Page 22 of The Mountain Man's Hunted Bride

“Can you overlook my past and see a life with me?”

“Can I overlookyourpast? My god, Gray. I’ve brought all of that back up for you. My pathetic past is making you relive all the horror of your own.”

He cups my cheek. “Not you. Them. All the Stumps are vile vindictive bastards. I will not let them get to you. They have hurt others in the town. Maybe if we stand up to them, others will come forward. I learned something else today. The mayor just had the current police chief removed and is asking for him to be investigated.”

“I can’t believe it. Finally, some justice. Because of you, Gray. You are making things happen.

“Gray, I love you. Not because of what you’re doing. But because of the man you are. Honest. Kind. Loyal. This may have started as some kind of jest, but my heart knows the truth. It’s yours for as long as you want it.”

“You give it to me, love, and I’m never giving it back.”

“I don’t want it back.”

“What I do want is for you to make me your wife tonight. Think you can handle that?”

He smiles. “Yes, ma’am.”

CHAPTER 15

Gray

I’m a little worried about Gerdie. I don’t like her alone since she’s just up the mountain from the Stumps. Beck offers to take her and Russet home with him and calls Micha who says to give him forty-five minutes, and he’ll come do the night watch here at the cabin.

Next, we call the hospital. The nurse explains that Joey is sleeping peacefully and they don’t want to wake him. After Tawny provides identity information, they explain that he has a couple cracked ribs, a concussion and some blunt force trauma to his kidneys. He’s receiving treatment and the doctor can be reached tomorrow for more details. Prognoses is good for a full recovery. She also confirms he’s in a private room with a guard and promises to tell him his sister tried to call.

Micha shows up with his gallon thermos of coffee—just the way he likes it made—and disappears into the woods on his night rounds.

Beck and Gerdie take off with Russet, promising to be back after they take care of her chickens in the morning.

We’ll definitely need to enlarge the cabin.

Tawny is fading fast, which I expected with all the shocks today. While she takes her shower, I step outside to talk with Micha, who is really the senior officer, but prefers the seclusion of his piece of the mountain. He won’t hesitate to voice his opinion but doesn’t interfere.

“What do you think?”

“From what you tell me and the research I’ve done, they’re sloppy. How they’ve gotten away with some of the shit they pulled is unbelievable. Although they have had the current chief of police in their pocket the last few years since your Pops passed. The women they’ve harmed are a damn shame. In some ways your mom got off the easiest.

“They don’t know the network you have. Since they’re bullies, they’ll think they can bluster their way through. Threaten you and you’ll cave. You’ve already shut that down.

“Lust is always the unknown. Something about your girl held them back for a as long as they did. Probably a mix of her own intelligence and the fear if they did rape her, someone would believe her. At eighteen they’d be more likely to get away with a lie.

“You’ve done everything right as far as I can tell. Now that you have her brother safely hidden away, once they attack, you’ve got a good chance of sending them all away for good.

“The mountain is resting quietly tonight. I’ll wake you if she wakes up. My guess is we got about twenty-four hours. Get some rest.”

“Thanks.”

He nods.

Tawny is at the kitchen counter in her new robe. She glances up, pouring something in a mug. “Would you like some herbal tea?”

“I’m fine. I’m going to take a quick shower.” When I come out, she’s fast asleep in the bed. I smile. As much as I want her, snuggling with her is just as appealing. Slipping my weapon into the hiding place in the headboard, I crawl in under the blanket behind her, spooning her body. This is enough. Touching her, cradling her against me, inhaling her unique scent, gives me a quiet comfort that’s been missing my whole life. It’s like coming home.

Something shifts and I’m wide awake. Tawny’s whisper flows across my skin. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I just wanted to get closer.”

I’m on my back, her head is on my chest, her body pressed against my side. “Hmm, still not close enough.”

I shift her until she’s on top of me. “That’s better. Now I can hug all of you.”