Page 40 of Single Mom’s Mountain Men (Mountain Men Reverse Harem #1)

Patty

I ’m quiet on the ride home, staring out the window as devastation rips through my chest.

I failed my daughters. I let them get taken by that maniac again, even though I promised them it would never happen, that I would protect them. I have failed them.

It’s easy now to look back and see all the things I did wrong.

I shouldn’t have stopped in Gaston. I should have kept going, and hidden somewhere more remote where he wouldn’t find me.

Staying here for so long was a mistake because I got too comfortable.

I should have trusted my gut and left town when I had the chance.

Or maybe I should have told the sheriff what was going on. Would he have been able to help me?

No, there's nothing the sheriff could have done. Keegan somehow managed to escape from jail without a news report. I doubt anyone would have known he was in town.

How did he find me? Someone would have had to alert him, perhaps someone in the FBI. Did Mrs. Weatherby talk to the sheriff about me? She swore she didn't but can I even trust anyone anymore ?

Suddenly, a hand wraps around my thigh, and I look up to find that we’re nearing the ranch.

"We’ll find them," Wes says. "I swear to you. Both Charlie and Mitch are special ops and are still in contact with men from their team. One of them is a private investigator. We’ll find the girls, alright?"

I swallow and nod leaning my head against the window.

I place my palm above his and he turns over his hand to grip mine.

I try to draw strength from that. At least, I’m not doing this alone.

If I were, I probably would have lost my mind and I certainly would have given in to Keegan's demand to meet up already.

As the ranch comes into view, I spot Wiley, Charlie and Mitch standing on the porch with concerned looks stamped on their faces.

It reminds me of when I arrived wounded on Wes’ bike and the thought almost makes me smile because then I remember what came after.

The touches, the loving the confessions…

all that seems like a lifetime ago. All of that lulled me into a false sense of security when I should have been suspicious that everything was going far too well in my life.

That usually means that something ugly lurks on the horizon.

And now, it has my daughters.

"What happened?" Mitch instantly demands as we dismount from the truck and Wiley pads over to greet me with a lick and a demand for a head pat.

Wes comes around to take my hand.

"Let's go inside first," he says. "Have her sit down. Make her some tea. And then she’ll tell us the whole story."

Mitch hesitates and then he nods.

Minutes later, with a cup of tea in front of me, I reveal the whole story.

I tell them how I met Keegan, fell in love, and got pregnant.

Then I found out that his career was a lot more criminal than I initially thought.

I force myself to reveal how the relationship devolved into abuse, and how he once threatened to hit Katie.

I tell them how I finally took the evidence of Keegan's crimes to the FBI.

Later that week, I overheard Keegan telling his right-hand man that his FBI insider learned there was going to be a raid due to an anonymous source.

I finally conclude by laying out how I took off with my daughters and pretended like we had flown to Seattle.

By the time I’m done, my voice is hoarse and the men are all staring at me with identically stormy expressions on their faces.

I wait for the accusations to begin, wait for them to list out all I did wrong. But they don’t give me that. Instead, Charlie leaves the room instantly and Mitch pulls his phone out of his pocket and begins typing.

“Your nightmares,” Mitch asks, his voice low and growly. “That’s where they’re from? That bastard gave them to you.”

There’s no use denying it anymore. I nod.

I watch his jaw clench and work, as he tries so hard to control his emotions.

Still, anger radiates from him and reflects in the way he pushes the buttons on his smartphone. "I’m texting an old buddy right now. He's a PI. What's his full name?""Keegan Whitman," I say. "And my real name is Patty Cross."

He nods and continues typing slowly, cursing as his large fingers get in the way.

"Did he mention how he found you?" Mitch asks.

"No," I say exhausted from all the talking. "He didn't say. But he did mention that he has friends in town and he seemed to know about you guys too. He called one of you my biker boyfriend. "

Suddenly, Mitch froze. His expression turns even more furious.

"Banker," he growls.

"You think it was him?" Wes asks.

"It has to be. He has a bunch of weapons and bad men on his payroll who occasionally harass people who don't want to sell to him. He has to be getting it from somewhere. Plus he looked at Patty like he half recognized her. Maybe he's seen her before or maybe Keegan mentioned her."

I instantly picture that afternoon, how that man looked at me with narrowed eyes. I swallow. He looks exactly like the type Keegan would do business with.

"It's possible," Wes says.

"What's more possible is that Banker might be hosting him, especially if the FBI has confiscated Keegan's weapons and houses. Banker has a bunch of warehouses between here and Colorado. We should check those."

Just then, Charlie finally returns with his laptop which he places on the table. As Wes takes my hand, squeezing it for comfort, Charlie announces, " Start with Medla. That's where he is now."

I glance at them. "How do you know?"

"Because it's where the girls are. According to the tracking devices I planted on them."

We all pause and look at Charlie in shock.

"You have tracking devices on my girls?" I ask him, stunned.

"Of course," Charlie says. "Wes told me about your abusive ex.

" When I glance at Wes, he shrugs unapologetically.

"I thought he might come for you at some point and the thought of it gave me nightmares. I couldn’t sleep.

So I had a buddy send me some tracking devices.

Put some in the wooden keychains we carved for each of the girls.

Also in a couple of their clothes. I put one in your car too, and in that necklace I got you. "

"Way to go, Charlie," Wes breathes and as Charlie continues, "Mitch, I also had Lloyd looking into your Keegan.

Except we didn't have the proper last name and didn't know he was a criminal so it was difficult to find anything.

In any case, he owns a security team and he's told me they're ready to help.

So I would just fill them in on what they need to know. "

Mitch nods and instantly continues typing.

Relief floods through me so heavily that I want to burst into tears. And indeed that’s what I do.

"I’m sorry," I cry. "I should have told you guys everything from the beginning."

"You should have," Charlie says attempting a smile that doesn't quite make it through his tension. "But I get it. That asshole probably destroyed your trust in men and you couldn’t be sure yet that we wouldn't turn out like him or use that information against you."

"No, it's not just that. I also...I should have trusted you."

"It’s alright sweetheart," Mitch says softly. "We get it. But from now on, no more secrets. We insist that you tell us everything. Especially anything that could be a danger to you or our girls."

Our girls. He said it so easily like he didn't even realize he claimed responsibility for them too.

"I was afraid that if you knew you would be ashamed of me," I admit quietly.

"Because my actions, staying with Keegan, put my girls in danger.

Even after I found out what he did I still stayed and even had another baby with him.

He convinced me that…No, I let myself be convinced that it would be okay. "

"You were a young vulnerable woman who was barely an adult," Mitch says coming to me to caress my cheek.

"He knew that and took advantage of it. Nothing that happened is your fault. And even if it was there’s nothing you can do to make us turn away from you or turn our backs on you. We love you, Patty. Believe that."

I press my lips together, guilty words still looking to spill forth. But ultimately, I nod.

Once he's done texting the names involved, Mitch calls Lloyd to lay out the plan of attack.

In that time, the text from Keegan arrives wanting to meet at a diner in Medla. But according to Charlie's GPS, that's not the location where my daughters are being held.

"They're in one of Banker's warehouses, about thirty minutes from there." Charlie says.

"Probably under guard," Mitch agrees.

They share a look that communicates something I don't understand and then I ask, "What?"

"Nothing," Charlie says.

"Here's the plan," Mitch says. "We'll send Lloyd's men to meet Keegan at the diner. While they're doing that, Charlie and I will go rescue the girls. Text Keegan back and tell him you should be there in about an hour and thirty minutes. That should give us enough time to do what we need to do."

I nod and then set about sending the text.

Keegan sends me a kissy face back in response, along with an ominous, Don't be late.

Once I confirm receipt, Charlie and Mitch charge out of the room.

Before he goes, Charlie presses a kiss to my lips. 'We'll save them," he says. "I promise."

I nod and send a silent prayer for them as minutes later, their motorcycles zoom out.

Wes stays behind with me to keep me safe. Every thirty minutes, he goes out to patrol the yard with a shotgun, just in case Keegan sends one of his men after us. Keegan doesn't text me again but neither do Charlie and Mitch and my tension climbs with every second that passes.

I wander around the house trying to keep myself occupied and then head to the kitchen.

Maybe if I cook I can distract myself. I can make something for Wiley.

He’s currently having the zoomies and he’s tearing up and down the front yard, before running into the forest. The girls will also probably be hungry when they come home too.

I don't allow myself to consider the alternative of them never coming home.

As night falls, I heard the door open behind me.

"I made baked potatoes today Wes." I turn around as I talk. "With ribs. Your favorite–"

The words instantly end in a horrified gasp.

It's not Wes standing behind me.

It's Keegan.