Page 55 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

He holds up his hands in mock surrender. I grunt, not dignifying that with a response.

We spend the next hour walking the property, discussing sight lines and potential vulnerabilities. It feels good, falling back into our old rhythm. Axton's always been able to read my mind, finishing my sentences before I can even get them out.

As we head back towards the house, Axton's expression turns serious. "Hey, there's something you should know."

I stop, turning to face him. "What is it?"

He hesitates, which isn't like him at all. "Ian's been hanging around town, asking about Kenzie. He's been to Steph's shop a few times."

My jaw clenches, a surge of anger rising in my chest. "What the hell does he want?"

Axton shrugs. "Not sure. But he's not being subtle about it. Paige is losing her mind, from what I hear."

"Great. Just what we need. More fucking drama."

"You want me to have a chat with him?" Axton offers, cracking his knuckles.

I'm tempted, but I shake my head. "No, let's not escalate things. Just... keep an eye on him, yeah?"

Axton nods, and then a sly grin spreads across his face. "You know, if you're worried about Kenzie's safety, you could always keep her closer. Maybe upgrade her to your room instead of the guest room?"

I glare at him, but there's no real heat behind it. "You're pushing it, O'Connor."

He laughs, holding up his hands. "Hey, just looking out for my brother."

"Speaking of which, how's Mel doing these days?" It's my turn to grin now. "Oh, so we can talk about Kenzie, but Mel's off-limits?"

Axton's smile falters, and I see a flash of pain in his eyes. "That's different. You know that."

I soften, feeling like a jerk. "Yeah, I know. Sorry, man. Low blow."

He shakes it off, his easy smile returning. "Nah, it's cool. You're right, though. Let's keep the personal stuff personal, yeah?"

I nod, grateful for the out. "Roger that."

We head inside, refocusing on the mission at hand. I pull out the dossier for our upcoming job, providing sniper support for a high-profile extraction. It's the kind of work we excel at, but it never gets easier.

"We'll need to be in position by Friday night," I explain, laying out the timeline. "It's a 72-hour op, minimum. You good with that?"

Axton nods all business now. "Yes, sir. I'll make the necessary arrangements."

We spend the next hour going over the details and ironing out contingencies. It feels good to slip back into this mindset.

Simple. Straightforward. No messy emotions to complicate things.

As Axton gets ready to leave, he pauses at the door. "Yo, Ghost?"

I look up from the papers spread across my desk. "Yeah?"

He hesitates, then says, "Be careful, all right? With Kenzie, I mean. I know you're not looking for anything, but... just be careful."

I want to brush him off and tell him he's seeing things that aren't there. But I can't lie to Axton. Not about this.

"I hear you," I say instead. "I've got it under control."

He nods, not looking entirely convinced. "All right. I'll see you Friday."

After he's gone, I sit back in my chair, letting out a long breath. The house feels quieter now, almost too quiet. I can hear Kenzie moving around in the kitchen, her soft humming drifting through the halls.

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