Page 28 of Auctioned to the Lumberjacks (Auctioned)

“Just go,” I tell Ethan. It’s the strongest statement I can muster. “Just get out of here before we have to kick your ass.”

“I HATE YOU,” he spits. “I FUCKING HATE YOU.”

“Yeah, well, we’re not exactly in love with you either, man. Just go home and sober up.”

Jack jerks forward, and Ethan stumbles backwards at the aggression.

“You could have just given her to me. I don’t need her for long.”

“GO!” I yell, not wanting to hear anymore.

“You can’t watch her all the time, West.” His eyes narrow at me as he takes another step back. “You have to work, and she’ll be alone in this remote cabin.” Ethan raises his hand to sweep across the lonely expanse of forest we’re standing in. “I’ll get her one way or another.”

“I swear to god.” Jack’s restraint is gone in an instant, and so is mine. That’s a direct threat to Skye, and he’s not going toget away with it. Jack drops the screwdriver, realizing he won’t need it against Ethan’s drunk ass.

Jack’s fist makes contact first, and Ethan is knocked to the ground. “You could have just left,” he growls, laying another punch. I kick Ethan’s leg, and he curls in on himself. “You could have left, but now you’re putting me in a position where I have to teach you a fucking lesson.”

Ethan’s hands cover his face as Jack rains down another three blows. His flesh sinks around the toe of my work boot as I give him enough kicks to make him ever regret threatening to rape Skye.

“We should get rid of him,” I say, tugging Jack’s shoulder. He spins to face me, his eyes questioning. I didn’t mean to kill him, but I can see just a flicker of the thought in Jack’s eyes. “Throw him in the truck and dump his ass off in town.”

“Good idea. Take his other arm.”

Jack grabs Ethan beneath his left arm, and I take the right. He’s a dead weight, and his head lolls in a weird, uncomfortable looking way. Jack didn’t even hit him that hard, but the alcohol has him all fucked up. At the truck, Jack drops the back, and we shove him onto the flatbed on his back.

“I’ll take him,” Jack says. “Stay here with Finn and Skye.”

I don’t need him to clean up my mess, but I appreciate it. “Take the back roads. And dump him somewhere just outside town. Call Aiden or Caleb to pick him up. Explain what happened.”

“No one is going to blame you, West.” Jack slams the back of the truck, and Ethan groans. “They all know it could have happened to anyone. Ethan’s becoming unreasonable.”

Most lumberjacks are. If we were socially capable, we wouldn’t choose to live in isolation.

“Just be careful,” I tell him.

“Take Skye inside. Tell her enough that she won’t worry. That girl has enough going on.”

It’s the first time I’ve heard Jack say anything remotely kind about Skye, but he’s already stomping around the side of the truck and climbing in the driver’s seat.

I watch as he disappears down the winding road from our property before I make my way back to the studio.

Finn’s still waiting in the doorway, a shield between Skye and trouble.

“Let’s get her inside.”

He nods, and the way he looks at me, filled with pity, makes me want to scratch at my own skin.

Turning, he reaches for Skye’s hand. She stares out into the darkness with wide eyes. “Ethan’s gone, Skye. Jack’s taking him far away. Let’s go back to the lodge. She follows where Finn leads, her feet scuttling to keep up.

I follow close behind, unsure if my presence is reassuring or daunting.

Fuck. I can’t stand to see her scared. Doesn’t she realize we’ll keep her safe, even if it costs us our lives? That’s the kind of men we are. All of us.

I shut the door behind us and lock it, hoping the sound of metal on metal will make Skye feel more secure. Finn leads her to the couch and sits her down next to him. He throws his arm around her shoulder and pulls her against his chest, and she goes willingly, pressing her face into his dusty shirt.

I sit across from them in my favorite leather chair, letting my legs fall open, and my hands rest in my lap. My eyes meet Finn’s, and he opens his eyes slightly, as though he’s urging me to say something.

There are two things on my mind.

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