Protecting Her Secrets (Mountain Men of Culver Springs #1)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Walker

With the temperature in the fifties and the snow melted enough to see patches of grass, I gather the bitches into the mobile enclosure and move them out into the yard to do whatever chickens do. They’ve been cooped up for over a week and are starting to get cranky.

Once they’re settled, I grab my shovel and rake to deep clean their coop. My scabbed knuckles split when I grip the handle, the same way they’ve done every day since Skylar found me losing my mind in my gym. It has been a week of peace since then, and I’m grateful for it.

Skylar’s head is healing nicely, and she’s no longer in pain. Her biggest complaint is the itchiness from her hair growing back in. She wants to go visit Jazzy, who’s recovering at her parents’ house, but I had to veto that idea. Until Klutch gives up or is in jail, it’s best if we keep Skylar secluded at home. Thankfully, Jazzy called her to make sure she wasn’t blaming herself. After hearing that, I saw some of the weight Skylar has been carrying alleviate.

I’m in the middle of scooping shit into a wheelbarrow to take over to the compost pile when Sprocket prances back from wherever he was. He usually sticks close by, but sometimes, he likes to explore on his own. I never worry—he knows his boundaries and has never gone beyond them.

“Hey, buddy. Find anything good out there?” He jumps on me, over and over, nipping on the bottom of my jacket. “Knock it off. I have chores to do.”

I brush him away, but it doesn’t discourage him. He bites down on my jeans and tugs. This behavior isn’t like him, so I take notice. I set down the shovel, since it seems like he wants me to go with him, and I follow him into the woods. My movement sets off all the alarms, and my phone vibrates like crazy in my pocket, but I’m glad for it. This was a good test to make sure everything was working.

Sprocket herds me in a specific direction, deep into the forest, until we reach the bottom of my property line, where the nearly hidden turn-off to my hill is. He whines and jumps around something lying just on my side of the chain link fence. Maybe a wild animal was about to die and picked its final resting place to be here. It wouldn’t be the first time that happened.

But the closer I get, the more questions I have—is that a pig? What the fuck is a pig doing out here? The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Something isn’t right. I crouch closer, and sure as shit, a piglet is lying in a heap, complete with a corkscrew tail. If I had any doubt about how it got here, the dagger sticking out of the top of its head tells me all I need to know.

What the fuck? Klutch has to be behind this. It’s too much of a coincidence.

My stomach turns, and I have to swallow down bile seeing the poor thing’s open eyes. I’m a hunter and a meat eater, but I don’t kill for sport. I don’t take the loss of any life for granted, and the animals I kill are treated with the respect they deserve; we don’t let anything go to waste. Some people might not see the difference and still might consider me evil, but I’m at peace with the way I live.

Pulling out my phone, I dial Wilder. He needs to see this and take it in for any potential evidence. It’s so close to my property line that the cameras must’ve missed it, which means if this is them, they’ve scoped out my security system.

“Walker,” he answers.

“Need you out here. There’s a dead pig on my property.”

“Did someone’s livestock get loose? Don’t know how they’d make it to your land, though.”

“No. Someone drove a dagger through its head and left it here.”

“Broken Rebels?”

“I think so.”

“Fuck. Okay, I’ll be there in a half hour.”

“Thanks.”

I tuck my phone back in my pocket and head back to the house. Even though I know Skylar’s safe, just the thought of Klutch being this close makes me uneasy. I need to keep her in my sights for my own peace of mind.

I clap my hands. “Sprocket, go home.”

He runs up the hill at full speed, and it gives me some sort of comfort to know at least he’ll be with her soon. It takes me longer, especially with the ground covered in wet leaves and patches of snow. I’m just through the tree line when Wilder’s SUV pulls up. Behind him is Rowan’s pick-up, Ridge in the passenger seat. Great, the whole gang is here.

Skylar steps out onto the porch. Ryker was thoughtful enough to grab her bags of clothes and deliver them the day after Skylar was shot at, so my long underwear isn’t a wardrobe staple anymore. It’s nice to see her in clothes that fit, but the caveman in me enjoyed seeing her in my clothes.

Her bump is obvious in the leggings and long-sleeve workout top, and I grin at the sight. I know she’s not carrying my baby, but I’ll be the one to raise him, so that makes me more of a father than Klutch will ever be.

“What’s everyone doing here?” she asks with an edge of concern in her tone.

“I don’t know why those two idiots are here, but Wilder’s here to investigate something Sprocket found at the bottom of the hill.” I wrap her up in my arms, knowing this isn’t going to go over well.

“What did he find?”

“A pig. It’s obvious it was slaughtered and placed there intentionally.”

She sucks in a sharp breath as my three friends walk up. “Klutch?”

“That’s what I’m here to hopefully find out. I’m pretty sure they’re smart enough not to leave behind DNA, but it’s worth testing,” Wilder says.

“He was on the property?” Her body tenses up despite me rubbing her back to soothe her.

“Barely. Within inches. It seems they might’ve scouted out where the cameras and sensors are.” I kiss her temple.

“If they aren’t staying in town, where are they staying? There’s no way they drive up here and back.”

“I’ll make some calls and find out if any motels nearby have bikers staying at them.” Ridge offers. “Can I go inside?”

“Go for it, man,” I say.

He pats Skylar on the head as he passes. That’s a huge gesture for him, and I’m once again floored my wife has won my friends over so thoroughly.

“You wanna show me where it’s at? I brought an evidence kit.” Wilder holds up a black, hard-sided case.

“Yeah, let’s take the ATV,” I say.

“I want to go too.” Skylar folds her arms.

“No, sweetheart. Stay here with Ridge and Rowan. You don’t need to see that.”

“Walker,” she deadpans.

“Skylar,” I return. “Not a chance in hell. Stay here.”

She’s well and pissed, but she doesn’t need that image in her head. I don’t even want it in mine. I feel awful for the little piglet; it’s such a waste of life.

“Come on,” Rowan says, gripping her at the elbow. “Let’s go shit talk about what an asshole your husband is.”

I roll my eyes, but I’m thankful he’s here for her. I’m sure I’ll pay for being a chauvinistic asshole later tonight, but I’ll take that over her being plagued by nightmares. Plus, I can’t say for certain the Broken Rebels aren’t watching the property. The last thing I want is for them to see her, especially now that she’s showing more. I don’t know what Klutch would do if he found out about the baby, and I don’t want to find out.

Even though she’s still pissed at me, Skylar invites everyone to stay for dinner. It took an hour for Wilder to bag and tag all potential evidence, and the pig is currently in a cooler in the back of Wilder’s SUV, being preserved as much as possible.

“I had an idea I wanted to run by you,” Rowan says with a plate full of tacos.

“What’s that?” I ask, nervous—Rowan’s ideas can be iffy.

“I know an MC in Reno, the Sons of Erebus. They might be willing to make an appearance for a few days. I can’t say it’ll do any good, but it’d be nice to have some backup.”

“No,” Wilder says. “One MC invading my town is enough.”

“The Sons aren’t like the Broken Rebels. They own legit businesses and keep their noses clean.”

“Don’t they own a brothel out there?” I ask, remembering hearing something about that.

“Yeah, the Honey Pot.”

“And how do you know that, Rowan?” Ridge asks.

Skylar grins as she bites into her dinner, thoroughly enjoying the conversation. She has been mostly quiet, and I can’t wait to be alone so she can yell at me. I can apologize, and then I can make it up to her with my tongue between her legs. We haven’t had sex since her injury, despite how many times she tells me she’s okay. I’ve been too worried I’ll hurt her. I don’t see how a little oral could do any harm, though.

“I won’t apologize for patronizing that fine establishment.” He lifts his chin. “It’s actually pretty bitchin’. They have all these themed rooms. There’s even a pedicure spa for dudes with foot fetishes.”

I laugh. “Is that your kink? Feet?”

“Don’t kink-shame him,” Skylar scolds.

“It’s not my—” He pinches his brow. “I was just giving you an example.”

“What other kinds of rooms do they have?” Sky takes a drink of water.

“There’s a kitchen, a classroom, and a nature room where one whole wall is glass so people can watch, but my favorite is the galaxy room. They have these things that can implant eggs and alien sleeves that fit over your dong. It’s awesome.”

“So you have an alien fetish?” Sky asks, and we all crack up, even Ridge.

Once we’ve settled, I address his initial question. “Let’s see if they show again. If they do, then maybe we can hire them for some extra security.”

Wilder’s already clenched jaw tightens further. I swear, if that guy doesn’t lighten up, he’s gonna crack a molar. Maybe I should get him a gift card for the Honey Pot.

“I’ll give the guy I’ve gotten friendly with a call.”

Not long after that, the guys leave, and I’m left with a pissed-off woman. I leave her to work on dishes while I get the animals in for the night. Once that’s done, I come back inside to find the lower level of the house quiet.

“Am I in for a butt chewing?” I ask Sprocket, who’s currently burying the remote under his bed. I’ll have to remember that tomorrow when I can’t find it.

Upstairs, I find Skylar already in bed, the lights out, her back to me. Shit, I really did it this time. There’s no way I’m going to let her go to sleep angry, so I strip down and climb in after her. Risking a punch to the junk, I pull her into me, and she hiccups as though?—

“Are you crying, sweetheart?” I roll her onto her back only because she told me her cut doesn’t hurt when she puts pressure on it anymore. She sniffles, and my heart splinters into a million pieces. I can’t stand it when she cries.

“I’m scared. He knows where we live, Walker.”

I want to focus on her calling this house where she lives, but I’ll save that for later. “We knew he would eventually, but it doesn’t change a damn thing. He can’t get onto this property without us knowing.”

“They must be driving cages; otherwise, someone would’ve called to let us know about motorcycles driving through town.”

“Cages, huh? Sometimes I forget you’re the Broken Rebel princess.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Sorry. It was a poor attempt at humor,” I say, swiping at her damp cheeks.

“They could be out there right now.”

“They could be, but no matter what, even if they cut the power or manage to hack into my system, Rowan has so many fail-safes in place, we will know.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I can take you away from here for a while if you want. We can take a babymoon.”

I don’t see her smile, but I hear it. “How do you know what a babymoon is?” When I don’t answer, she shoves me. “You’ve been reading again!”

“That’s what happens when you’re literate, babe. You read.”

“You know that’s not what I meant, but no. I don’t think we should take a babymoon. I just want it to be over. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even care if I’m the one who dies at the end, as long as it ends.”

“Don’t say that.” I pinch her chin. “Don’t you ever fucking say that.”

“I’m exhausted, Walker.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry about that, but the only way this will end is with a pile of dead bikers or a jail cell full of them. There are no other options, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now, I have some making up to do after pissing you off earlier, and I’d like to do it with my tongue. Any objections?”

She pulls me in for a kiss. “None.”