Page 19 of Mountain Defender

He’s said good things?

But. Did he mention the scars? How unsocial I am? How I clam up whenever the topic shifts to my family and childhood?

Are they agreeing to this because they feel sorry for me?

“And you know Knox, albeit indirectly,” Gage continues. “He served on the same team as Isla’s husband. Matt would vouch for him, I’m sure.”

But I’m not worried about not trusting Gage and his team. I’m just… “I’m not used to asking for help.” It just slips out before I can stop myself. “I take care of things on my own. I always have, ever since—” My poor, abused voice breaks.

“Rory.” Gage scoots his chair closer to the bed. He catches my hand again, and just for a moment, that’s all I can think about.

Gage touching me.

Even though I know it’s only meant to be friendly, this is the first skin-to-skin contact I’ve had with a man in years. And not just any man. Gage. The man who worked his way past my defenses even though I was determined not to let him in. The man I’ve grown to trust.

I don’t want to think about the hospital and police and attempted murder and the plethora of other crappy things going on. I just want to absorb this moment. When I feel normal. When I can pretend Gage cares about me as more than a friend.

“Ror?” Taking my silence as disapproval, his eyebrows pull into a worried V. “If this isn’t what you want, I’ll help you come up with something else. Or if you don’t want any help at all, that’s okay, too.”

He pauses. “Well. I would hate it, because Iwantto help you. And I get it; not wanting to rely on other people. But it’s okay to ask for help sometimes. Or to accept when it’s offered. No one can be strong all the time. Not even superheroes.”

“I’m no superhero.”

“I don’t know about that.” Gage looks at me, an unreadable expression on his face. “I think you’re pretty damn incredible.”

Warmth blossoms inside me.

Maybe today isn’t all bad, after all.

“So? What do you think? Want to come stay at GMG?” A crooked smile tugs at his lips. “Come be my neighbor?”

As I look at his handsome features and the unexpected vulnerability in his gaze, I find myself smiling back at him. “Yes. I’d really like that.”

“Good.” Gage gives my hand another quick squeeze. “Then it’s settled. We’ll get a cabin set up for you to move in tomorrow. And until then, I’ll stay here to make sure you’re safe.”

Oh.

Even as my heart lifts, I wrench it back down.

Just friends.

That’s all it’ll ever be.

And no matter how great Gage is, I’d better not forget it.

CHAPTER 4

GAGE

“Areyou ready to get out of here?”

I force a smile as I walk into Rory’s hospital room, doing my best to keep my gaze on hers instead of moving to the purpling bruise on her forehead.

Or to the expanding ones on her neck.

My jaw clenches in an attempt to keep my expression steady. Every time I see the evidence of Rory’s injuries, it’s a battle to keep my anger under control. Not at her, of course, but at the still-unidentified man who did this to her.

No, we don’t have proof it was a man. But given the size of the fingerprint-shaped bruises…