Page 88 of Mountain Refuge

~

“The woman and kid are at the sheriff’s office.”

Mason, aka The Boss, frowned at his phone. “You’re sure it’s them?”

“Yep. They’re with a man and a black dog.”

“Follow them when they leave. I want to know where they’re staying.”

“So, leave the girl I’m watching?”

“Yes.” Mason gripped the phone so hard he thought he might crack the screen.

“Uh…before that they were meeting with a rough-looking man and woman at the diner. They gave the woman you’re looking for a duffel bag. It looked heavy. I couldn’t hear what they said, but whatever it was made the gal really upset.”

Mason cursed, then hung up. Taya must’ve met with some of the old group—ones who knew about his deception. With his cover blown, it wouldn’t take long for the feds to show up at the farm. They’d search every inch of the area until they found him. He needed to go into hiding until he could nab Taya and the girl. Someone else would have to take over for a while. Let that person take the fall when the feds arrived. He had enough money stashed to live off of comfortably for a long time. What he’d get for the girl would set him up even longer.

Yup, it was definitely time to go. He headed for his room and packed a bag before going in search of his next-in-command. “I need to go. My cover is blown. You’re in charge for now. I’ll be in touch.” With that, he strode to the large red barn, tossed his bag in the front seat of an older model Ford truck, and spun gravel on his way out.

Chapter Fifteen

Taya sipped acup of coffee the next morning, staring at the woods behind Ryan’s cabin. Today, he planned on setting his “booby” traps as Tracy called them. Alarms were a more apt description. Either way, it wouldn’t deter Mason. He always got what he wanted.

Sleep had been a long time coming the night before as she lay there still in shock that he had faked his death. They’d worked together for years. How long had he been on the wrong side of the law? Of morality? She’d almost said yes to a relationship with the man. Was he that good of a con man, or was she simply stupid? Taya slammed her cup hard enough on the railing of the deck to break off the handle. The cup tipped, spilling hot coffee down the front of her jeans. She hissed and jumped back.

“Here.” Ryan quickly came to her aid and handed her a dish towel. “Are you okay?”

“Hopefully, I will be someday.” She wiped the coffee off herself the best she could and handed him back the towel, her gaze clashing with his concerned one. She wanted to ask him what secrets hid behind those blue eyes. With her track record, she’d never figure it out herself.

His gaze dropped to her mouth before he cleared his throat and stepped back. “Would you like another cup of coffee?”

“No, thank you.” Her voice sounded husky to her ears.

“What?” His brow furrowed.

“Are you really as good as you seem?”

His lips curled into a slow, sexy smile. “I like to think so.”

“Why did you so readily agree to help us?” He could be keeping watch on them until Mason was ready to take Tracy. Groomers. She’d heard of such people before.

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Because I’m a sucker for a beautiful woman in trouble.” His smile started to fade, and his hands slipped free. “Do you not trust me, Taya?” Pain flickered in his eyes.

“I want to,” she whispered. She wanted to have someone she could trust more than anything in the world, second to keeping Tracy safe.

He cupped her face and lowered his head. His words caressed her lips a mere breadth before his kiss. “You can trust me.”

Closing her eyes, she leaned into his kiss, giving into the feeling of nothing more than that moment. A moment she might never have again. A moment when nothing else existed but the two of them. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer.

His hands dropped to her waist. The kiss deepened. When both of them were breathless, Taya stepped back. What now? Should she thank him or simply go about her day as if the kiss hadn’t happened?

The sparkle in his eyes gave her the answer. “Wow.”

“Yeah.” She smiled. “Doesn’t mean I completely trust you, Ryan. It only means that you’re a great kisser.”

His laugh rang out. Astro and Boris raised their heads. Boris whined, then laid his head back on his paws.

Ryan sobered and took Taya’s hand in his. “I’d die for you. Surely you know that.”

---