Page 6 of Mountain Grump Protector

“We’re done here.” I reach into my back pocket for my billfold. I don’t have six grand, but I do have two. I slap the money on the table. “Consider this a deposit. I’ll get you the rest.”

“That wasn’t the deal, Reeves,” Hatch tries to argue with me. "It’s six grand or no⁠—”

I step up to him, narrow my eyes, and give him a look that leaves very little room for discussion. “You’ll accept the deposit, Hatch. You know I’m good for it.”

This time, he doesn’t argue.

Finally, I turn to the girl who is still standing slightly back from the action. She’s staring at me now, her expression unreadable like she’s trying to figure out what the hell just happened, and what exactly I’m going to want from her in return.

“We’re leaving,” I tell her.

When she doesn’t immediately make a move to leave, I hold back from reaching for her. I won’t put my hands on her. Not unless she wants me to.

The thought shoots through my head so quickly, I don’t have time to let myself think about what it might mean, before I focus my attention back on the matter at hand.

“Unless I read this all wrong and you want to stay here with these dickheads?”

She opens her mouth to say something, but obviously thinks better of it, presses her lips shut, and finally steps away toward the door.

I turn my back on the men and follow closely behind, only stopping by the bar long enough to throw down a twenty for my still unfinished drink before stepping outside into the hot summer night.

The minute we’re out the door, she spins on her heel and glares at me, her arms crossed over her chest, which has the effect of pushing her tits up almost to the point of spilling out of her tight tank top. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but if you think that I’m⁠—”

“What I think,” I interrupt her. “Is that it’s only going to take Hatch and his band of assholes a few minutes before they decide that they’re not okay with the deal we made, and they’ll be out here looking for you.”

She seems to think of that for a moment. Her gaze glances between me and the door before finally settling on me. This time her expression is easy to read: it's fear.

“Do you think…”

“Yes.” I gesture toward my truck. “I do think. Let’s go.”

She hesitates, but only for a moment before stepping toward the truck. “Why should I go with you?”

“Look, I get why you’re hesitant,” I say. “But right now you don’t have a lot of options. And technically, I did win the shot.”

It’s the wrong thing to say.

Chapter Three

Willow

Did he seriously say that?

I open my mouth to tell him exactly where he can stick his "I just won this shot" comment, but I don't get the chance because the door of the Rusty Nail bangs open behind us.

It’s the taller, skinnier one of Ronnie’s douche bag friends. He stops when he sees us, and there is no missing the look in his eyes when he looks at me, as if he knows something I don't.

He leans up against the wall and lights a cigarette, keeping his eyes focused squarely on me, to make sure that I know that he's watching.

Just like that, whatever is left of the fight I have in me drains out of me, and I look over to my protector, if that’s even what he is. I still don’t know what it is he wants from me, but right now this wall of mountain man still seems like a better bet than Ronnie Hatch.

He’s right. And I hate that, but he is. The minute I get in my car and pull away, I'm going to have company. There is no way that Ronnie's going to let me walk away from this, not after basically being humiliated at his own game.

No.

Everything suddenly got a whole lot worse, and there's going to be a price to pay. The problem is, I'm pretty sure that price is going to be me.

I look over at the mountain man and try to think about what I know about him. It's not much more than his name. Cal Reeves. But I know he's the best alternative I've got.