Page 27 of Cowboy Mountain Man

For a moment, I let myself feel it. She’s here. Breathing. Whole.

The man at the kitchen door could have turned down the hall. The second could have come for her instead of the bag.

I press my mouth to her hair. Then make myself loosen my grip. “We need to move.”

She lifts her head. “Where?”

“Somewhere they won’t expect.”

“The road’s blocked.”

“There’s another trail.”

Her gaze drops to my shoulder again. “You’re bleeding.”

“It can wait.”

“Mine can’t,” she says.

I look at her. She touches the edge of the torn shirt with careful fingers.

“Being scared. I can wait to do that until we’re somewhere else.”

There’s that nerve again. I want to kiss her. I want to put her behind me and keep her there until every man involved in this is in handcuffs.

I settle for touching her cheek.

“Get your boots on.”

Ellis answers on the second ring. I give him the short version while Hope changes into her dry jeans. Two men. Forced entry. Camera stolen. Attempted fire. “They know where she is,” he says.

“Yes.”

“Can you hold there?”

“Back door’s compromised. I’m moving her.”

“I’ll send⁠—”

“The north trail. I’ll contact you when we’re clear.”

I end the call and send Alden the same update. Then I pack. First-aid kit. Water. Flashlight. Spare ammunition.

Hope comes out of the bedroom carrying the tablet and her purse. “They got the camera,” she says.

“Yes.”

She reaches into the pocket of my sweatshirt. “But they didn’t get this.”

A memory card rests in her palm.

I look from it to her face. “You took it out.”

“Before I went to bed. I didn’t want to leave the pictures in the bag after what happened today.”

I let out a slow breath.

She looks uncertain. “Is that good?”