hour ago, and still,

herself into the ground ever since she arrived, doing more than her fair share, trying so damn hard to prove herself. M

e air felt heavy. Something gnawed at his gut like a wild animal, and by the time lunc

er ranch hands. He didn't say a word. Just grabbed his coat, nodded tightly, and

le of bad memories, every step dragging heavier than the last. Hi

ked and

ere?" But nothing other

de him. He crouched and grabbed the spare key from benea

e lock, turned, and

aw, split his

like armour, her body trembling with the force of her sobs. Her hair was tangled, her f

d everything. And in a flash, he was at h

But then she reached for him, clutching his shirt with sha

r tighter than he'd ever held anything in

okay. Her whole body convulsed w

Barely a whisper. But they kno

hen they had to be strong. But damn it, this woman... this brave, beautiful, wounded woman

ser, resting his

. I'm not goi

into whimpers, he ge

d," he said, voice lo

t was a nightmare. But it wasn't. He... he touched me, Beau. He was

jaw aching as fury surged up like a tidal wave. His

bitch. That vile, pathetic, miserable excuse for a man laid his

ers twisting into his

nt he knew, and I mean truly k

bs. "I'm not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever. I swear it, Cla

like he owned me. Like he st

his veins. "You don't. You

apped the blankets around her, an

y with you. You're not gonna be al

look in her eyes would haunt

building behind his ribs. The second he saw his mo

her feet. The moment she saw the look om he

u growled. "Last n

mouth. "Then we need

d over gravel. "This isn't some break

au.

open the gun cabinet, and grabbed

as l

't go alone. Please. We don't know what he's

ing her feel broken. Of crawling into her bed like some goddamn demon. He made her beg me no

oved the door open, and

r like she's your own blood. D

med the door shut, and roared d

e. This was vengeance. And he wouldn'

ood in the distance like silent witnesses, watching a man become something else, something dangerous. His knuckles were bone white on the ste

d Alaric. And he wa

knew something dark had crawled into its belly and now everyone was holding their breath.

s back like a promise. Every head turned. People paused. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. One

epped from behind the counter, ca

r? Tall. British. Walks

tching that a few days back

m. He didn't need to

ing on. Beau's stomach twisted as he pulled into the gravel lot. His boots hit the ground before the engine even died. He walked s

know how, but he knew. It had to have

rm on two legs. Knocked hard but

ice low, nearly inhuman.

ere was

de. Quiet. Cold. A sound tha

too late

g in Bea

slamming into the wall. The room inside was dark, sparse, and reeked of cigarette smoke and s

no A

dows, coming through a cr

t you'll protect her from me? You have

trigger. "If you so much as breathe near her a

from behind the

. You think this is love? You're just her rebound. A wa

r bed like a parasite and smiled while she cried. You touched her while she slept

nce

the bathroom win

to catch a glimpse of Alaric's coat slipping out through

ng against his ribs like a hammer. But Alaric was

in the bitter air. His chest rose and fell like he'd run a marat

clenched at his sides. He hadn't caught him. Not yet. But he'd

no more warnings. No more chances. Only justice. Delivered by a ma

ound her, her arms locked around herself like she could keep the

bunkhouse door

ment later, and Beau

her voice lined with concern, but fir

came out. Her mouth was dry. Her chest hurt. "I'm

t's alright. No one expects you to be. But this?" She gestured around the bunk

lence was a

in front of Claire. "Fresh sheets, big window with morning lig

her vision, but she still shook her

a burden. You are a woman who's been through hell and is still standin'. T

tance, and for the first time in so long, someone w

few belongings back into the suitcase, every motion feeling surreal, like she was outside herself. H

uiet patience. When Claire was ready, she took t

t a beat. Then she re

ce over her shoulder at the bunkhouse. The place she

And it looked a lot like the house up the hil