Page 25 of Protected by the Sheriff (Magnolia Falls #2)

Mason

A fter working all day, I just want to go home and wrap myself up in my woman, but I’m disappointed to find that she’s not home when I arrive.

I’m already pissed because she hasn’t answered her phone or any of my texts all day.

Sometimes when she’s with a client, it takes a few minutes or an hour to call me back and that’s understandable, but this is not okay, and I’m going to bend her over my knee and spank her when she gets here.

I thought after the night we had last night that we were finally on the same page, but she’s been all fucking day without returning a single text or call and that burns my ass, so I’m going to burn hers.

Pulling into the driveway, the house is empty, a stark and lonely sight.

Trying to call her again, I press the cell to my cheek, even leaving a voicemail for her to call me as soon as she gets the message.

Unable to wait any longer, I hop in the car and drive to Olivia’s shop, where I see her car in the parking lot.

A wave of relief washes over me knowing she’s here and even if she’s trying to avoid me again, I can handle that.

The most important thing is that she’s safe.

My shoulders and neck ache with tension and worry.

Did she change her mind about us again? I can’t give her up after having her, tasting her, and knowing what it’s like to hold her in my arms. I won’t. If it means doing something even more insane than what I’ve already done, then that’s what I’ll do.

After parking, I approach the shop and try the door, finding it unlocked, which pisses me off even more. The shop is closed, and Olivia is probably in her office working alone. She’s got to learn to lock this door for her own safety. I swear, this woman is going to be the death of me.

After walking down the dimly lit hallway towards the office, I notice that Olivia’s door is ajar, revealing an empty room.

A surge of realization hits me as I remember that I have a tracker installed on Olivia’s phone.

With a mix of curiosity and unease, I pull out my phone to check the location of her device.

As the screen lights up, my eyes narrow in anger as I see her location at The Lucky Horseshoe, the same bar where she and Knox were together.

The mere thought of Olivia being out with Knox ignites a fiery rage within me.

I clench my fists, determined not to let my jealousy consume me, but the idea of her being with another man sends a wave of possessiveness through me.

Without a second thought, I make a mental note that if Olivia is indeed with Knox or any other man, there will be consequences.

Securing Olivia’s tattoo shop, I proceed to The Lucky Horseshoe. I walk in and am shocked to discover that Liv, along with Knox, aren’t here. There’s no sign of my woman anywhere.

After not finding her in either place I would have expected, I race back up the mountain and check her house and even recheck my house just in case she came home after I left. I’m at a loss as to what’s happened, and a shiver goes down my spine the more I realize something is wrong.

Checking the tracker, I installed on her phone again, I see it’s moved.

It’s now showing her location as out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains, so I decide to go investigate.

When I get to a point that is miles away from civilization and there’s nothing but trees and a narrow gravel road, I start to panic.

Why would Olivia be out here? There are no businesses, and no one lives here.

I’m getting a weird vibe that sends shivers down my spine.

After starting down several winding, barely maintained paths, traversing gravel and dirt roads choked with weeds and overgrowth, I finally stumble upon a track that feels… different. A sense of unease settles over me, a prickling feeling that something significant lies ahead.

Following the track downhill, the land slopes sharply, revealing the skeletal remains of an old, abandoned ski resort. It’s been closed for so long, swallowed by the encroaching wilderness, it isn’t even a blip on modern area maps.

The resort is largely shrouded in darkness, the decaying buildings looming with weeds and vines wrapped around the buildings.

However, in the distance, a single light pulses weakly, casting long, distorted shadows.

This solitary beacon emanates a profoundly unsettling vibe.

Why, I wonder, would a single light be illuminating this long-abandoned, seemingly forgotten ski resort in the dead of night?

There should be absolutely no reason for anyone, or anything, to be here.

The silence is unnerving, broken only by the whisper of the wind through skeletal trees and the occasional unsettling creak of aging wood. The feeling of being watched intensifies with every step I take closer to that inexplicable light.

Knowing I should wait for backup, I call my deputy and the police department. I also call Declan, my brother, because if my girl is locked up in this old ski resort, I want him here to help handle things while I take care of her.

Old, dilapidated ski lift surrounds a large area covered in buildings, its creaking an eerie reminder of winters past. The paint on the buildings is chipped and faded, peeling away in fragile flakes.

There’s a sizeable lodge and several other tall buildings, all at least two stories high, their structures hinting at age and stories untold.

Sirens blare in the distance, and I know help is coming even though my nerves are on end.

My hands tremble in fear of losing the most important person in my life.

Not being able to imagine why or how Olivia ended up here, I know in my gut that there’s something desperately wrong.

The sense of urgency, a need to get to my girl is clawing at my chest.

Unable to wait any longer, I draw my gun and charge my way to the front of the main building and the source of the solitary light.