Page 35 of Beneath the Mountain Sky

Sheriff Briggs gives me an annoyed look. “I don’t want to have to send rescue up here for you, too.”

I scowl at Tony. “I’ve headed every search and rescue team you’ve ever had on the mountain, so I hope you’re fucking joking.”

He snorts and holds up his hands. “I know better than to joke with someone who doesn’t have a sense of humor, Killian.”

Liam inclines his head to Sheriff Briggs. “I’ll head back with him so he can make the calls tonight and hopefully get the dogs up tomorrow. You two be careful.”

“Always.”

For anyone else, staying up here in the dark would be a surefire way to get lost—or worse. But for Connor and me, it won’t be a problem.

What will be is turning away and returning without answers.

Tony and Liam set off using the game trail to backtrack to the river, while I join Connor deeper into the meadow.

He watches me out of the corner of his eye, a question there.

“Not you, too.”

One of his black brows rises. “What?”

“Liam was giving me shit on the way up here…about Willow being back.”

“And?”

Asshole.

I scowl at him. “I don’t need it from you, too.”

He shrugs, trying to appear innocent—a look that absolutely does not fit him. “I didn’t say a word.”

“You don’t have to. I know that look.”

His deep caramel eyes widen. “What look?”

“That judgy one you always get.”

“I’m not judgy.”

“Yeah, you are.” I point my axe at him. “And you’re judging me right now.”

“I’m not.” A long sigh falls from his lips, and he holds my gaze for a moment. “I’m just worried about you. I know what that woman did to you by leaving, and I don’t want to see you go through that again. It’s been a year, and you haven’t recovered.”

I growl low at him, taking a threatening step in his direction. “You idiot. It isn’t about what she did to me by leaving; it’s what I did to make her leave in the fucking first place.”

Turning, I walk away from him before he can continue to argue with me about it. Before he can push me to do something stupid like deck him—or worse.

He’s always taken my side.

On everything.

Including the argument that broke us up.

But he’s wrong in that, and I’ve known it since the day it happened.

I was just too proud to admit it to anyone but myself.

Until I saw her in that water.