mouth when a hand stilled its assent. Shane didn’t have to look to know it was Max. No one had a hand that big. “You want something, Max?” “I want you to pull your head out of your ass.” Shane shrugged off his hand and threw back the whiskey, praying the burn would take his mind off his trouble for the millisecond it took to make its way to his gut. He was determined to get good and drunk. “Did you pull your head out of your ass when your father died?” Shane asked without inflection. “No,” Max answered, ignoring the punch to the gut that always came when he thought of his father ’s death. “Then what makes you think I can, Max?” “There’s a difference, Shane.” “Yeah? And what’s that?” he asked, turning his head to look at Max. “I didn’t stand to lose Mia because of it.” You could have breathed me in, even when it hurts to breathe, and I would have helped you heal. Shane took a deep breath to ease the pain and clipped, “Don’t compare a woman I’ve known all of three days to your wife.” Max leaned in and rested both his arms on the bar. When Shane turned his booze-soaked eyes back to him, Max answered. “I knew the moment I looked into her eyes she was the one for me. I didn’t need a year, six months, or even a few weeks to know I would do whatever it took to win her heart. When love is involved and you find the one you’ve been looking for, you weather any storm ‘til you’re standin’ right where you want to be. So don’t give me that shit about only knowin’ her three days. I’ve watched you around Sage and I recognize the look. It stared back at me in the mirror the very day I met Mia. The only thing stoppin’ you from gettin’ in your truck and claimin’ that woman is your own stubborn need to be right.” Shane’s temper ignited, and he raged, “You think I want to feel this way?”

The bar went on alert, heads turning in shock at his outburst. “Jesus, Shane,” Max whispered. “I think you’ve felt this way for so long it’s like puttin’ on an old pair of jeans that has seen its last leg. It feels right on your skin, so you don’t know how to let it go. You gotta talk about what’s goin’ on in your head; purge the demons from your soul so you can move forward.” Max held Shane’s glare for a moment then looked back at his wife. “You know I’d die for her,” he announced. Peeling his eyes from Max, Shane looked at Mia. He watched her face soften when Max caught her attention and he instantly envied him. He’d spent the last year flirting with the woman for God only knows what reason. Max thought it was so he’d beat the shit out of him, but Shane didn’t have a clue about anything at this point. Maybe he wanted to piss Max off because he had what Shane wanted; a reason to live. Jake entered the bar as he and Max stood in a silent battle of wills and made his way toward them. When he was standing between Shane and Max, he turned his head and scanned the bar. “Is Sage here?” he asked. Max looked at Shane and watched his hand curl into a fist, so he carefully answered, “Nope.” “Damn,” Jake grumbled, then smirked and dug his own grave. “I was hoping I could convince her to take a ride up the Grizzly Pointe, then maybe up to the hot springs.” Shane’s stool hit the floor with a thud as he stood and faced Jake. Max stepped between the two men and prayed to God Shane reined in his temper. “Is there a problem?” Jake asked. “Yeah,” Shane jeered. “Stay the fuck away from Sage.” Jake jerked his head to the side and eyed Shane. “You got a claim on her?” “You need to leave,” Max ordered, laying a hand on Jake’s arm, trying to diffuse the situation. “Why?” “Stay. Away. From. Sage,” Shane growled, taking a step forward. Jake looked Shane over from head to toe, then rose a single cocky brow. “Or what, big guy?” Shane lunged and it was over. He drew back his fist, slammed it into the side of Jake’s temple, and he was out for the count before Max could stop him. Jake never saw the punch coming. The bar grew quiet when Jake hit the floor, all attention focused on Shane as he leaned over Jake and seethed, “Or else.” Max took hold of his arm and pulled him back, shoving him toward the bar. “Jesus, Shane. You just laid out a good friend.” Shane kept his eye trained on Jake, his jaw ticking as he ground his teeth, then he looked up and froze. “Are you ready to get your shit together yet?” Max thundered. Kneeling to check Jake, Max noted a welt had already begun to form. The power behind Shane’s punch was evident, and Max figured the rage swirling through his veins would burn him out eventually if something didn’t change. He glanced at Mia and saw a tear run down her cheek. Then he looked to his mother. Her face had paled, and her eyes were fraught with concern, reflecting sorrow

he hadn’t seen in years. “I love you like a brother, Shane,” Max stated, his voice hoarse with anger and emotion. “So hear me when I say, figure it out and figure it out soon. You can’t live like this, and it hurts like hell to watch.” Shane didn’t respond to Max; his attention was directed over his shoulder toward the door. Max noted his eyes were glossy with booze and anger, and the hard line of his jaw said he was holding on by a thread. Turning his head, Max found what had captured Shane’s attention. Sage stood in the doorway. Dressed in a low-cut, green sweater that hugged her curves, her eyes were round in surprise as she stared back at Shane. She’d worn her mane of auburn hair down for the first time since Max had met her, and the effect, along with the tight sweater, would have brought any man not in love with his wife to his knees. He turned back to Shane to gauge his reaction and found him breathing fast, his hands curled around the edge of the bar, the knuckles white as he watched Sage. When she moved toward him, Shane jerked back as if he’d been struck. Reaching over the bar, he snagged his keys and bit out, “I’ve had enough torture for one day.” Max would have stopped him if his home weren’t a straight shot down the road from the bar. That and the fact Shane was more angry than drunk. So he let him go. There was no talking to him in that condition. Max watched as Shane moved past Sage without looking at her. Punching the door open with his fist, Shane disappeared into the night as Max watched with a heavy heart. He turned to Sage when the door slammed shut. He couldn’t help Shane. He hoped like hell she could.

Six Operation Make Shane Jealous When the door slammed hard behind Shane, alarm streaked down my spine, and I looked at Maxine for guidance. How was I supposed to fight for him if he refused to be in my presence? Maxine looked off balance as she stared down at Jake, and my confidence we could help Shane began to weaken. Turning my head to where Jake lay on the floor, I watched him shake his head as he tried to stand. I’d arrived in time to hear Shane tell Jake to stay away from me, and then watched helplessly as he punched Jake. I didn’t know what transpired before I walked in, but the look on his face when he caught me standing in the door spoke of anger, maybe even rage, but certainly not longing for me. “I’m so sorry, Jake,” I said when he finally found his feet. A slow grin pulled across his mouth as he rubbed his jaw. “I knew when I signed on for Operation Make Shane Jealous, he might retaliate. It was worth it, though, just to see his face when I said I wanted to take you up to the hot springs . . . he wanted to murder me.” I blinked several times in confusion, then asked, “Operation what?” He turned his head toward Maxine, and her eyes rounded innocently. “Christ,” Max grumbled, looking back and forth between Jake and Maxine. “You’re playing one of your games, aren’t you?” My attention shot to Maxine and I scowled. “You said no games.” “And I meant it,” she defended, crossing her arms. “However, if someone else wants to get involved, that’s entirely different.” “But he punched Jake,” I pointed out the obvious, and she lowered her eyes. It was clear she didn’t expect that to happen. “He hasn’t punched Chester yet,” Jake put in. “If he lets loose on him, you know he’s hit rock bottom. They’ve been friends since childhood.” The bar grew silent and all eyes turned to Maxine. An electric current coiled tightly in the air right before Max erupted. “You pulled Chester into this shit?” Max roared. “Jesus, Maxine. You don’t push a man like Shane this way.” “He volunteered,” Maxine argued. “The hell he did,” Max shouted. Maxine rolled her eyes, exasperation written all over her face. “Fine.” She sighed. “He was coerced by Martha. But he saw the righteousness of the plan, Maximilian.” “It’s like talking to a brick wall,” Max grit out, rubbing his hand across his face. “You can’t force this shit and you know it. And playing his friends against him will only make it worse. You know Shane keeps a tight hold on his control and you’re pushing him to lose it. Have you lost your mind?” Mia stepped up and raised her hand to his face, righteous indignation playing across her features. “I’m sorry, but did you just say ‘you can’t force this shit’? Aren’t you the same man who ordered me to stay in Trails End when I told you I wanted to leave?”

“This isn’t the same thing,” Max argued. “Why? Because you say so?” she asked sarcastically. “Babe,” was Max’s only reply as if that was all that needed to be said. Mia rolled her eyes and then turned to me. “Thor over there has selective memory. He insisted I stay. Said, While you’re here, we're gonna ride this until we fall off battered and bruised or hold on tight ‘cause it’s what we both want.” “You’re wearin’ my ring, aren’t you?” Max replied arrogantly, crossing his arms. “Yes, god of thunder, but you’re missing the point. I wanted you from the moment I saw you, but I still would have left. It took you intervening for me to pull my head out of my ass.” “Now hold on just a damn minute,” Maxine scoffed. “If my memory serves, and it usually does, you did leave. In fact, you both had sticks up your asses until I intervened.” Max ignored his mother ’s outburst. He’d grown quiet when Mia said she wanted him the moment she saw him, and his expression had turned smoldering. Mia didn’t miss it either. She raised her hand to block the view. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ll have to add Hungry Max to the list.” I didn’t know what list she was talking about, but Max grinned and winked. “All I’m saying is,” Mia continued, “I didn’t know what was best for me until you forced me to open my eyes. And that’s all your mother was doing.” “Selective memory, both of you,” Maxine jumped in. “He wouldn’t have helped you see the light if I hadn’t stepped in and forced him to get on a plane and claim you. And you, you left with your panties in a wad without fighting for what you wanted.” Mia swung her head toward Max and narrowed her eyes. “Is this true?” “He’s a man, of course it’s true,” Maxine sighed. “We’ll talk about it later.” Max glowered at his mother. “You can bet your sweet lumberjack ass we’ll talk about it later,” Mia answered between her teeth. “Children,” Maxine shouted. Mia turned to her and crossed their arms. If I weren’t so worried about Shane, I would have popped some popcorn and settled in for the show. These three were hilarious. “Are you done?” Max looked at Mia, and she stuck out her tongue. “You’ll be puttin’ that to good use later,” Max gruffed. “Never a dull moment in the Hunter home,” Maxine sighed. ”But, as you can see, Maximilian,” she waved her arm toward Mia, “your mother isn’t so dumb after all. You can thank my interference for being with the love of your life.” Max stared blankly at Maxine for a moment then hung his head. He muttered, “Fuck,” then walked to her and kissed her forehead. “You’re a pain in my ass.” “You love me,” she chided. “Lord only knows why. Now stop interferin’ with Shane.” “Scouts honor,” Maxine answered, cupping her son’s cheeks. “Sage has his attention now; she can take it from here.” “He may never change his mind,” Max said, turning his attention toward me. “Shane’s stubborn to

the core. When he gets an idea in his head, that’s it, unless you can convince him otherwise.” “I know, but I have to try. For his sake.” “So what’s your next move?” I turned and looked at the door, biting my lip as I decided how to proceed. “I’ve turned his world upside down since I arrived and accused him of something that wasn’t true. I think it’s time I made up for a few things.”

*** Sitting on his porch with a bottle of Jack, Shane would have given anything for the sun to set. His mood was black and he needed the dark. He continued to drink, determined he would sleep that night without images of smoldering wreckage. Unfortunately, as the bottle emptied, it wasn’t a burnt-out wreckage he saw, but pale-green eyes instead. Tilting the bottle back, he drank deep and tried to focus on the burn, the way his mind clouded as his blood warmed. You could have breathed me in, even when it hurts to breathe, and I would have helped you heal. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the memory, but it wouldn’t stop. That’s what I would have given to you if you’d been brave enough to try. “Brave enough to try?” He chuckled at the irony. Standing suddenly, he threw the bottle against a tree in his yard and watched as the amber liquid seeped into the soil. “Keeping you at arm’s length is the hardest thing I’ve done in my life!” he shouted. Fireworks from the carnival erupted in the distance, and Shane flinched. He curled his hands into fists as he tried to block out the sound and the memory it evocated. But Sloan’s face appeared before him no matter how hard he attempted to push it out. Her lifeless eyes, eyes shaped like Sage’s, stared back at him, their light gone from this world as she lay tangled inside the wreckage. They haunted him. Their similarity was one of the reasons he couldn’t look directly at Sage. Even though the shade of their eyes was different, she and her sister shared the same cat eye shape. He already had nightmares about Sloan’s lifeless eyes; he didn’t need them during the day. Turning for the door, determined to fall into bed and end this day, he stopped and turned when he heard a vehicle pulling into his drive. Rising to his full height when he saw who was driving, he planted his feet shoulder-width apart to steady himself, to prepare for the battle. Sage climbed out of her Jeep slowly, tugging at her sweater so her cleavage was less revealing, but it only brought unneeded attention to her ample breasts. She stepped hesitantly toward him, fiddling with her hair as she approached, and he wondered if it was as soft as it looked. “I didn’t come here to argue with you,” she explained when she reached the stairs. “There’s been enough arguing to last a lifetime.” “Then why are you here?” “To say I’m sorry.” Sage climbed the steps, and he stood his ground, but the closer she came, the faster his heart raced. “I don’t want or need an apology from you,” Shane replied, fisting his hands to keep in control.

“Well, you’re gonna get one whether you want one or not.” She was standing less than a foot from him, and he could smell her hair. “What the fuck do you wash your hair with?” “Pardon?” He shook his head to clear it. “Nothin’. Just say what you have to say, and then leave.” “All right.” Sage nodded. She looked around for a moment, fidgeting with the bottom of her sweater, then she licked her lips and began. “I was . . . I was unfair today. I accused you of being a coward and that’s not true. Not by a long shot. The truth is, I’m the coward, and I transferred it to you. I spent too many years afraid for one reason or another and didn’t fight hard enough because I was scared. I should have known better than anyone how you felt, but I ignored it, ignored what I knew to be true for my own selfish reasons. You blame yourself for Emma Jane’s death just as I blame myself for not protecting her. I haven’t moved past how weak I was, so it’s wrong of me to expect you to change how you feel just because I want you to.” “You weren’t at fault for what that bastard did. That’s the difference between you and me,” Shane bit out, “I was.” Her face paled when she realized he knew about her past abuse, and the urge to hold her was as basic an instinct as breathing. He resisted at first, but when a tear trailed down her face and she tried to wipe it away, Shane grumbled, “Fuck,” and reached out, pulling her to him. “That bastard shouldn’t have laid a hand on you,” he rumbled low, his hand coming up to cup her face. “How did you know?” “Chester told me,” he answered, wiping the tears away with his thumb as they trailed down her face. “I should have been stronger. Should have tried harder to find help.” Shane couldn’t pry his attention from her lips. The memory of the kiss they shared earlier replayed in his mind, and he found his head dipping closer to hers. “You were a kid, baby. It wasn’t your fault,” he answered, lowering his mouth even further. When she licked her lips, inviting him to taste, he whispered, “I’m no good for you, Sage,” then he brushed his mouth across hers. “You need to leave before I hurt you. You deserve a man who can give you everything. Who will make you his whole world.” “What if I don’t want to leave? What if I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give?” Raising his head, he scanned her face, looking for the lie. All he saw was the truth. His need for her was eclipsing his control, and he answered without thinking, “I can only offer you tonight.” Sage raised her hands to his face, running her fingers whisper-soft across his cheeks. Jesus. It would kill him to let her go, but he had no choice. She deserved a man who wasn’t broken. “I’m tired of being alone; tired of being afraid. If one night is all you can offer, then I’ll take it.” Need, hot and wild, surged violently, and his blood rushed from his head to his cock. Shane stopped breathing until his lungs demanded he take one. Taking three deep breaths to stop his urge to claim her, hoping they’d both step back from the edge of their desire if he didn’t react, he lost the battle when she leaned forward and nipped his bottom lip. Hissing, Shane spun Sage around and pinned her against his door, raising her hands above her

head. He pressed his face against the side of hers, cheek-to-cheek, and inhaled, memorizing her scent. “I can’t get you out of my head. I’ve tried, but I want you so fuckin’ much I’m burnin’ with the need to claim you.” Blindly reaching for the doorknob, afraid to lose their connection, he turned it, kicking the door open as he picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He made his way to his bedroom and put a knee to the bed, dropping Sage on her back. Reaching over his head, he pulled the shirt from his body, never taking his attention off her. She sat up as he dropped his shirt and reached out, running her hands down his chest to his stomach, leaning in to brush her mouth across his nipple, and his head fell back. She lowered her mouth, trailing kisses as she burned her way further down his body, and he hissed. He knew deep down, he should stop. That what they were doing would only make it harder for them both, but he was lost in the feeling of her lips. Stepping back from her mouth, he ordered, “Strip for me then spread your legs.” Then he opened a drawer and pulled out a condom. She responded instantly, and his need soared higher as he sheathed his aching cock. When her breasts were finally on display, his mouth went dry. He’d spent the last three nights wondering if they were as soft as they looked, so he reached and cupped her. She was everything he thought she’d be and more. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful,” he whispered, dropping his jeans. Sage reached out to him and he dropped to the bed, taking her mouth as if it was the last kiss they’d ever share. “So fuckin’ soft . . . A man could lose himself in how soft you are,” he groaned, cupping her breast again and pinching her nipple to heighten her arousal. Sage arched her back in response and he took the other nipple into his mouth, rolling his tongue and sucking until her body writhed for him. When she whimpered in need, he placed his finger over her lips. “Shh. I’ve got you, baby. Relax.” Shane leaned in and ran his tongue down her neck, tracing the throbbing vein to her shoulder until she relaxed into him. Her breathing slowed then, and he grinned, nipping her shoulder. She was so fucking responsive to him it made him ache. Once he had her attention, he kissed his way down her body, tasting every contour, every curve, and then buried his face between her legs, wrapping them around his shoulders. He worked her clit until her body was covered with a light sheen of sweat. His own scorched with the need he held in check. He wouldn’t douse his flame until he buried himself deep into her silken heat. Sage gasped, “Shane,” and her hips rose to his mouth. She grabbed hold of his hair to anchor him to her pussy and rode his mouth. “Hands above your head,” he ordered before he lost control. She complied again without hesitation. She began to pant, chanting his name as he brought her closer to the edge with each pass of his tongue. He knew she was close, could feel her body quivering, so he rose up on his knees, flipped her onto her stomach, and found her core with the tip of his cock. He surged in an inch at a time, drawing out her anticipation while she begged for release. “Please,” she mewled, offering up her ass to him as an invitation to take what he wanted.

“Hands to the headboard.” Sage did as he asked, and he mumbled, “That’s my girl,” before he drove in, seated himself to the root, and held. “Don’t move,” he bit out when she tried to slam back into him. “But I need to move,” she whimpered. “Not ‘til I fuckin’ say,” he hissed. She took a deep breath and then relaxed. She was a natural at being controlled, and Shane groaned at having found the perfect woman and then cursed fate. He had to let her go. “Tonight, you’re mine,” he grunted, then pulled out, and slammed back in. “It’s just you, me, and nothin’ else. Forget about tomorrow; forget this is temporary and just feel.” She whimpered her response, holding tight to the headboard while he made sure she remembered every fucking thing about their night together. Reaching out to fist her hair, Shane pulled her head back until he had access to her neck. Then he buried his face there, running his tongue on a path where her neck met her shoulder and he bit down until she moaned. He slowed his pace so he could feel her tighten around him with her greedy walls. Reaching forward, he found her clit and rolled it until her head flew back, mouth opened, and she moaned deep in her throat as she milked him through her climax. Wrapping his hand around her neck, Shane pulled her hard against him and anchored her to his chest so her warmth surrounded him. He thrust twice more and then bit down on her neck as he rode out his release, grunting low in his throat. Shuddering as he came down, he found her mouth, wrapped his hands around her breasts, and began a slow seduction all over again. He had one night with her and he intended for the memories to last a lifetime. For now, she was his, and he’d worship her body until the sun finally set and rose again.

*** My eyes opened slowly the next morning, and for a brief moment, I was happy. Then reality sunk in, and I closed them. Shane made no promises the night before. I knew when I asked him to make love to me he wouldn’t change his mind easily. And despite all the obstacles in our way, hope springs eternal remained in my foolish heart. I was telling the truth when I said I was lonely and afraid. Being with Shane made me feel safe in a way I’d never had. He was doing it now, keeping the monsters in their closet as I lay beside him in his bed. Shane’s arm was wrapped around my waist, his leg lying between mine, holding me close. He’d protected me all night from the demons that hid in dark corners. I wanted to lie there for the rest of my life, drinking his strength, but I had to fight for him so he could sleep without nightmares, too. And the only way to accomplish that was to shore up my strength and hand it over to him like Maxine said. He didn’t need a teary-eyed woman leaving his bed. He needed to see I could survive without him. Which I could. But I’d rather build something with Shane than walk away. To make my dream a reality, I had to concentrate on making Shane whole again. Nothing more, nothing less. My path to him was through a darkness that wrapped around him like a spider ’s web, entrapping him in the silk.

Lifting my head from the pillow, I turned and gazed down at him. He was peaceful, the lines on his face relaxed, and he looked ten years younger. I reached out and ran my hand down his cheek before I slid out of bed and grabbed my clothes. Once dressed, I leaned down, touched my lips to his forehead, and whispered, “I’ll remember last night for the rest of my life.” I started to move away, but his hand came up and wrapped around my neck, pulling me back to his mouth. He kissed me tenderly, causing my eyes to water. It was a good-bye kiss. When he let go of my neck, I looked up. His eyes were closed, his brows pinched together in a look of regret, and his breathing was deep and angry. He was beating himself up on my account. “I’m okay,” I whispered, running my hand down the side of his face. “I have to let you go,” he whispered back. “I’ll hurt you.” “I understand, Shane. I’m a big girl. I know I can’t make you love me.” His eyes popped open and the sorrow I saw written across his face reinforced my desire to help him heal. He wanted love so badly it filled the room with its force. I knew I’d start crying if I didn’t leave soon. Shoring up my backbone, I brushed my lips across his one last time and then headed out of his room, through the living room, and out the front door without breathing. I made it to my Jeep and halfway out of his drive before the tears came down hard. “Please, God,” I prayed. “Please help me heal Shane.” I knew God well enough to know that all prayers are heard. Unfortunately, they aren’t always answered in the way we desire, but in the way that is best for all involved. “May your will be done,” I mumbled, respecting the fact He knew better. I could only pray that His will included Shane forgiving himself. When I strolled into Maxine’s kitchen in search of coffee so I could sort out my head, she was there waiting. She sipped her coffee while she watched me slam around her kitchen, shrewdly accessing my demeanor. “I can tell by the fact that you’re just gettin’ home and your sweater ’s inside out, you made headway. But your face tells me not enough.” I looked down at my sweater and sighed. “Understatement,” I mumbled as I poured cream into my cup. “Well, you might as well sit down and tell Maxine all about it.” A part of me wanted to sulk in my room, but instead, I plopped down in one of her chairs and took a sip before I began. “Since you’re a lady who sells sex toys for a living, I’m not gonna pretend that he and I didn’t have sex last night.” “Hold that thought,” Maxine said, picking up her phone. I watched in confusion as she dialed a number and then waited for someone to pick up. “You awake? Okay, good. She’s home now, I’m putting you on speaker phone.” “Who did you call?” I whispered. “Mia, who else?” The sound of kissing filled the kitchen and I raised my brow. Maxine snorted. This went on longer

than was needed for a good-bye kiss, and I lowered my head. “My boy knows how to keep his woman happy,” Maxine snickered when we heard Max grunt farewell. “Okay, Max just left,” she said out of breath. “I have to be quick because he and his crew are cutting trees near the border of the reserve today, which means my bears are gonna be on edge. I need to get up there and keep an eye on things.” “You takin’ Jake?” Maxine asked. “No. Max ordered me to stay home, so Jake is cutting trees.” “Courtin’ trouble,” Maxine sighed. “Why do you insist on puttin’ yourself in situations that make my boy’s head explode?” “I’m not as clumsy as I used to be, Maxine. Besides, I plan to stay in my Jeep and observe how the logging affects them, not interact with them. How dangerous can that be?” “Where there’s a will, there is a way with you.” “Enough about me,” Mia sighed in annoyance, “start spilling, Sage. What happened when you found Shane?” I looked at Maxine then looked at the phone. I guess they expected me to discuss every detail. “He was on the porch when I arrived. I apologized for something I said to him at the carnival and then things got a little . . . heated. I spent the night.” “That’s progress,” she answered, completely unfazed by the fact we’d had sex. “Not really,” I replied. “He told me he could only offer me one night.” Maxine shook her head and grumbled, “Stubborn man,” under her breath. “Well, how was the sex?” Mia asked as casually as you’d ask about a new restaurant or a movie that had released. “If it was lousy and you didn’t connect, you have your answer about how to proceed.” I didn’t hesitate to answer. “Life altering,” I groaned, slumping further into my chair. “He has this way about him. He orders me around, but instead of being uptight about it, it relaxes me and makes me feel protected.” Silence ensued, then Maxine grinned smugly. “You’re a natural submissive,” Maxine replied with authority. “Shane’s always had control issues, even when he was a kid. He and Max used to fight constantly, always bumping heads over stuff kids fight over and neither would back down. I knew then he would be a stubborn man. I can see him needing the control you’re speaking of, especially after spending ten years in the military.” “Submissive? But I’m not into bondage,” I argued. “Bondage is another level of dominance. I’m talking about Shane having a deep-seated need to control his surroundings. Controlling you in and out of the sack would be one of his surroundings.” “You said you enjoyed it, right?” Mia asked over the speaker. I always thought my experience with my stepfather made me stronger, and because of it, I could never be ordered around again. But last night had been liberating, and thinking about it caused my heart to race. “Yeah, as much as it pains the liberated woman inside me to admit, I loved it.” “But that seems out of character for you. You’ve been through so much and came out of it stronger,” she responded, seemingly amazed.

“Mia, it takes a strong woman, confident in her own abilities, to allow a man to lead in the first place. A man like Shane isn’t gonna be attracted to a weak woman. It’s her strength of character he’s attracted to and her willingness to let him lead when she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.” “How do you know so much about this?” I asked. “Because every time my Tom ordered me to stand down or to stop doin’ something that put me at risk, it turned me on. Think of it as foreplay . . . all day long. When he got home on those days where he’d stepped in and ordered me around, I was ready, willing, and more than able to meet his needs with a gusto.” “Oh. My. God.” Mia gasped. “You allowed someone to top you?” “Not as often as I would have liked,” she grinned. “Tom was laid back, but he knew I liked being dominated, so he did. It’s what made our marriage work. He gave me what I needed to be happy.” “I hope that didn’t rub off on your son. If he needs me to follow to be happy, he’s in for a miserable life,” Mia declared. “Says the woman who caves every time he bellows,” Maxine mumbled under her breath. “What was that?” Mia asked. “I said Max enjoys the chase,” Maxine said, winking at me. “I bet on the days you two fight he’s extra attentive.” “I have to ask,” I finally blurted out. “How is it you feel comfortable talking about sex with Maxine?” I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact Maxine was discussing sex with her daughter-in-law. But there you had it, and Mia didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable. “Maxine is like a sex therapist for the whole town. Just like you, I stayed with her when I first came to Trails End. I knew her as the Passion Princess entrepreneur before I became involved with her son. Not to mention, it drives Max crazy when we openly discuss sex. It’s fun to watch him lose his wits and storm out of a room.” “See,” Maxine smiled. “You pick fights with him because you recognize what comes after.” “This is so surreal,” I mumbled. “You’ll get used to it,” Maxine replied. “Okay, I have to get going,” Mia said. “Before I go, tell me what you’re gonna do now, Sage?” “Keep fighting; I have no choice. I owe him that much for taking care of Emma Jane. Even if the only thing that happens is he forgives himself. That would be good enough for me.” “That’ll be interesting to watch. How did he react this morning?” “He could barely look at me. Said he had to let me go or he’d hurt me. So I told him I was fine and left.” “Oh, Lord,” Maxine chuckled shaking her head. “Oh, Lord, what? I was trying to give him space, show him I was strong enough to sleep with him one time and still get on with my life. Was I wrong?” “No, not wrong, but you won’t have to wait long to interact with him. He’ll find you.” “Because I said I was okay?” “Yep. ‘I’m fine’ is code for ‘I’m not fine.’ Shane knows this better than anyone does. He’ll hunt you

down before the day is done.” “What was I supposed to do?” “Make him coffee, maybe breakfast. Talk on your phone before you left to show him you have a life and can survive without him. That you’re a strong enough woman to sleep with a man, make him breakfast in the morning with no strings attached, and then walk away without regret.” “Jesus, I’m gonna screw this up without even trying. I can counsel kids through horrific circumstances, but I can’t even manage my own life. You have to help me, Maxine. I’ve had one relationship and a handful of ugly dates. I know nothing about matters of the heart. Can you write the rules down somewhere so I don’t cut myself off at the knees?” “Not showing you were upset should have been obvious,” she pointed out. “Well, yeah, in the light of a new day and coffee in my system, it’s crystal-clear. But I had to make a quick decision, so I went with my gut like you said.” “Send him a text,” Mia shouted. “Tell him not to worry, that you’re fine. Say you were meeting me to see the bears and you had to run off quickly this morning.” I looked at Maxine to see what she thought. “Is lying to make him feel better on the list of dos and don’ts?” “Mia, I think it’s time for a list.” “No, Maxine. No list. Your list had my head spinning. She needs to be true to herself or it won’t work with Shane. Just come with me to see the bears and then you’re not lying or playing games. If he comes looking for you, he’ll find you right where you said you would be.” “But isn’t pretending to be fine when I’m crying inside playing games?” “Will you survive Shane if he never changes his mind?” “Of course.” “Then it’s not a lie, therefore, not playing games.” Mia scoffed down the line and I grinned. “Why do I get the feeling that with you, the difference between playing games and not is what side of the bed you wake up on?” Maxine threw her head back and laughed. Then she looked me straight in the eyes and winked.

Seven The Barbie Twins The Tom Hunter Nature Preserve sat directly on Max and Mia’s property. In an attempt to keep her in Trails End and keep trigger-happy hunters from shooting the bears, Mia told me Max had designated a portion of his land as a nature preserve. Now the bears had an environment where they could raise their young without fear of hunters or loss of habitat due to Max’s logging. After our heart-to-heart, I’d met Mia at her cabin, and we drove to the preserve so she could document the bears and see how Nala’s new cub was growing. When we arrived, I expected her to stay in the Jeep like she’d told Maxine, but she promptly got out and sat on her hood with binoculars. I followed as any friend would, of course, but with bear spray in hand. Maxine had slipped the spray into my hand on my way out the door, so it was obvious to me she knows her daughter-in-law well. “I thought you said you were staying in the Jeep?” I questioned as I climbed up next to her. “I just said that to get Maxine off my back. I admit to having vertical issues, but I’ve overcome a lot of them since moving here. What Maxine, or Max for that matter, doesn’t know won’t—” I raised the can of bear spray and shook it. “Maxine?” “I hate to tell you this, but I don’t think you’re fooling anyone.” Mia rolled her eyes and picked up her pen and paper, resting them on her lap. “Figures,” she mumbled, raising the binoculars to her eyes with her other hand. I scanned the meadow for any sign of the bears then remembered Maxine talking about one called Cowboy. “Did you find a mate for Cowboy yet?” “Cowboy?” she questioned. “He has his pick of the females. He stomps the best and no other male can best him in a fight.” “He stomps?” “Yeah, wide-legged like a cowboy fresh off a horse. That’s how he got his name because he constantly stomps during mating season. He’s extremely successful with the females because of it.” “If he’s so successful, then why did Maxine say he needed to settle with a female?” “Bears don’t settle with one mate. Are you sure you heard her correctly?” “Yeah, I am. And considering her revelation last night about trying to make Shane jealous, I think I know what she was talking about,” I chuckled. “Speaking of Cowboy,” she mumbled, putting the binoculars to her eyes again, “he’s in a stomping mood today. Here, take a look for yourself,” she said, handing me the glasses. She pointed to a large grizzly about one hundred yards away, so I put the glasses to my eyes. He was huge with a dark brown coat that glistened in the sun. He kept putting his nose in the air and sniffing, then he’d lumber his massive legs, stomping them, as Mia put it, into the ground as he walked.

“He’s huge,” I whispered. “Are you sure we’re far enough away? He looks angry.” “He’s always angry,” she answered. “He has a love-hate relationship with me and my team.” “You have a team?” I asked, dropping the binoculars and turning toward her. “Frank and Lucy come up every three months from Seattle. We’ve been on the receiving end of Cowboy’s anger. Shane has too. He cornered us in a truck and Max had to rescue us.” I looked back at the Jeep and shivered. There was no way it would keep Cowboy out. “If he charged us today, what would we do?” Mia pointed up to a tree behind us. There was a wooden platform built around the trunk like a tree house, with a ladder leading up to it. There was a portal to climb through that I hoped closed once you were inside. “Bears climb trees, don’t they?” “Black bears do more than grizzlies, but grizzlies can climb them, yes. Max designed the lookout so a bear could climb to it, but not over it. Grizzlies weigh too much to be able to climb horizontally far enough to get over the side.” I looked back at the intimidating bear and mumbled, “I’d love to see the view from up top.” Mia smiled, and then jumped off the hood. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.” When we reached the ladder, Mia looked up then back at me and stepped aside. “You first. I’m better, but not cured. If I fall, I’ll take you with me.” The climb was event-free, thankfully, and when Mia cleared the opening, she closed it with a sturdy metal door. “There,” she said, jumping up and down on the door. “No bear is getting through.” The view from high above was breathtaking. I could see the river and two mountain peaks. However, the silence and peace surrounding me were better than any view. “Purple mountains majesty,” I mumbled as I stared at the snow-covered peak. Mia leaned on the railing and scanned the view as well, drinking in a deep breath. “I was a city girl ‘til I came here. Now I can’t see myself any place else.” “I could wake up to this view every day and be happy,” I agreed. “Then stay. Shane or not, stay premanently in Trails End. The county seat is an hour away, and I’m sure even kids in the wilds of Alaska need an advocate. That asshole the other night proves it. As for love, there are other great men here in town. You wouldn’t be lonely long with your looks. Not to mention, I’d love to have you here. The Barbie Twins are good people, but a little high-strung for my taste on a daily basis. It would be nice to have a friend here.” “I don’t think I’ve met the Barbie Twins.” “Well, that settles what we’re doing tonight. Can you sing?” “Can I sing?” I replied, thinking about the question. “I won’t win American Idol, but I can carry a tune.” “Excellent. Nothing better than a few drinks and karaoke to take your mind off your troubles. And considering Shane is there most nights, you’ll have a chance to speak with him in a relaxed setting. No pressure, just a bunch of friends hanging out.” “Sounds fun.” “It is. And I think right about now you need some fun,” she stated, smiling as she looked over the

side of the roost. “Looks like the bears are heading down the river to fish. It doesn’t look like Max’s logging is bothering them. We might as well head to town and grab some lunch.” “Sounds good to me. I forgot to eat dinner last night,” I answered as she headed for the trap door. Mia leaned over and tugged, but it didn’t open. She tried to turn the lock, but it wouldn’t budge. “Shit. It’s stuck. I can’t open it.” “What do you mean you can’t open it?” “What do you think I mean?” Mia laughed then started patting her pockets. “I’ll call Jake and have him come and rescue us.” Her hands came up empty and she looked over the railing. “Dammit, I left my phone in the Jeep. Do you have yours?” I’d started searching my clothes the minute she looked for hers and came up empty as well. “In my backpack,” I groaned. “Did you send a text to Shane telling him where you were? If you did, he might come looking soon.” “No. I don’t want to play games. He knows I left because I needed space, so I’m not going to start lying now.” “Smart. But now we’re stuck.” I looked over the railing and figured it had to be a thirty-foot drop. Not getting out that way. When I turned around, I found Mia sitting on the floor. “What are you doing?” “I figure we have about three hours before Max comes looking. Might as well get comfortable.” “Are you sure he’ll come?” “As sure as the sun will light the sky for about twenty hours today. He checks in every few hours. When I don’t answer, he’ll assume the worst and come looking.” I dropped to the floor and stretched out my legs. “Just how much trouble have you caused?” Mia shrugged, then raised her hand and brought her thumb and forefinger almost together to indicate a tiny bit. Then her fingers slowly widened. “That much?” “I have a gift,” she grinned. “But Jenn, Max’s cousin Jack’s wife, has worse luck. She was attacked and almost killed by two men. Father and son, if you can believe it.” “Whoa.” “Exactly.” Mia was wrong. It didn’t take Max three hours to find us; it took him two. And when he arrived, Shane was in tow. We’d talked about everything under the sun and were lying on our backs searching the clouds for shapes when we heard an engine racing up the meadow. Before we could get to our feet to see who was there, doors slammed and two voices started shouting. “Mia?” “Sage?” “Up here,” Mia shouted then looked over the railing. “Hey, Mad Max. I thought it would take you

longer to figure out I was in trouble.” “Jesus, woman,” Max growled. “I’m puttin’ a GPS on your ass.” I stood and looked over the railing, telling myself to act natural. No games, just be yourself. I looked at Max first and giggled. His hair looked like he’d been tugging on it. Poor man. After the stories I’d heard today, I understood him better. Then I looked at Shane and smiled. “Hey.” “You okay?” he asked with concern written on his face. “Not a scratch on either one of us. We came up here to look at the view and the trap door stuck. We left our phones in the Jeep so we couldn’t call for help.” “Probably rusted from the rain,” Max mumbled. “I’ll get the WD-40.” “Take your time, we’re not going anywhere,” Mia shouted. “Pain in my ass,” Max grumbled, stomping his way to the back of his truck. Mia turned and winked at me. “You totally piss him off on purpose,” I whispered, remembering what Maxine had said. Her smile widened. Max pulled the lubricant from the truck and tossed it to us. Mia sprayed the lock and low and behold, it opened. When she lifted the door, Shane shouted, “Mia first.” She snorted. “I guess everyone looks out for you and your disability,” I giggled. “I think it has more to do with me falling and taking you off the ladder than it does about my welfare.” I had to admit, I thought that as well, and my heart skipped a beat. Mia made her way down while I watched. Max stood at the bottom, his eyes wired as if he was ready for anything. Once at the bottom, he hauled her off the rungs of the ladder, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, giving him a deep kiss for his troubles. My smile fell as I watched how in love they were. I wanted that, desperately, and my vision clouded with emotion as I tried to look away. But Shane stepped into my view, holding out his hand before I could. There was something about the action—like he was reaching out for help—and I immediately turned and came down the ladder, his unspoken order directing me. When I’d climbed down far enough, I was surprised when he grabbed me by my waist. I allowed him to help me rather than arguing I could manage, and swore he whispered, “Good girl,” as he lowered me to the ground. He didn’t move away as I thought he would. His front was to my back, and I could feel the warmth emanating from his body. Images of the night before fought for attention as his chest rose and fell behind me. I could almost feel his hand at my throat, his breath on my skin, his hands holding me to him as he thrust inside me. His body grew taut, and I wondered if he remembered as well. I wanted to lean back into his chest or turn and wrap my arms around his waist, but I couldn’t. He would balk if I made a move toward intimacy, so I stepped forward, plastered on my best smile, and turned. “Thanks for the help.” “I told you as long as you were in danger, I’d keep you safe.” That you did, Shane Sherman. And while you’re keeping me safe, I’m gonna return the favor and

heal your heart! “Well, if you’re on bodyguard duty tonight, then you better bring your earplugs. Mia has somehow convinced me to sing with her and the Barbie Twins.” Shane muttered, “Babe,” and I caught laughter in his expression. “Oh, yeah. Ears should be bleeding and the bar cleared out by nine at the latest.” “Thanks for the heads up,” he answered, but the laughter he held in check finally seeped out in the form of a smirk. “Whoa. You do know how to smile,” I teased. His lips twitched for a moment then he surprised me by murmuring, “Minx.” Oh. My. God. Maxine is right. By proving I’m strong, that I wasn’t crushed by last night, he, in turn, relaxed. “Are we doing lunch or what?” Mia called out. I turned and looked at her, grinning. “Absolutely, I’m starving.” “Let’s go then. We’ll find Joanne and Suzy while we’re in town and we can stop by the courthouse and look into what it would take for you to consult here.” “Here?” Shane questioned. I looked back at him and smiled. “Yeah. Mia has convinced me that Trails End is a great place to live, so I’m looking into moving here permanently.” I winked, then turned and headed for Mia’s Jeep before he could reply. As I climbed in, I waved good-bye to a stunned Shane and Max. When Mia climbed in, she was giggling. “God, the look on his face was priceless,” she said as she started her Jeep. “I wasn’t sure if it was fear, anger, or indigestion,” I answered, laughing as she drove off. I looked back as we headed for town and saw Max slap Shane on the shoulder then head to his truck. “Indigestion. Definitely,” Mia replied. “He saw his future flash before his eyes. With you in town permanently and him not claiming you, that means he has to watch you date.”

*** Shane stood near the river ’s edge and let the sun bake his skin. An eagle called out and he looked up. He watched it circle the blue sky until it was out of sight. He’d always done his best thinking alone on the mountain and he hoped it wouldn’t fail him now. Picking up a rock, he tossed it across the flowing water and watched it bounce and sink. Just like that rock, he was sinking fast. He closed his eyes and saw Jake laid out on the floor the night before. He’d fucked up with Jake and then went on to make another colossal error in judgment with Sage. He shouldn’t have slept with her. He couldn’t get her out of his head before he’d laid his hands on her. Now the images of her body and that sweet mouth of hers wouldn’t let him be. The memory of her soft whimpers as he tasted the contours of her body ran in a loop, keeping him in a constant state of arousal. And to make matters worse, the way she responded to being controlled by him made him want her even more. She was naturally submissive, unlike Mia, who would have butted heads with him. Sage fought it at times,

probably didn’t understand she had a deep-seated need to hand over control to the right man. Just as he had a deep-seated need to control his environment. Dropping to his knees, Shane sat then lay back on the damp earth until all he saw was the sky. Then he shut his eyes. Sage is moving to Trails End permanently. “Christ.” Shane sighed. He’d told himself he only had to hold out until the stalker was caught and she left. That once she was back home, he’d be able to move past her and the guilt he held on to like a drowning man. Now, she would be in his face daily, reminding him of what he couldn’t have. “And someone like Jake won’t wait for her boxes to be unpacked before they try and get in there.” His back molars slammed shut at the thought. He could feel his fist colliding with the jaw of any man who laid a callused hand on her. The only thing stoppin’ you from g’tting' in your truck and claiming that woman is your own stubborn need to be right. “You’re wrong, Max. I don’t want to be right; I want to guard her heart. The only way to do that is to let her go.” The problem was, he wasn’t sure if he meant Sloan or Sage. The bushes behind him rustled and he sat up. Looking over his shoulder, he grinned when a threehundred-pound cub lumbered into view. “I’m beginnin’ to think you have a homing device planted on me,” Shane sighed as Booboo lumbered toward him. The cub grunted as he sat down next to Shane then leaned in and ran his tongue across his face. A putrid smell wafted up and hit Shane directly in the nose. “What the hell have you been rolling in?” Shane stood quickly and backed up to escape the stink. Booboo rolled to his feet and barked out a call. “Get your fluffy ass in the water and wash the stench off,” Shane ordered, pointing at the river. When Booboo didn’t move, Shane sighed. “Perfect way to end my day. Bathin’ a fleabag.” Pulling off his boots and shirt, he waded out until the water was around his waist, grumbling, “Pain in my ass, that’s what you are,” as Booboo followed. He tried to get the bear to sit so he could attempt to wash him, but Booboo had a better idea. He raised his massive paw and batted at Shane until he fell sideways and disappeared under the water. Only then did the cub submerge himself in the ice-cold water.

*** “He keeps looking at you,” Mia whispered in a sing-song voice. She was flipping through the pages of the songbook while I pretended not to stare at Shane. I wasn’t successful since he’d caught me twice. “That doesn’t mean anything,” I whispered back. “It does if he’s undressing you while doing it,” she sing-songed back. I started to sneak another peek at Shane, but Joanne and Suzy, better known as the Barbie Twins due

to their large breasts, tight clothes, and big, bleach-blond hair, asked, “Who’s looking at her?” “No one,” I quickly answered. Mia had introduced me to both women that afternoon and she wasn’t kidding when she said they were exhausting. Suzy and Joanne had been super excited about singing at the bar. So much so, they wanted to come up with matching outfits. Mia and I declined, of course. Big hair, boobs on display, and heels only a model could walk in was not my idea of fun. Not believing me for a second, Suzy and Joanne looked over their shoulders and caught Shane looking in our direction. When they turned back, they had an odd look on their faces. Joanne leaned in and locked eyes with me, mumbling, “Rumor has it you stayed all night at Shane’s house last night.” Mia coughed, Suzy howled in laughter, and I scowled. “Talk about barking up the wrong tree,” Suzy snorted. “Um, you’ve lost me?” I replied. “He’s gay, sugar. You’re wasting your time tryin’ to get him to switch teams.” Max walked up at that moment and looked around the table, asking, “Who’s gay?” as he leaned over and kissed his wife. It took one point five seconds for Mia and me to burst out laughing. “Shane is gay,” Suzy answered. Max froze as he rose from Mia’s lips. He looked dumbfounded. His mouth opened, closed, opened again, and then he turned and walked away. “Shane is gay?” Mia questioned. “Why on earth do you think he’s gay?” “Mia, that man hasn’t hit anything in this town since he got home. Of course he’s gay,” Suzy explained. I sobered quickly upon hearing that news. “He hasn’t? Not in the year since he returned home?” “Nope. Other than flirting with Mia as a distraction from the fact he’s gay, he shows no interest in women. But Suzy and I saw right through it.” I raised a brow to my friend, and she snorted. “He likes to flirt to piss Max off. Max said he did it hoping Max would beat the shit out of him. What I don’t get is why Shane would want Max to beat the shit out of him in the first place?’ “Penance,” I sighed. “Penance? Lord, that man is stubborn,” she mumbled. “Yeah, but he’s making headway.” “Why does he need to do penance?” Suzy asked. “Not my story to tell,” I answered. Both women looked at me then back at Shane. “Is it like the monks do when they’ve committed a sin? You know, flogging themselves?” Joanne asked. I nodded. He’d been flogging himself for a year, and it was time for it to stop. “You pick a song yet?” Maxine asked, squeezing into a chair next to Mia. “I think we should do ‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor.” I looked down at my body, then back up at Mia. “I’m not exactly built for that song.” “Pfft, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got tits and ass enough for the song.” The bar erupted in laughter and our whole table turned toward the door. A group of men ranging in

size from big to huge walked in. Five in all. Two were very good-looking in that lumberjack sort of way, with dark hair and beards. And three needed dental work along with a good scrubbing behind the ears. They were wearing matching T-shirts with the name Juggernaut across the chest. “Who are they?” I asked Mia. She shrugged. “Beats me.” “Oh, Lord,” Maxine gasped. “Juggernauts.” “What’s a Juggernaut?” Mia asked. “Asshole logging company two counties over. A couple of years back, Max kept having equipment break down and tools come up missing. He put up security cameras and caught the guy in the act. It was some flunky from Juggernaut. The man said he was instructed to make sure Max couldn’t meet his quota for the lumberyards so they could win the contract.” I looked back at the men and then toward Max and Shane. Both were standing at attention, arms crossed over their chests, staring the Juggernauts down. “Think Max and Shane will fight them? “God, I hope so,” Maxine replied, distracted, as she dug in her purse. “Yes,” she hooted, pulling out her phone. “I thought I left my phone at home, now I’ll be able to record my boy when he beats the shit out those assholes.” Maxine was holding up her phone trying to swipe it open when she noticed we’d all gone quiet at her outburst. She paused her actions, and looked around the table, saying, “What? Can’t a mother dream?” One of the men from the Juggernauts made his way toward the bar and Max. He stopped in front of Max, looking smugly at him from head to toe, mumbling something none of us could hear. Max didn’t respond; he stared blankly at the man as the other four Juggernauts surrounded their apparent leader. “This doesn’t look good,” I whispered. “Maybe we should do our song now. It’ll take attention off the tension in the room,” Mia said, standing. I watched her approach the man who handled the karaoke machine, then point out the song we’d chosen. When she was done, she turned to the table and jerked her head toward the stage. Joanne and Suzy got up immediately and I followed. I looked over my shoulder as I approached the stage at Shane and Max, and found them leaning against the bar, watching the Juggernauts. Once on the stage, Mia handed us the mics, told me what part I was supposed to sing, then we stood silently waiting for the music to begin. I kept my gaze down until the music started, then I lifted them and looked out into the crowd. When my eyes landed on Shane, he saluted me with two fingers, and I rolled my eyes. What was I thinking? Mia started the song off. She had a great voice: deep and husky. She had no problem grabbing Max’s attention away from the Juggernauts as she wiggled across the stage, singing about not being a size two. The girls and I sang back up as she handled the song like a pro. Then she turned to me and I sang the chorus about bringing booty back. I’d no sooner finished my line than I saw Shane lunge and throw a punch, sending a Juggernaut to the floor. The girls and I stopped singing and watched in shock as the other four Juggernauts lunged toward

Shane and Max. The whole bar erupted then as other men jumped into the action, no doubt wanting to protect Max, the biggest employer in town. “Should we do something?” I shouted at Mia. “Like what?” she shouted back. “Call Chester?” “He’d join in,” she answered, then pushed me back as a man came flying onto the stage followed by Max. “Are you having fun?” Mia asked. Max drew back his fist, landed a punch to the guy’s gut then grinned at her. “Stay on the stage,” he ordered. One of the other Juggernauts was trying to sneak up behind Max, and Mia shouted, “Behind you,” in time for him to turn and block a punch. Then he grabbed the guy by the shirt and launched him back five feet. “Again,” Maxine shouted. I turned my head to find her standing on a chair filming Max. Scanning the room for Shane, I found him with his arms locked around a Juggernaut’s neck in a chokehold. The man was trying to pry Shane’s arm from around his neck. When the logger stopped fighting, Shane let him go and watched him slump to the floor, shaking his head. When another man was shoved into Shane’s back, he turned, drew back his fist, but stopped mid-punch and smiled. “They’re having fun,” I shouted at Mia as I watched the chaos. “Of course they’re having fun,” Suzy answered. “Men are just boys with bigger dicks. When a bully comes into their playground, they’ll protect their own.” “I wonder what started it?” Mia asked. A bottle flew across the room, so we ducked before it shattered on the wall behind us. Unfortunately, we were showered with beer and glass. I looked back at the wall then turned to Mia. “Shane threw the first punch.” Ralph climbed on top of the bar finally and kicked a man off who’d fallen on the scarred wood. Then he raised a shotgun toward the ceiling and pulled the trigger. The shotgun blast caused everyone to jump back and turn toward him. “If you aren’t a local, get the fuck out of my bar,” he shouted. When no one moved immediately, he pumped the shotgun, expelling the used shell, then loaded another and ordered, “Now!” Everyone moved then, including the girls and myself. We jumped off the stage and headed toward Maxine, who was already watching the fight on her phone. “You should have punched the big one harder, Maximilian.” Max turned toward his mother and winked. Those two had the oddest love-hate relationship I’d ever seen between a mother and son. But there was one thing I was sure of, if any man ever messed with Maxine, Max would kill him. Now I understood why Gregor kept his distance. “Did you record the whole fight?” Mia asked. “I missed the first punch on account of watchin’ you girls, but I was ready for it.” Max walked over shaking his hand and wiggling his fingers. So Mia launched herself at her husband and rewarded him with a kiss.

I was still curious why Shane had thrown the first punch, so I turned my attention toward him and watched as he shook hands with a few locals. When he was done, he turned and headed in our direction. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as he approached, so I brushed a length of hair away to give my hands something to do. When he was close enough, I moved toward him with deliberate slowness to hide my nerves. When he stopped in front of me and looked down, I grabbed his right hand and examined the cuts and bruises forming. “You should ice that down,” I told him. “I’ll be fine.” “But it’s starting to swell.” He curled his hand around mine and squeezed, so I looked up. His gunmetal-gray eyes were laughing at me. “What’s so funny?” “Your singing didn’t send the men running from the bar, it caused a fight.” “It was that bad?” I gasped. “It was that good.” “Why did you punch that man?” Shane didn’t hesitate to answer. “He said he wondered if your red hair was natural.” “You punched him because of that?” “Nope. I punched him because he told his friends he’d find out after the show.” “How was he gonna find out if my hair was naturally auburn?” I asked. “By burying his head between your legs.” I blinked twice. “Shane Sherman, were you defending my honor?” “Yes, ma’am,” he grinned. He was flirting with me, and my heart soared. Without thinking, I rose up on my toes and brushed my lips across his, whispering, “Thank you.” Shane stiffened at the contact, and I held my breath. Then he reacted. Pulling me into his body, he bent me at the waist and kissed me thoroughly until my toes curled. When he released me, I stumbled back, raising my hand to my lips. Shane had a smug look on his face, and I blushed at my reaction. But I was feeling confident I was making headway, so I was about to launch myself at him again when he turned to Suzy and smugly said, “I’m not gay,” right before he turned and headed for the door. “Wow,” Mia whispered beside me. “I’d say you’re making progress,” Maxine remarked, grinning ear to ear. I watched Shane as he pushed through the door and shook my head. “No. He didn’t kiss me because he’s changed his mind. He kissed me to make a point to Suzy and Joanne.” “Well, it proved one thing,” Suzy replied. “You can get a gay man to switch sides.” I turned to Mia and raised my brows. “See why I want you to move here?” “I still say you’re making progress,” Maxine interrupted. “So stay your course and full steam

ahead.” “I leave in the morning for the rafting trip. I won’t be back for three days. Maybe a few days without me in his face will give him time to sort out his head.” Maxine grinned slyly and nodded. “I’m thinking the next three days will probably be eye openin’ for both of you.”

Eight Tormentor Shane pulled into Little Big Horn and braced when he caught his first glimpse of Sage. He’d climbed the walls the night before after leaving Last Call. He shouldn’t have kissed her, shouldn’t have given in to temptation. The result left him restless half the night, pacing, staring out the window hoping to see her headlights in his drive. He’d slept in his chair to avoid his bed. He hadn’t changed the sheets yet, and they smelled like her. Smelled like sweat, passion—sex. It had taken all his self-control to keep from picking up his phone and calling her, and now he was spending the next three days in close quarters with the object of his desire. It was going to be a long three days. Christ, what was I thinking? He knew what he’d been thinking and nothing had changed. He’d protect her with his life if need be because he owed Sloan that much. The fact he wanted her played no part in his decision. She was his responsibility to keep safe until her stalker was caught. To keep her safe, emotionally and physically, he intended to navigate the river as ‘safety kayaker ’ on the trip for both reasons. One, if Sage fell in, he could get to her quickly in a way he couldn’t if she was on his raft. And two, it would keep a distance between them during the day so he didn’t fuck up like he had last night, keeping her emotionally safe from him. Throwing his truck in park, he climbed out to unload his kayak. He looked toward Sage to keep an eye on her. She was loading food into sixty-gallon coolers as Gregor assembled the rafters. When he lowered his tailgate to retrieve his kayak, she looked up and saw him. She paused, her eyes widened in surprise, and then she came unstuck and dropped the food. He didn’t know what was running through her head after he kissed her the night before, so when she started toward him, he turned his back to prepare. He’d gotten his head straight by the time he left, but he had no idea if she was pissed because he was sending her mixed signals. She’d find out just how stubborn he could be if she asked him to leave. Her safety took precedence over everything else, including his need to be as far away from her as possible. “Are you going on the trip?” Sage asked in a breathless voice. The sweet sound of it curled around him like a warm blanket. He turned his head at her question but cast his gaze down to avoid hers. They pulled him under like a current and made him forget when he needed to focus. “Yeah, I told you I was keepin’ you safe and I meant it.” “I’m glad you’re here,” she replied again softly. His eyes shot to hers of their own accord and he froze, drowning in their color. They were smiling in the morning light; the sun bouncing off the pale-green made them glow as they curved upwards. He had to take a deep breath to fight the urge to fall under her spell.

Focus. Nodding, he turned back to his kayak and pulled it from the back of his truck. “You aren’t riding on the raft?” she asked as he laid the kayak on the ground. “I’m following as the safety kayaker. That way, if anyone falls in, I can get to them quickly. I’ll be more maneuverable this way.” Nodding she understood, Sage rushed forward and leaned into the back of his truck to grab his paddle, asking, “Is kayaking as fun as rafting?” Shane didn’t answer immediately; he’d lost his train of thought when she bent at the waist, giving him a clear view of her heart-shaped ass. An ass he’d had in his hands and kissed with his own two lips. “Better,” he finally replied between gritted teeth. Three days of that view was going to be the death of him. When she turned and opened her mouth, he could see the question on the tip of her tongue and he shook his head. “I’m not teachin’ you how to kayak.” “I didn’t ask you,” she replied with a husky laugh, then smirked at him before heading toward the rafts. Shane watched her hips swaying with each step she took. When she turned and curled her arm up and back, motioning for him to follow, his lips twitched. “I’m coming, impatient minx,” he mumbled, then picked up his kayak and followed. He helped the other guides load supplies and packs onto the ore fame gear Boat, then he waited with the rest of the crew for Gregor to finish his safety talk. As he stood there, he caught Sage watching him and tried to block her out. It was a lost cause. He was so fuckin’ drawn to her he couldn’t turn away, and when her face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, he grinned and shook his head. She was fired up and ready to hit the water. Gregor finally finished his long-winded instructions, then called out who was on which raft. He’d put Sage with him, Shane noted, which eased his worry. When Gregor turned to make his way toward the rafts, he approached the old man. “What’s the speed of the river today?” “It’s running around thirty-six hundred CFS, so it should be a good day. They’re calling for rain tonight so we may have a roller coaster ride tomorrow if we get dumped on.” Shane nodded then turned to head to his kayak. He caught sight of Sage fighting her life vest; she had the pillow stuck inside, causing it to ride up in the back. Moving toward her to help adjust the PFD, he scowled when another man stepped up to help. He was average build, with dark hair and beady eyes that kept zeroing in on her chest as he helped her out with the vest. Shane hated him immediately. “I’ll help her,” Shane rumbled low as he moved forward. “I got it,” the man said without looking up from her chest. “Appreciate your help,” Shane clipped short, “but I’ll do it.” The man looked up at his tone, caught the fire in his eyes, and nodded, stepping back. “It can’t be that hard to put on,” Sage mumbled, looking down. “It’s just four buckles, but they

won’t reach.” “The pillow likes to fold in,” Shane replied, then adjusted the PFD and began buckling her in. The scent of flowers hit him, so he took a step back to avoid the temptation to bury his head in her neck and drink his fill. “Remember what I taught you out there today,” he said to take his mind off her body. “If you fall in, it’s nose and toes out of the water. If you’re heading toward a boulder, turn around and swim backward in a ferry angle. That means you swim at a sixty-degree angle from the bank, heading toward the center of the river,” he explained. “If you fall in don’t worry, I’ll have my eyes on you, and I’ll get to you as quickly as possible.” When she nodded she understood, he continued. “Also, if by some chance you go over the falls and get sucked into the eddy, swim down not up. It’s gonna tumble your ass but swim down. The current will kick you out if you get below the hydraulics.” “How about we avoid waterfalls all together?” she asked playfully. “Babe, you can back out anytime. There’s no shame in that. You’re not ready for this trip, and Gregor would understand.” Sage shook her head, the movements quick and short. “I spent half my life being scared. I like to meet challenges head-on.” At the mention of being scared, his jaw tightened. He didn’t want to think about what she and her sister had endured at the hands of their stepfather, but he understood Sage’s need to face life head-on. It was one of the many things he respected about her. “All right. Just know I have your back. If you need me, all you have to do is shout.” “Same goes here,” she replied, looking him dead in the eyes. “If you need me, I’m here for you.” She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed once before turning and heading to her raft. His arm burned where her hand had touched him. If you need me, I’m here for you. “Jesus.” Unknowingly rubbing his arm, Shane waited until she was safely loaded into the raft before he headed for his kayak. One by one, the rafts launched and all forwards were called out. Shane stayed at the back, keeping his attention on all the rafts, but most importantly, the auburn-haired rafter in the lead boat. Hours passed, people were rescued and helped back into their rafts, and thankfully, none was Sage. When they broke for lunch in the predetermined take-out point, Sage jumped out of her raft when they beached and threw both arms in the air, shouting, “Best job ever.” Shane had to bite his lip to keep from smiling at her enthusiasm. Gregor always stopped at predetermined put-in and take-out points. That way, if they had an emergency, a man was waiting with a vehicle. Since Shane had insisted on replacing Joel on the trip, he was the designated recovery man. Essentially, Joel was paid to hike into each put-in point and check for injuries or deliver messages to the rafters in the case of emergencies. He was waiting on the bank when they arrived, and at Sage’s outburst, he turned and glared at Shane. “Told ya he’d be pissed when he got a look at her,” Gregor smirked. “He’ll survive,” Shane responded but kept his eye on the young buck. “Your girl there is a hoot on the raft, Shane,” Gregor chuckled.

“She’s not my girl,” Shane sighed, but it felt like a lie. “Just a play on words. Don’t mean nothin’ by it.” Considering Gregor and Maxine were thick as thieves, romantically involved or not, Shane knew exactly what he meant. “Tell Maxine you did your best,” Shane replied, clapping the old man on the back before heading to check the rafts for air pressure. “It’s just the first day, boy. There’s plenty of time to change your mind.” That’s what he was afraid of. Lunch consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for protein and endurance, coupled with Gatorade to replace nutrients lost from overexertion. On the river, lunch was simple, but the dinners were extravagant. Gregor always served steak, lobster, and salmon. He had a deal with Smith’s, who kept him supplied with the best quality meats for his rafters. Once everyone ate, Shane and the others loaded the supplies back in the Gear boat and readied themselves for the next leg of the trip. Shane had eaten while he checked the rafts, keeping his distance from Sage. Now that it was time to shove off, he wanted to check on her for safety's sake. At least, that’s what he told himself. “You take it easy out there,” Shane advised as she put on her helmet. “Your muscles are weakened from the first leg. If you fall in, you’ll have a harder time swimming.” “I’ll be careful,” she answered back. “But I’m not worried if I fall in.” “Why’s that?” “Because I know you’ll have my back. I trust you to watch over me,” she answered without hesitation, then threw out, “See you at the finish line,” before she turned and climbed into her raft. Shane froze as she walked away, blind to anything else but the woman walking away from him. I trust you to watch over me. “Christ.” “Let’s do this,” Gregor shouted, shoving off. Shane hurried back to his kayak and positioned it in the water, then he climbed in and adjusted his spray skirt to keep the water out. “Jesus, forgot my paddle,” he groused, so he detached the spray skirt and climbed out. “Damn woman has me off balance.” Paddle in hand, he climbed back in, secured the spray skirt, and took off after the rafters. The second leg was uneventful as well. The river ran at a fast pace, but not aggressive. Shane only fished two rafters out of the water and no injuries occurred. Sage kept looking back at him, smiling when she caught his eye, and as the day wore on, Shane’s mood went from frustrated to an all-out bad mood. Now they were organizing their supplies while the rafters picked spots to lie beneath the stars, and Shane was so tense he could split wood with his jaw. “I need to gather wood,” Sage stated as he and the other guides unloaded the food for the night’s meal. Jared, a college student home on summer break, nodded then mumbled, “I’ll help you.” “You find rocks for the pit, I’ll help her find the wood,” Shane ordered. “That works,” Sage responded, but he could hear the smile in her voice. “You’ll run into a wolf if you wander off. I’m just keepin’ you safe.”

They continued sorting through the food without small talk, but Sage muttered absentmindedly, “You must be hungry,” so he stopped and looked at her. “Why do you say that?” “You’re growling,” she snickered. “I don’t growl,” he growled. Jared and the third guide, Nelson, a newly married man of twenty-five, both scoffed at him, and he looked back at the two. “You got something to say?” he asked, his brows raised in challenge. “Nope,” they both answered without looking up. “Just find the rocks,” Shane growled again and then picked up one of the sixty-gallon coolers and walked toward the location of the fire pit. “You’re looking surly,” Gregor noted when Shane set down the cooler. “I don’t growl,” Shane growled, yet again, and then sighed. “Could have fooled me,” Gregor guffawed. “I’m hungry, is all.” Turning back to check on Sage, his right eye began to twitch. Joel had decided to hang out after checking for injuries at the final put-in point of the day and was now engaged in conversation with Sage. When she threw her head back and laughed, jealousy reared its ugly head, and he whistled between his teeth to catch her attention. When Sage looked in his direction, he jerked his head toward the woods and she nodded. “We’re goin’ to get firewood,” he told Gregor. After pinning Joel with a look to warn him off, he headed toward the forest with Sage pulling up the rear. The sky had turned darker with clouds since they’d beached the rafts, thunder rolling in on the tails of them. Shane checked for lightning as they moved forward into the gloom of the forest. “I hope you can carry all the wood because my arms are aching,” Sage stated, then bent and picked up a decent sized branch. “It’ll be worse in the morning,” Shane answered. “A soak in Maxine’s hot tub would be welcome right about now,” she said, stretching her arms over her head. Images of the first night they met bombarded him as her shirt rode up, exposing her stomach. Sage in her wet T-shirt and the way it clung to her body. Her flushed cheeks and hooded eyes filled with unleashed passion after he’d kissed her. He slammed his eyes shut to block out the images, but they morphed into Sage on his bed, her body laid bare to him as he took his fill. “Earth to Shane.” He turned and looked at her, biting his lip to keep from reaching out and taking what he wanted. “What?” “I said, that looks like a bear print,” she explained, and he followed her outstretched arm until he saw what she was pointing to. “Grizzly,” he answered, staring down at the claw marks. It was a print he knew well. Booboo had broken one of his claws trying to break into Max’s house, so he left a unique pattern in the dirt.

“Do you have your bear spray?” “Don’t need it. That bear ’s a pain in the ass, but he’s harmless.” “How do you know?” she asked wide-eyed. “It’s one of Max and Mia’s pets. We’re on the outskirts of Max’s land, and Booboo is king in these parts.” “Do you think he’s still around?’ she asked, excited, looking deeper into the forest. Shane scanned the forest and then whistled three short bursts. It was the call he used when he wanted the bear to know he had come to feed him. “Does he come when you call?” “If he’s around, he’ll come thinking I have food,” he explained. Shane kept watch for Booboo as she continued to gather wood. With the last branch she placed in his arms, he noticed for the first time that the pinky finger on her right hand was slightly crooked. “What happened to your finger?” Sage glanced at her hand then looked away. He knew instinctively it was from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather, and he seethed, “That bastard did it, didn’t he?” She looked off into the distance, no doubt remembering the abuse, then she turned back to him and shrugged. “It was a long time ago and I’ve moved on.” “Yeah, but you have to look at the evidence of what that bastard did to you every time you see your hand.” “True, but I still moved on. I have moments where I beat myself up for not trying harder, as you well know, but it doesn’t control me.” “You don’t move on from something like that. You learn to cope, try to forget, but it’s always with you,” he argued. “You don’t ever forget, Shane. But you do learn to move on. It was out of my control, what happened. Even when I smarted off knowing it might incite his anger, I wasn’t responsible. Simple as that.” Her words slammed into his chest, into that place he kept his guilt buried. He opened his mouth to argue, to defend why he was right, but he couldn’t come up with a solid rebuttal. “We need to get back.” Shane started toward the camp, still trying to find an argument that held water. He could hear Sage following as she snapped twigs under her feet, so he kept moving. He needed space from her, from the feelings she provoked. They were fifty yards from the river when a grunting sound reached his ears and he stopped. Turning to the left, he peered into the forest and found what he was looking for. “Get your ass out here, you overgrown fleabag.” Sage turned her head and squinted into the gloom, so Shane dropped the wood they’d gathered and pointed. Booboo was big for his age and would be huge like his father when he was full-grown. His dark brown coat was tipped with a lighter beige that glistened when the sun was out, giving him the grizzled appearance brown bears were known for.

His powerful legs lumbered slowly as he made his way toward them. Shane pulled a protein bar from his front pack, opened it, and held it up for the three-year-old bear to see. He sniffed the air then picked up his pace, running toward them. Sage stepped behind Shane, peering around his back as Booboo came to a stop in front of them and grunted. Shane put out his hand to pet the bear, but Booboo decided it was time to play. He reared up on his hind legs and batted Shane down to the ground. Shane laughed, wrestling with the cub. “At least you don’t stink anymore,” Shane gruffed. Sage looked stunned as she watched them act like a couple of kids wrestling on the playground. When Booboo licked his face, he noted she finally relaxed and giggled. Standing, Shane reached out his hand. “Come say hi.” “Hey there, big guy,” she cooed, moving forward cautiously. Booboo turned his head, sniffed her outstretched hand, and licked her fingers. Her breath hitched at the contact and she smiled, her eyes shining brightly in amusement. Shane watched her carefully as she ran her hand through Booboo’s fur. Her mouth was open in amazement as she took in the threehundred-pound bear. When she turned to Shane and smiled, her pale-green eyes radiated laughter. Her calm and open nature, lust for life, and fresh-faced beauty captivated him like nothing had in his life, and he felt his defenses weaken. He continued to watch her silently as she tried to feed the cub. When Booboo snatched the protein bar from her hand, she threw her head back and laughed with abandon for the first time since he’d met her. The husky quality of her voice punched him in his chest as she turned and locked eyes with his. He looked deeply into those green pools for the first time since they’d met. So deeply, he saw an alternate future than the one he’d envisioned, and the ground beneath him shifted, then tilted on its axis. Shane whispered, “Jesus,” as peace surrounded him like a blanket, and he took a step toward her, caught in an invisible rope of warmth, until she said, “Shane?” Her concerned tone cut through whatever insanity had gripped him, and he slammed his eyes shut. When he did, the earth beneath him shifted again, tilting back to familiar ground as thunder rolled with the approaching storm. Then Sage touched his arm, grounding him further in reality, reminding him why he had to keep his distance. When thunder cracked across the sky like an omen of impending doom, Shane knew he had no choice. For her sake, it was time to push her away once and for all.

*** Shane was looking at me, but he wasn’t seeing me, so I whispered, “Shane?” He slammed his eyes shut at my question. I’d spent the better part of the day taking Maxine’s advice, but he’d been stubborn, avoiding conversation with me when he could. I decided if I couldn’t get through to him through my words, I’d work on getting through to him with my actions. I’d teased with him, flirted a bit, and let him know I believed in him. I wasn’t playing games, just showing him what a day with Sage the woman could be like, as opposed to the sister of the girl he thought he killed. He’d been off balance the whole trip, that was apparent, and he’d seesawed between angry and

confused. There were moments I wanted to grab his face and shout he was pigheaded, but I held back. I knew I couldn’t force him; he had to reason out his feelings on his own. Was that happening now? Thunder rocked the sky like an angry giant and rain pelted the surrounding trees, but I held my breath, as he stood motionless. Lightning sparked across the sky, causing me to jump, but Shane didn’t move. The air in my lungs burned, desperate for escape. But I held it. Afraid any movement would interrupt whatever he was working through. Booboo finally lost interest and wandered through a bush in search of whatever bears look for in the woods. Close to half a minute passed since he’d closed his eyes, so I raised my hand and placed it on his arm. At my touch, his eyes opened, focused, then he looked down at my hand. When thunder echoed through the forest again, he jerked back a step. “We need to get back,” he said in a flat voice and stepped back even further. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” When he started to move away, I reached for his arm, but he shrugged it off and kept walking. “Shane, what’s wrong?” I followed close on his heels as he headed for the wood he’d dropped. He didn’t answer while he leaned down and picked it up. “Why won’t you talk to me?” “Got nothin’ to say that hasn’t already been said.” “Please, Shane, let me in.” His head shot up, and he glared. “I’m not gonna talk to you or anyone else unless I feel the need. And I don’t feel the fuckin’ need.” “But you were fine one minute and not the next. At least, tell me what happened in the span of a few minutes that has you so rattled.” “Fine?” he bit out. “I haven’t been fine since you came to town.” He continued to gather wood as he spoke, his body tense, his actions quick and sharp, full of anger. My resolve to keep my emotions out of helping Shane was slipping fast. I could feel panic rising it its place. “Shane, I’m worried about—” “Save your concern for your clients. My only problem is you.” He was lashing out for some reason, but why? “Please, let me help you. Or let Max help you. Can’t you see everyone around you is holding out their hand for you to grab hold of? If you don’t deal with this soon, you’ll wake up one day and find your life is behind you, not in front of you. Regret, like guilt, is a bitter pill to swallow.” I could hear the desperation in my voice to reach him. I must have hit a nerve because Shane dropped the wood in annoyance and stepped over it. Closing the distance between us quickly, he backed me up until I stopped out of sheer force of will. Anger coiled tightly around him, and for the first time since we’d met, his size unnerved me. “I don’t need savin’. I don’t need help. I just need peace from you.” He crowded me further until I

put my palms up to stop him, then he grabbed my arms in both hands and tightened them. “I remember every minute,” he hissed. “The steam. The sweat drippin’ down your back. The fuckin’ taste of you on my lips and the drivin' urge to claim you when I knew I couldn’t give you what you needed. I remember all of it. And. I. Need. Fuckin’ Peace.” He’d leaned in closer, his face growing harder with each word he spat out about our night together as if it were disgusting instead of the amazing night it was. Curling my hands in his shirts I choked out, “And then what, Shane?” forcing the words past a lump in my throat. “If you get the peace you want so desperately, what will you do with it? Hide in your house while your life passes you by?” “Anything,” he rumbled low, “would be fuckin’ better than lookin’ at you every day and remembering Emma Jane’s dead eyes.” My head jerked back as if I’d been struck and I sucked in a breath. He let go and stepped back, his face contorted in a tortured mask. Maxine was wrong. So wrong. I wasn’t his soul mate destined to save him from a lifetime of loneliness. I was his tormentor. He would never forgive himself and see me as anything but Emma’s sister, as a constant reminder of his past failures. We weren’t destined to be anything. Finally understanding how broken he truly was, was paralyzing. Staring at Shane’s blank face, I realized I hadn’t felt this empty, this lost, since Emma Jane died. A knot formed in my throat as reality crashed around me, so I bit my lips to keep from crying. If I hadn’t promised Gregor I’d work, I would have asked Joel for a ride back to town to save Shane the pain. I looked around the shadowed forest for an answer I knew wouldn’t come. I needed to leave. Rain pummeled my hair, sliding down my face to cover my tears. With no options left, other than retreat, I moved around Shane and picked up a handful of limbs as he silently watched. Once my arms were full, I took a deep breath and turned back to him. “When we get back on Sunday I’ll pack my bags and head out. It was never my intention to back you into a corner when I came here. I’m so sorry; I’ll leave you in peace.” His jaw tightened in response, but I couldn’t wait for his reply. I was on the verge of uncontrollable tears and needed to be as far away from him as possible before I broke down. My tears flowed freely as I took my first step. Each step that took me further away from a man who’d filled my heart with hope. Hope that I too would have a reason to get up each day, a reason to live.

Nine Safe to Dream I made it five steps before Shane grabbed my arm and spun me around. I averted my eyes so he wouldn’t see my pain. “You’re not leavin’.” “I can’t stay. You’ve made that abundantly clear. I get it now. It’s fine.” I ran the back of my hands across my cheeks to rid my face of tears, but they wouldn’t stop flowing. I prayed the rain would disguise them for what they were; tears from a broken heart. Broken for Shane and for Emma. Broken for the love I wanted so desperately but couldn’t seem to grab hold of. “Look at me,” he demanded. “I’d rather not,” I sniffed. “Baby, eyes on me,” he commanded again, but in a softer tone. I caved just as Maxine had said I would. My DNA, it seemed, was synced to obey him. I couldn’t refuse him even if I wanted, and it pissed me off. However, pissed off or not, I raised my eyes as he asked. Instead of finding a blank, lifeless expression as I expected, I found one filled with concern. “There she is,” Shane whispered, raising a hand to wipe away my tears. “Now, get this through your stubborn head. When I say you’re not leavin’ Trails End, it means you’re not leavin’.” The change in his demeanor from one minute to the next could give a girl whiplash of the heart, so I pushed his hand away and stepped back. It was best for both of us if I kept my distance. “You want peace, Shane, and you won’t have it ‘til I’m gone. So I’m leaving as soon as I can.” “Your safety takes precedence over everything. You’re not leavin’ as long as you have a stalker out there. Chester is convinced he’ll trip up with one of his other victims. So until then, you’re not leavin’.” I shook my head no. “I’ve disrupted your life long enough. I’m leaving.” “You think I’ll have peace worryin’ about you out there all alone?” I looked over his shoulder to keep from lashing out—I didn’t know what he felt from one minute to the next because he was all over the place these days—and caught movement out of the corner of my eye. “Are you listenin’ to me?” Shane asked when I didn’t respond. I wasn’t paying attention because a man was standing in the distance watching us. I wouldn’t have cared if he hadn’t been in the dark forest, in the middle of a rainstorm, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. Was he the same man from the carnival? “There’s a man watching us,” I told him. Shane turned and looked over his shoulder. “Where?” I’d glanced at Shane when he spoke and when I looked back he was gone. “He was right there.” I pointed where I’d seen him, and Shane searched the forest again. “He was wearing a baseball cap and

sunglasses.” “Must have been one of the rafters.” I opened my mouth to explain about the mystery man with the sunglasses when the storm above our heads grew in intensity. Wind tussled the trees and the sky streaked with lightning. I jumped at the intensity, so Shane grabbed the wood from my hands, dropping it on the ground. Then he grabbed my hand and started heading toward the campsite at a quickened pace. “What about the firewood?” “They can eat sandwiches tonight. This shit is blowin’ in fast. We need to take cover.” “Where do you take cover on a river?” “Tent,” he replied over his shoulder. “I didn’t bring one. I wanted to sleep under the stars.” “I brought you one.” “You brought me one?” “Yeah, I figured you didn’t have one.” “That was . . . kind of you.” The man was a mystery rolled inside a brainteaser. He wants me to leave, then he wants me to stay. I couldn’t keep up with his mood swings anymore, which only solidified my reasons for leaving as soon as possible. When we arrived back at the campsite, Gregor and Jared were wrestling with the rafts, and most of the rafters were huddled in their tents. Shane whistled at Gregor, who then pointed toward the clearing where the tents were set. He nodded then started pulling me toward a smaller tent set away from the others. The rain was coming down so hard I had to hold my hand in front of my face to keep the water from blinding me. When we reached the tent, he unzipped it and helped me inside. “I need to help secure the rafts and food. I don’t want you to leave this tent unless you think you’re in danger.” “I think I should help,” I stated. “I’ll be fine; it’s just a little rain.” “I don’t want you out there. The wind’s picked up and tree limbs will start dropping.” “The limbs can fall on me in here. I’m being paid to work and I should do my job,” I argued. Shane’s head rolled back on his shoulders, and he closed his eyes. When he raised his hand and pinched his nose as if searching for patience, I asked, “What?” “Now I know why Max is angry all the time.” “What does that mean?” “It means if you step out of this tent, I’ll tan your hide. Understand?” That damn DNA thing kicked in again and I nodded in agreement, with short jerky movements. Shane narrowed his eyes as if gauging my truthfulness. He must have believed me because he said, “Zip this closed after me,” and then left. I looked around and found my bag. Gregor must have known this tent was for me. I moved to it and pulled out dry clothes as the wind howled like an angry ghost. Once dressed, I opened the sleeping bag and crawled in, hoping to stay warm while I waited for the storm to break. Somewhere between the heartache that I’d have to leave Trails End without helping Shane and selfpity, sleep took me under. I dreamt of Emma Jane. We were writing our lists of the perfect man, and I

could see the words on my page. Handsome, loyal, won’t hit me no matter what, were still there, but the list was longer, it had changed in my dream. I’d added six foot two with gray eyes and one other detail. The last entry on the list caused me to whisper, “Shane,” in my sleep. It said, broken.

*** Shane scanned the male rafters as they prepared for launch, looking for the one Sage had seen the night before. None was wearing a baseball cap. His hackles had been raised since; his focus tunneled on Sage’s every move. It didn’t sit right with him that one of the rafters was out in the forest watching them. If he had to guess, he’d say the man wasn’t with their group, but he couldn’t be sure. He figured if Sage’s stalker followed her to Trails End, he’d know she had a job with Gregor. He could have easily signed up for the trip in an attempt to get her alone and unprotected. For that reason alone, he was keeping a close eye on those in her raft. A man hiding deep in the forest, in the middle of a storm, implied he was up to no good, and Shane needed backup. If he had a way to communicate with Chester, he’d have called it in the night before. But he couldn’t get a message to him until they stopped for lunch, so he focused on the rafters, watching for anyone who seemed overly interested in Sage. He was running on little sleep after spending most of the night protecting their rafts and watching the water rise. And he felt it in his bones. To make matters worse, the river was flying, the current swifter than he’d seen it in years. Whitewater roared past them, kicking up foam as it crashed into rocks and timber. The seasoned rafters were jazzed; the excitement thick enough to cut with a knife, and that worried Shane. One wrong move on a river running this wild could cost someone their life. Sage was prepared to enter her raft, so he moved toward her and grabbed her by the arm. He wanted to make sure she was clear about the conditions they were getting ready to battle. “You remember everything I taught you?” “Yeah.” Her eyes were round, flecked with fear as she watched the water rushing past. “Babe, this river is runnin’ so fuckin’ fast everything I taught you flies out the window. If you go over, turn on your back, tuck your knees to your chest, and keep your eyes on me.” “This is a grade five rapid, isn’t it?” “This is grade heaven and hell,” he answered. “Heaven because your blood races with the speed of the water. And when you make it to the end, it’s like the best orgasm you’ve had in your life. Hell because if you don’t know what the fuck you’re doin’, it can send you straight there.” He didn’t think it was possible for her eyes to grow wider, but there it was. She looked spooked. So spooked that if he’d had access to a truck, he’d haul her ass back to town. “Eyes on me, Sage. If you go overboard, keep your eyes on me, and I swear to Christ, I’ll get to you.” Sage nodded she understood, but she hesitated to get on the raft. Shane took the opportunity to check her PFD and helmet while she gathered her composure. “Gregor ’s as good a guide as I’ve seen. You’re in expert hands with him. Just follow his instructions and you’ll be fine.” “Right,” she mumbled. “I can do this. I’ll be fine.” “That’s my girl,” he praised before he could stop himself.

Sage stiffened and looked away. He’d wanted to push her away so he could breathe, but he’d gone too far, got caught up in the emotions swirling around in his brain. Now sadness clouded her expression, and it burned his gut he’d been the one to put the look on her face. “Time to leave,” Gregor called out, saving Shane from having to cover for the slip. Sage turned immediately and climbed into his raft, securing her feet under the thwarts. “I’ll keep your girl safe,” Gregor said as Shane turned to leave. “She’s not my girl.” The word liar ran through his head, and he locked his jaw. “And Mia ain’t the clumsiest woman in the world. We can argue the point all day long if need be, but it doesn’t make it not true,” Gregor hooted, slapping Shane on the shoulder before he headed for his kayak. Shane looked back at Sage to see if she was listening and found her back was turned to him. The day before, she’d smiled and interacted whenever possible, now she had a wall up. It didn’t sit well with him, but it’s what he’d wanted. At least, he kept telling himself it was. “It’s for the best,” he mumbled as he shoved off the bank and entered his kayak. Gregor took the lead again, directing the rafts down the meat of the hole as they picked up speed. Shane had his throw bag—a weighted bag with a length of rope used to rescue a rafter—at the ready. He knew today would be an exhausting exercise in rescue and recovery. The gear boat finally headed through the hole and Shane followed. The river was fast, too fast. His kayak jarred him with each wave he hit, throwing water in his face, restricting his visibility, and jarring his teeth. They made it a quarter of a mile before their first mishap. Raft 2 didn’t follow Gregor through a hole correctly, they hit it river right and were caught in an eddy. He heard Jared call high side, but the hydraulics upended the raft and spit the rafters out. Jared held his position at the rudder and rode the vortex until it let go of the raft, then began maneuvering toward the fast moving rafters. Shane made his way to a rafter and tossed out his throw bag, then held on as Jared made his way over to him. He repeated this four more times until all were back safely in the raft heading down the river to where Gregor had paused to wait for them. Rinse, repeat and do again. That’s how Shane spent his morning. They made it to the designated take-out point, and Joel was waiting as he’d done the day before. When Gregor banked the raft, Joel extended his hand to Sage. “The man has a death wish,” Shane grumbled as he pulled his kayak from the water. Then he remembered he had no right to be jealous. And had to keep reminding himself as he watched Joel interact with Sage as he secured his kayak. “Let her be,” he said under his breath. “Get used to seeing this." As much as he wanted her, he wanted to protect her from his demons more. That meant letting her go. Unfortunately for Shane and his vow to step aside, Joel decided to reach out and smooth her hair out her face. Sage balked, and Shane reacted immediately. He strode with purpose and grabbed hold of Joel’s arm, escorting him to the trail that led back to his truck. “What, man?” Joel asked, trying to break the hold Shane’s had on his arm. “Sage doesn’t have time to talk. She’s being paid to work. And I need you to get a message to

Chester.” “You afraid of a little competition, Sherman?” “I’m not your competition.” Liar. “Damn straight you’re not,” Joel snickered. Shane shoved him when they reached the trailhead and pointed a finger at Joel’s face. “Stay away from Sage and I’ll let you live,” he bit out. Joel’s cocky demeanor slipped and he raised his hands. “My bad, man, I thought you were gay. I wouldn’t have made a play if I knew she was yours.” Shane froze and then scowled. “I’m not . . . She isn’t . . . Fuck me, I’m gonna wring Suzy’s neck . . . Just get a message to Chester for me. Tell him there was an unknown man in the woods keepin’ an eye on Sage.” “You think the stalker is followin’ her on the rafting trip?” “How did . . . Never mind, with Maxine involved, the whole town knows. Just get the message to Chester.” “On it,” Joel said then turned and took off down the trail. When Shane made his way back to camp, Gregor was waiting for him. “You sure she ain’t your girl?” he hooted when Shane walked past. “Shut it, old man,” Shane ordered. He ignored Gregor ’s chuckle, kept walking, and went to work checking the rafts for leaks. Lunch was quick. The rafters were still jazzed from the first leg and chomping at the bit to hit the water again. Shane had kept his distance from Sage as they loaded for the second leg. She’d gotten the hang of her equipment the day before, so he had no need to check her. She didn’t look as nervous as before the morning run, but he could tell she was still apprehensive. The need to reassure her sat like lead in his gut, but he ignored it, climbed into his kayak, and waited. They had a waterfall to navigate in one hundred yards, and he needed his wits about him. If they didn’t hit the falls in the right position, the drop could dislodge the rafters, pulling them into the falls and under. Shane kept his attention locked on Sage as they paddled. His gut burned hotter as they grew closer to the falls, and he picked up his pace. Just like the day Emma had lost her life, his instincts told him to be ready for anything. Then it happened. Fifty yards from the waterfall, Sage turned her head and looked at him. Then she jerked and turned entirely in her seat, distracted. “Turn around,” Shane thundered. Her raft hit a wave, jolting the front before Gregor could grab hold of her. Sage lost her balance and fell back, her feet coming out from under her. Shane watched helplessly as she hit the water. Gregor threw out a line as he tried to steer around her and missed. Fear the likes he’d never experienced pumped through his veins as he watched her head for the falls.

Pumping his arms double time, slicing through the rough water as quickly as he could, Shane navigated around the rafts, his attention zeroed in on Sage as she fought the current. Directly ahead of her was a boulder. She would collide with it within moments, and if the river didn’t pin her against it, possibly drowning her with its force, she’d spit out the other side and over the falls. Waves crashed over her head, pushing her below the surface, then she popped up sputtering for air. She tried to get on her back like he’d taught her, but the rapidly flowing river tumbled her. Shane was within ten feet of her when she hit the boulder. The water ’s crushing power pinned her there, pushing tons of water into her face. Shane roared, “Sage!” when she went under. The only visible parts of her body were her hands pinned against the rock—reaching out for help. At the last second, Shane turned and headed for the bank. Ripping free of his kayak, he bound back into the water, swam to the backside of the boulder where the current was calmer, and pulled himself up to the top. He lay on his stomach and reached over, trying to reach her hands. He snagged one at the wrist and started pulling until her head was clear of the water. “Hang on, baby,” Shane shouted as she coughed water out, gasping for air. He tried to pull her higher so he could reach her other arm, but she began to slip. “Don’t let go,” she coughed out, clawing at his arm. “I won’t let you go. Reach up and grab my hand,” he ordered. A surge of water pushed Sage further around the side, and he followed so he wouldn’t lose hold. She turned her body so she was cast to rock and looked up at him with frightened eyes. Using his feet, he inched forward like a worm and reached down further over the side. “Baby, give me your other hand.” Still fighting the current, she reached up and caught his hand with the tips of her fingers. They held for a split second, then slipped. “Shane,” she choked out, spitting water from her mouth, “I can’t . . . I can’t reach you.” The terror on her face reminded him of Sloan’s every time they were on the front lines, and for a split second, he saw Emma’s face instead of Sage. His heart began to thunder harder in his chest. He would not lose her too. He would not allow this woman to die on his watch. This woman who’d crawled beneath his skin and buried herself firmly in his heart. “Sage,” he shouted over the roar of the river. “Baby, reach out and I swear to God, I’ll grab hold and won’t let go.” She held his eyes, searching, then choked out, “Prom . . . promise?” Lying on his stomach, his arm burning as he held on tight to her wrist, he knew then, with a clarity of a thousand beckons, he would never let her go. Not now, not ever. He may be damaged, broken even, but it finally sunk in she would be the salvation of his soul if he’d let her. He only had to reach out and grab hold, then the endless nights of torment would be replaced with a sweetness that would slay his demons, be his light in an otherwise dark world. “I won’t ever let you go,” he told her, reaching out his hand, pleading with his eyes for her to take it. “Please, baby. Reach up and grab my hand.” Her bottom lip quivered for an instant, then her attention focused on his hand and she surged and

caught his fingers. He crushed them in his hand and pulled, inching her further out of the water. She was pinned against the rock, so he let go briefly with one hand and grabbed her vest, pulling again. Once her legs were far enough out of the water to move, Sage brought her foot up and climbed the side of the rock as Shane came to his knees and continued to pull. Exhausted from battling the raging water, Sage collapsed on the rock when she cleared the top. Shane let go for an instant, then hauled her up to his chest and buried his face in her neck. “I’ll never let you go,” he panted against her cold, wet skin, then pulled back and captured her mouth. When their lips met, the surface beneath him shifted like the night before, then it tilted, spun sideways, and turned end over end until it righted itself on a firmer footing than he’d felt in a year. Warmth folded around him like a shot of whiskey and warmed his blood as his tongue danced with hers. Belonging, acceptance, and forgiveness filled his chest, and he crushed her harder against his body. Cheers rose above the thunder of the river, and he pulled back, running his hand through her soaked hair as he scanned her face. She was smiling, tears flowing as she held on tight to his shirt. For the first time since they’d met, he didn’t see her as Sloan’s sister when he looked at her. She was just Sage. The woman he wanted. Nothing more. The knot he’d been carrying for a year finally broke free and he kissed her forehead, her nose, and her lips again, as she shook from exertion and cold. Then he moved to her ear and growled, “Just so you know, when we’re alone, I’m gonna fuck you hard while I tan your hide for that shit you just pulled. What the hell were you thinkin’ turnin’ around?” Sage jerked back and her face paled. “Shane, I know who my stalker is,” she gasped. “What?” “He was on the bank watching us when I turned around. It makes no sense, but it was him.” Shane turned and looked back, asking, “Where?” just as the report of a rifle rang out. He recoiled from the pain and grabbed his shoulder, then lost his footing on the wet rock. Sage tried to stop their decent, but Shane’s weight was too much for her and he fell, taking her with him into the river and over the falls.

*** Cold. Why am I so cold? My eyes opened for a moment, and I saw the sky moving past. “Keep the pressure on that shoulder,” Gregor ordered. I was jostled as I lay on my back, then water rained down on my face. I was so sleepy I couldn’t keep my eyes open despite the cold water, so I closed them. The rushing sound of the river followed me into my dreams. Soon I was tumbling, the air in my lungs burning to escape. Down. Swim down. I fought the cold, ordering my arms to work, but I kept tumbling, unable to stop. I didn’t know which way was down. My body fought against me; I reflexively took a breath and my lungs filled with water. When I convulsed at the intrusion, my head hit something solid and then my world turned black . . . The roar of an engine as it accelerated filtered through my subconscious. The bouncing of the vehicle as it raced over uneven surface broke through the gloom, and I my eyes fluttered open,

whispering one word. “Shane.” “Right here,” his voice whispered in my ear. “I got you.” I struggled to stay awake, but a sense of danger was crowding into my fuzzy consciousness keeping me from falling back under. “Danger,” I whispered back. “Who, baby? Tell me who it is . . .” “My stepfather . . .”

*** Shane went on alert when Maxine’s front door burst open. Standing guard outside Sage’s room, waiting for Maxine to finish with her, he drew his gun when Chester entered Maxine’s house. Sage was recovering from her time in the water and a goose egg on the back of her head. They’d brought in Dr. Rhodes from the next county to stitch Shane’s wound and take care of Sage. Now Maxine was helping her change clothes. They’d been damn lucky. The eddy had spit them both out rather than claiming two more victims to its powerful hydraulics. Gregor had been waiting to pull them out once they surfaced. He’d cleared her lungs quickly while Nelson had dealt with Shane’s shoulder. The .22 caliber bullet had lodged in his shoulder, narrowly bypassing an artery when it did. It would cause him some pain, but thankfully, his range of motion wasn’t affected. He’d been shot before, and this injury was minor compared to what a 9mm could do. Shoving his gun into the back of his jeans, Shane moved toward Chester, who was followed by Max and Mia. The look on Max’s face was murderous. “I just got off the phone with Richard Heller ’s former commanding officer. You’re not gonna believe this shit,” Chester bit out. “I’ll go and check on Sage while you men talk,” Mia said then moved passed Shane toward the bedroom. Shane jerked his head toward the kitchen and both men followed. He didn’t want Sage overhearing anything Chester had to say. In the span of a few hours, he’d gone from keeping Sage at arm’s length to wanting to protect her with his life. His feelings of guilt over Sloan’s death had been replaced with rage for the man who’d almost killed them both. Now all he could concentrate on was having Heller ’s neck in his hands so he could slowly choke the life out of him. “Talk to me,” Shane said once they were far enough away. “How the hell does a man come back from the dead?” “With help,” Chester replied as they entered the kitchen. “I know this is the twenty-first century, but as far as I’m aware, we haven’t learned how to raise the dead.” “Heller ’s body was never found. Under state law, he hasn’t been classified as dead, only missing. But after four years, Sage and her mother assumed he was dead.” “So the bastard staged his own death and has been on the run all this time?” “Looks like. But it gets worse,” Chester answered, looking toward Max. “You want to tell him?”

Shane turned to Max and watched his chest rise and fall as he tried to rein in his anger. “The friend who called in the report about Heller drowning was Duke Stetson,” Max bit out. Shane blinked at the name. Closing his eyes in disbelief, he pictured the former Police Chief as he lay dead on the floor, Max’s knife buried deep in his throat. Stetson had come close to killing both Mia and Max that night. He was a rapist, a murderer, and now, apparently, an accomplice to a fake death. “They were partners five years ago before Heller ’s apparent death,” Max continued. “Did Sage ever mention the connection?” “She didn’t know,” Chester stated. “She told me he changed partners so much they stopped paying attention. And when he was reported missing they didn’t care who called it in. They just thanked God for taking him out of their lives . . . How much you want to bet Stetson was helping Heller this whole time?” Chester threw in. “He’d have to have something on Stetson for the man to keep helping him.” “They were partners at one time. Heller probably had a file full of dirt. Enough to coerce Stetson into keeping his secret.” “And what? Now he wants revenge on Sage for her part in his downfall?” Shane asked. “It makes the most sense. Stetson died, leaving Heller with no source of income.” “Why not move to the lower forty-eight and start over there?” Shane questioned. “Why do any of these fucks do what they do?” Chester answered. “He’s probably fixated on blaming Sage and that’s all he cares about. From what I could ascertain from her, the threats started a few months after Stetson died. His entire focus since then has been terrorizing her. He’s the cat and she’s the mouse, my friend. He’s deriving pleasure from watching her fear.” He’d often wondered how Max had kept his cool during the incident with Stetson. But the rage sweeping through his body answered his question. He didn’t. He just hid it. Hid it like Shane was doing now when all he wanted to do was launch one of Maxine’s chairs through her window. “What’s our next move?” Shane asked. “I’ve got a call in to Jack. He’s got a buddy in the FBI I’m hopin’ can pull some strings and help us out with manpower. If Heller ’s still in the area, which I think he is, we’ll need to flush him out,” Max answered. “I’ll have men posted outside Maxine’s until we can mount a search,” Chester said. Thinking about Heller ’s need for revenge it occurred to Shane the man might want revenge on anyone who took away his ability to hide. He hadn’t gone after her until Stetson died. Until then, he’d been content with being dead. But Stetson’s death was on Max and Mia, not Sage. “If Heller ’s hell bent on exactin’ revenge, you need to keep an eye on Mia as well as your back,” he warned Max. “You two cut off his gravy train.” It was clear to Shane that Max hadn’t come to the same conclusion. He went from murderous to tightly wired in a matter of seconds. Which upped the ante in Shane’s mind. Normally, he would have pitied any man who messed with Mia, but in this case, he couldn’t give a fuck. If Heller came near either woman, he was a dead man. “Are you stayin’ here or goin’ home?” Max asked between his teeth. “I’m not leavin’ Sage.” Max raised a brow, relaxing a fraction.

“Finally pulled your head out?” “All the way out,” Shane answered with a grin. “The abyss isn’t a bad place to be.” “Thank fuck for that,” Max sighed. “I thought I was gonna have to kick your ass.” Shane scoffed. “The Hunter side may have handed down all the brawn, but I have enough in me you’d have been sorely tested. If my memory serves, you tried to beat the shit out of me when I plugged your ass with buckshot, and it didn’t end the way you thought it would.” “I remember that,” Chester guffawed. “In fact, I remember it so well, I think I’ll make amends now,” he continued, moving forward to put out his hand. Shane looked down and frowned as he took it. “For what?” “I’m shakin’ it now before you find out I helped Maxine in her ploy to get you and Sage together.” Shane blinked. “The deck?” Shane asked. “Had my eyes closed the whole time.” He looked to Max and shook his head. “She’s a pain in my ass.” “Welcome to my world,” Max gruffed. “But in this case, I’m not complaining.” Shane heard a giggle from behind him and turned to find Sage standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame as she took in the confrontation. She looked tired, but her eyes were bright with humor from Chester ’s confession. Her auburn hair lay around her shoulders, still damp from a shower. Void of makeup, her ivory complexion was dappled with freckles from the sun. She was wearing a white cotton gown covered by a matching robe, looking every bit the angel she was. His angel. His saving grace from the hell he’d been lost in the past twelve months. His to protect and love. His to lounge around with on a lazy afternoon while he tasted her body and sampled her hidden desire. His to peel back the layers from until he unwrapped her secrets and unearthed her mysteries. “Back in bed,” Shane ordered, moving toward her. “I could say the same thing to you. You were shot today and you’re on your feet as if nothing happened.” “Flesh wound. Nothin’ to worry about.” “I’ll be back in the morning once I talk to Jack. Keep that gun close,” Max said as Shane wrapped his arm around Sage’s back. He jerked his chin at Max, leveling him with a dark scowl, and then led Sage to her bedroom. Maxine called out as he opened her door, so he turned and found her heading toward him. When she reached him, she put her hand to his face and smiled, running her thumb across his cheek as his own mother had when he was a child. “Being broken because your heart is pure makes you human in the most beautiful way,” Maxine whispered. “It’s when you overcome being shattered—allowing love to seal the cracks in your soul— that it becomes its own kind of beautiful.” Beautifully broken. Beautifully healed.” Shane didn’t hesitate to wrap her in a hug. “You’re a nosy old woman and a pain in my ass. But I love you for it,” he whispered back. “Good. Now go take care of our girl. Doctor says we have to wake her up every few hours to keep an eye on her.”

With a smirk, Shane answered, “I think I can handle that.” “I have all the faith in you,” Maxine giggled, then kissed him on the cheek and left him to take care of Sage. When he entered her bedroom, he found Sage looking out the window. He didn’t want her thinking about her stepfather, and he sure as hell didn’t want her at a window where a bullet could find its mark. Pulling the gun he’d shoved into the back of his jeans, Shane laid it on the nightstand where he could reach it and then moved to the center of the room. “Come away from the window,” he ordered. Sage startled. She was so focused on the world outside the window she hadn’t heard him enter. Letting the blinds snap shut, she turned to face him. “He’s out there somewhere. What if he goes after my mother?” “You let me carry that worry. My shoulders are wider and my back a good deal stronger than yours are. I’ll find him and make him pay, I can promise you that, but he’s not sharing space with us tonight,” Shane answered, reaching out his hand so she would take it. She moved past it and walked right into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. He wrapped her up tight, then lowered his mouth to her ear, and announced, “Before we go any further, though, we need to get a few things straight. . .” Sage leaned her head back and looked up. “Like what? . . .”

*** “Before we go any further, though, we need to get a few things straight,” Shane announced. “Like what?” I was confused; I thought we’d gotten past his reservations on the river. “I’m possessive. I don’t like to share,” Shane stated, raising his hand and fisting my hair gently at my nape, tugging until my head tilted back. “Sorry?” “I’m not like most men, Sage. I’m not some fuckin’ boy you can lead around with a leash. You need to know that now. I need complete control.” “Shane, I’m not…I’m not following you.” “I’m dominant, Sage. If you wanna be with a man like me, you gotta know what that entails. I won’t roll over for a sweet smile, but I can promise you I'll put that smile on your face each day while taking what I need from you, giving back equally in a way you won’t ever regret. And to do that, I have to control my environment.” It sunk in then. He wanted me to know what kind of man he was before we moved forward. That he was possessive, controlling—dominant. That to be with him, I had to let him lead or it would never work between us. After years of abuse and the loss of control that went along with it, I’d fought hard to gain it back. A show of dominance like this typically would have made my blood run cold and sent my hackles rising. Had it been any other man than Shane, I would have laughed in his face. Instead, my breasts swelled and my body hummed with sexual tension as the memory of the night we shared filtered through my brain. Maxine was right; I liked to be topped by the right man. I was an independent woman, who, for some reason, enjoyed being taken care of.

How had I not seen that before? My breathing accelerated as I stared back at Shane, then my eyelids grew hooded and my knees weakened. “I don’t want a man who rolls over at my every whim. I want a man who rolls in like thunder and possesses me. I need someone who can make my body burn with one look and calm my fears with a strong embrace. I want passion I can still feel between my legs the next morning, with sleepless nights and endless fights. Someone who respects me for me, who will handle me with care, yet let me fly when I need to spread my wings.” Shane’s eyes smoldered, the gunmetal gray turning stormy with need. “You want a perfect storm?” Shane asked “Yes. A beautiful storm that leaves me gasping for air, my feet searching for the ground beneath them and love so profound, time stands still in the face of it.” Shane sucked air into his lungs with a hiss and then slammed his mouth over mine, sealing our fate. He moved forward, tightening his hold on my hair until my back slammed into the wall. I neither felt the sharp pain in the back of my bruised head nor cared. I’d fisted his shirt in my hands, keeping him close as our tongues melded together and danced. He deepened the kiss, his hunger as wild as mine, flaring like a fever that couldn’t be quenched. Ripping his mouth from mine, he tugged my head back further and buried his head in my neck, alternating between soft kisses and raking his teeth across my skin to the point of pain. I gasped when he let me go and pulled the robe and nightgown from my body. And I moaned when he breached the waistband of my panties and cupped my bare ass, pulling me forward into his erection. I whimpered, “Shane,” when his hand came around to cup my core and his fingers slid between my slick flesh and danced, igniting my passion further. “I’m gonna breathe you in,” he whispered in my ear, “and be your anchor, your protector. I’m gonna fold myself around you so you’re never alone.” Oh, God! He remembered what I’d said at the carnival. He was everywhere at once, and all I could do was hang on. His need was desperate in a way that brought tears to my eyes. He only left my mouth long enough to let me catch my breath as his fingers brought me closer to release. When I tried to reach the buckle on his belt, desperate to have him deep inside me again, he grabbed my hands with the one hand and raised them over my head. “I’m in control,” he growled, pinning me further against the wall. “Keep your hands on the wall.” “But I need you inside me.” “When I’m done,” he whispered, nipping my earlobe so I’d pay attention. He pulled his head back and watched my face with hungry eyes as he rolled my clit. My release erupted like lightening, burning a path through my brain until it shut down in pleasure and I groaned low in my throat. He kept working my core with his fingers even after I’d peaked, and my hips rose in response, searching for another release like a drug addict searches for drugs—desperate for a fix. Stars burst behind my eyes and my vision blurred when the second orgasm ripped through my body, leaving me weak.

“You’re fuckin’ spectacular when you come,” Shane grunted, his hand still working my core. My body bucked at the contact, the nerve endings in the bundle of nerves between my legs hypersensitive. “Too much,” I groaned. I was on fire, and the slightest touch was a sensual shock that took my breath away. He stepped back at my plea, and I heard the whoosh of his jeans leaving his body. Then he grabbed my waist and lifted me before moving toward the bed. He grunted through the pain in his shoulder as he placed me facedown on the cool, crisp sheets. “Are you on the pill?” “Yes.” “Then spread your legs and lift your ass, I don’t want anything between us tonight.” I did as I was told. He mumbled, “Good girl,” as he stepped between my legs. He rubbed his cock between my slick folds, coating his length with the wetness he’d created. I gasped when he entered me, stretching my tender flesh. I slammed back at the intrusion, wanting him deeper inside, and was rewarded for my efforts with a hiss. Shane surged forward, then retreated, kneading my ass cheeks as he held on. When I surged back again, a sharp sting fell on my right ass cheek. “Don’t move until I tell you,” he ground between his teeth. Instead of pulling away from the burn his hand created, my breath froze as the warmth spread and kicked my hunger to a fevered pitch. He rubbed his hand across the heat he’d created before striking my ass again. “That’s for turning around on the raft.” I could have come from the spanking alone; it was wickedly arousing. The resulting sound that rose from deep within my throat was foreign even to my ears. I finally understood the meaning of the phrase ‘pleasure from pain’ and knew I would piss him off in the future if this were my reward. Retreating then slamming back in, Shane declared, “You belong to me now.” I whimpered my agreement. “I’m gonna work you all night until your body forgets who came before me and only craves mine,” he growled, his pace increasing. If I could have spoken, I would have told him my body forgot all others the minute he kissed me the first day we met, but his hand came around, found the bundle of nerves at the apex of my legs, and he rolled it. My mind blanked. A white-hot storm erupted and I died a thousand beautiful, passionate deaths with the orgasm that shot through my body. I couldn’t speak. My lungs froze and my body quivered. My walls contracted around Shane’s shaft, and he grunted low in his throat. Thrusting once more, he grabbed my hair, pulled my head back, and devoured my mouth as he spilled into me on a guttural moan. Twenty-nine years I’d been alive and my earliest memories were of heartache and pain. For the first time in my life, despite being in danger, I felt safe. Safe to breathe. Safe to love. Safe to dream.

Ten Gunnison “You shouldn’t have picked me up,” I admonished as we lay beneath the covers of my bed. Running his hand through my hair as my head lay on his chest, Shane grunted. “I’ve been shot before. Nothin’ was keepin’ me from you tonight.” Rising up so I could see his face, I checked to see if he was lying. “You’ve been shot before?” “Yep.” “While you were in the Army?” “Yep.” I pulled back the covers and scanned his body. “Where?” Shane rolled to his side and I saw the puckered skin. I ran my fingers across the scar then leaned down and kissed it. I scanned his body as he rolled back, taking in all the hard curves and plains. He was beautiful inside and out, and I wanted him again. Starting at his chest, I ran my hand across the hard muscles and circled one nipple. His breath hitched when I flicked the bud, and I looked up into his gray eyes. “You’re gonna be a handful, aren’t you?” I smirked at him. “It’s not my fault you look like this. If you don’t want me coming on to you all the time, you should stop working out.” One second I was on my side and the next I was underneath him, my legs spread wide to accommodate his hips. “You sayin’ you only want me for my body?” he asked, a grin pulling across his mouth. I caught something in his eyes, a hint of insecurity in the tone of his voice, so I didn’t tease back. I placed my hand on his heart and shook my head. “I want you because of your heart. It called to me from Emma Jane’s letters. If you hadn’t been overseas, I would have made excuses to come to the base and visit Emma Jane as often as possible just so I could meet you. After what we lived through, I know what’s inside is more important than the outside.” Shane froze for a moment, his jawing working as I spoke. I knew bringing up Emma would be hard for him, but he needed to talk about her, to hear me talk about her, so he could continue to move forward. “I’d have beaten any man who looked in your direction,” he finally said. “Would you have?” I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Still will,” he grinned. My stomach growled. Shane looked down and chuckled. “Did you eat?”

I scrunched my nose. “Not since lunch. I was nauseous earlier.” “Time for nourishment then. You’re gonna need your energy.” Shane grinned a sexy grin, then kissed my nose, my lips, and then moved to my stomach before he started to rise. I tried to follow him out of bed, but he pointed a finger at me and ordered, “Stay.” “I’m perfectly capable of making a sandwich.” “Don’t care. I want you resting.” I looked down at my naked body, then looked up and raised a brow. “You call what we just did resting?” “What we just did was part of the healing process.” “You’re saying that was the doctors’ orders?” I teased. “It’s Doc’s orders . . .” I eyed him with suspicion. “Nice try . . . Emma wrote me about your nickname.” Buttoning his jeans, Shane flashed me another grin and then winked. Then he grabbed a gun I hadn’t noticed from the nightstand and shoved it into the back of his jeans. My attention was trained on the weapon. I’d forgotten about my stepfather while wrapped in Shane’s arms. My brows furrowed and I bit my lip. Shane leaned in and tilted my head up with a finger until I looked at him. Heat was still burning in his gaze from our earlier activities. He said nothing, just scanned my face for a moment, then inch by infinitesimal inch he crossed the distance until my heart was racing and my breath hitched. He brushed a kiss across my lips, feather light. It wasn’t meant to set my blood on fire, it was supposed to distract me from the gun, but the effect was all the same. I was putty in his hands. And he knew it, too, if the devilish grin he awarded me with was anything to go by. “Stay here and don’t get up,” he ordered before crossing the room and opening the door. I muttered, “Bossy,” as he exited and giggled when I heard him call out, “Get used to it.” Lying back on the bed, my mind raced with everything that happened. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact Richard was alive. Closing my eyes, I replayed the moment when Shane turned back to look up the river, essentially shielding my body from Richard’s shot. I kept seeing the look on his face when he was hit, the blood that seeped from the wound as I tried to stop our fall. I could still feel the impact of the icy water as we fell over the falls. All of it swirled around my head, making my heart race all over again. It hit me like a bolt of lightning how close I came to losing Shane, and I began to shake. “I won’t let you take him from me,” I whispered to the room. I was no longer the weak girl he’d preyed upon. I would fight him with my bare hands if I had to, to keep those I loved safe. “You’re a coward.” The sun was still out, which kept the demons at bay, so I got up, put my robe on, and moved to the window. He was out there somewhere and I wanted to make sure he didn’t sneak up on us again. Lifting the blinds, I searched the front lawn and the forest beyond. There was a police cruiser parked outside, but I couldn’t see the officer. I moved to the other side of the window and scanned the opposite side of the yard. Nothing. “Where are you?”

Snapping the blind shut, I moved to the door and out into the hall. I listened. Nothing. Maxine was asleep, but I should have been able to hear Shane puttering around the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, I followed the hall to the living room and then through the great room to the kitchen. It was empty. Movement caught my eye out the back window and I froze. It was Shane. His gun was drawn and sighted as he swept the yard. He looked like the soldier he was as he moved on swift but silent feet. I jumped when gunfire rang out and Shane dove for the cover of a tree. Screaming, “Shane,” I ran to the back door and ripped it open. The body of a police officer was slumped on the deck, with blood pooling around his head. I cried out in surprise and Shane looked over at me, thundering, “Get Maxine, and get the fuck out of here!” A bullet splintered the wood next to my head and I fell on my ass avoiding it. Gunfire bounced off the trees as I got to my knees. I could see Shane returning fire as he ran to the deck. He crouched low as he came up the stairs and then dove through the door, taking me with him. He kicked the door shut, got to his feet, and hauled me with him as he ran through the house, pulling out his phone as we went. Maxine met us in the living room with a pink-handled ax. Even in the chaos of the moment, I was stunned that she did, in fact, sleep with an ax under her pillow. “Chester, I got a man down, repeat, man down. We’re under fire,” Shane growled into the phone as he herded Maxine and me into the hallway. He listened, then barked out, “Roger that,” before hanging up. “Is Chester coming?” Maxine asked. “Quiet,” Shane ordered sternly and we bit our lips. He pulled out a magazine from his pocket while his attention stayed focused on the front window. He never looked down as he discharged his empty magazine, inserted the full one, and racked the slide. When he was done, he turned to both of us and commanded, “Don’t fuckin’ move. Not a sound out of either of you. Do you understand me?” Maxine and I both nodded, our eyes wide at the transformation in Shane’s face. He was focused, alert to everything around him. At that moment, he was a warrior, ready to slay the dragon with his bare hands if it breached the cabin. God Bless the United States Army! Without another word, he raised his gun, sighted it, and moved into the living room, sweeping back and forth like he’d done outside. I looked at Maxine and mouthed, “WOW.” She nodded and mouthed, “HOT.” She wasn’t wrong. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time to think about how turned on I was watching him take control. Shane disappeared from our sight for a minute or two, then made his way back toward us. Maxine was still gripping her pink-handled ax, ready to slay a dragon herself if need be. I decided she had the right idea and made a note to buy a pink-handled ax for myself the minute I could. Shane positioned himself near the window and kept watch as we waited. Five minutes later, sirens

cut through the twilight air, then came to a stop outside the cabin. Shane’s phone rang and he answered, grunting, “Maxine is fine, the house is secured.” The roar Shane received in reply identified the caller as Max. He listened as Max railed, then grunted again, “Right. On it,” and ended the call. He looked back when someone pounded on the front door and said, “Cavalry’s here. Both of you pack your bags; we’re leaving with Max and Mia.” “Leaving for where?” Maxine asked. “ . . . Gunnison, Colorado.”

*** Laughter raised the roof of C-Terminal Baggage Claim at Denver International Airport. Shane grinned as he watched Sage, Mia, Maxine, and Jenn laughing. “Jesus,” Jack grumbled, his eyes narrowed as he took in the women. “It’s like a gaggle of geese.” “It was your idea,” Max pointed out. “Temporary insanity,” Jack grunted. “I hear it runs in your family,” Shane replied, eyeing both men with a smirk. “Just on the female side,” Jack deadpanned. All three mouths tugged into a grin and chuckles rumbled low in their throats. “Of course, I knew Sage was meant for Shane as soon as I heard her name,” Maxine beamed. Jack looked at Shane and rolled his eyes. “What’s my name got to do with it?” Maxine looked over her shoulder at the men and smiled. “Jack and Jenn. Max and Mia. Now Shane and Sage,” she pointed out. “And the best part is, you don’t have to change your initials when you get married.” “Christ, she’s planning weddings now,” Shane muttered. “Better tell Chester to steer clear of women named Christina,” Jack advised. A buzzer rang out and the conveyor began to turn, indicating the luggage was on its way out. Shane turned and stepped forward along with Max and Jack to wait. “My buddy in the FBI will be here in the morning,” Jack said. “Got a call from Chester while you were in flight. National Guard is on its way to help search. They’re putting up roadblocks between Trails End and Fairbanks. If he heads that way, they’ll detain him.” “What about Sage’s mother?” “Anchorage PD has been alerted. Mrs. Sloan was interrogated and shocked to find out she’s still married. Seems she’s been in a relationship for the past six months and they were discussing marriage. The boyfriend made her pack a bag and move in with him.” “That’ll help Sage relax,” Shane answered. “You got someone you can trust runnin’ the company?” Jack asked Max. “Buddy’s handlin’ it until we can return. We need to find this bastard quickly, though, Jack. I’m not goin’ through what we did before. If he comes near Mia or Mom, I’ll kill him the same as I did Stetson.” “You’ll have to get in line,” Shane rumbled. Jack raised his hand and silenced both men. This was why he’d suggested they lay low in Gunnison.

He knew Heller was a dead man if he got near Mia or Maxine. Killing one man in self-defense was one thing, twice would raise eyebrows. He didn’t want his cousin in prison for protecting his family. “There’ll be no killing in my jurisdiction,” Jack ordered, pinning each man with hard eyes . . . “Unless it’s me who’s doing the killing,” he added. “He’s taken a shot at Sage twice in the past twenty-four hours,” Shane bit out, his voice ice cold. “We nearly drowned because of this guy and I’ve got a hole in my shoulder. If you want me to restrain from killing Heller if he shows his face, then you better lock me up.” Max crossed his arms and raised a brow at his cousin. It was clear he held the same sentiment as Shane. Lock him up or he’d kill Heller the minute he saw the white of his eyes. Looking back and forth between both men, Jack sighed, raising a hand to his neck to rub the tension of the past twentyfour hours free. Max was as much a stubborn Gunnison as Jack. He should have remembered that. Their luggage tumbled onto the conveyor and Max pointed, moving toward it. When Shane moved to retrieve his own bags, Jack stayed him with a hand on his chest. “I understand how you feel, Shane, but I’m tryin’ to protect you and Max from prosecution. Especially Max. He’s already killed one man, and as you well know, that chips away at your soul, justified or not.” “I already have one black mark on my soul, one more won’t matter. If Heller shows, I’ll be the one doin’ the killin’. Plain and simple.” “You do know you just confessed to an officer of the law you’re ready to commit murder.” “No,” Shane answered, shaking his head. “I’m tellin’ Max’s family I’ll protect what’s mine and his if need be. I’m a soldier. I’m better trained to handle Heller than you. I read his file. He was Army before he became a cop. I know how he thinks; I know how he was trained. I’ll be able to anticipate his next move better than anyone if he finds us.” Jack noted the hate burning in Shane’s expression, his stubborn chin, and knew he wouldn’t be swayed to leave it to him. Jerking his head in acknowledgment, he slapped Shane on the left shoulder, mumbling, “Let’s get you to Gunnison.” “Jack,” Shane said between gritted teeth. Looking back at Shane, he answered, “Yeah?” “Bullet hole in my left shoulder.” Jack looked down where he held his arm stiffly and grimaced. “What’s takin’ so long?” Maxine shouted, causing all three men to turn and look. “We aren’t in Trails End where the sun stays out all day and night. I want to see my town before the sun sets, then hit Tully’s for a drink.” Jack grimaced again. “I hope they catch this fuckin’ guy soon,” he mumbled low. “I’m not sure Gunnison can handle Maxine for long.”

*** With his back against the headboard, his eyes cast down at our connection, Shane ordered, “Give me your mouth,” as he raised his head. I was straddling his hips, riding him hard, sweat dripping between my breasts, but I leaned forward

and captured his mouth like he asked me to. He didn’t close his eyes when my lips met his, so I kept mine open and watched his gray pools turn stormy when he surged up. I gasped, feeling stretched and full as he met each of my thrusts, and saw arrogance flash across his face. If I could have spoken, I would have told him he had a right to be arrogant. I hadn’t been with many men in my life, but Shane was by far the best. “Faster,” he murmured against my lips, so I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and picked up the pace. He grabbed my hair, fisting it at the nape as his injured arm pulled me against his chest. Yanking my head back, he buried his face in my neck. He groaned when I swiveled my hips, whispering, “Fuckin’ made for me.” Hundreds of dreams and adolescent lists about the perfect man hadn’t prepared me for Shane. His strength of character, possessiveness, and willingness to put his life on the line further fueled the intense feelings that were developing at a rapid rate. If I was made for him, then he was most definitely made for me. My breath hitched and another flash, another sharp shock of pleasure coiled in my core when he grabbed my shoulders and slammed me down on his cock. With one rotation of his hips, I shattered into a million brilliant pieces, then fused again as I rode out my release, clinging to his shoulders for support. On a possessive growl, Shane bit out, “Mine,” as he surged up and buried himself to his root and held, spilling into my depths. When I came down, he rolled me onto my back, continuing to sink in and out, caressing my core as he took my mouth in a deep kiss that reached into my heart and held firm. He’d imprinted himself on my soul, his body as familiar as my own in just a few days. It should have scared me how much he came to mean to me in such a short time, but it didn’t. He was as essential to my life now as breathing was to living. He felt like my soul mate. Like our two halves had been torn apart and now we were whole. He placed his forehead to mine and I opened my eyes and looked into his smoky depths. My lungs froze when I saw my own thoughts reflected back at me. Raising his hand to my jaw, Shane kissed me slower, sweeter, anchoring me to him like a lifeline. Everything I felt at that moment came tumbling to the surface. When he ended the kiss, my emotions broke free and I whispered, “You have a beautiful soul, Shane Sherman.” A slow grin pulled across his mouth and he rolled, bringing me with him. My hair spilled around his head in a veil, enclosing us in our own world. “I have a black soul,” he mumbled, pushing my hair back, locking it in place with one hand. “But I figure God’s still on my side since he sent you to save—” “Shane,” I interrupted, ready to argue his soul was anything but black, but he covered my lips with his finger, halting my argument. “You’re my saving grace, Sage. No arguments. I still feel responsible for Emma Jane’s death, but I’m no longer willing to let my life pass me by. I’ll face my demons.” Punctuating each point with a kiss, he continued in a whisper, “For you. For me. For us.” Loud voices were coming from the living room, but all I paid attention to at that moment was

Shane. I made a vow I would help him face his demons, to help him move past his guilt and to forgive himself. “No arguments,” I whispered back, brushing my lips across his. He rolled again, taking me to my back, deepening the kiss. But the voices grew louder and more chaotic. “Sounds like Jack and Jenn are awake,” Shane chuckled against my mouth. After Heller had attacked, we hadn’t slept. Then we’d traveled from Trails End to Gunnison, arriving late in the evening. By the time we made the drive from Denver to Gunnison, we were exhausted from lack of sleep. We’d retired immediately, falling into bed and curling around each other. But Shane had woken me early, nudging me out of deep sleep with his warm mouth between my legs. Now the house was stirring and it was time to emerge from our cocoon. “Do you think Jack will know how Officer Rogers is doing?” Tim Rogers was the officer assigned to guard Maxine’s cabin. Rogers had been hit with a large rock rather than shot as I’d thought. Heller had apparently been hoping to sneak in under the cover of night. But my need for food had foiled his plans. If Shane hadn’t gone to fix me a sandwich and seen Rogers’ prone body, he might have succeeded in another attempt on our lives. “If he hasn’t, I’ll call Chester,” Shane answered. A sharp knock on our door had Shane and I turning toward it. “Coffee’s on,” Maxine shouted. My brows rose and I looked at Shane. “How does she know we’re awake?’ A slow grin pulled across his mouth. “Babe . . . you’re anything but quiet when you come.” I instinctively slapped his shoulder without thinking. Then I gasped. “I’m so sorry, did I hurt you?” “I’m a soldier. I’ve been trained to ignore pain,” he scoffed. I planted a foot on the bed and rolled Shane to his back. “I’ll take the lead until you’re healed.” “I’d have to be dead before I’d let you lead me in bed.” “Are you saying you’ll never let me seduce you?” “Seducin’,” he mumbled, raising his head to nip my lip, “is one thing. Controllin’ is another.” “Even on my birthday?” Shane’s lips twitched. “I could be persuaded on your birthday.” A slow smile pulled across my mouth. “Hope you’re in better shape on Friday.” “Your birthday’s Friday?” “Mhm, my thirtieth. “Milestone,” he smiled. “How do you feel about becoming an old lady?” “You know it’s funny, I thought I would be depressed hitting thirty, but with everything that’s happened, I just feel thankful to be alive.” “I plan on keepin’ you that way, too,” he vowed. Another sharp rap on the door drew our attention. “Coffee’s ready, the eggs are gettin’ cold, and you, Jack, and Max have a meeting with some hotshot FBI guy. Stop kissin’ Sage and get your ass out of bed.” “Be right out,” Shane called out.

“Now she’s a pain in my ass. I’d rather stay in here all day.” A deep chuckle rumbled in Shane’s chest, then he ordered, “Up, baby.” With a sigh of resignation, I climbed off Shane and we dressed, then headed down the hall to the kitchen. Jack and Jenn’s house was a four-bedroom log style home just outside of town. They’d built it after they were married five years ago and needed extra space for their growing family. Jenn told me Bailey, her daughter from her first marriage, had since moved in with Grady, one of Jack’s deputies, so they had plenty of room to house all of us while we waited for the authorities to find Heller and put him behind bars. The kitchen was a chef’s dream with gray marble counters, stainless steel appliances, and pine cupboards. The great room opposite the kitchen was filled with soft, brown leather sofas and pine tables, accented with tribal print pillows and Native American art. It screamed mountain living, meant to be warm and inviting, just like the couple who lived here. Jenn was at the stove cooking when we entered, Jack standing behind her rubbing her shoulders as he whispered in her ear. Max was at the table, Mia sitting in his lap, lost to those around them, still very much the newlyweds they were. And Maxine was on the phone in the living room, mumbling quietly so no one would hear. All eyes turned toward us when we reached the kitchen, knowing grins on each face. “Shit,” I mumbled and felt heat flood my cheeks. Leaning in, Shane whispered, “Like I said, you’re anything but quiet.” Someone kill me now. “What time are we meeting with your friend?” Shane asked Jack, thankfully drawing attention away from the color of my face. Looking at his watch, Jack replied, “In an hour.” “That soon? I better change,” I mumbled, looking down at my yoga pants and tank. “No need,” Jack answered. “He’s on a tight schedule so it’ll just be Max, Shane, and me.” “But I thought they needed to talk to me about his background?” “Once he’s caught. Right now we’re focusin’ on apprehendin’ Heller.” Loud music began to blare from down the hall, and a song I recognized from the movie “Frozen” filled the room. Jack turned to Jenn and scowled. Jenn grinned back innocently. “I can’t help it if it’s their favorite movie.” “Swear to Christ,” Jack grumbled. “If I hear that song one more time, I won’t let it go.” “I happen to like the song,” Jenn defended. “Then explain to me why they only play it when I’m at home?” “I don’t know what you mean,” she clearly lied. “Like hell, you don’t.” “Maybe they like it?” “These are my boys,” Jack scoffed. “And?”

“That says it all.” Shane grunted, “Exactly,” and I giggled. Something told me Jack and Jenn’s relationship was a lesson in patience between them both. Jenn rolled her eyes and then turned from the stove, shouting, “Keller! Kaiden!” Moments later the music stopped and two identical dark-haired boys with matching grins ran into the room. They were the spitting image of their father with bright blue eyes filled with mirth. “Did daddy get mad?” one said. “We would know if he was mad, Keller. Daddy yells really loud,” Kaiden answered. Jack’s eyes shot to Jenn’s and her grin widened. “This is payback,” Jack growled. “You think?” Jenn answered sarcastically, turning back to the stove. Jack looked at Max and Mia, then to Shane and I. “Fair warning,” Jack said. “Women never let shit go, and payback is torture.” When Jenn scoffed, he turned back and glared at her, crossing his arms for emphasis. “Mia, Sage,” Jenn called out over her shoulder. “Fair warning . . . these brooding types will do whatever they think is necessary to get their way. I highly recommend you avoid police stations, jail cells in particular, without backup.” “Sweetness, I can promise you that cell will become your permanent home if you involve yourself in another one of my investigations.” I looked at Shane, smiling, thinking Jack was joking, but I found him nodding in agreement. Then I turned to Max in time to hear him mumble, “Damn straight.” “Wait, are you saying Jack actually locked you in a cell?” I asked, amazed. “Twice!” Jenn bit out, throwing two fingers into the air. “Babe, you have your facts wrong. I locked you in there once. The boys locked you in there the second time.” I snorted, thinking Jack was definitely kidding this time, but then I looked toward the twins. They were nodding their heads in agreement. What on earth? “Question,” I asked, looking back and forth between the twins and Jenn. “Why did the boys lock you in a cell?” “They were mad because I left them behind when we flew to Alaska for Max and Mia’s wedding.” “Nuh-uh!” one of the twins denied. All eyes turned to the boys. “Then why did you do it?” Jenn asked. Both boys looked at each other and scowled just like their father. “’Cause Daddy said if another man looked at Mommy’s ass, he’d lock her up and throw away the key.” “Kaiden, don’t say ass,” Jenn corrected, glaring at Jack. “I think you boys were mistaken. Mr. Steele couldn’t see my a—my bottom since we were sitting the whole time.” “Not the whole time,” Keller argued. “He watched you pick up your pen.” Jenn paused to consider his explanation, then shook her head. “How could you possibly know he looked at Mommy’s bottom all the way from the jungle gym?” “He did the same thing Daddy does when you bend over.”

Jack leaned down and looked both boys in the eyes, his lips twitching as he stared at his clones. “What exactly do I do when Mommy bends over?” In unison, and a tad bit eerie, if truth be told, the twins tilted their heads to the side like they were inspecting something and then bit their bottom lips. Jenn sucked in her breath, and all three men grunted, “He looked at her ass.” Mia and I burst out laughing when Jack looked back at Jenn with a smug look. Scowling when Jack raised his brows, Jenn grumbled, “Spare me from testosterone,” then turned off the stove and took the boys by the hand. “Come on, my little Neanderthals, Grandma Gunnison will be here soon to pick you up,” she explained as she led them down the hall. “Who’s this Steele?” Max asked when he stood to get another cup of coffee. “A dead man if he looks at Jenn’s ass again,” Jack answered with a hard edge, looking at his watch. “We better get a move on.” All three men grabbed a mug of coffee before heading down the hall to change. I watched Shane as he left, ogling his ass the whole way. An ass, I reminded myself, I get to touch whenever I wanted and planned on doing often. “So what are we doing while the men chase a madman?” I asked Mia as I settled in beside her at the table. “Beats me, but Maxine used to live here so she’ll be able to show us around.” Jenn came back into the kitchen carrying a file folder and dumped it on the table right as Maxine ended her call. “Everything all right back home?” I asked. “Gregor says they haven’t seen hide nor hair of Heller. All is quiet thankfully.” “Is Gregor that good-looking older man I met?” Jenn asked as she opened her files. “Same one.” Mia and I looked at each other and smiled. When all this was behind us, I was determined to enlist Mia’s help getting those two together. “What are you working on?” Maxine asked Jenn. She pushed her open file toward her. “Haunted Gunnison?” “I was talking with Mrs. Thomas the other day and she said her son was driving past the old graveyard outside of town and saw a ghost. I was intrigued, so I did a google search and found there are quite a few places in Gunnison reputed to be haunted. I thought it might be fun to investigate and run a series. With the boys in school in the fall, I’ll have more time on my hands to do in-depth investigative pieces.” “How do you plan to investigate haunted houses?” She looked over her shoulder toward the bedrooms then leaned in and whispered. “I plan to stake them out at night and see if any ghosts appear.” “Really?” Maxine whispered back, “Sounds like fun. I’m in.” “Why are we whispering?” Mia whispered. “I’m avoiding a jail cell.” “Why would he lock you up for investigating ghosts?” I asked, whispering like the others.

“He’s Jack. He doesn’t need a reason.” Oddly, that made complete sense. “When were you planning to start?” Mia asked. “I’m glad you asked,” Jenn grinned. “I was planning to start this week while Jack has the evening shift. He doesn’t get home ‘til after midnight, so I figured I could poke around while he was at work. But with Max and Shane here, I can’t. They would rat me out. Do you think you could keep them busy so Jack doesn’t know I’m gone?” “What about the boys?” “Susie, Jack’s mother, agreed to take the boys for the next week while you’re here. That’s why I was going to start this week, but I forgot about Max and Shane. The bro code is strong with these Neanderthals and they’d step in even if Jack was gone.” “How many of these places are empty?” Maxine asked. “Just the graveyard. The rest are occupied.” “Then hold off on those until we leave and focus on the graveyard while we’re here to watch your back. I can tell the boys I’m taking you to meet my old friend Helen and we can go to the graveyard instead.” “What if they want to come along?” I asked. “Those boys aren’t gonna want to tag along on a hen night.” “Shane might. He doesn’t want me out of his sight until Heller is caught.” Maxine thought for a moment, then a slow grin pulled across her mouth. “Piece of cake,” Maxine smiled, looking back over her shoulder. “I know exactly how to get Max and Shane to stay home.” “What about Heller, though? Shouldn’t we be concerned about being out unprotected?” I asked. “I already talked to Jack about this; there’s no need to worry yet. If he could figure out where you are, which I doubt he can, it would take him at least two and a half days to drive here from Alaska if he didn’t sleep, closer to four if he slept for any amount of time. He can’t fly without showin’ ID, and Chester already alerted the airlines. They have his picture so they’ll be on the lookout for him. And he can’t cross the border into Canada without a passport. Jack knows this, so do Shane and Max. That’s why we’re here instead of back home. We’re all as safe as we can possibly be,” Maxine explained. “I agree,” Mia replied. “If Max thought for a second I was in danger, he would take me with him to the police station, but he’s not.” “Jack said with the FBI involved and the fact you used fake names traveling here, the chances of Heller finding you were next to nil,” Jenn added. “Okay, I’m in then,” I smiled, relieved that we didn’t have to stay locked behind closed doors. “So how do you plan on keeping Max and Shane from insisting they go with us?” I asked Maxine. She stood and headed for her bag resting on the sofa. She dug through it for a minute, then turned and held up a rainbow-colored dildo. “We tell the boys we’re having a Passion Princess party at Helen’s house.” “That might work except for one thing,” I stated. “I don’t think Shane would buy the fact you came prepared to host a toy party while on the run from a madman.” “Pish posh. Never underestimate what a man is willing to believe if the topic is uncomfortable.”

We heard Max talking as he headed down the hall. Maxine looked in his direction, then winked, pulled out her phone, and put it to her ear. When Shane and Max entered the kitchen area, Maxine started talking, waving her rainbow-colored dildo in the air. “Did you send my supplies overnight express?” Shane and Max turned toward her and their brows rose. “What the fuck is she up to now?” Max asked. Jenn, who obviously had practice deceiving men, mumbled without looking up, “She’s having a toy party at her friend Helen’s house. Apparently, there is a shortage of good vibrators in the Gunnison area.” “Christ,” Max sighed, narrowing his eyes on Shane when he chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder. “The girls are gonna help me with the party since it’s short notice,” Maxine lied into her phone. Shane turned and looked at me. “Is this a poker party?” he asked suspiciously. “No. Just catalogs and refreshments,” I lied. “When?” Max asked Mia “Tonight. It’s the only night Helen had free.” Jack walked in then, carrying a twin under each arm like a sack of flour. “What’s tonight?” he asked. “Maxine’s having an impromptu Passion Princess party at Helen’s house and the girls and I said we’d help out,” Jenn answered, not looking up from the notes she was writing. “Christ,” Jack sighed, then looked at Max and Shane. “I’m guessing neither of you wants to spend the evening looking at rubber cocks?” Horror was written across both men’s faces. “Right,” Jack guffawed. “Then you might as well ride along with me while they’re out.” Max and Shane jerked their heads in acceptance, looking relieved at the invitation. Jack dropped Keller and Kaiden on their feet, then leaned over and whispered in their ears. Both boys smiled at their father, nodding, then gave him a hug, saying, “Love you too, Daddy.” Rising, Jack looked at his watch and said, “We need to leave,” so I stood and walked Shane to the door while Max and Jack said good-bye to their wives. “Use your head today,” Shane ordered, grabbing my hand and pulling me closer. “I doubt Heller can get out of Alaska, let alone find us here, but if he does, it won’t be for a few days.” “I will. I promise.” “That’s my girl.” Raising my hand to his mouth, Shane teased my palm with an open-mouthed kiss, his eyes locked with mine as he did. Heat swept up my neck and settled on my cheeks when his tongue darted out and flicked my palm, reminding me how he’d woken me. My knees weakened from the memory, so I leaned against his hard body and shuddered. He felt it, and his knowing grin turned into a chuckle as he kissed the top of my head. “Let’s roll,” Jack threw out as he opened the door, so I stepped back from Shane. He winked, then brushed a kiss across my mouth before he followed Max out the door. When it closed behind them, I turned to the room and grinned at how easily we’d pulled that off.

“That was easier than I thought it would be.” “Like I said, piece of cake,'” Maxine snickered. “Who’s ready to hunt ghosts?” Mia asked. “You grab a pen and I’ll get the computer. We need to google exactly what to do if we see one of these suckers,” Jenn said. “What to do?” I questioned. “I’m pretty sure a sane person would run.” “Probably,” Maxine answered, “But since when was sane fun?”

Eleven Good for the Goose Good for the Gander “Does this guy look like FBI to you?” Max mumbled. Shane shook his head slowly as he took in the agent. He was mid-thirties, dressed in faded jeans, an Oklahoma Sooners hoodie rather than the standard issue black suit, and his hair was longer than the standard issue FBI cut as well. He was tall, built, and based on the way the female Deputy was open-mouthed staring, a good-looking man. “My confidence in the FBI was just downgraded,” Shane answered. “Jack says he’s solid,” Max threw out. “He’s too much of a pretty boy—” “To be working with Sage?” Shane grunted. “Or Mia.” Jack indicated both Shane and Max as he spoke. When the agent looked toward them both, he jerked his chin in acknowledgment before he and Jack made their way over. “Max. Shane. This is Special Agent Dane Parker.” Parker stuck out his hand and shook both of theirs. Green eyes, which had seemed laid back at first, grew sharper, more lethal as he took in both men, and Shane relaxed. Parker ’s hard expression told him all he needed to know about the man—he was deadly serious about catching Heller. “Jack brought me up to speed. My team is ready to fly to Alaska the minute we’re done here.” “You look like you’re on vacation,” Max answered, his tone stating he still needed convincing. “Or has the Bureau changed their dress code?” Parker looked down at his clothes and grinned. “I was off duty when I received Jack’s call.” Max indicated his hoodie with a tilt of his chin. “You from Oklahoma?” “Savannah, Georgia, originally,” Parker answered, “but I worked a case in Tulsa last year. I was visiting a friend; flirting with his wife to keep him on his toes.” Max turned to Shane and raised a brow. “And he still calls you friend?” Max asked. “Considering she wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for me, he stops short of punching me.” “Arrogant,” Shane muttered, looking at Max. “I like his confidence. He’ll do.” “Just as long as he refrains from flirting,” Max answered. “I’ll hold off on flirting with your women until after we’ve apprehended Heller.” “Fearless too,” Shane muttered, looking at Jack. “You put up with this?” Jack grunted. “I’m not stupid enough to leave him alone with Jenn.” “Smart man,” Max grinned. Clapping Parker on the shoulder, Jack jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s grab coffee at The

Bean and discuss Heller before you head out.” “The coffee’s that bad here?” Parker asked as they all headed for the door. “It’ll shrink your balls. So unless you’re givin’ up on having a family . . .” “Lead the way.” Parker grimaced.

*** “According to this website, the ghost of a gold miner has been sighted at the old cemetery by locals and visitors for years,” Mia stated, her face buried in her phone. “Seems the best time to catch a glimpse of him is from just before sundown until midnight.” Jenn hauled a dry erase board into the living room and began writing down everything we had found on the internet. “According to Ghost Hunting 101, you should investigate the area in daylight to check for any dangerous obstacles you can’t see in the dark.” “Write down we need flashlights,” I said to Maxine. “It says to notify the local police and let them know you’re conducting research,” Mia continued. “I think we can mark that off the list,” Maxine mumbled. “That goes without saying. We have to keep this on the down low. If his men catch wind of our plans, they’ll rat us out,” Jenn stated. “Never go alone,” Mia continued reading from the website, then looked up and asked, “Who would go alone?” One by one, we all looked at Jenn. She shrugged. “I’m getting a clearer picture why Jack locks you up,” I giggled. “You’re a little nuts.” Jenn grinned and nodded. “Okay, here is the list of what to bring,” Mia announced. “Digital camera, digital voice recorder, flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit—” “That was the first thing on my list, daughter-in-law,” Maxine muttered, smiling. “Though I keep one in my purse at all times since you married my son.” Jenn snorted and I turned my head to cover my smile. “NOTEBOOKS,” Mia emphasized loudly between her teeth, “pens, pencils, a watch, appropriate clothing for the weather, and for the advanced ghost hunter, a video camera with tripod, EMF detector, compass, motion detector, thermostat, and handheld radios.” Jenn was scribbling fast then she paused. “You know, I think Jack has some extra radios around here, but I doubt I can get my hands on an EMF or thermostat.” “How big is this cemetery?” I asked as my phone buzzed in my pocket. I raised my finger to pause conversation and pulled out my phone, expecting to see a text from Shane. I found my mother ’s number instead. I’d been texting her since we left Trails End so she wouldn’t worry. I need to know where you are so I won’t worry. I mumbled, “I thought I told you where we were heading,” as my fingers flew across the keyboard. Sorry, Momma, I thought I told you I’m in Gunnison, Colorado. Yes, but you didn’t tell me where?

We’re staying with the Sheriff. He’s a relative of Maxine’s. Is he staying with you all the time? No. But Shane said that Richard can’t get out of Alaska easily, and if he did, he wouldn’t be here for days. I’m sure he’s right. I just worry. Stay safe. No need to call me and run up your bill. I’ll see you soon enough. Love you, Momma! See you when I get back. “Sorry,” I said when I put my phone away. “Where were we?” “You asked how big the cemetery is, which is a good question. If it’s huge, we may not have enough people in this room to cover it,” Maxine said. “Five acres if the survey I pulled is correct,” Jenn answered. “It backs onto the forest, so it’s possible it’s been overrun by trees.” Maxine shook her head. “If it’s the one off country road seventeen, it hasn’t. We used to go there when I was a teenager. It’s not so big we can’t handle it, though.” “Is it still used?” I asked. “Not often, but some of the old timers like bein’ buried there, since the original settlers of the town are.” Capping her marker, Jenn stood back and read over her board. She’d listed the supplies needed and all the hauntings in the Gunnison area, along with what kind of ghost and frequency of the sightings. “That should do it,” she mumbled. “I’ll find Jack’s radios and then we can head out and survey the cemetery before nightfall.” Ten minutes later, we were loaded in her Jeep heading toward town. Gunnison was small but quaint, with a population just under six thousand. Jenn explained that Jack, Max, and Maxine were distant relatives of John W. Gunnison, the surveyor for the transcontinental railroad who first discovered the area. According to her, he only stayed in Gunnison three days, but years later, a relative came to Gunnison and settled. That was Jack’s great-great-grandfather. “Who needs coffee before we drive out to the cemetery?” Jenn asked, pulling in front of a coffee shop named The Bean. I started to answer in the affirmative, digging in my bag for money, when Jenn gasped and mumbled, “He’s a fine one for locking me up because a man looked at my ass when half the town females fawn all over him.” Mia and I leaned forward and followed the direction she was looking. Down the street, we could see Jack, Max, Shane, and another good-looking man standing at the corner as two blond-haired women with large boobs flipped their hair. All three of our men looked bored. “Is that the FBI guy?” I asked when I noticed him smile. “Must be,” Mia answered. One of the bimbos had the audacity to reach out and run her hand down Jack’s arm. He stepped back from her touch, his jaw clenched as he said something to her. “That’s Amber Welsh,” Jenn bit out, her lip curled in disgust. “Jack dated her years ago.” I was ready to grab her arm if she tried to leave the car in protest to her man being touched, but she didn’t move.

“Guess she doesn’t respect the state of holy matrimony,” Maxine sighed when Amber ignored Jack’s obvious dislike and touched him again before sauntering off, her hips swinging as she left. Jack and the others turned their backs on the two women as they left, their attention surprisingly not on their retreating asses, and started across the street. “At least you know Jack doesn’t flirt when he’s away from the house,” Mia stated. “Pfft! Neither do I, and I still landed in solitary.” “I say what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Maxine said, her eyes glimmering with laughter when she turned to Jenn. “I could never pull it off.” “You have backup now,” Maxine pointed out. I looked at Mia and smiled. This could get interesting. “He’d be suspicious if we went anywhere near the cell,” Jenn countered. “Not if I was the one doin’ the askin’.” Jenn looked back at Mia and I, and we both nodded. Then she looked at Maxine. “How much trouble will I get in?” “Does it matter?” Maxine asked. Jenn thought about it a moment then grinned and answered, “Nope,” before leaning forward to eject a CD. “If we’re doin’ this, we’re doin’ it right,” she laughed, waving the CD in the air. Then she pulled out her phone, searched for a number, and hit call. “Barry?” she asked into the phone, “I need your help.” Twenty minutes later, we were standing in the control room watching a monitor as Jack, Max, Shane, and Maxine walked down the hall to solitary confinement. When they reached the cell Jack had locked Jenn in, all three men laughed. “Men,” Mia grumbled, “they stick together.” “How’s she going to get Jack in there by himself?” Mia looked at me and grinned. “She’s not.” Maxine looked at the camera in the hallway and winked, then moved into the cell. She threw back her head, laughing, then laid down on the cot. Jack entered smiling, relaxed, followed by Max and Shane. When Jack pointed at the camera in the corner of the room, catching the other men’s attention, Maxine stood up and ran out of the cell, slamming the door shut. Jack froze, Max froze, and Shane hung his head when they turned and found the cell door closed. They knew they’d been had. “Song number three if you please, Barry,” Jenn giggled as she handed him the CD. Barry, one of Jack’s deputies, was a nice-looking man with mousy blond hair and green eyes. He shook with laughter when he took the CD and dropped it into a portable CD player. He selected the track she indicated as I watched the screen. Max started arguing with his mother. Jack was glaring at her with his hands on his hips, and Shane was smirking at the camera, shaking his head slowly. “Open the door, Barry,” Jack ordered, knowing full well we could hear him. Barry’s response was to click play on the CD player. The same lyrical song from that morning blared through the speaker, announcing we should let it go. Barry held down the switch for the microphone and filled the cell with the music.

Jack jerked, then turned slowly toward the camera. Jenn leaned in, looked him straight in the eyes as if he could see her, and stuck out her tongue. Jack, who clearly had a sixth sense, narrowed his eyes. “Can he see me?” Jenn gasped. “Nope,” Barry answered. Jack raised his hand then and crooked his finger at the camera, ordering Jenn to come to him. She snorted. “Not likely.” He raised a brow as if he knew she’d denied his request. “He’s kinda scary,” I whispered. “You have no idea,” Jenn confirmed. “He’s always one step ahead of—” As if reading her mind, he pulled keys from his belt and dangled them in front of the camera for Jenn to see. “SEE!” she shouted. “Retreat! Retreat! Go, go, go!” Maxine saw Jack pull out his keys as well and took off down the hall as we exited the control room. She passed us on the way to the front door, proving once again, that age is just a number. She outran all three of us. “Keep up or spend the day in jail,” she hollered over her shoulder as she headed on swift feet for the Jeep. We all dove in after Maxine, and Jenn started the Jeep, squealing her tires as she backed out. I turned around as she threw the Jeep into drive and saw all three men standing in front of the Sherriff’s office with their arms crossed on their chests. I waved at Shane and grinned. He raised a brow at me, then flicked a two-fingered salute. “Shane doesn’t seem mad,” I told the car. The ladies scoffed. “What?” “If he’s like Jack, he’s already planning retribution.” “Retribution?” I looked back and saw Shane still standing at the curb watching us leave. His right hand twitched and he flexed it, and his face looked darker, hungrier. Was he aroused? “Punishment is probably a better word,” Jenn replied. “Punishment?” “Bare hand to bare ass,” she replied in a breathy voice. Hearing that, my core tingled and my breasts swelled. I looked in the rearview mirror at the sound of her voice, and she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. “Good to know,” I replied in an equally breathy voice.

*** Shane lounged in a booth at Mike’s Burger, his arms relaxed on the back of a seat, chuckling as he and Max discussed how the women had gotten the best of them. If anyone had told him a week ago he’d be this relaxed, he would have called them all kinds of crazy. Sage had turned his life upside-

down, in the best possible way, in a week’s time. After two days as a couple, he barely remembered the pain. The guilt was there, would always be, but it didn’t rule his life, consume his every thought. Protecting the treasure he’d found in her had taken over his focus. “That took balls,” Max grinned. “It did,” Jack agreed. “And help from one of my staff.” “Barry?” “Had to be. Jenn has the man wrapped around her finger so tightly if he had to choose sides, I know exactly where his loyalties would lie . . . Not with me.” Shane cocked a brow. “How’s this man still breathin’?” Jack shrugged, then pulled a radio from his belt loop and placed it on the table, turning it on. “He’s still breathin’ ‘cause he isn’t stupid enough to act on how he feels. That, and I know Jenn only sees him as a friend. He was the first person she met when she moved here and she’s loyal to those she cares for.” “Would he cover for her if she was up to her neck in trouble like she’s been in the past?” Max questioned. Jack shook his head. “No. There the loyalty lies with safety first. He wouldn’t hesitate to contact me if he thought she was placing herself in danger.” “Does that happen often?” Shane asked. “More often than I’d like,” Jack sighed. “She always has her nose to ground, sniffin’ out a story. Usually the type that puts her in a position where I have to put my foot down.” “I’d prefer managin’ editorial pursuits than prayin’ Mia hasn’t been mauled by a bear on a daily basis.” Shane nodded in agreement, then Jack and Max looked at him and raised a brow. “I’ll trump your concerns and see you one madman with a vendetta.” “Been there,” Jack grumbled. “Done that,” Max added, leaning back and crossing his arms. “You’ll have to dig a little deeper if you want to top us.” Shane raised his hands in defeat. “I’ll let you win this round. It’s not a title I want.” “Give it time. You’ve only been together a few days. Sage has been on her own for a while and is set in her ways. It won’t always be smooth sailing for you both,” Max stated. “I’m thinkin’,” Jack grinned as he raised a glass of tea to his lips, “that Max wins, though. He has two aggravating women in his life.” All three chuckled. “Maxine alone would have won the contest,” Shane laughed. They continued to swap stories while they waited for their food. When their burgers arrived, Jack’s radio crackled then went quiet. Raising his burger to his mouth, Shane paused when the radio jumped to life again. Jenn, how does this thing work? It was Maxine. “What the fuck?” Jack grumbled. “Was that Maxine?” Max asked mid-bite.

You . . . button . . . then talk. Shane rose a brow when Sage’s sweet voice kept disappearing as she explained how to use the radio. “Why are they messing with the police band?” Shane wondered out loud. Maxine, don’t mess with those yet. We have to change the channel or Jack will hear. The line went dead. Jack scowled, mumbling, “Too late,” then reached out and started flipping channels until the static disappeared and Jenn’s voice came through. Testing 1.2.3. You’re coming in loud and clear, Jenn. Okay, you and Sage check that end of the cemetery, and Mia and I will check this end for any hazards. “Why the hell are they at a cemetery?” Max asked. “She better be pickin’ out her plot. If she’s there for anythin’ else, I’ll wring her beautiful neck,” Jack bit out. According to the legend, the miner whose ghost haunts this cemetery is looking for his stolen gold. We should have brought a metal detector then. We could have searched for the gold while hunting for his ghost. I’m not hunting for the gold. The old miner would haunt me for the rest of my life if I found it. Pish posh. Betcha he’s as friendly as Casper. That bein’ said, you do know you should be gettin’ hazard pay for this, Jenn. It’s one thing to investigate a story, but hangin’ out in a cemetery in the dead of night is goin’ above and beyond. We’ve got an open grave here. Mia, watch your step. Wonder who’s being buried there? As long as it’s none of us. Okay, the radios work. Let’s save the battery for later. Signing off. Shane’s attention shot to Jack and he scowled. “Tell me this is a joke.” Jack closed his eyes, shook his head, and grumbled, “Pain in my fuckin’ ass,” as he switched the radio off. “So the toy party was just a ruse so they could search for a ghost in the dead of night? Unprotected, I might fuckin’ add, with a killer on the loose.” Shane’s hand twitched with anger. His little minx had boldfaced lied to him. He could already feel the soft skin of her ass against the palm of his hand. “Give me the keys to a jail cell,” Max rumbled low, holding out his hand. “If Mia can’t use her head, then I’ll lock her up for peace of mind.” “We could hunt them down and lock them up,” Jack advised, rubbing both hands across his face, “but I can tell you from experience Jenn won’t stop until she’s staked out the cemetery. And all those women are resourceful enough to help her. They’ll find a way.” Max took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his hands fisting then releasing. Shane figured he wanted to wring Mia’s neck as much as he wanted to spank Sage’s ass. “So you think we should let them have their way while we keep an eye on them? A very close eye, by the way. If we don’t, Mia will find a way to turn ghost huntin’ into a search and rescue mission.”

“Fuckin’ ghost huntin’ in a deserted graveyard,” Jack grumbled. “I married a nut.” Shane scowled at the idea of letting them continue with their reckless plan, but Jack was right and he knew it. Short of locking them all up, they’d find a way. His jaw twitched as they mulled over their choices. After a minute and a deep sigh of resignation, he jerked his head in agreement. “I’m in. Let them have their fun while we keep a close tab.” “We could teach them a lesson,” Max threw out. “Have no doubt; Jenn’s ass will become intimately familiar with my hand once we’re home.” “That goes without sayin’,” Max grunted, “but I was thinkin’ more along the lines of scarin’ the shit out of them.” A slow grin pulled across Shane’s mouth. “I’m listenin’.” “They’re lookin’ for a ghost, right?” Max grinned. “I suggest they find one . . .”

*** With the cemetery searched and hazards pointed out to an incensed Mia, we headed back to town for dinner. Jenn pulled up in front of a steakhouse called Lumberjacks. It was rustic, log-framed, as one would expect, and had matching carved Lumberjacks flanking the door dressed in black and redcheckered flannel shirts. Mia stopped in front of one and inspected it. “They got the height right, but he isn’t near as handsome as Max,” she giggled. “Wait until you taste the steak,” Jenn said as she pulled open the door. “Melts in your mouth.” When we entered, we immediately ducked. The waiters were throwing rolls to the diners, and one had gone wide, hitting the wall behind us. “It’s a war zone,” I laughed. A man with a nametag that read Frank came bounding over when he saw us, smiling brightly. “So happy to see you, Mrs. Gunnison,” he beamed. “Is it just the four of you or will the Sheriff be joining you?” “Frank, this is Jack’s Aunt Maxine and her daughter-in-law Mia. And this is Sage Sloan, a friend of the family. It will just be the four of us this evening; Jack is working.” Grabbing menus from the hostess station, Frank led us to a booth and we settled in. “I’m starving,” Mia stated. “I hope you’re starvin’ cause you’re carryin’ my grandchild,” Maxine mumbled, eyeing Mia with a caustic look. “Give me a break, Maxine. I’ve barely settled into Max’s cabin.” “Are you planning a family so soon after marrying?” I asked as I looked over the menu. “She’s not ready,” Jenn replied without lifting her head. “How do you know I’m not ready?” “You sat in jelly at the kitchen table and had to change your clothes.” “I’m confused. How does that tell you I’m not ready for kids?” “Because a mother would have wiped the jelly of with a wet paper towel, not changed her whole outfit.” “Yes, but that was my favorite bear t-shirt and faded Levi’s. You can’t get jeans like that without scouring thrift stores. I didn’t want them to stain.”

“Exactly. When you’re dealin’ with kids, you let go of what’s important and wear stained clothes.” “The clothes are the easy part,” Maxine jumped in. “It’s never having sex again without interruption that’s the real hurdle.” “Quietly when you do get the chance,” Jenn laughed. I was giggling as I listened, still scanning the menu, when I noticed the table went quiet. When I looked up, all eyes were on me. “Don’t look at me; I’ve only been with Shane a few days. I’m not ready for kids.” “Good thing, too. She’ll need to practice bein’ quiet,” Maxine chuckled. I gasped then hid my face in the menu. Blood rushed to my cheeks and my face burned with embarrassment, but instead of laughing at my discomfort, they started throwing out advice. “Practice walking across nails or something equally sharp without crying out, and you’ll have it mastered. In a pinch, though, you can always turn on the TV really loud to cover your moans.” “Um, okay. Why nails?” I asked. “Legos. Men must have invented them to torture their wives. They end up everywhere, and you’ll walk on them in the dead of night. If you can do that without waking up your kids, you’re a pro.” “I’m having second thoughts,” Mia mumbled. “Well, have third and fourth thoughts and then get to multiplyin’ like the Good Book says,” Maxine insisted. “I’m not gettin’ any younger.” “Please, you’re the youngest one at this table,” Jenn scoffed. Maxine grinned and nodded. “I am. Age is just a number, not a guideline for how you should act. Each one of you possesses the same spirit; it’s also what attracted your men to you. You have a zest for life that keeps them from gettin’ bored, keeps their attention on you and away from all others.” “So you’re saying don’t grow old gracefully, but act as young as you feel?” I questioned. She scoffed at the notion, her lips contorted at the idea of acting a certain way because you’re older. “Never accept defeat,” she stated emphatically. “But I’m not worried about you three. No, you ladies will do me proud and keep the home fires burnin’ while dancin’ to the beat of a different drum just like I do . . . And because of that, you’ll never grow old, only older-looking.” “Sage advice coming from a rebel,” Mia pointed out. “I’m full of Maxine-isms.” The table erupted with laughter just as Frank returned to take our orders. When we looked up, he turned to Jenn and said, “You and the Sheriff had the same idea tonight. He just sat down with two other gentlemen.” “Jack’s here?” Jenn asked, leaning past him. I leaned forward as well and caught sight of Jack, Max, and Shane in a booth across the restaurant. They were studying their menus. “Did you tell him I was here?” “I did,” Frank smiled. “And they didn’t want to join us?” Jenn gasped. “I believe he said it was better to leave you to your friends to avoid imprisonment.” Jenn gasped. Then she narrowed her eyes and asked suspiciously, “His or mine?”

Frank shrugged. “Shit,” she muttered. “He’s extremely pissed.” “Would you like to order now or should I come back?” he asked, catching the sudden mood at the table. We ordered, Frank left, then we sat in silence staring at the booth across the restaurant. “They won’t even look at us,” Mia whispered. Bordering on nervous, I pulled out my phone, looked at the girls, then sent Shane a text. Did you have a good day? I watched him pick up his phone when the text chimed, then he laid it on the table and kept eating. “He ignored you,” Maxine said, surprise lacing her voice. “Pigheaded. They weren’t even locked up for a whole minute. I was locked up for a whole afternoon,” Jenn griped. “There’s no communicating with Jack when he thinks he’s right. I knew he’d be miffed, but this is worse than I expected.” She looked crestfallen for a moment. “I hate it when he’s mad at me.” I knew how she felt. After a week of Shane keeping me at arm’s length, the fact he was ignoring me left me with an uneasy feeling. I monitored their table as we tried to eat our steaks, but with the exception of Maxine, the rest of us pushed our food around. Twenty minutes later, Shane stood from his table and headed toward the back where the restrooms were located. I followed him with my eyes. He had cocked his head to the side before he turned the corner. It appeared to me he was looking back at our table from the corner of his eye. Does he want me to follow? Wiping my mouth, I said, “Excuse me,” and rose from our booth. I made my way around to the restrooms and leaned against a door marked storage, waiting for Shane to emerge. Man after man came out but none was Shane. I was about to give up when I heard his voice. I turned and found him on his phone as he walked around the corner. Pushing off the door, I swallowed hard when he glowered at me. “I’ll call you back, Chester,” was all he said before he swiped it off and grabbed my arm. Opening the door to the storage room, Shane pushed me inside and locked the door behind him. He spun me around then and caged me in with his arms, leaning down as he did, and then he kissed me . . . thoroughly. “Were you lookin’ for me?” he asked against my mouth. I threw my arms around his neck and wiggled up his body, trying to get closer. “Yes,” I breathed out. Shane took advantage when I opened my mouth to speak and kissed me deeper, making my head spin. He grabbed my ponytail and pulled my head back, then found the spot on my neck that drove me wild. “Is there something you wanted to tell me?” he whispered in my ear then grazed my neck with his teeth. When his hand brushed across my breast, his fingers rolling and tugging my nipple, I whimpered,

“I’m sorry?” Either he missed his calling as an interrogator or I was putty in his hands. Either way, I wasn’t opposed to his brand of questioning. “What are you sorry for?” “Locking you in the cell?” Shane pulled back and searched my face, his thumb still circling my nipple. “That it?” he purred like honey, his stormy depths dark with lust. There was more? My brows creased in confusion and I answered hesitantly, “Pretty sure?” Gray pools flashed like a lightning storm, then turned darker, hungrier. “You’ll learn,” he whispered. “And I’ll enjoy explorin’ you inside and out while I’m teachin’ you.” My head was spinning, but I managed to get out, “Learn what?” between breaths. He pulled back and held my hooded gaze. “What it means to be mine . . . Don’t you get it? After months in the dark, you’ve woken me up. I’m shakin’ in my boots for the first time since I left the war. All I see now is you.” He placed his hand over my heart then leaned in and ran his nose next to mine. I melted like butter. “I can hear your heart beating from across the room. It calls to me. Beats for me. This, this right here is all that matters. Nothin’ else. Only you,” he whispered, then caught my bottom lip between his teeth, tugging gently before taking my mouth again. Tears welled behind my closed lids. His soul was so beautiful, and it humbled me to the bone that he let me see inside it after all he’d been through. I would have told him, too, but his focus now seemed to be on seduction instead of expressions of love. Gone was his sensitive side, in its place was a passionate force. I whimpered, “Shane,” when he rubbed against me, his erection pressing into my stomach. I was coming apart in a stock room and didn’t care. He could take me hard against the door and I wouldn’t have protested. Pulling my shirt from my jeans, Shane pressed his mouth to my neck as he ran his hand up my side, whisper-soft, weakening my resistance further. But someone tried to open the door as he pushed my bra aside and tweaked my bared nipple. He paused, pulled back, and looked at the doorknob. A female voice could be heard asking for the keys to the stock room, so Shane pulled my shirt down. “We’ll finish this later,” he murmured, his warm breath caressing my ear. I could barely walk when he pulled open the door. He grinned smugly at the wide-eyed server, to my mortification, and escorted me back to my table. Before he joined Jack and Max, he kissed my forehead and whispered, “Be good.” I stared at his retreating back as he met up with Max and Jack. Then I sat down hard, still a little dazed, and watched them leave the restaurant. “You were gone a while,” Maxine grinned. “Um, yeah, I had to talk to Shane before they left.” “From the looks of your hair and clothes I’d say you did more than talk,” Mia chuckled. I reached up and found my ponytail loose and half my hair spilling around my shoulders. Then I looked down and saw my shirt was cockeyed.

“Animal,” I sighed. “He was trying to make a point.” “Really? And what point is that?” Jenn asked. “That I’m putty in his hands and resistance is futile.” “And did he make this point?” Mia grinned “Of course, he did. Sage likes to be topped.” “Maxine! You don’t have to tell everyone.” “If that’s the case, we need to keep her close. If Max or Jack suspect anything about tonight, they’ll send Shane in for information,” Jenn said. “I held firm, but given more time, he would have cracked me like a dried-out nut under a boot if he knew there was anything else to learn.” “So we’re safe. They don’t know about tonight?” “Nope . . . they’re completely clueless!”

Twelve Sorry Seems to be The Hardest Word “Where’s Bailey, Jenn? I expected to see her by now,” Maxine asked as we headed to the Jeep. “I bet she’d be game for a night of chasing ghosts.” “She and Grady went camping this week and it’s just as well, too,” Jenn stated. “Grady has learned from Jack how to get his way and Bailey is proving she can’t resist him like I can Jack. She’d rat us out in a second if Jack set Grady on her.” Maxine snorted then mumbled under her breath, “You resist Jack like a dog resists meat.” I thought about what Shane had said in the stock room and stopped in my tracks. “Wait, you think Jack set Shane after me, don’t you?” Jenn looked back at me as we climbed in and smirked. “Of course he did. Jack can smell deception a mile away. He may have acted like he believed us, but he knows me too well and is always on the lookout for my shenanigans.” “I may be in over my head with this man,” I sighed. “I’m used to dealing with kids. They can’t hide their feelings, even when their word contradicts what their faces say.” “That’s easy enough,” Mia threw out as we buckled up. “Let them roar until they get it out and then do whatever you want.” Maxine snorted. Jenn started the Jeep and pulled out. Once she was out of the parking spot, she looked in the rearview. “You don’t handle men like Jack, Max, and Shane. You survive them.” “Ha!” Maxine laughed, “Trust me; they think the same thing about you girls.” A slow grin pulled across my mouth. I didn’t know these women well, but from what I’d seen so far, they were a force to be reckoned with. Jack and Max probably got through each day with copious amounts of alcohol. “I predict Shane will have his hands full once she settles in,” Jenn threw out. “I don’t know. I can hold my ground with most people, but Shane breaks through my defenses. I feel safe around him, which is saying something because I haven’t felt safe since my dad died.” “I’ll confess I sleep better knowing Thor ’s in my bed protecting me. In fact, I’ll go even further and admit I don’t actually buck Max except where my bears are concerned. Actually,” she mumbled, her brows creased in thought, “now that I think about it, it’s a turn on when he goes all caveman on me.” “Mhm,” Maxine agreed. “Foreplay all day long.” Mia smiled at her. “I’d never thought about it until just now, but you’re right, and that surprises me.” “It surprised you I’m right?”

“No, that it happens at all.” Maxine snorted again. Clearly, she had a different opinion about the state of the relationships between both couples. Jenn pulled onto country road seventeen and we made the five-mile drive to the cemetery in silence as Mia pondered her revelation. The sun was slowly fading as we drove further from town, and a sense of excitement had my heart racing. When we arrived, Jenn pulled behind an old mausoleum and parked. I started to open my door when she turned to the rest of us and sighed dramatically. “Problems?” Maxine asked. “I was thinking about what Mia said and if I were truthful, too, the only time I cross Jack is where a story is concerned. And I’ll also admit that when he growls and puts his foot down, it’s kinda hot.” Mia gasped and turned in her seat. “Are we saying that other than our jobs we, God help us, like it when they boss us around?” Jenn’s brows pulled together in a frown, then she nodded. “How did this happen? I’m an educated, liberated woman. I’ll lose my sister card if anyone finds out.” “A liberated woman who knew full well she was marrying a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal who likes to get his way,” Maxine pointed out. “And if my memory serves, which it usually does by the way, you call him Mad Max in a breathy voice. Face it, you’re not as liberated as you think.” “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she wailed. “Why? Because society says you’re weak if you depend on a man? Honestly, you young people are so busy battling for equality you’re missin’ out on the big picture.” “And what’s that?” Jenn asked. “That being a woman means we’re uniquely different from men. We weren’t created to do the same things; we were created to do what they can’t.” Maxine looked each of us in the eye, making sure we were listening, then continued. “Women were given the gift of creating life. We’re gentler in nature, softer-skinned than men, so when we cradle our babies to our breasts, they feel the warmth and softness rather than hard lines and hairy chests. We give them comfort, a sense of being loved and cherished from the moment they are born. We were created by God so that life could continue. That makes us infinitely superior to men in every way.” “Even Max?” Mia grinned. Maxine didn’t take the bait. Instead, she schooled us further, imparting a bit of wisdom that I think Jenn and Mia already knew deep down. “Men like Jack, Max, and Shane were created by God to protect, to stand guard over those who can’t defend themselves. To safeguard their families against a sometimes evil world. They’re just like warriors of old; the loyalist of men. Men who are, in my opinion, in short supply. Yet you ladies’ see somethin’ wrong with allowin’ these gentle giants to take care of you, God’s gift to humankind. Honestly, it’s a little disappointin’ you don’t see what’s right in front of your eyes.” “And what would that be?” Jenn asked, her attention riveted to Maxine. “Those men are easy to live with if you’ll remember they love you more than life itself and will do anything within their power to keep you safe. Includin’ keepin’ you safe from yourself. Once you

realize they aren’t disrespectin’ you or your abilities as equals but protectin’ somethin’ they cherish more than life, the fewer struggles you’ll have.” It was then I realized Maxine was the smartest woman I’d ever met. We were silent for a moment, staring at Maxine, then we looked at one another, wide-eyed. “I think we should tell them we’re hunting a ghost so they can stand guard,” Mia blurted out. “WHAT? NO!” Maxine cried out, shaking her head adamantly. “I said ‘once you realize,' I didn’t say start now. They’d stop us in a heartbeat, and I want to see if we can find the miner ’s ghost.” “But you just said—” “I know what I said,” she ground out, grabbing hold of the door handle. “You can start tomorrow. Tonight, we’re on our own.” She climbed out in a huff, mumbling, “Now they listen to me,” and slammed the door, putting a punctuation mark on her advice. “What do you think?” I asked. “I’ve never known Maxine to be wrong. If she says start tomorrow, then we’ll start tomorrow,” Mia answered with a grin. “Works for me,” Jenn agreed, “What about you?” I shrugged. “I guess what they don’t know won’t hurt them. Let’s do this.” With matching grins, we piled out and headed to the back of the Jeep to grab Mia’s backpack with our gear inside. We’d decided earlier to break into two groups so we could cover more ground. That’s where the radios came into play, for safety’s sake and the ability to communicate without having to hunt each other down. I paired with Mia and we took the west end of the cemetery. Treading carefully around the headstones, we came upon the open grave we’d seen earlier. For curiosity’s sake, I looked inside the deep hole. It wasn’t neatly excavated, as you’d typically see with a backhoe, but looked as if someone had used a shovel. “Any bodies?” Mia asked, looking over my shoulder. “My guess is they haven’t finished yet. It’s not wide enough for a coffin. Or deep enough, for that matter.” “If it’s a new grave, why is there a headstone?” I hadn’t noticed the headstone because it was smaller and leaning away from the grave. I leaned over it and read the inscription. Madeline Goforth 1846-1902. “Maybe they’re exhuming her?” “It would explain why they used a shovel instead of a backhoe,” Mia mumbled. “They’d destroy the coffin.” “I bet they’ve already dug her up and haven’t finished filling the hole.” “Probably some slacker who forgot to finish. We should mention it to Jack so the hole can be filled.” I turned and said in a haunting voice, “Maybe the ghost miner dug her up looking for his gold.” Her eyes grew wider. “That isn’t funny.” “You aren’t scared, are you?” “I’m not sure. I’ll let you know if we see a ghost.”

I scoffed and grabbed her arm. I, for one, didn’t think we’d see anything except a raccoon scurrying across the yard looking for food. The wind began to pick up, sending the trees rocking. As if on cue, to set the mood for a night of ghost hunting, an owl swooped down and landed on a branch just in front of us. “Native Americans believe if you see an owl before nightfall, it’s a bad omen.” “What kind of bad omen?” The radio crackled to life, causing me to jump. The setting and now an owl with an omen added to my agitation. “Seen anything?” Jenn asked. I pulled out our radio and pushed the talk button. “Just the open grave. You need to tell Jack to have the cemetery finish filling in the grave before someone falls in. It’s deep enough now you wouldn’t be able to climb out without help.” “Finish filling it?” “The grave belongs to a woman who died in 1902.” Mia grabbed the radio from me and rattled off, “Sage thinks the ghost dug the hole looking for his gold. Also, an owl just planted itself on a tree limb right in front of us and is watching us with his beady little eyes. It’s a sign of impending doom.” “Then get your cameras ready and keep a close eye on that grave,” she ordered in all seriousness. “Impending doom?” The hairs on the back of my neck rose. For the past few hours, I’d almost forgotten about my stepfather. I looked at the owl. It stared back at me. “What do you mean by impending doom?” I asked. “Sometimes it means death. Sometimes it means life-altering decisions are made. But, for the most part, it means something bad is coming.” “Something bad has already happened,” I pointed out. “It’s just an old wives’ tale, Sage. I don’t actually believe it.” I couldn’t shake the feeling, though. My cell was burning a hole in my hip pocket. Crying out to me to send Shane a text telling him where we were. I reached for my phone and pulled it out. Indecision weighing heavily on my mind. “You’re thinking of texting Shane, aren’t you?” The owl flapped its wings and flew to a headstone ten feet away, perching on the top. Its honeycolored eyes captured mine and held them. The sun had sunk lower in the sky and dipped below the tree line. Twilight was upon us. I hit the power button and my phone lit up, casting light on the ground. “What’s going on?” Maxine asked through the radio. Mia answered. “I think the owl spooked Sage.” “I think we should let the guys know where we are.” “Heller can’t find you here, Sage,” Maxine’s calm voice reminded me of my mother. “You’re thousands of miles from home and he doesn’t have a clue where to look.” “I think we should let the guys know where we are,” I repeated. “We couldn’t even if we wanted to. We’re out of tower range out here. Our phones won’t work,” Jenn informed me, to my horror. I kept pressing the power button so I could keep an eye on the owl.

The golden hue from the sun had sunk further and night had fallen. The owl decided to take flight. I tracked it for five feet with the light from my phone until it disappeared into the night sky. “See,” Mia said, “the owl’s gone and nothing bad happened. Come on, let’s sit over here and see if the ghost makes an appearance. “I’m being silly,” I answered hysterically. “It’s just an old wives’ tale, right?” “Exactly,” Mia replied, dragging me a few feet from the open grave. “I feel stupid making a fuss about an owl,” I explained once we’d sat. “Considering you have a mad man after you, I think you should cut yourself some slack.” I could see headlights in the distance heading our direction. Jenn must have seen them too because the radio crackled to life. “Keep your lights off,” Jenn whispered in the radio, “I don’t want someone calling us in to the station.” I turned my phone off and shoved it in Mia’s pack on her back while Mia doused her flashlight. Clouds were thick in the sky, beckoning in a storm, and without the light from my phone or moon’s glow, I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. The vehicle slowed near the entrance then pulled in and parked, turning off its lights. “Radio silence,” Jenn whispered again. “Who would come to a cemetery at night besides us ghostbusters?” I asked Mia. “I don’t know. But Jenn and Maxine will see who it is. If it’s trouble, they’ll radio us.” “It can’t be Heller,” I answered, more for me than for clarification. “Of course it’s not Heller,” she scoffed. “Even if he figured out where we were hiding, he has no idea we’re at this cemetery.” “Okay. Good point.” I relaxed a fraction. I could hear leaves crunching as we sat silently. Whoever was in that vehicle was making their way toward us. Moments later, a flashlight turned on and the outline of a man carrying a shovel and small ladder appeared. Luckily, we’d sat far enough away from the empty grave we weren’t caught in the beam. But we were too close for comfort, so Mia and I scrambled to hide behind a headstone. In our haste to retreat as quietly as possible, we accidently left the radio and flashlight lying on the ground. He kept sweeping his flashlight back and forth until he came to a stop at the open grave. We couldn’t see the man’s face, but we watched as he dropped the shovel into the grave, then leaned down and placed the ladder inside. He then followed, dropping over the side of the hole. Once in, his light went off. “If he’s here to fill it, why the hell did he climb into the grave?” I whispered. Mia shrugged. A moment later, the sound of exertion as he dug in the solid ground echoed up from the hole. “This seems like an odd time to be working?” Mia whispered. It hit me like a bolt of lightning. He wasn’t working; he was robbing. I’d seen a news article recently. Thieves were visiting old cemeteries, targeting graves that were more than a century old, hoping to find treasure.

I leaned in and whispered into Mia's ear. “Jenn has a story, but not the kind she was looking for. I think that guy is robbing the grave.” Mia gasped. “We should radio Jack.” “Should we sneak back and get the radio? We could move over to the trees and tell Jenn what’s going on.” “Okay. Can you see to find it?” I started to say no, and that I’d wing it when a loud noise caused us to turn. It sounded like someone whacking something hard against a tree. “What was that?” I asked. “No idea.” I started to turn back when the knocking broke through the night again, and I froze. My heart rate accelerated as I scanned the trees. “The digging stopped,” Mia whispered as a light hit the trees. We turned back and peered over the headstone. The man was standing on his ladder, flashlight pointed over our shoulders. Whomp, whomp, whomp broke the silence again. Our grave robber stumbled on his ladder then crawled out of the hole, pulled up his ladder, and took off toward his vehicle. “Shit,” I whispered. “Let’s get the radio and flashlight then get the hell out of here,” Mia cried out. We stood, hell bent on escaping like the oh-so-smart grave robber when the whomping began again. It was closer this time. We spun and saw a faint light hovering in the trees, suspended, just as you’d expect to see if a ghost was watching you. Then a low, deep moan broke the night air. We screamed bloody murder and took off hell-bent for leather. Unfortunately, I went left, Mia went right, neither of us with our lights. I’d made it twenty feet or more, tripping and bumping into headstones before I realized she wasn’t behind me, so I turned and shouted, “Where are you?” Mia shouted my name in return, and I spun in the direction of her voice, but all I could see was that damn glow coming from the trees. Then she laid down a blood-curdling scream. It bounced off trees and sent a chill down my spine. “Oh. My. God. The ghost has her.” I needed help fast. Was the road to my left or right? Were Jenn and Maxine behind me or in front of me? I had no clue. “MIA!” “HERE!” she called out. Air gushed from my lungs, relieved to hear her voice. “WHERE?” “HERE! In the grave.” I blinked hard. Of course she was.

I put out my hands, trying to guide my footing as I moved toward her voice. Thankfully, after a minute of bumbling in the dark, a kaleidoscope of color poured from the ground. “Holy shit.” I took off running toward the rainbow, dodging headstones as I went. Five feet from the hole an arm made of steel reached out and snagged me around the waist, pulling me into a solid, hard chest. The minor’s ghost! I screamed like a banshee until a warm hand clamped tightly over my mouth. This was no ghost. Heller had found me. I bit down hard on his hand. “It’s me,” Shane hissed in my ear as I kicked back, aiming for his balls. I froze in relief. Then I got angry. “It was you in the trees, wasn’t it?” I shouted, struggling to break free. “You were trying to scare us on purpose.” “Tryin’ to teach you a lesson is more like it.” I froze again. They knew we were here, which meant he knew at the restaurant. Jenn was right; he was testing me to see if I’d break. “You were trying to kiss a confession out of me, weren’t you?” He didn’t answer. Grrr. “I suppose all that talk about hearing my heart beating from across the room was just a lie to get me to confess.” Shane grew rigid and his hold on me tightened, then he put his mouth to my ear and hissed, “Don’t.” “Don’t what? Don’t point out you whispered sweet nothings in my ear in an attempt to weaken my defenses?” “Don’t throw my words back in my face just to get out of trouble. You know I fuckin’ meant every word.” Shit. Guilty. “You’re right . . . I’m sorry.” “I know you are. I also know you changed your mind after you got here and wanted to call me.” “How did you—Oh. My. God. You were listening to the radio weren’t you?” “Yeah. And for your information, owls don’t foreshadow shit. You don’t need to worry about Heller. Not as long as I’m alive. No force in this world can stop me from protectin’ you from him.” I spun in his arms and plastered my body to his, taking comfort in his warmth. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Shane’s armed tightened and he whispered, “Not as sorry as you’re gonna be when I get you

home.” I shuddered and he chuckled low, the rumble causing my nipples to tingle. I had it bad for this man. “Hello? Anyone out there? A clumsy woman in a hole here.” Jack and Max emerged from the darkness carrying a baseball bat and lantern and looked down into the grave. Max crossed his arms and shook his head. “Baby, we’ve got to get you another source of light.” “Max,” she gasped, “How the heck did you find us?” “It’s my job to know where the hell you are so I can save you from yourself.” If Maxine had been standing here, she would have mhm’d like a fool. Shane released me and grabbed my hand, pulling me forward so we could see what was creating the colorful glow. “Is that a glowing cock?” Jack asked. I leaned in and found Mia was indeed holding a multi-colored vibrator. She held it aloft as it buzzed in her hand. “It’s not as bright as the green willie,” Max pointed out. Jack’s head jerked back and he turned to Max. “I’m not sure I want to know why you know this.” “Hey, don’t knock glowing vibrators until you’ve tried them. They make an excellent light source in case of emergencies,” Mia called out. “Now get me out of this hole.” Max bent and put out his hand. Mia grabbed hold and he pulled her out. Then he crossed his arms again and glared at her. Light broke through the darkness, the beam bobbing and weaving as Jenn and Maxine made their way toward us. Jenn came to a halt and mumbled, “Shit,” when she saw Jack. “Fancy meeting you here.” She tried for coy, but Jack held up his hand, silencing her. “I got no patience for cute right now.” “Sorry,” she answered contritely. His face grew tighter at her answer and he narrowed his eyes. “What’d I say about saying sorry?” Jenn rolled her lips between her teeth for a moment, then she grinned. “Well, that was a bust,” Maxine complained, looking into the open grave. “I had my heart set on findin’ a ghost.” “Not exactly,” I answered. “The guy who was just here with the shovel and ladder, he was digging up this grave. I think he’s a grave robber.” Jenn immediately turned to me. “Grave robber? That could be an even bigger story than—” “Not in this lifetime,” Jack vowed. “You are not hangin’ out in old cemeteries waiting for some unknown man to show up.” “But, Jack, this could be . . .” she stopped mid-sentence and looked at Maxine. Maxine raised a brow. “All right,” she sighed. “I’ll let you handle this. Would you mind giving me an exclusive when you’re done investigating, though?” Jack looked back and forth between Maxine and Jenn. “Just like that?” His tone said he didn’t believe her in the least.

Jenn nodded. “All right, what’s the catch?” Jenn shrugged. “No catch. You don’t want me hanging out in a cemetery because you would worry, so I won’t.” He narrowed his eyes further then walked over and grabbed hold of her hand and kept right on walking, mumbling, “The day you give in is the day hell freezes over.” Shane and Max both grunted in agreement. Hearing that, Mia turned to Max and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry we lied to you about what we were doing tonight. It won’t happen again. I promise.” Both brows shot up on his face. “What did you do?” “What do you mean?’ “You’re up to something.” “Max, honestly, I’m not up to anything.” He looked at his mother then back at Mia. Concern etched on his face. “I’ll get it out of you when we get home,” he vowed, then picked her up and started heading toward the Jeep. Maxine followed with an enormous grin on her face. When I took a step in the same direction, Shane grabbed my hand and tugged me back against his chest. He trailed his lips down the side of my neck, his teeth grazing the skin. “Are you gonna promise me you won’t get into any more trouble?” “Would you believe me if I said yes?” “Not any more than Jack or Max.” I was a little incensed since we hadn’t been a couple long enough for him to have this opinion of me. “I don’t exactly have a proven track record of causing trouble. I think it’s unfair for you to judge me on one night out.” At my protest, Shane bent at the waist and threw me over his shoulder. “You’re livin’ in Trails End permanently when we get home, which means you’ll be hangin’ out with Mia. That’s all I need to know,” he answered with a sharp whack to my ass. I sucked in a deep breath at the burn and tried to hold back a groan. I wasn’t successful. Shane stopped dead in his tracks. “Jesus, are you turned on?” “Maybe,” I replied in a breathless, not-fooling-anyone voice. “Fuck . . .” Shane picked up his pace and my body hummed with anticipation. I thought we were heading home, which meant we’d be alone. When we reached the parking lot, Jack had Jenn pinned against her driver ’s door while Max pinned Mia to the passenger side. “Let’s roll,” Shane barked out, lowering me to my feet. “Wait, you’re leaving me here?” Shane grabbed my neck and slammed his mouth over mine. The kiss was quick but wet. “Jack’s still on duty,” he mumbled against my lips, “and I need to leave before I take you against a

headstone.” I giggled, “Eww,” and shoved him back. Shane grabbed my waist and pulled me back to him, grinning. “You’d only think eww until my hand found your ass.” “Arrogant,” I scoffed. “Accurate,” he smirked. “Get in the Jeep before I leave.” He opened the back door and I climbed in. “Bossy too,” I mumbled. Leaning in, Shane kissed me one last time, murmuring, “You love that about me.” I scoffed, snorted, and rolled my eyes. He winked, then pulled the seatbelt across my lap and buckled me in. “Be good.” The words were said in a whisper, a caress against my ear as his finger traced the side of my neck. My nipples tingled again. “I will,” I breathed out. “That’s my girl,” he purred smooth as honey and just as sweet. I sighed like a schoolgirl. Every time he said, that’s my girl, I grew giddy. Totally putty in his hands! Jenn and the others climbed in after Shane shut my door, grinning like fools. “Did you see Jack’s face when I said I wouldn’t investigate if he didn’t want me to?” Jenn laughed as she started the Jeep and pulled out. “You missed Max’s reaction. He didn’t believe me for a second.” Laughter rang out at a deafening level as Jenn turned left toward town and Jack turned right, heading further into the mountains. “You need to remember to keep them on their toes, though. Mix it up a bit. Give in from time to time and stand your ground on others. They fell in love with your independence, so don’t lose that. In the end, you’ll be the one with all the power and they won’t even know it. Be strong women. Fight for your rights. However, do it with the understanding you’re married to men who are fiercely protective and deserve to be respected for who they are as much as you deserve respect. It’s a balance between independence and loyalty, to both your rights as women and your promise to partner with them as their wives,” Maxine advised. “I agree,” Mia said, wiggling her brows. “And keeping Max off balance has its own rewards.” “It worked like a charm with my Tom,” Maxine exclaimed. The radio crackled to life and Jack’s voice filled the cab. “Straight home, sweetness.” “Jeez, we haven’t been out of their presence five minutes,” Mia said, shaking her head. Jenn giggled, “Yes, sir, sheriff,” as she picked up the radio and hit talk. “What’ll you do if I don’t?” she asked. She was waiting for a reply when headlights blinded us from behind. I turned in my seat and looked out that back window. “Is that Jack?”

*** Bitter coffee sat like lead in Agent Dane Parker ’s gut. After a six-hour flight, he’d been holed up for

the past three hours in an Anchorage PD interrogation room with his team, scanning printouts of airline passenger lists. When they were done, they had hours of security footage to watch. His gut told him if Heller escaped Alaska, it would be by sea or air. He was looking for a needle in a haystack. One who didn’t want to be found. Experience told him Heller would use a name he was familiar with. A variation of both parents usually tripped up felons on the run, but in Heller ’s case, he shared his father ’s first name. Parker figured after years in law enforcement, Heller wouldn’t be that stupid. So he’d scanned Heller ’s file, dug deep looking for names he might use, then made a list of possible variables. His team each had a copy of the files and they were ass deep in printouts and bad coffee, their night looming ahead of them. “I’m too old for this shit,” Agent John Trask, a veteran agent who was close to retirement, sighed. “I need to get my eyes checked. These names are all running together.” “There are worse things in life than needing glasses,” Agent Juan Cortez replied. “Cancer?” Agent Erin Johnson asked. Cortez wiggled his eyebrows at the only female agent on Parker ’s team. He was half Latino on his mother ’s side and played the Latin lover card to the hilt. Johnson seemed immune, though. Parker knew it was because her tastes ran towards him. They’d had a brief relationship, centered around sex, before she joined his team. Parker had ended it six months prior to her applying because he knew it wouldn’t go anywhere, but he caught her looking at him often, desire written across her face. She was on a trial basis because of this. He wouldn’t commit to her being permanent until she proved to him their past relationship wouldn’t affect her job. So far, she was failing miserably, but he needed an IT expert, and no others were chomping at the bit to be on his team. Flying out at a moment’s notice, missing holidays and birthdays with family, didn’t appeal to most in IT. They preferred working in the comfort of Quantico. “Erectile dysfunction,” Cortez grinned. “Is that all you think about,” Trask grunted. “The question isn’t, is that all I think about,” Cortez mocked, “it’s why isn’t it all you think about, old man.” “Head back in the printouts,” Parker admonished, not looking up from his sheet. “How’d you meet Gunnison?” Cortez asked, ignoring Parker ’s order. “You said he was a friend, but you didn’t say how you met.” “He had a serial killer on the loose a few years back. His contact was Agent Rowe, but he was on assignment when it all came to a head. I flew in a month later to follow up and stayed with him and his now wife.” “And he still calls you friend?” Parker grinned. “I wasn’t stupid enough to flirt with his wife. The man has a possessive streak a mile wide.” “So does Vaughn, but that didn’t stop you from flirting with the romance author.” “Dallas is less likely to shoot me,” Parker mumbled, flipping the page, still scanning names. “Jack, on the other hand, doesn’t hold me in high esteem for saving his woman, and he has an itchy trigger finger when it comes—”

Parker paused on a name. Eric Sloan. Age fifty-three. “Do we have a list of Sage Sloan’s family members?” “You got something?” Trask asked. “Maybe.” Johnson reached over his shoulder, her breast brushing against his arm as she went, and grabbed the Sloan file. Parker clenched his jaw. He’d have to have a word with her in private. Three more months was all he was giving her to control herself, or she was gone. “Mother, one Judith Heller. Her sister is Emma Jane Sloan, but she’s deceased. There’s a Sharon Doak in Anchorage, her Aunt. Husbands name is Henry.” “What about her father?” Johnson flipped through the file. “No mention.” “Do we have a number for the mother?” Johnson scanned the file and found the contact information for Sage’s mother. Parker pulled out his cell and dialed, it went to voice mail so he left a message. His gut told him he didn’t have time to wait. A sixth sense had kept him safe the past ten years with the Bureau and he wouldn’t ignore it now. Turning to Johnson, he ordered, “Do your thing. Fire up your computer and get me Sloan’s father ’s name.” Then he turned to Cortez. “Call the airlines and find out where this passenger headed after arriving in the US.” He highlighted Eric Sloan’s name and tossed the sheet to Cortez. Standing, Parker grabbed his mug and moved to the coffee pot. After pouring another bitter cup, he decided sugar and creamer might help the bite. As he stirred, Johnson barked out, “Got it. One Eric Sloan died nineteen ninety-six. Car accident. He was ejected from the car. Is it a match?” she asked, looking up from her computer. Parker nodded. The son of a bitch had assumed his wife’s dead husband’s identity. “You’re sure?” Cortez bit out, his attention shooting to Parker. “Roger that,” he called off. “Eric Sloan arrived in Seattle at eight this morning. He then took a flight from Seattle to Denver International. He arrived at eleven.” Parker pulled out his phone, every cell in his body on high alert. “He was on the ground in Colorado as we left the state. This bastard’s had all day to get into position.” “FPD has to have a leak. How else would he know where they went?” Trask stated as Parker listened to Jack’s voice mail greeting. “Jack’s not picking up; he must be busy.” “Or Heller ’s got him occupied,” Johnson replied grimly. Grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, Parker ordered, “Wheels up in twenty. Trask, find out who’s in Denver and send them to Gunnison. Tell them we’re en route. Cortez, call the station in Gunnison and see if they can find Jack. Tell them to send a squad to his house.”

The room was a flurry of activity as each agent gathered their belongings and made the necessary calls. This was the kind of situation that they were trained for, maybe even lived for. But in this instance, Parker only cared that his friend wasn’t picking up his phone.

Thirteen Reckoning Day “Are you trying to blind me?” Jenn asked through the radio. Shane’s brows pulled into a sharp line and he looked at Jack and saw the same confusion on his face. “What do you mean ‘tryin’ to blind you?’” “Turn off your brights, Jack, they’re making it hard to see,” Jenn bit out. “Baby, is someone behind you?” There was a pause on the connection, then the radio jumped to life again. “You’re not behind me?” she asked. Jack punched the brakes hard, sending the back end fishtailing, then he executed a U-turn and gunned the engine. “I want you to head straight into town. Do not slow down for this person. No matter what they do.” “Jack,” she sounded rattled, “do you think it’s—” The report of gunfire stopped her mid-sentence and the sound of four women’s screams echoed through the radio. Raw fear shot through Shane and he roared, “Sonofabitch!” “Jenn? Baby, answer me!” Jack shouted as he flew down the road. Nothing. He pushed the pedal to the floor. The radio crackled again and Mia could be heard shrieking, “Don’t you die on me!” “JENN! Answer me right fuckin’ now!” Jack thundered. Shane’s blood froze and he stopped breathing. If he needed any more evidence of his feelings for Sage, he had it. The crushing thought Heller ’s bullet had found its mark caused a knot to form in his chest that would have debilitated him in a firefight Reaching out, Shane grabbed hold of the radio and swallowed hard, “Mia . . . tell me who’s been shot?” Jack took a curve hard, barely keeping the SUV on the road, and then gunned the engine, picking up speed at a dangerous rate. “Shane?” Sage’s voice was a whisper in the radio and he took his first breath since hearing the gunshot. “Baby, we’re coming. Tell me who’s been shot.” He released the talk button and heard more screaming, then the gunning of their engine as Jenn raced down the road. Jack let out a stuttered breath when he heard the screeching tires. Jenn was healthy enough to drive. Shane turned to Max and saw the pain etched on his face; he’d come to the same conclusion. If Sage

was on the radio, Jenn was driving, and Mia was shouting, that only left one woman. Maxine. “I will kill this sonofabitch with my bare hands!” Max roared, punching the roof repeatedly. “Sage?” Shane called out. “Give me a description of her wound.” “Back. In her back. She isn’t opening her eyes.” Hearing that, Max reached forward and grabbed the radio from Shane. “Put the radio to her ear,” he demanded. Shane expected him to bark out orders, insist his mother quit being a pain in his ass, but pain filled his eyes and he choked on his words instead. “I love you, old woman. More than you fuckin’ know. You hold on, do you hear me? You hold the fuck on. I need you in my life; I need you in my kid’s life. This is not your time. Do you understand me? I will not lose you, too.” Max released the talk button and waited for a reply, some sort of sign she heard him. The radio crackled again and Sage mumbled, “I think she heard you.” The sound of locked up tires filled the cab again, then Jenn screamed, “We’re gonna tip!” The radio went silent. They rounded a bend at top speed, and in the distance, they could see the headlights of two vehicles. Both were stationary, one was on its hood blocking one lane. “Gun,” Shane growled. “Glove box,” Jack answered. Shane pulled out a 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic. He flipped the safety off and then racked the slide. He could see Heller standing in the headlights of his truck with a gun raised. Rolling down his window, Shane leaned halfway out, balancing his body on the frame, and took aim. When they were close enough, Jack laid on his horn and Heller turned, giving Shane a wider target. He rapid fired, following Heller with his sights as he ran for cover. He took a hit to his midsection but dove into the woods avoiding the rest. Locking up his brakes, Jack skidded to a stop and barreled out of the vehicle, his own gun pointed at the woods as Max raced to the overturned Jeep. Shane pulled his body through the window and hit the ground running. Cold fear gripped him at the thought of what they might find. If anything has happened to Sage, I will castrate the man before I end his life. He and Jack reached Jenn’s Jeep at the same time, their guns still pointed at the woods as they leaned down and looked inside. All four women were belted in and hanging in various degrees of pissed-off terror. Except for Maxine. She dangled lifelessly in the back seat. “Call for an ambulance,” Mia shrieked when Max pried her door open. Lying on his back, Shane kicked out the passenger window next to Sage and crawled inside. Her eyes were open and blood was dripping from her forehead. “Talk to me, baby. Where does it hurt?” “Maxine first,” she cried out, grabbing his hand as he pushed the hair out of her eyes. “You have to save her, Shane. Please.”

He kissed her hand, said a quick thanks to God she’d survived, then moved a few inches further in and assessed Maxine. Her pulse was weak and thready, her breathing shallow and labored. “We gotta risk her back,” Shane shouted. “There’s no time for an ambulance. I think the bullet nicked her lung. You gotta get her straight to the hospital.” Max lowered Mia to the ground and then kicked out the back window. Together, he and Shane released Maxine from the seatbelt and got her out of the Jeep as quickly and safely as they could. Jack rescued Jenn and Sage while he and Max carried Maxine as slowly as possible to minimize further damage. Once she was loaded, they ordered Sage and the others inside with Maxine to keep her calm while Max drove. “Aren’t you coming with us?” Sage cried out before he shut the door. “This ends tonight,” Shane bit out. “He won’t get a chance to get near you again.” Sage’s face paled and she opened her mouth to argue, but he stopped her protest with a quick, hard kiss before he slammed the door. When he turned, Jack tossed him a sniper rifle and a bulletproof vest he’d pulled out of the back of his SUV, then handed Max the keys. “Get Maxine to the hospital. Once she’s in surgery, call Barry at home and let him know the situation; tell him Heller ’s been shot. By the time he gets here, we should have taken care of Heller. Shane and I will head to the hospital as soon as we’re done here.” Max jerked his head and climbed in, rolling down his window as he started the vehicle. “I want him dead,” was all he said, then he threw the SUV into drive and punched the gas, leaving Jack and Shane watching until they were out of sight. “You left your radio in the SUV. I take it you’re not goin’ to call this in?” Shane asked. “Nope. Plausible deniability as to why I didn’t call it in. He tried to kill my wife and shot my aunt. This is personal. You got a problem with that?” “Not in the fuckin’ least.” Shane turned to Jack and dropped his equipment. “Put the vest on under your shirt. Heller ’s trained to go for the body shot, not the head, but he’ll take the head shot if he sees the vest.” They pulled the shirts from their bodies, neither saying a word. Both were distracted with worry for Maxine. When they’d pulled their shirts back on and picked up their guns, Jack ordered, “Check his vehicle for keys,” as he handed Shane a flashlight. Shane moved to Heller ’s truck and looked inside. “He took the keys,” he shouted. Both men pointed their flashlights in the direction of the ground, looking for the blood trail left behind by Heller. Once they found it, they followed the trail into the woods and picked up their pace, both sweeping the forest floor with light as they went. The amount of blood they tracked meant he was bleeding steadily, and with any luck, he’d bleed out and save them the trouble of killing him. They kept pushing forward, ducking limbs and crawling over downed trees. Ten minutes later, they stepped into a clearing near a river. Scanning the ground, they found the blood trail leading downstream. It disappeared into the water. The river was running fast, so Shane scanned the width and knew Heller couldn’t have made it across in his condition. “Think he tried for the other side and got swept away?” Jack asked. “Possible,” Shane answered, but he kept moving down the river.

Fifty feet from where the blood trail ended, it picked back up. Heading back in the direction of the road. “He doubled back?” Jack rumbled. “Yeah, and he’s got the keys,” Shane bit out. “Tell me we’ve got cell service out here. We don’t have time to wait for Barry.” Jack shook his head and they both double-timed it back through the woods. “He couldn’t just bleed to death,” Shane grunted. “These bastards never make it easy.” By the time they made it back to the road, the truck was gone. “That’s a ballsy move. He knows protocol; knows I should have called this in. He should have expected a squad guarding his truck.” “He probably knows there’s no service out here or he risked it on the off chance you hadn’t. Either way, he left us a trail to follow so he could double-back while our dicks blew in the wind. He’s a smart fuck, determined.” “We need to get to the hospital. He’s got to know that’s where we’d send the girls to get checked out after the crash.” Both men looked at Jenn’s Jeep. “Think it will run if we tip it back?” Shane asked. “Only one way to find out.”

*** Pacing. That’s all we could do at this point. Shane and Jack were still out in the woods with Heller and Maxine was in surgery. So Jenn and I paced while my head pounded with a headache to end all headaches from the laceration on my face. But considering the speed we had been traveling, the fact Jenn was able to slow down enough so we only rolled once, limiting our injuries, was a miracle. Jack had trained her after what she went through five years ago; had put her through the ringer teaching her how to protect herself. Now Jenn and I paced, worried about Maxine and our men while Max and Mia prayed in the sanctuary. “I don’t understand how he found us,” I mumbled. “We used fake names. They were watching for him at the airlines. How could he find us so quickly without anyone seeing him?” “The one thing I learned when I had two killers after me was they will do whatever it takes to win.” I paused and looked at her. “Explain to me how we ended up with killers after us? It’s like a movie. Maxine’s been shot. Shane and Jack are hunting him while we pace in a waiting room. How did this become my life, our life?” “Don’t try and figure it out. I did for years and came up empty.” She was right, of course, but the counselor in me knew I’d have to work through it on my own until I could wrap my head around it all. “At least I know my mother ’s safe if he’s here in Colorado.” “And the twins are safe with their grandmother. Now I just need my husband to walk through that door.”

We both turned and looked at the waiting room doors, willing them to open and for Shane and Jack to walk in. Our prayers weren’t answered. Sighing, I began to pace again. At least we had the waiting room to ourselves. Being a small county hospital, it didn’t have a ton of emergency surgeries at night. “I need coffee. Do you want some coffee?” Jenn asked, heading to the complimentary coffee station. “I need something stronger,” I mumbled. “That goes without saying,” she agreed. “How long do you think a surgery like this will take?” Shane was right. Maxine had a collapsed lung, but they wouldn’t know the extent of her injuries until they opened her up. Reaching for a Styrofoam cup, Jenn poured her coffee then looked over her shoulder at me. “When my friend Ben had a heart attack, his surgery took five hours.” I scanned my memory for the people we’d met since arriving and couldn’t place the name. “I don’t think I’ve met Ben.” She shook her head. “You haven’t. He and his girlfriend Lorraine moved to Florida a few years ago. They bought a place just down the street from my parents.” “So it could be a while before we hear anything,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to work out the kinks as I continued to pace back and forth. “They’ll keep us up-to-date as the surgery progresses.” “We’re lucky you had a surgeon on staff with this being a smaller county hospital.” “This hospital may be small, but they have everything a larger city hospital has.” “Good thing, too. I don’t think Maxine would have made it if she’d been life-flighted to Denver.” “Agreed,” Jenn said. “It’s been a while since they took her back. I think I’ll go check with the receptionist and see if there is an update.” She moved to the waiting room doors as my cell began to vibrate in my pocket, so I pulled it out. It said Shane calling. “It’s Shane,” I cried out and swept answer. “Shane? Are you all right?” Jenn gasped and I turned with a smile on my face. Then it faded. Heller was standing behind her with a gun to her head. He looked the worse for wear. His dark hair had turned gray since I’d last seen him and his complexion was pale as crimson blood oozed from a wound in his side. I’d been free of his brand of evil for four years, growing stronger with each passing year, but seeing his face again brought back the years of fear and punishment. I began to shake in my shoes. “Baby, listen to me,” Shane shouted in my ear as I shook in place. “Is that the man you’re fucking?” my stepfather asked. “Put him on speaker phone.” “Don’t listen to him,” Jenn ordered. There was a pause on the other end of the phone and then Shane asked, “He’s there, isn’t he?” “He wants me to put you on speaker,” I finally choked out, my attention riveted to the gun at Jenn’s temple.

“Where is Max?” Shane barked out. “Chapel—” Heller pulled the hammer back on his revolver and raised a brow. “Put him on speaker phone.” “Baby, listen to me, whatever you do, don’t leave with him. He won’t shoot you in a public place.” “Where are you?” I whispered, ignoring Heller. If I put Shane on speaker, he couldn’t answer me. “Sage, if you don’t listen to daddy and put him on speaker phone, I’m gonna put a bullet in your friend’s pretty little head,” Heller hissed. Fear and resentment bubbled up from a place so dark, so deep, I couldn’t stop it. I shrieked, “You were never my father, you bastard! You were a warden who used fear and your fists to keep us in line!” Color returned to his face at my outburst. This was the man I knew from my nightmares. One look told me he wanted to put his fist in my face for disrespecting him. “Enough!” Heller roared. “You destroyed my life. I have nothing left because of you. It’s time to accept your punishment.” “Don’t fuckin’ move!” Shane shouted. “He has a gun to Jenn’s head. I have no choice,” I whispered. Heller yanked back Jenn’s head and shoved the gun under her chin. “You will come with me willingly or I’ll shoot her first . . . then you. Your choice.” Jenn closed her eyes and muttered, “What is it with crackpots pointing guns at me?” Shane must have put me on speakerphone because Jack bellowed in my ear, “Because you never stay put!” I could hear sirens in the background, so I knew they were coming. But I couldn’t risk Jenn’s life. This was my problem, and she had two young boys to raise. “I’m hanging up now. I have to go with him or Jenn is—” “What did I say?” Shane barked out. “I can’t. The risk is too high.” “I swear to God, we will be there in time. Just stall him and don’t leave.” I ignored him. I had to. He didn’t know Heller like I did. He would lash out within moments if I didn’t comply. “If I don’t get a chance to tell you this, Shane, I want you to know I fell in love with you the moment you stepped off that plane. Your soul is so beautiful—” “Sage, don’t—” His voice held fear and anger equally, but I interrupted him. “Please don’t blame yourself, Shane,” I cried out. “None of this is your fault. Please don’t shut down again. Live your life for Emma Jane, for me.” He roared, “Listen to me!” but I hung up and stepped forward. “Let’s go, daddy dearest,” I sneered. “Sage, don’t do this,” Jenn begged. Triumph morphed Heller ’s face from a wild animal’s to that of the smug bastard I remembered from childhood. He raised the gun from Jenn’s throat and slammed it down on her temple before I could stop him. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she slumped to the floor in a puddle of limbs. When I moved to help her, crying out in distress, Heller reached out, grabbed me by the neck

with his forearm, and pinned me to his chest. “You’re gonna come with me quietly or I’ll shoot the first person I see,” he ordered. Taking a deep breath to control my emotions, I wiped my face clean of tears. I couldn’t risk anyone asking if I was all right. I believed he would do whatever it took to exact his punishment. “We’re gonna walk out the front door,” he sneered. “Just a father comforting his daughter as he walks her to the car.” I nodded I understood. When he opened the waiting room door, I gasped. On the floor behind the reception desk were a security guard and an elderly woman. I was stunned no one had seen them and sounded the alarm, then I realized one of the downsides to a county hospital at night was they didn’t have a large staff. The surgical waiting room was on the ground floor near the front. All that lay between us and the front of the hospital was a short walk down a long hall. I was out of options. No one could save me now. “Almost there,” Heller whispered as we rounded a corner. He had his arm draped around my shoulders, snuggling me up close to him to hide the blood on his shirt and his gun shoved into my side. We walked across the sensor that made the double doors open. They slid wide and we crossed the threshold into the night. We made it two steps outside when Heller stopped abruptly. Shane came out of nowhere with his gun raised. My heart leaped at the sight. Heller yanked me in front of him and pulled his gun out, pointing it at Shane. “Let her go,” Shane demanded. “That’s not how this works,” Heller answered. “You step back or I pull the trigger.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack creeping low, headed in our direction. I looked to the right and saw Barry mimicking Jack. “Sage!” Shane shouted, his voice hard and commanding, “Just like the man at the carnival, baby.” “What?” He mouthed one and I shook my head. Heller must have caught Jack moving because he swung to the left and shouted, “Stop where you are!” redirecting his gun toward Jack. I looked back at Shane and he mouthed two. “Shane—” I didn’t have time to think. I knew Shane wanted me to create a distraction, to attack Heller in the same way I had the man at the carnival, so I tensed my muscles in preparation. Heller swung back around and looked at Shane. His breathing was accelerated and his hold on me tightened. Shane mouthed three when Heller pointed his gun back at him and I reacted, slamming my foot into his instep followed with an elbow to the wound in his side. He grunted in pain and his grip loosened, so I head-butted him in the mouth. I saw stars for a moment. Then a shot rang out. Shane flew back and hit the ground, and I shrieked, “Shane!” as Heller disappeared from behind me. I screamed, “Get a doctor!” and ran to his prone body.

“Shane? Talk to me, please. Oh, God. Jack, get a doctor!” I shouted, looking back at where they stood. I was surprised when I found Max standing over Heller ’s body, Jack and Barry both moving toward him. “Did he just break his neck?” Barry asked as he shouldered his weapon. “He shot my mother,” Max seethed. “But you just broke his neck like it was a twig,” Barry replied warily. “I should have ripped his heart out, too.” “Get a doctor!” I shrieked again. Jack looked at me and grinned. What was wrong with him? “Baby.” I looked down into Shane’s open eyes. “Where are you hit?” I cried out, searching his chest for blood. “Next time I tell you not to move,” Shane grunted, “you fuckin’ listen.” Was he kidding me right now? “We can argue about this later!” I shouted, in hysterics. “Where are you hit?” Shane reached up then and grabbed my neck, yanking me down until my mouth was on his. “I’m gonna tan your hide when I get you home,” he breathed into my mouth and then he kissed me . . . Thoroughly. “I don’t understand?” I muttered when he broke free of my mouth. “I’ve got a bulletproof vest on.” “What?” I shoved him back, rising to my knees. “You made yourself a target on purpose? Are you crazy? What if he aimed for your head?” “I knew he wouldn’t. Soldiers are trained to aim for the body.” “What if he had one of those armor-piercing bullets?” I pointed out. Shane pushed up slowly, grimacing as he did. I reached out and helped him until he was on his feet. “It was a risk worth takin’ to keep you safe,” he answered in a slow exhale. My bottom lip began to tremble. The past two days came to a head. Shane could have been killed and Maxine could die, all because of me. When I drew a deep breath to control my tears, Shane yanked me into his body and wrapped his arms around me, holding on tight. “I thought you were dead,” I hiccupped. “Shh, I’m not goin’ anywhere.” I burrowed in deeper and began to shake. “Sage, where’s Jenn?” Jack shouted. I froze. “Oh. My. God. Heller hit her in the head, Shane. She’s out cold in the waiting room,” I whispered. Shane curled me into his side and shouted, “Heller knocked her cold! She’s in the waiting room!” Jack paled, then he took off running into the hospital. “She’s okay,” Max stated as he followed his cousin with his gaze. “We found her after Heller left with you. She was holding her head and spittin’ mad.”

Shane tried to guide me past my stepfather ’s body, shielding me from the violence, but I locked my legs and looked down. I felt nothing. No remorse that he was dead. No spark of anger. Nothing. The crash and burn would come later, I knew. Probably when I was alone with Shane. But for now, we had to worry about Maxine. “I still can’t believe you broke his neck like it was nothin’,” Barry mumbled, looking at Max with confusion, maybe even a little bit of wariness. “You just snapped it and then let him drop as if ending his life was easy.” “You should see him with a knife,” Shane murmured in my ear. Max crossed his arms and glared at Barry. “I’ll kill any man who harms my family.” “Big guy, I don’t think you should say that in front of an officer of the law,” Shane advised. Max turned to Barry and raised a brow. “You don’t get this yet since you’re still pinin’ for a woman you can’t have, but when you’ve got a reason to breathe, a fuckin’ reason to live—you’ve got a reason to kill with absolutely no regrets. He shot my mother, tried to kill my wife, and took a shot at a man who is like my brother. I’d snap it again and lose not a wink of sleep, I can promise you that.” Barry’s mouth grew taut at the mention of pining for a woman he couldn’t have, and I wondered who he was in love with. After a moment of considering Max’s avowal to kill anyone who harmed his family, Barry finally nodded. He understood. The night sky filled with the sound of a helicopter landing just as the doors swung open and security came rushing out, followed by medical personnel. Barry’s radio sprang to life and he pulled it from his belt. “I got this,” Barry said, putting his hand out to Max. “Go inside and wait for news about your mother.” Max shook his hand and jerked his chin. Then he turned and rushed inside. Shane and I followed on his heels and made our way back to the waiting room. When we arrived, Mia waylaid me with a hug as Jack helped Jenn lie down with an ice pack, his jaw clenching as she groused, “Do I have a sign on my back or a tattoo on my forehead that reads ‘hostage for hire’?” Shane and I took a seat next to Max and Mia, and I tried not to watch the Jack and Jenn Show. “Stop bein’ cute, this is serious,” Jack sighed. “Then stop ordering me around. I was heading straight home when he ran us off the road, so don’t you dare threaten me with incarceration.” “Are you tryin’ to test my last nerve?” “Yes. My head hurts, I’m worried about Maxine, and I want to hit something.” She eyed Jack from head to toe . . . “Move closer so I can take a swing at you,” she ordered, then her bottom lip began to tremble. Our night was catching up with her as well. Jack saw it, reached and took her hand, and then mouthed, “Stubborn.” Jenn’s eyes began to glisten with tears and she choked out, “Bossy.” The door to the waiting room swung open with a thud and Jack turned quickly, still on alert with his hand on his gun. Two men in black suits walked in flashing badges at him, their eyes trained on his itchy trigger finger rather than his face. He relaxed a fraction, then raised his finger indicating he needed a minute. They both nodded then backed carefully out of the room.

Leaning down, Jack placed his hand on Jenn’s face and ran his thumb across her cheek, “I gotta handle the shit storm that’s gonna come from Heller ’s death. Do you promise not to leave this room?” Her expression softened further and she hiccupped, “I promise I won’t move from this spot until we know Maxine is okay and you take me home.” Jack’s face grew intense as he leaned down and kissed her hard, mumbling, “Thank Christ you’re okay,” against her mouth. I curled into Shane and closed my eyes, unable to watch any more. The raw emotions passing between them were private and meant only for them. The whole night ran quickly through my mind and my shoulders began to shake, so Shane pulled me into his lap. I was on overload. Too much had happened in a short span of time. Emma Jane, Heller ’s stalking, which had me wired for months, fighting for Shane, almost drowning, and now today’s events. “I got you,” Shane whispered, pulling me in tighter. “I know.” “I’m not lettin’ you go. You’re my reason to live. My reason to get up each day and take a breath. My reason to kill if need be, just like Max said. You saved me, Sage. Saved me from myself. You’ve been doin’ it since you cornered me in the parking lot and my heart started beatin’ again. Heller ’s gone, we can look forward now instead of being stuck in the past,” Shane whispered in my ear. “Breathe, baby, it’s over.” “Maxine saw the attraction between us,” I sobbed. Apparently, the crash and burn wouldn’t wait until later. I was too worried about her. “That’s why she pushed you so hard . . . she’s going to be all right, isn’t she?” “Yeah,” he answered with certainty, tucking my head into his shoulder. “How do you know?” “Because it would take an act of God to stop that woman and He knows He’ll have less trouble with her on earth than in heaven messing in His affairs.” Max grunted in agreement beside Shane and I giggled, “You’re right.” “I know I am . . .” Arrogant Shane was back and it made me smile. It was exactly what I needed to feel safe at that moment. “Still arrogant, I see.” “Still right, too . . .” I nodded grudgingly. Mia leaned across Max and smiled softly at me, worry for Maxine etched clearly across her face. “It’s over now, thank God. How did it play out? Max won’t tell me what happened.” I looked at Max. Apparently, he didn’t want her to know he broke Heller ’s neck. “He got what he deserved,” I answered. “Does Jack have him in custody?” “Umm . . .”

“He’s dead,” Max answered. “That’s all you need to know right now.” Mia jerked and looked at Max. “It was you, wasn’t it?” she gasped. Max pulled her into his side and rested his chin on her head. “He shot Maxine and tried to kill you. What did you think I’d do when I left you here to go after him?” “Oh. My. God. Are you all right?” “I will be as soon as Mom’s out of surgery and I know she’s okay.” We had to wait a while to find out, but finally, in the wee hours of the night, the doctor came in and told us she would make a full recovery. Jack flashed his badge and they allowed all of us back to see her. When Max walked in ahead of us, he stopped in his tracks and I heard his breath stutter. Maxine was pale, with wires and tubes still attached from the surgery, and she looked frail for the first time since I’d met her. Mia placed her hand on his arm and he began to breathe again. As if she sensed his presence, Maxine opened her eyes and put out her hand. Before Max could reach for her, she garbled in a dry, shaky voice, “You owe me a grandchild. Get to work,” and then fell back to sleep. I expected Max to argue, but he picked up her hand, placed a kiss on her knuckles, and answered, “You got it.” His agreement made its way through her muddled brain and she stirred enough to reply back, “A girl. And name her after my grandfather.” Max grinned and looked at Mia. “I’m not naming a girl after a man,” she announced, crossing her arms. “You will this time. His name was Peyton G. Gunnison.” “Peyton Hunter?” Mia whispered, pulling up a chair on the other side of her bed. “I like that.” Shane took my hand and we backed out, leaving Mia and Max to stand guard over Maxine. Jack and Jenn followed and we all took a collective breath. I curled into Shane’s side as we headed to the elevators and down to the parking lot. My nerves were still wired for some reason, so I needed the contact until I could settle. “Let’s get you ladies home,” Jack mumbled. “Shane and I have an early morning at the station. We gotta meet with Parker.” “He’s back from Alaska?” “Yeah, he just arrived. Says he knows how Heller found us.” I’d wondered the same thing. All the precautions the authorities had taken along with the FBI, and he still managed to get out unnoticed. “He give you a heads up?” Shane asked as we climbed into Jack’s SUV. Jack turned to look at me, studying me for a moment, then said, “He assumed the identity of Sage’s father and changed his appearance with facial hair.” “What?” I grabbed Shane’s hand and took a deep breath. I hated the idea that Heller had used my father. “How did he find us?” Shane asked, squeezing my hand tighter. Jack looked at me again and I prepared. My skin began to prickle and my heart picked up speed. The need to move became overwhelming.

“Sage told him.” “What?” Shane hissed. I jerked my head back and shook my head. “I hadn't spoken to him in four years before tonight,” I cried out as adrenaline dumped and coursed through my body. “He cloned your mother ’s phone. Every text message you thought you sent her you were sendin’ to him instead. He’s been trackin’ you with it since you left Fairbanks.” The shaking began again and I looked at Shane, then Jack and Jenn. I could have gotten them all killed. It was then I actually crashed and burned. My lungs seemed to constrict. Pulling air into them was like breathing through a straw. I wailed, “You could have been killed because of me,” as my skin crawled as if tiny ants marched over it, and my head grew dizzy. A loud ringing erupted in my ears blocking out their voices, and my heart raced faster, pounding out of control in my chest. Shane reached out to grab my face and said, “Sage?” but I pushed him away. The thought of being touched made it worse. My vision blurred and became spotty as I tried again to pull air into my lungs. “I can’t breathe,” I forced out. “What’s wrong with me?” Jack growled, “Fuck,” and started the engine. “No! I need to get out,” I shouted in panic, reaching for the door handle before he took off, but Shane hauled me back from the door and wrapped me in a tight hold, crooning, “Breathe, baby. In and out. Just breathe.”

*** Shane kept hold of Sage as Jack maneuvered swiftly through Gunnison. She was having a panic attack and he needed to get her alone so he could talk her down. Sage had held up for twenty-nine years under the crushing force of her past abuse. Had become a strong woman in the face of it. But the past year had finally taken its toll. She kept repeating, “You could have died because of me,” while trying to break free from him. When Jack pulled into the drive, Shane ripped open the door and pulled Sage out, carrying her into the house and down the hall to their bedroom. Once inside, he lowered her to her feet and ripped off his shirt. “Touch me,” he ordered. She didn’t listen. She was distracted. Her hands were shaking; her eyes were wide with panic like a cat ready to bolt, so he grabbed her hand and slapped it on his chest, holding it there with his hand. “I’m here. I’m alive. Touch me.” Sage closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Her shaking subsided a fraction, then she stared blankly at his hand, lost in some fucked-up sense of responsibility to everyone around her. When her eyes dropped to the bruise on his chest where Heller ’s bullet had landed on his vest, she began to tremble again. He barked out, “Sage!” and her eyes popped to his. “I’m not going anywhere. This wasn’t your fault, baby. He would have found a way to get to you, so stop blaming yourself.” “You could have been killed,” she whispered, “and it would have been my fault.”

“Did you force him to act like a madman?” She rolled her lip between her teeth and shook her head no. “Did you deserve anything that man put you and your family through growing up?” Her eyes swept down in thought, a crease pulling across her freckled brow, then she looked back up at him and answered, “No.” “Then don’t give him another second of your life. Touch me.” She held his gaze, searching for some unknown answer until her wired eyes relaxed a fraction and she raised her free hand to touch his arm. He held still even though he wanted to throw her on the bed and bury himself inside her. To pound her body with his until the panic she was fighting disappeared. With shaking hands, she moved closer and rested her forehead on his chest. She took a shuddering breath, the warm air bouncing off his chest in a puff, then he felt her lips on his skin. It burned a trail straight to his cock, but he held still. She traced kisses across his chest until she reached his nipple. Then she flicked her tongue against it and his breath hitched. Sage pulled back at his reaction, and he watched a single tear run down her cheek. He resisted chasing it with his thumb. Instead, he stepped back and raised his arms wide in a gesture of submission, inviting her to take his control, to take his strength, and whispered, “I’m here. I’m yours. Take what you need from me.” Time fractured as he waited. Almost immediately, her breathing increased as she studied him, then her expression cleared and hunger replaced the splintered soul he’d seen moments before. “That’s my girl,” he whispered when she took her first step in his direction. “Take what you need from me.” With deliberate slowness, Sage moved to his right and then began a slow circle around his body while he stood stock-still. She paused at his back, placing a warm, slender hand in its center, then ran it up through his hair and tugged his head back. Shane closed his eyes when her mouth found his neck, her tongue dancing on the tendon. Sucking in a deep breath to keep from grabbing hold of her, he grunted when her teeth grazed his neck. “You’re mine,” she whispered, her warm breath heating his blood further. “No one is taking you from me.” Hearing the possessiveness in her voice caused his cock to ache. Giving up his control so she could have some for the first time in her life was killing him. But he’d do it again for her, his saving grace. So he held still as she kissed her way to his other ear, yanking his head again so she had more access, then groaned deep in his lungs when she said, “No one is taking you from me, not even you. I don’t want control, I only want you.” One second she was behind him, the next she was on her back, her clothes gone because he’d ripped them from her body. He grabbed her hair, pulling her head to the side, and then sunk into her heat in a single thrust while burying his head in her neck. Time suspended around them as he claimed her body, tasted the sweet recesses of her curves and memorized her inside and out. With a final thrust, he sent them both over the edge, plunging them into the abyss with no hope of surfacing; two souls that had been separated by fate, broken by life, finally became one.

***

With a cold beer in hand, Jack, Max, and Shane sat on the front porch at Jack’s house and watched the sunset. Jenn, Mia, and Sage were at the hospital fussing over Maxine while the men recovered from having to rescue their women once again. It had been less than twenty-four hours since their ordeal had begun with Heller, and all three were exhausted. “I’m gettin’ too old for this shit,” Jack sighed, stretching his head from side to side. “I should have kept her barefoot and pregnant until she was too exhausted to gallivant around causing trouble.” Max grunted. “Jenn’s like Maxine. You’d have had a houseful of kids to feed and still had a wife who got into trouble.” Jack turned and grinned at Max. “Predictable is boring,” he finally admitted. “True enough,” Max agreed, raising his beer in salute. “I don’t know about you two, but I could use some boring for a day or two,” Shane threw in. Leaning forward, Max looked at Shane and asked, “Speaking of predictable, now that your life is settled and you got a good woman at your side, does this mean you’re gonna head to medical school?” Shane took a pull from his beer and thought for a moment. As a young boy, he was fascinated with medicine, was certain he wanted to become a doctor, so he’d joined the Army to accomplish just that through their GI bill. However, treating the wounded while overseas had stolen his passion. He had seen enough death for ten lifetimes and now knew that being a doctor wasn’t where his future lay. Surprisingly, he found his calling while avoiding life for the past year. “Nope.” “No?” Max questioned. “You got a hearing problem?” Shane asked. “Then what the fuck are you gonna do?” “Well,” Shane said, stretching out his legs. “I was considering partnering with a certain lumberjack I know and building luxury cabins for all the slick city folk that seem to be coming in droves to our neck of the woods.” Max turned and looked at Shane, raising a brow. “Stacked Log, Post and Beam, or Timber Frame?” “Stacked Log. I’m not building anything but authentic cabins.” A slow grin pulled across Max’s mouth. “Works for me,” he stated, then reached out his bottle and clinked it to Shane’s. “We can start with yours and see how it goes.” “You’re lucky you can go home at all,” Jack stated, looking at Max. “It’s hard to plead self-defense like you did with Stetson when you broke Heller ’s neck without him even looking in your direction.” Parker and Jack had to bend the truth in their report so Max could avoid prosecution. All witness statements, including Barry’s, said Heller turned and pointed his gun at Max before he broke his neck. It was a small lie; one Jack didn’t lose sleep over. Not after he found Jenn bleeding in the waiting room. He’d have shot Heller and killed him himself if he’d had a clear shot. The man would have been dead either way that night when the smoke had cleared. A cab pulled into the drive and all three men turned and looked at it. When the passenger door opened, Max asked, “What the fuck is he doin’ here?” Gregor waved as he pulled a bag from the backseat. After tossing money to the cab driver, he

turned and headed in their direction with concern etched across his ruddy face. “How’s Maxie?” he asked Max when he reached the front porch. “Recovering,” Max bit out. “You wanna tell me how you knew about my mother and why you hauled your ass all the way down here?” “Mia called me. As for why I’m here, that should be obvious.” “Enlighten me.” Max ordered. Gregor looked to Shane then back at Max. His spine straightened and his chin came up, then he looked Max straight in the eyes and announced, “Cause I’m in love with your mother.” Jack stood immediately and put himself between Gregor and Max while Gregor ’s announcement slowly sunk into Max’s exhausted brain. “You wanna repeat that?” Max asked in an icy calm as he rose from his seat. Shane stood as well and mumbled, “Easy, Max.” “I’m in love with Maxine,” Gregor stated again. “I have been for a while, but I held back out of respect for your father. But no more. She could have died last night and it took almost losing her for me to realize I’m done being respectful when it’s what we both want.” “What you both want?” Max returned, still calm, still coolly regarding the old man. “It is. But she doesn’t want to upset you.” Jack had placed a hand on Max’s chest to keep him where he was. Max shoved it off and took a step forward, sizing Gregor up. “You’re not good enough for my mother,” Max returned calmly. “I know I’m not,” Gregor agreed. “She deserves a better man than you; she deserves a man like my father.” “No man is good enough for Maxie,” Gregor responded. Max grunted, “Damn straight,” then looked Gregor over from head to toe as if seeing him for the first time. “If you break my mother ’s heart, I’ll beat the shit out of you without a second thought. Old man or not.” Gregor relaxed a fraction and nodded once. “I’d expect nothin’ less.” A slow feral grin marked Max’s face, then he put out his hand. “I give you a week before you’re pullin’ your hair out.” “You’d lose that bet,” Gregor scoffed. “I’ve been pulling my hair out for six months.” On a bark, Max threw back his head and roared with laughter.

Epilogue Six weeks later . . . A soft breeze swirled around my head as I looked down at Emma Jane’s grave. So much had happened in the month and a half since I’d last been here that I didn’t know where to start. After placing fresh flowers next to her headstone, I brushed fallen leaves from the top, then raised my hand and traced the outline of her face etched in the granite. “Hey, pipsqueak. Sorry it took me so long to visit you, but my life has been a whirlwind the past month or so.” A strong hand curled around my shoulder, so I raised my left hand and took hold. The sunlight reflected off my princess cut diamond as I squeezed Shane’s hand, bouncing off the headstone in a kaleidoscope of crystalline color. “I brought someone with me,” I whispered. “Someone I know you’d approve of.” Glancing up at Shane, I caught the far-off look on his face and knew he was remembering the day she died. I whispered, “Shane?” and his eyes cleared, then he looked down at me. With a deep breath, he sank to his knees and took in Emma’s face carved in the granite. “She was a good kid,” he mumbled. “Yes, she was . . . Thank you for being her friend and looking out for her.” He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them and nodded his head. “It was my honor,” he murmured softly. It was time for a less serious mood, so I turned to Emma and giggled, “Shane’s going to be your brother-in-law. He somehow convinced me I’d be nuts if I didn’t marry him.” Shane scoffed. “Didn’t take much convincin’. As I recall, your knees hit the floor and my hand was guidin’ your—” I threw my hand over his mouth. “Emma doesn’t need the details.” Lines crinkled at the corner of his eyes and he kissed my hand, nipping my fingers. “Pretty sure you were moaning too,” he continued with a smirk. “Arrogant,” I gasped. “Still right,” he returned, then grabbed my neck and kissed me. The wind kicked up as he broke the kiss and placed his forehead on mine. I could feel Emma smiling down on us. “I love you,” I said, cupping his face and running my thumb across his cheek. “Thank you for loving me and giving me a reason to live.” Intensity clouded his gaze and he crushed me to his chest. “I can’t not love you,” he whispered. “It’s written in my DNA.” We both turned our heads and looked at Emma’s smiling eyes. Eyes that laughed at us both, that

held secrets and were full of love. They no longer haunted Shane’s dreams, and with each day, he spoke more and more of his time in Afghanistan. He’d been broken, but now he was pieced back together and moving forward. We both were. And that was the best way to honor Emma Jane.

*** Two months later . . . Sitting at a table in Last Call, Mia and I stared at Max and Shane, biting our lips to keep from laughing. Neither man thought there was anything funny. In fact, they looked downright ill. “Should we tell them you took me out on a raft today?” Mia asked out loud to take Max’s mind off the fact they’d walked into his mother ’s house and found Gregor and Maxine using the kitchen counter for something other than food preparation. According to Shane, there was a kilt involved and the words, “What’cha wearin’ under that kilt?” followed by Gregor showing, in great detail, what was underneath as Max walked in and caught the show. Also, according to Shane, there may or may not have been bleach involved and a phone call to a local psychiatrist for counseling. “You could tell me you took on Cowboy with your bare hands and it wouldn’t top that shit,” Max answered. “I bet I could tell you something that would top seeing your mother naked on her kitchen counter.” “Babe, you could try, but this shit’s burned into my retinas.” Shane turned to the bar, mumbling, “Gregor ’s ass blowin’ in the wind requires whiskey,” and whistled through his teeth, holding up four fingers and grunting, “Whiskey.” “I’m not drinking,” Mia said to Shane. “I won’t be able to for the next eight months.” It took a moment for what she said to register, but Shane caught on quicker than Max. I knew, of course. I’d gone with her to Smith’s to get a pregnancy test. Shane froze, then his lips curled into a smile. “God save us all,” he chuckled. “Max’ll be a madman by the end.” Mia didn’t respond, she was staring at Max. It had finally sunk in what she’d said and his eyes were glittering with emotion. “You’re carryin’ my child?” “I am. Though I can’t guarantee it’ll be a girl like Maxine wants,” Mia choked out. Max rose from his chair and rounded the table, plucking Mia gently from her chair and then crushing her to his chest. I felt my bottom lip tremble, watching how happy they were. After kissing her soundly, Max bent at the waist and picked Mia up, heading for the door without looking back at Shane and me. Shane rose and moved around the table, sitting in Mia’s vacated seat, smiling as he watched Max and Mia exit the bar. Curling his arm around my shoulder, he said in all seriousness, “I better get our cabin built. Peyton Hunter is gonna need a protector in this world, and who better than our son to take on female Hunter?” I snuggled into his side and smiled. “You assume we’ll have a boy.”

Shane gruffed, “Damn straight, we will.” He was right, of course.

*** Two years later . . . In a meadow high above Trails End, Shane and I watched as Max gave away his mother to Gregor MacGregor. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow on the couple. For once in her life, Maxine seemed demure, shy even, as she took her vows. Gregor was dressed in his kilt, looking every bit the Scotsman he was. Maxine wore an off-white gown covered in lace and a ring of flowers in her long flowing hair. As promised, Mia and Max had produced a granddaughter and named her Peyton. She was the apple of her father ’s eye, but black-haired and clumsy like her mother. Max was wound tight most days because of this and always on alert. He’d demanded sons from here on out to take some of the burdens off his shoulders. Shane and I got married a year and a half earlier and had a son, as Shane had commanded, three months ago. We named him Hunter in honor of Max, and in tribute to Shane’s connection to his family. I continued to work with Child Protective Services on a part-time basis and Shane was building cabins for the slick city folk that kept coming in droves to our slice of heaven on the Alaskan frontier. Jack, Jenn, and their boys were in attendance, as well as the whole town. No one had stayed home. They wanted to watch as their Queen took another man’s name. Jenn and I stood side-by-side, holding Peyton and Hunter, giggling at Max as he glared at Gregor. He’d yet to forgive the man for the kitchen fiasco and, no doubt, seeing him in a kilt brought it all back. Once their vows were taken, the whole town headed back to Last Call for the reception. It was jampacked, the overflow standing in the parking lot. We had reserved tables, thankfully. After settling Peyton and Hunter in their fathers’ arms, Jenn, Mia, and I made our way to the ladies’ room to freshen up. There was a line of women waiting to use the facilities. I finished first and stepped into the hall to make room at the sinks. I made it three steps when a strong arm grabbed me around the chest and hauled me into a dark corner. I giggled, thinking it was Shane, until putrid breath laced thick with alcohol hissed into my ear, “Been waitin’ a long time for payback.” Turning my head, I looked into the face of Roger Brown, the man from the carnival that had manhandled his son. He shoved me forward and I hit the wall. Turning so I wasn’t exposed, I put my hands up to block any blows that came my way. Jenn and Mia walked past as Brown threw a punch. I ducked and landed a kick to his midsection, then tried to run past him. He reached out with an arm and grabbed my hair. Jenn got in on the action then and jumped on his back, followed by Mia, who kicked his shin. “What,” Jenn hissed, “is it about us that we attract crazy men?” Brown tried batting Jenn off his back and he succeeded. She landed with a thud to the floor.

More women exited the ladies’ room and saw the commotion. They took off running into the bar, shouting at the top of their lungs, but I had had enough. Kicking off my heels for traction, I elbowed Brown in the gut, forcing him to let go of my hair, then rounded and shoved him back. I landed a knee to his nuts, and when he started to drop to his knees, I followed with a knee to his chin, knocking him out cold. I heard Shane roar, “Move!” right before he, Max, and Jack came running down the hall. I was standing over Brown, panting from exertion, when Shane arrived. He pushed me back and looked down at Brown. “Jesus, baby, you knocked him out cold.” “He pissed me off,” I returned with a shrug. He turned and looked at me, grinning. “Remind me not to piss you off.” “I’d like to point out,” Jenn said as Jack helped her from the floor. “That I am no longer the only woman in this family that has had two attackers. And I gladly relinquish the crown to Sage.” Maxine and Gregor pushed through the crowd then, elbowing their way through until they were standing next to me. “Who has the babies?” I asked. “Barbie Twins,” she replied, pulling out her phone. Then she snapped a picture of Brown and mumbled, “I’m posting this to Facebook. If you decide to beat the crap out of this asshat, let me know. I’ll record it for you . . .”

*** Shane leaned against the railing on his deck, watching Sage laugh with Mia and Jenn. He chuckled low as he brought a beer to his mouth. Jack and Max joined him with beers in hand, and all three grinned as the women raised the roof as they played with their kids. “We married nuts,” Max stated. “We married high-strung, glorious women,” Shane offered. “Yeah . . . No one ever said I was dumb,” Max pointed out. “Nor I,” Shane agreed. Jack turned and looked at both men, then glanced back at Jenn and their wives. He saw beauty, strength, headaches, passion, softness, frustration, and love shining brightly within the cabin. But most of all, he saw his reason to breathe. Looking back at the men at his side, Jack crossed his arms and informed Max and Shane—with the authority of a man who knew the smartest thing he’d ever done in his life was marrying Jenn—that, “Intelligence runs in our family . . . on the male side.”

The End

About the Author CP Smith resides in Oklahoma with her husband, five children, and four dogs.

You can reach Ms. Smith at:

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/Author-CP-Smith-73984223936361uyjh0/timeline/

Books by CP Smith

Reason Series

a reason to breathe

a reason to kill

a reason to live

Standalones

Restoring Hope

Property OF

FRAMED