Even though Miley wasn't in the mood for company, she had promised Rissa she would come over tonight, and she didn't want to disappoint her only friend. She knew Alcide would be there and she dreaded it. No, dread wasn't the right word. She wanted to see him, more than just about anything, and that was the crux of her problem. She'd realized while driving home this afternoon that she had missed him being beside her and that meant she was forming an attachment. She could count the number of reasons it was a bad idea on the one hand. He was an alpha male, overprotective, bossy, my-way-or-the-highway guy. He was the brother of her best friend. He was in the military. He was leaving in less than two days.

All those things went round and round Miley's mind as she sat next to Alcide at the dinner table. At the foot of the table, his mother presided over her brood with a tired smile on her face. Miley had met the matriarch of the family many times and never failed to feel like one of her children. Even as exhausted as she clearly was, Mrs. Montgomery was the epitome of hospitality, ensuring everyone was comfortable and well fed.

The chair at the head was empty as the elder Mr. Montgomery was still recovering from the long trip from Cody and had retired early. Across from Miley, Rissa and Drake sat so close they were practically joined at the hip. It both made her smile and sent fear into her heart. She couldn't help but wonder how much Drake was involved with the illegal actions of his employer. Miley was sure Rissa wouldn't know, and she couldn't figure a way to bring it up. So, instead, she concentrated on the delicious meal sitting before her. Mrs. Montgomery cooked a large pot of roast chicken chili with all the fixings. She said it was one of her husband's favorite dishes and after more than two weeks in the hospital, he deserved something decent. Their devotion to each other made Miley's heart warm, and a tiny piece of her wanted a love that deep someday.

After dinner, Rissa coaxed her mother to go rest while she gathered the dishes. Miley jumped to help. Alcide and Drake stepped out onto the porch, leaving the girls to wash and put away. Although there was a dishwasher installed in the cabinet under the sink, Rissa preferred to wash by hand, saying it gave her time to think. In this case, it didn't take long to figure out what was on her mind.

"So, you and Alcide, huh?"

Miley started and almost dropped the bowl she was drying. "What do you mean?"

Rissa chuckled. "Yeah, I thought so."

Miley leaned against the counter and let out a held breath. "Nothing is going on between us," she said in a low voice. "Nothing at all. He just helped me with my truck, is all."

"Uh huh." Rissa rinsed a pan and placed it on the drying rack. Wiping her hands on a hand towel, she turned around and braced her hands on the sink as she studied Miley. "And?"

"And nothing." Miley snatched up the pan and quickly dried it before facing her friend. "You know how he is. Overbearing, bossy..."

"Calm, protective, caring," Rissa finished. "You can do a whole lot worse than my brother, Miles. He's loyal to a fault. There's not a lot of choices available around here so unless you plan on taking off, it's going to be Alcide or someone like Wayne Tucker."

They both shuddered at the name. Wayne was the name of a local semi-celebrity who had won several rodeos. He was nice enough to look at, but thought much too highly of himself, and that cocky attitude came across as arrogant. He expected free drinks and meals every time he came to town and thought of himself as Miley's "only decent choice" left in the state. It never occurred to him that Miley couldn't stand to be near him. His arrogance knew no limits. He even referred to himself as "the Waynester."

The Waynester wants to take you to dinner in Cody. Be ready by five.

Miley, the Waynester thinks you would look good showing a little more skin.

The Waynester won two more belt buckles. That makes an even dozen.

When the Waynester is picked up by PBR, he'll take you out of this one-horse town. You won't have to work again, just be pretty and make the Waynester look good.

Thankfully, he was currently on some minor rodeo circuit. The last time Miley had checked on the animals at the Tucker farm, his widowed mother had almost talked Miley's ear off at how well her "very eligible son" was doing. She had even gone so far as to comment on how beautiful Wayne and Miley's future children would be. Blah. Thanks, but no thanks.

"Yeah, no," Miley shook her head.

They both chuckled before Rissa brought the subject back to Alcide. "Then why are you fighting it? I mean, given the choices you have."

"Why do I have to have a choice, Rissa? Can't I just be me? I'm happy like I am."

Rissa sighed heavily and sat down at the table. "Miley, we've known each other for over a year now. I see how you are. You work, you go do your metal hunting thing then you go home to that little camper parked behind the clinic. Rinse. Repeat. I know Greybull isn't San Francisco. Things are a lot slower here. I know you aren't happy. You try to make everyone think you are, but I can see through the cracks. And Miley? There are a lot of cracks. They are getting wider every day. You can't keep isolating yourself like this. I know this is not the practice you wanted or hoped for, and since you won't tell your grandfather, you're stuck here. In your mind, it's a prison. Don't make it solitary confinement as well. Alcide is a good man. A very good man, and I'm not saying that because he's my brother. It's true all the way to the tips of his toes. He will never cheat on you, he will never leave you. He'll be there for you every second he can. I know his job makes it a little difficult to have a relationship, but if you put in the effort, you'll see it's worth it. Being with a SEAL is hard, but rewarding. He went through BUD/S as soon as he qualified for the training. He doesn't tell us any particulars about what he does, but I know it's important and I couldn't be prouder of him. But, that's not the point."

Dropping into a seat, Miley braced her chin on her hands. "Actually, that's the point exactly. He reminds me too much of Jacob. I'll never put myself in that position again."

"Who's Jacob?" Rissa's brow wrinkled. "An old boyfriend?"

Miley nodded. "Fiancé -- well, ex-fiancé. We met right after I started my residency in San Francisco. He owned a Taekwondo studio where I took lessons a couple of blocks from the clinic. At first, he was charming and considerate. He gave me private lessons, and I was a little flattered. Jacob was handsome, sexy, confident and very alpha male. He took me to some of the best restaurants in the city. We went to concerts, plays, he even took me to Napa for a wine tour. That's when he proposed, and I accepted. I thought he was perfect so when he asked me to move in, I said yes."

The smile fell from her face as Miley's memories melted from beautiful to horrific.

"The changes were small - so small I didn't realize he was manipulating me until it was almost too late. We stopped going out together. He said he wanted to keep me all to himself, so our dates became intimate dinners at home. Concerts and dancing turned into playlists while doing dishes. Shopping trips became mail ordered "gifts" of clothing I had never cared for before. Even sex between us changed from tender to a duty I had to perform for him. Slowly, he changed me until there wasn't anything left of me at all. Within three months I became a stranger to myself. I went where he wanted when he wanted. Our friends were his friends and none of mine. The only reason I still worked was that I was in a contract that I couldn't get out of. However, he made it clear that once I completed it, I would become a housewife full time and no longer pursue my career. He even talked me into dropping out of his classes at the studio saying I didn't need them anymore. He would always protect me. He didn't protect me from the biggest monster, though. Him."

Rissa put her hand on Miley's and squeezed gently. "Oh, honey," she breathed softly.

Miley shrugged but kept her eyes down on the tabletop. She never told anyone how bad it was. Not even the police knew everything. Those bits would stay hidden inside until the day she died. However, talking to Rissa helped ease the burden somehow so she continued.

"My mom called me at work one day. We weren't supposed to take calls at the clinic, but she was desperate to talk to me. I didn't realize it at the time, but Jacob had gotten my cell and blocked every one of the people that I considered to be 'mine' - my family, my friends, anyone that he didn't approve of or control. Mom told the receptionist that it was an emergency. I took the call, and I could tell she was worried. She told me she'd been trying to contact me for almost a month, but the calls were not going through. I didn't realize it had been so long since we spoke. She was crying because she had been so worried. She said if I hadn't answered the call at work, she and Dad were flying out to California to find me. It wasn't until then that I realized how controlling Jacob had become. He'd taken over my life."

Rissa got up and fixed them both a cup of coffee. Placing it before Miley, she sat back down and waited for her friend to work through things. "Take your time."

"Thanks." She sipped the brew and sorted through her feelings. Even years later, it was all so raw and bitter for her. Presently, she began to talk again.

"That night, I confronted him. I was angry. I think a part of me wanted him to deny it, to smooth things over and make me feel silly. I wanted my vision of him to be real and not just the rose-colored glasses that he had forced on me, but I knew he wasn't the man I thought he was. Instead of reassuring me and comforting me, he flew into a rage. Jacob became this horrifying monster. I watched his face change, and I knew it had always been a mask, which now he had taken off. What was underneath terrified me. In an instant, I knew I had messed up. One minute I was standing beside him and the next I was waking up on the floor, naked with a bloody nose, split lip, and swollen eye. I was covered in bruises, and it hurt to breathe. Everything in my body hurt, and it took me a while before I could get to my feet. I went into the bedroom to get my cell to call someone, and he had destroyed everything that I owned. My clothes were shredded, my things in pieces on the floor. Even my purse was ripped and everything inside crushed. I found the pieces of my cell in the toilet. He even tore up the only photograph I had of my Mom's parents. There was nothing left of me there."

"Jesus," Rissa whispered. Her face had turned white, and she hurried around the table to Miley's side. Sliding her arm around her friend, she lent her comfort. They stayed that way for several moments until Miley was able to continue.

"I don't know where Jacob went. He had disappeared and locked the doors behind - from the outside. The computer was gone. I was a prisoner in my own home. I realized that this was my only chance. I had to get away before he got back. Finally, I put on one of his shirts and a pair of sweats about a mile too big. I didn't even have any underwear. He'd destroyed everything. I couldn't get out, so I threw a chair through a window. The noise caught the attention of a guy out walking his dog in the neighborhood. He helped me get out of the window and called the police. By the time I got out of the hospital, the police had caught Jacob."

"Where is he now?"

"Prison. I never knew he had already done time for assault and rape twice before. Third time makes it habitual, so he's gone for the maximum time. Facing him in that courtroom was the hardest thing I have ever done. That was almost three years ago, and it's taken me a lot of time to sort through myself to see where I went wrong."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was, Rissa. I let myself become complacent. I let a man take control of me and dictate my life. I made a promise to myself to never allow myself to be in that situation again. I don't date much, if at all, and never someone who has that alpha gene. I keep everyone at a distance because nobody can hurt me again if I don't allow them close. You're the only exception."

Rissa squeezed her friend's hand. "Alcide isn't like that."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. I have known him my whole life, and he's never hurt anyone."

Miley shook her head. "That night in Ellie's he slammed that guy's face into the table. He broke his nose."

"Because he was bothering you. Don't you see, Miley? Alcide was protecting you."

"I didn't ask him to. I didn't need him to."

Rissa sighed softly. "You have to understand. He's military, Miles. Those protective instincts are strong. It's part of the training."

"Jacob was ex-military. It came out in his trial. He was dishonorably discharged for striking an officer. Three months in the brig followed by getting kicked out." Miley stood and placed the still full cup of coffee in the sink. "Alcide is your brother, and I understand you're standing up for him, but it won't work between us. It's better this way. I'm damaged beyond repair. I can never trust again. I won't trust again." She glanced at the old grandfather clock ticking away on in the living room. "It's getting late. I need to get home. Thank your mother for dinner."

"Miley, wait."

"Good night." Miley pushed through the back door and stepped off the porch. Walking around to the side, she climbed into her truck and started the engine. What she told Rissa was the truth. She didn't want another relationship, especially with a dominant male. However, a part of her wondered if it was too late for wants when it came to Alcide Montgomery.