Page 4 of Mated to the Mountain Bear (Bear Protector #1)

He glances at me then back at the road, and shifts in his seat. His hands are relaxed on the wheel, but I notice the way his eyes keep checking the mirrors.

Beau thinks there’s a chance we’re being followed, and as I swivel in my seat, heart racing, now, I do, too.

“My brother has a place in the mountains. It’s secure. No one would think to look for you there.”

My fingers tangle together, and my knee bounces. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. This man has my phone, and is driving me out to an isolated mysterious location, where from the sounds of it, nobody will find me.

“Your brother?”

At least Beau comes with a recommendation from a woman I trust. I know nothing about his brother.

“Ben. He... keeps to himself. But he’ll help.”

The lights of the town fade in the rearview mirror.

Trees line the highway, dark shapes bending in the wind and rain.

We take an exit I don’t recognise, onto a two-lane road that curves uphill through forest. The headlights sweep across tree trunks and underbrush, creating moving shadows that make my heart race.

“I don’t know about this… Maybe I should just stay with a friend.”

But who? I run through the depressing short list in my mind and admit I’ve got limited options.

Am I going to turn up on the doorstep of my best friend who’s expecting twins? My ex who still wants to patch things up? No thanks. None of them needs this shitshow landing on their doorstep. Especially if this guy is dangerous.

“Someone was in your apartment tonight. He probably knows everything about you. Where you work, your gym, your family. And checking local hotels is too easy for a guy who’s this determined. You need to disappear for a few days while I figure out who’s doing this.”

He’s right, and I hate it.

My fingers dig into the leather of his jacket as I draw it tighter around me, holding on to something solid, while everything else spins out of control.

This is what Beau does. There’s a reason Harris recommended him. Trust the process. It’s just a few days. Maybe he’ll figure out who it is, and this will all be over.

He pulls out his phone, thumb moving across the screen without looking away from the road. The call connects through the car speakers.

“What?” The voice that answers is groggy and annoyed.

“Mason, it’s Beau. I need you and Maddox ready in an hour.”

A string of sleepy expletives come down the line.

“Do you know what fucking time it is?” He snarls, but I can hear movement, like he’s already getting up and dressed, just like Beau did.

“I’ve got a situation. Someone broke into my client’s apartment tonight while she was sleeping. I need you to help me track them down.”

I can still scarcely believe it happened. Hearing it repeated out loud again is jarring. Is this really my life now? I used to think I was so strong and could handle anything. Now, look at me, I’m a mess. Everything’s a mess.

“Shit.” The sleepiness vanishes from the voice. “Where do you need us? I’m already in the car.”

These guys don’t mess around.

“I’m taking her to Ben’s first. She needs somewhere safe while we work.”

A long pause. “Ben knows about this?”

Beau shifts in his seat again, looking at me out of the corner of his eye, and frowning. “He will in about twenty minutes.”

“He’s gonna lose his shit.” But there’s amusement in Mason’s voice now. “He said no to the job, like five times already.”

Beau rolls his shoulders, looks at me, then back to the road.

“This is different. I’m not asking him to work, just let someone stay for a few days.”

Mason laughs. “That’s worse. I think he’d prefer to work.”

Beau’s fingers drum against the steering wheel. “Can you and Maddox handle surveillance on her apartment building while I drop her off? Whoever this guy is, he might come back. I’ve just sent you the details.”

Normally, I’d point out how dangerous texting while driving is, but somehow, I don’t think now is the time.

“On it. I’ll grab Maddox, and we’ll head straight over.”

Beau nods. “Thanks. And Mason? Be careful.”

Even he knows this is dangerous. I had a close call tonight. Really close. And the reality of that is just settling in.

“Always.”

The call ends. Beau drops the phone in the cupholder, but the nervous drumming continues against the wheel.

“They’ll watch your building, see if your stalker comes back. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

Neither of us thinks they will, that it’ll be that easy, but it’s worth a try.

“What about your office?”

I shake my head. “I worked for my sister. My laptop is my office.”

And it’s back in my apartment. Hopefully. Sighing, thinking of the hundreds of unread emails I’ve been ignoring since Amber went missing, I get back to the issue at hand. Staying alive long enough to figure it out.

“And if Ben really says no? Where do I go then?”

Beau’s hands tighten on the wheel. “He won’t. He might bitch about it, but he won’t turn you away. Not once he sees...” He gestures vaguely at my state of dishevelment. I hope he’s right.

We turn onto a gravel road which quickly gives way to dirt.

The SUV tires crunch over stones; the sound muffled by the rain hitting the roof.

There are no streetlights out here. No houses.

Nothing except darkness and rain, and the twin beams of headlights showing the way.

Trees press close on either side, and branches scrape the vehicle, but Beau doesn’t seem to care about his paint work.

Looking at the mess inside, that tracks.

“Harris is good at her job,” Beau says suddenly. “If she gave you my number, you can trust that she did it for a reason. We’ll get this guy.”

That does make me feel a little better, less like I’m the idiot in a horror movie who’s fallen for the psycho’s ruse to get her into her car and out of town.

“How do you know each other? Were you a cop before?”

He barks out a laugh, shaking his head, as the ghost of a smile crosses his face. “Definitely not a cop.”

Taking another turn, the trees give way to a clearing, and headlights sweep across a log cabin that looks hand-built from the surrounding forest. Its walls are dark with rain, small windows glowing with warm light, and there’s a wide porch that runs along the front.

White smoke drifts from a stone chimney, quickly dispersed by a stiff breeze that sways the trees.

Beau pulls up beside a battered pickup and cuts the engine. The sudden absence of other noises makes the rain sound even louder. He turns to face me fully, expression serious in the dim light.

“Ben’s going to be... resistant. He’s a bit of a loner, but he’s a good guy. Solid. He’ll come around. Just... let me do the talking, okay?”

Before I can answer, the cabin door opens, and a massive figure fills the doorway, arms folded, his huge frame backlit by warm light from inside. Even from here, I can feel the tension radiating off him.

So this must be Ben. Beau was right.

He’s not happy.