Page 9 of Iron Willed Warrior

But that didn’t mean I was willing to explain myself to him. Nope, I was better off forgetting the man who’d loaned me his jack by the side of the road.

I walked inside, spotted a kitchen, and made a beeline for it. There, I found a surprise waiting. A very pleasant one.

Keira Marsh stood behind the island, decked out in hersheriff’s deputy uniform, thumbs swiping on her phone. Then she looked up, set her phone aside, and smiled. “Brynn! It’s so good to see you.” She rounded the island, opening her arms for a hug.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I said.

“It would be weird if I wasn’t. This is my house.”

“Seriously? I had no idea you lived in Silver Ridge.”

She puffed up with pride. “We closed after New Year’s. My mom and sister have beensmotheringme with decorating help. They keep showing up with tchotchkes and furniture. I’m surprised the Hart County thrift stores have anything left on their shelves.”

“Tell your mom and sister they’re doing an excellent job of it.” I glanced around. The house was full of overstuffed upholstery, cheerful patterns, and farmhouse touches. A few antiques here and there to create a sense of warmth and history.

“I know, right? I’d be annoyed at them butting in, but I gotta admit, they’re good at it. My little sister Stephie especially. I don’t have a design-conscious bone in my body. The timing worked out, though. When Owen and River mentioned you’d need a place to stay outside Hartley, I volunteered my guest room. So make yourself at home. Figured this was better than a hotel.”

“So much better. You’re an angel. Thank you.”

I’d met Keira on my previous trips to Hartley. She worked for Sheriff Owen Douglas. From everything I’d seen, Keira was a good cop, just a few years out of college. Younger than me, but we’d gotten dinner and drinks and bonded over being women in the male-dominated law enforcement profession. I admired her dedication to her duties, even when she had to paint outside the lines to help the Protectors. That wasn’t an easy balance.

As much as I respected her, I would’ve been hesitant tobring a junior deputy into a dangerous mission like this one. But Keira had dealt with Stillwater operatives before. And she hadn’t lost her nerve. That alone made me admire her.

Of course, she wouldn’t deal directly with Stillwater during the undercover op. That part would be all Cole Bailey and me. Speaking of…I wondered when my partner would get here.

Keira opened a cabinet, taking out a couple of mugs. “Want something to drink? I was just going to brew up some of my famous chai. Heavy on the honey and cinnamon.”

“Yes, please. That sounds amazing.”

“What sounds amazing?” River asked, strolling into the kitchen.

Keira smiled over her shoulder. “My famous chai. Want a mug?”

“You’dbettermake me a mug,” he said, not missing a beat. “But I’m still curious about the drama that happened on the way down here.”

“Drama?” Keira asked as she poured water into a pot.

“Not you too,” I muttered. “When is Cole Bailey arriving? Is he staying here as well?”

River rested his hands against the butcher block top of the island. “I’m sure he’ll get here soon, and no, we’ve got him bunking elsewhere. Tell us what happened, B.”

He and Keira both paused, eyeing me.

I groaned. “Fine, I’ll tell you. But it’s not that exciting. It was just a flat tire. And this guy. Well,twoguys. They stopped separately to help me change my tire, but clearly they were interested in…something else.”

Keira’s eyebrows knitted. “Not cool.”

River quipped, “Are these guys maimed and lying by the side of the road? Do I need to call Trace for a discreet body cleanup?”

I laughed, tossing the end of my ponytail over my shoulder. “Not necessary. It was weird though. First, a young guy pulled over to help me and got offended when I said I could handle it myself. He didn’t want to take no for an answer. Grabbed my arm.”

River’s eyes darkened. “The guy didwhat?”

“Don’t worry about it. I handled him. But then the second guy showed up. And he seemed nice enough at first. I needed to borrow a jack, and he loaned me his.”

He’d seemed to have a military vibe. Competent and calm, but interested in taking no shit. Like a seasoned staff sergeant. The kind of man I tended to respect.

Not bad to look at either. He hadn’t been handsome in an obvious or classic way. More rugged. A dark beanie pulled over his hair, a full beard, scars on his forehead and cheek. He’d been leaning against his car, a cigarette pursed between his lips. Like a hero from an old Western movie if you’d traded the knit cap for a Stetson.

---