Page 61 of Protected

Probably. He doesn’t share.

“Damn. Poor guy. Even if they weren’t still together, it’s got to hurt to lose an ex that way. And to find out he has a baby but has no idea where she is? He must be torn apart inside.”

There’s absolutely no sign of Logan feeling anything—at least not that I can tell from the set of his head and shoulders on the ATV in front of us—but that doesn’t mean he’s not upset.

Anyone would be.

“So you think he’s going to look for her?” I ask after another minute.

Yes.

“That makes sense. We’ve got to travel somewhere. Might as well travel that direction and see if we can find her.”

Yes.

I sigh. Because I’m emotionally off-kilter, I don’t think through the words before I say them. “Do you ever think of making a home somewhere and having a baby?”

Deck tenses up palpably.What?

“Sorry. Just a random question.” I wish I hadn’t spoken. Now’s he’s going to think that’s what I want even though we’ve just been together a short time.

I feel even worse when Deck signs in a clumsy rush,You want to leave Logan?

“No! No, of course not. It really was just random. Iknow you’re never going to leave Logan, and I’d never ask you to.”

He lets out a hoarse breath, but his body doesn’t really relax.

Now he’s upset too, and it’s my fault.

His ties to Logan are longer and deeper and stronger than his ties to me. He’s known and loved Logan for years. They might as well be family. Sure, he cares about me and he’s happy to fuck me, but he’s only known me a few months.

It’s not the same.

It can never compete.

And I shouldn’t want it to.

“I’m sorry,” I add. “I’m happy with Logan. I’m happy withyou. Exactly as we are.”

Deck nods, but it feels like he’s still thinking about it as we take a tight curve in the road.

And suddenly get a view farther off the next stretch of old pavement.

Someone has it blocked.

I have no idea who it is. I doubt the others know either. They’re strangers. Several of them. Holding guns with a big truck angled to block the narrow road.

They’re using the switchback in the route as a choke point to catch travelers unaware. It’s not an unusual occurrence nowadays. One of the dangers of traveling in small groups. Completely random.

But at the moment, we’re those travelers caught in the trap.

Deck slams on his brakes just after Logan does, andthey both veer off the road and into the woods. But Logan’s ATV doesn’t get there. Rifles start firing from behind the truck, and at least one bullet hits the vehicle.

It spins out of control and crashes. Burgundy gets thrown and Logan leaps off just in time to not get crushed.

The attackers are advancing, still shooting in our direction. Deck drives our ATV directly into the shelter of the trees on the right side of the road, and Logan drags Burgundy after us, using a big tree as a shield.

Deck climbs off the ATV, already aiming his rifle and shooting at the strangers. It takes me a minute to untangle my legs from either side of the seat, but I manage to get off too and pull out my gun. I duck behind another tree and lean over far enough to see where I’m shooting.

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