Page 16 of Freeing Denver

“Can I leave you unsupervised with him?”

The words are like teeth sinking into my heart. They shouldn’t surprise me, but they do.

I steel my spine. “Get out. Lewis, go with him and make sure he leaves.”

My bodyguard shakes his head. “I’m not?—”

“Everybody stop talking to me as if what I say is negotiable,” I snap. “All of you do as I fucking ask. Axel will stay. I’ll be fine.”

Chapter 3

Denver

Once we’re alone, Axel lets out a breath. “I’m going to make a coffee. Does anyone want one?”

I shake my head, “No, thank you.”

Ranger shakes his head, too.

I remain standing, and my husband keeps his attention on my face. The last time we were this close, he was holding our son and a box of matches in a gasoline-soaked room. Evidence of his fight with Colt a week ago shows on his face, a cut by his eye, one across his nose, but other than that, he looks like Ranger.

“I’m sorry.” His voice is soft, but he looks as if he’s burying a knife into his chest and twisting.

I allow myself a long blink as the words strike my heart. “An apology will never be enough for what you did.”

“I know,” he says. “But I’m saying it anyway. Is our son okay?”

“Don’t call him that.”

“That’s who he is.Ourson.Ourchild.”

Shudders rack me and I turn away from him. “Stop it. Please, just … stop.” My voice breaks, and I pray for the strength to hold myself together. To ask for his help when I want to put a bullet between his eyes.

It’s for Colt. For Holly. For Finn. For Ronan.

For the family.

I close my eyes and picture Colt’s face, imagining his arms around me.

“This is forever for me.”

I school my expression and face Ranger again. “I need you to support me in this.”

His laugh is cold. “Support the McEwans after all they did?”

“Finn told me everything, Ranger. He tried to help you, he tried to help me, but you refused all of it.”

“I didn’t need hispity.”

“Maybe if you’d taken it, you wouldn’t be such a fucking monster.” I somehow keep myself from screaming the words. “Finn was a good man. He cared about you. He looked after me after you ruined us.”

Ranger looks physically disgusted by the words and stands. I keep my ground as he advances. “Looked after you? As if any man could care for you the way I do.” He rests his hand on the mantel, towering over me. “You lived in my house for seven fucking years, Denver. Not once did you ever come to any harm. How long have you been here?” He reaches out to move my hair aside, and I flinch as he runs his finger down one of the healing cuts on my face. “Finn failed you. Colt failed you. They’re paying the price for it now, aren’t they?”

I glare up at him. “Say one more word about Colt, and I’ll shoot you where you stand.”

The rage in him is unbridled. Dangerous. Terrifying.

But when you’ve faced down a lion so many times, it’s hard to worry what it will do. He’s already torn me to pieces and feasted on the remains.