Page 10 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

I open my mouth to tell him to back off, but Hazel beats me to it.

"We're not talking to you," she says, her voice small but defiant. "Because of what you did to Miss Kenzie."

A muscle ticks in Ian's jaw, and for a moment, I think he’ll lash out. But then Paige appears at his side, her perfectly manicured hand sliding possessively around his bicep.

"Ian, darling," she purrs, her voice like poisoned honey. "You're making a scene."

Ian's shoulders relax, albeit slightly, at Paige's touch. I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes. These two.

"You're right, babe," he replies, flashing that smarmy grin at her. "My apologies for interrupting your little family dinner."

His emphasis on "family" makes my skin crawl, laced with an undercurrent of mockery that suggests he knows something I don't.

Before I can dwell on it, Paige's gaze lands on me. Her perfectly painted lips curve into a saccharine smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Everett," she greets me, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "It's been a while."

Her daddy tried to push Paige this way. But the pampered princess isn’t my type.

“Got my hands full,” I grunt in response. The last thing I want is more of their bullshit in front of my girls.

Paige's smile falters for a split second before regaining her composure, turning her attention to Axton.

"And Axton, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't know you were back in town."

"Just got in," Axton replies, his tone casual but his eyes sharp and assessing. "Couldn't stay away from all this small-town charm, you know?"

Paige lets out a tinkling laugh that sounds as fake as her smile. "Well, we're certainly glad to have you back. Aren't we, Ian?"

Ian's smirk widens, but a hardness in his eyes sets me on edge. "Oh, absolutely. The more the merrier, right?"

Something about the way he says it makes me uneasy. I glance at Axton, and I can tell he's picked up on it too. There's more going on here, and I've got a feeling it's nothing good.

"Well, this has been a real treat," Ian cuts through the tension, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But we should get going. Don't want to overstay our welcome, do we?"

He locks eyes with me, and it takes every ounce of self-control not to deck him right then and there. Instead, I settle for a curt nod, my jaw clenched so tight it aches.

As Ian and Paige turn to leave, she glances back over her shoulder. "Oh, and Everett? Do give my regards to Mackenzie. I'd hate for there to be any hard feelings between us."

The way she says Kenzie's name, like a curse, ignites a fire in my gut. But before I can respond, they're gone, slipping out the door and leaving a tense silence in their wake.

"Well, they're just a ray of fucking sunshine, aren't they?" Axton mutters, shattering the spell.

I grunt in agreement, my mind already churning with unease. There’s no way Ian’s return to Silver Ridge is a coincidence, not with the trouble that seems to follow him.

Just a few years ago, he was the golden boy—the star athlete with a bright future—until his penchant for partying and bad choices derailed everything. Word had spread fast when his drug habits led to his arrest, and the fallout left a stain on the entire Hawkins family name.

And now, here he is again, strolling back into town like nothing happened. Something tells me he hasn’t changed. He’s just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to fuck up again.

And Paige's hanging around keeping tabs on him to run interference. But I know better. An arrogant rich kid with no trust fund always spells trouble.

"Daddy?" Harper's small voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Why were they being so mean?"

I sigh, running a hand over my face. How do I explain this mess to a six-year-old? "Sometimes, grown-ups don't get along. But that's not something you need to worry about, okay?"

She nods, but I can see the confusion lingering in her eyes. Hazel, always the more outspoken of the two, pipes up. "Is Miss Kenzie, okay?"

My heart clenches at the concern in her voice. These girls are always thinking of others.

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