Staying locked in the closet while knowing Gage was out there with some sort of enemy attacker for a second time was a lot harder than the first. Hard enough that I lasted all of about two minutes. I hadn’t planned to go against Gage’s orders—in fact, I’d fully intended to follow them to the letter. Right up until something that sounded like a bomb went off in the house. Followed closely by a volley of gunshots that ended faster than I would have expected. Every thought I had, every emotion and memory and idea disappeared. My entire being focused down to one single question.

What if Gage was already dead?

A visceral sort of boiling started in my blood, an anger that completely overtook me. No way would I leave him to deal with whatever was coming on his own. He’d said backup was on the way, but that didn’t mean they’d get to us in time. Or that he had cast a wide enough net when he’d asked for help. He’d only called Alder, and though the oldest Kennard had said we in return, I didn’t know what that we included. Gage had told me last time that if he went down, I was to contact everyone in his phone to help me.

Gage was the one who needed help, and that list was where we’d find it.

I unlocked Gage’s phone, nearly tearing up as I spelled out my own name on the keypad—my silly, sentimental beast of a man—before opening his contact list. But there was a surprisingly small number of names in his phone. Looking over the list, I knew all but two of them. I skipped the guys who worked for him and the other mill workers I recognized. I also passed right over Camden, knowing he likely wouldn’t be coming back to Justice anytime soon even if someone he once considered a friend needed him. That left me with five male names including Alder who was already on his way. This wouldn’t be news to him, but the update might make him drive faster. Thumbs typing extra quick and second thoughts banished so I didn’t change my mind, I wrote a group text to Alder, Bishop, Deacon, Finn, and someone named Parris.

“Here goes nothing.”

At Gage’s cabin. He’s been shot, and there was an explosion. HURRY.

But sending a message for more help wasn’t enough. Gage had already been injured when he’d walked out the door. I had his blood on my shirt, on my hands. I couldn’t let him face down the men who were there because of me all alone. I needed to be his backup until someone with more experience and skill could take over for me.

With shaking hands, I rushed to open the footlocker Gage had pulled his gun from. Inside, there were more weapons than I’d ever seen in one place, most of them useless to me because I didn’t know how to shoot or load them. But there was one I was familiar with—a shotgun. I’d grown up enjoying the outdoors. Had learned to hunt and to shoot when I was still a preteen. I’d fired a shotgun, a skill that might just come in handy.

I lifted the gun from inside, frowning at the barrel. It was far shorter than I was used to—made of what looked like stainless steel with black stock and forend—but otherwise, it looked just like the guns I’d gone out into the woods with all those years ago. I checked the magazine tube to make sure it was loaded and found six slugs. I went ahead and released the action to pump the shotgun and chamber the first round, then disengaged the safety. I wasn’t sure what sort of ammunition I needed for it, so I didn’t grab extra, but I figured six shots were better than nothing.

Anything to save Gage.

Anything to give me a second chance to clean up the mess he’d made by not telling me what was going on.

Of course, I had secrets too. Ones that I needed to tell him—things he should know so he could understand the full picture of Sheriff Mark Baker. And I would…as soon as we got the hell out of the danger zone and patched him up. Gage might have been sneaky about getting the information he needed, but he did it to protect me. We could talk about his methods and what I deemed as damaging to my trust once we were safe, and we would. The man loved me—the least I could do was make sure he lived long enough to know that I loved him too and that we would find a way to work this out.

But first, we needed to destroy the enemy. Clear the threat, as Gage said. I threw open the closet door, gun in my hands and resolve in my bones. Noises came from the living room, the sound of deep, masculine voices arguing, though the lack of Rex’s throaty bark struck me as odd. I really hoped that silly mutt was okay—I’d gotten a bit attached to him. I couldn’t lose Gage, but the thought of losing Rex? Of the heartbreak that would cause my mountain man? It made me ache almost as much.

Breathe, Katie.

“Gage. It’s all about Gage.” I took a deep breath, and I walked out the bedroom door.

You can do this. You have to. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as I crept down the hallway, the recoil pad of the shotgun up against my shoulder and my finger sitting really close to the trigger. Ready to fire. Ready to do anything to make sure Gage kept breathing right along with me. I was a Colorado girl—I could shoot, I could hunt, and if the prey happened to be human for once, well… I could do what needed to be done to protect my man.

Just as soon as I stopped shaking.

Gage’s voice reached my ears first, sending a wave of relief over me. At least he was alive. And pissed off, by the sound of it.

“She’s your niece.”

Which meant Mark was out there. A fact confirmed a second later.

“She’s a means to an end. The Soul Suckers want to teach Justice a lesson, and what could be better than taking one of their own daughters from them?” That voice was something from my nightmares—cold and harsh. Cruel. A tone I’d only heard once before from him. One that used to wake me up from a sound sleep and leave me screaming. Sit still, and it’ll stop hurting. I can make you feel good if you’d just stop fucking fighting me.

A chill swept over my body, and I trembled from head to toe. That day, that memory, was the worst I’d ever lived through. It had been the catalyst for a lot of change—new city, new school, new life far away from the home I’d always loved. It was something I’d never spoken about outside of when I told my mom what had happened, something I’d never truly gotten over.

But I would not throw up before I even made it down the hallway.

“And you, right?” Gage said, sounding way more exhausted than I would have liked. “Because they wouldn’t be going after your family if you hadn’t fucked up somehow. What was it—the loss of men since they decided to try to take on Justice? How many are missing now…seven? Eight? Must not look good that you can’t control one tiny little town in your county. I bet they see this as all your fault—you were probably the one who told them to set up that meth lab out on the ridge. That’s it, isn’t it? You tried to give them Justice, not realizing you didn’t have the pull to hand it over.”

Deep down, I wanted my uncle to argue that. To tell Gage he was wrong. As a little girl, I’d loved the man and assumed he’d loved me. I’d learned the hard way this his form of love wasn’t a healthy one, but there was still a five-year-old Katie inside of me wanting to see the good side win.

But instead of an argument, I got a confirmation of how much he wasn’t the man I’d grown up thinking he was. Not that I really needed another lesson in that.

“Fuck you, Shepherd.”

Yeah. That sounded like a confirmation for sure. Something Gage must have heard as well.

“Hit the nail on the head, didn’t I? The Soul Suckers—your meth-selling, biker gang brothers—see you as being responsible for all these losses they’re taking because you told them Justice would be a good place to set up shop. That’s why they opened a clubhouse just over the county line—to keep a crew close enough to watch their business, but not in your county. You turned a blind eye to the meth lab while they did most of their dirty work in someone else’s jurisdiction. And now, because you fucked up big-time with that recommendation, you’ve got a debt to pay. You’re giving them your own flesh and blood to smooth things over. That’s pretty fucking sick, man. Real brothers would never even think of such a thing. They’d go all out to protect your family, not destroy it. I wonder what the punishment will be when you come back empty-handed. You think you’ll walk away from that, or will they fucking bury you?”

Gage sounded all sorts of wrong to me. Not as bold or strong, not as overwhelming. Talking way too much for someone who was normally more the strong, silent type. I didn’t know if Mark would have spent enough time with him to tell how off the man sounded, but I could. And the idea that Gage was somehow losing ground—that his strength was slipping away—terrified me.

“Katie’s coming with me,” Mark said. “She’s safest with me. They’ll let her go once Alder is dealt with.”

“That’s a big negative on all of that. Katie’s not going anywhere, and if they keep coming for Alder or anyone else in this town, we’ll keep taking them out.” Gage must have moved because the floor creaked just a little. Enough to tell me pretty much where he was. Right in front of the end of the hallway—guarding the only path to the bedroom where I’d been hiding. Of course.

“Big words from a man who can’t even stand up.”

My heart nearly stopped. Gage…unable to stand up? Impossible. The man was a force of nature—a big, strong boulder of a man. If he was down, things were much worse than I’d thought.

Not that he’d let Mark know that. “I can still kick your ass from the floor, old man.”

But he shouldn’t have to—and I wouldn’t let him try. I hurried the rest of the way into the living room, aiming straight at the man I’d once called uncle as I turned the final corner. As I moved next to Gage, who was indeed sitting on the floor at the head of the hallway, blocking the only path to me. Pointing his handgun at Mark with his left hand. His right arm was covered in blood, as was his left leg. Jesus, he’d been shot a second time. Something I couldn’t even think of at that moment or else I wouldn’t be able to do what needed to be done.

Clear the threat.

“How come I always seem to miss the fun?” I stepped between Gage and Mark, keeping my shotgun leveled on the not-so-good sheriff. Refusing to let the sight of him take me back to that place. That moment. That car. “Hey, Mark. I’d ask how you’re doing, but I really don’t give a fuck.”

Gage whispered a harsh, “Katie—” but I shushed him, keeping all my attention on my so-called uncle. The man who’d torn out my heart with his cruelty. Who’d made me and my mom run away from the only home we’d ever known because of his abuse.

“You need to come with me, Katie. I’ll take care of you now.”

The man who was apparently delusional.

“Not happening.”

“That’s an order. I’m not just your uncle, I’m the county sheriff. Don’t make me take you in on resisting arrest charges.”

“That’s not happening either.”

“You’re leaving me no choice, young lady.” He raised his gun, sighting down the barrel as he pointed it at me. “Drop your weapon.”

Feet shoulder-width apart, recoil pad mounted against my shoulder, both arms strong, finger on the trigger. Ready to shoot. “No.”

“I’ve got friends outside, Katie. You come with me, and I can protect you. I can claim ownership of you so they don’t lay a hand on you.”

“Damn it, Katie.” Gage groaned and shifted closer to me, but I was too focused on Mark to pay attention to anything else.

“As if you’d be any better? Or did you forget? Do I need to punch you in the balls again to remind you of what you did to me, Uncle Mark?”

He shot a glance at Gage, looking slightly less confident for just a moment. That memory really must have been a hard hit to his whole “big, strong man” persona. His little niece had dropped him with one punch. I’d been a kid then, a high school girl, and I’d beaten him. I’d struck hard and gotten away when he’d tried to control me. Tried to take what wasn’t his. When he’d pinned me against the door in his cruiser and attempted to rip off my clothes, claiming that I needed to do what he said because I was his little Katie.

I wasn’t his little anything and never had been.

He still didn’t see that, though. “Katherine Renee Baker, you listen to your uncle.”

“Fuck you. Drop your gun, or I’ll shoot.”

His arrogant smile sent a chill up my spine. One I wouldn’t let overpower me or make me run scared. I had this. I had this.

“You’ll go to jail if you do.”

I knew enough about the men in this town to know that likely wouldn’t happen. I’d run home to Justice for a reason, and he wasn’t it.

Still, I cocked my head as I said, “Hey, Gage?”

“Yeah, princess?” His voice cracked, sounding breathy and tired. This needed to end.

“It’s just the three of us here, right?”

“That’d be my guess. He can bluff all he wants, but if he had friends with him, they’d be inside already.” He shifted a little closer, his shoulder brushing against my leg. “Why?”

“Well, I was thinking. See, my mom and I ran from Justice because good old Uncle Mark here thought he could put his hands on me without getting into trouble. We couldn’t really go to the police since he was the police, and my mom was too kindhearted to kill her own brother.” I turned my head, watching Mark. Pinning him with my stare. “I’m not as nice as she was. The way I see it, if it’s just the three of us here, then there are no witnesses to whatever happens next. Are you going to tell the good people of the county that I shot Sheriff Baker here?”

“Not a fucking chance.”

Mark just laughed. “You don’t have the backbone.”

“You doubt me. I wouldn’t if I were you. I’ve been planning your murder since the day you shoved your fingers inside me and told me to sit still so you could make me feel good. You remember that day, Uncle? Because I do. I remember it every time I have a nightmare that you’ve somehow gotten me alone again. I remember it every time I have to get in a car with a man alone. I remember, and I hate you just a little bit more for every single time that memory steals my breath.” I shrugged, fighting to control the way my entire body trembled under his gaze as Gage practically growled at my feet. “I’m done remembering. A little bleach, a couple of good knives, and a pig farm. That’s all I need to make sure no one ever finds out what happened to you.”

Mark scowled, lifting his gun and looking ready to kill. “Drop your goddamned weapon, girl.”

“No. You don’t get to tell me what to do. Ever.”

I caught the flicker of his eyes, the way he glanced down at Gage. I didn’t need to see his arms lower to know what was coming, to figure out his plans. If he couldn’t get me to do what he wanted, he’d go for Gage, assuming I’d drop my weapon to protect him. To take care of him. I’d been a nurturer my entire life, had followed all the rules and done what I was supposed to at every turn. Except when it came to the man behind me.

So I firmed up my stance.

And I tightened my hold on the shotgun.

And I almost screamed when a strong body came up behind me, locking their arms around me as they reached forward to put their left hand over my right one. To hold me in place with the shotgun still against my shoulder. To press his finger against mine and squeeze the trigger.

To shoot the man standing before me so I didn’t have to.

The recoil pushed me against Gage’s hard body, and the blast made my ears ring. I kept my feet, though. Kept my eyes open to watch what we’d done. To see the nightmare of my past get what he deserved. Gage dropped his arm around my waist, pulling me to the side as my uncle fell. As his blood splattered and he dropped to the floor, his eyes lifeless.

Dead.

Because of us.

Oh god. “Gage.”

“I’ve got you, Katie.” But he didn’t. In fact, he barely seemed to have himself. He slipped lower along the wall, taking me with him, falling to the floor in a slow glide that almost defied gravity. Landing in a heap of bone and muscle, but no spirit. No consciousness.

No Gage.

“Gage, no,” I cried, trying to pull him over. To turn him. To reach his right shoulder so I could put pressure on his wound as Alder had told me to. “Please, Gage. I can’t move you. I need your help.”

Nothing. No response.

Oh god. “Please, please, please. Don’t do this now. Please don’t die on me.”

And still…nothing.

No Rex.

No Gage.

The threat had been cleared, and yet I had nothing.

Just nothing.