7. Arden

7

ARDEN

I wrapped my hands around my mug and stared out at the mountains. Breathing deeply, I took in the scent of coffee mixed with pine as I watched my girls graze. Brutus lay on the patio, his favorite spot when the sun had baked the stones for hours.

It was beautiful, my little spot in the world. But it sometimes felt like a beautiful exile—the one place in the world where I was truly safe. But that safety could lock you in a place.

Not today.

In a few minutes, I would grab my bag and drive to Kye’s gym. I would make the choice to leave these invisible walls. Because it was a choice . One that required tamping down the fear stoked by over a decade of warnings to be careful, cautious, and not let anyone truly know me.

That sort of endless refrain had a price. One that meant an echo of fear still lived in my head. It also meant I wasn’t especially good at peopling.

Brutus lifted his head, his gray fur shimmering in the afternoon light. A second later, I heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. My muscles tensed, the way they always did. The stiffening was slight, a mixture of preparedness and not wanting my solitude interrupted.

Brutus pushed to his feet just before a door slammed. He positioned himself between me and the path someone would take to round the house. His muscles quivered with the same tension I had.

But the moment the figure appeared, he let out a happy bark, his entire body wagging. “Freigeben,” I told him, giving Brutus the command for release.

He bounded over to the woman whose gray hair was wild, like the creature herself. She wore a workout set with cropped and flared leggings that were tie-dyed in various shades of pink, purple, and blue. Her T-shirt was tied in a knot at her hips and read I know my CBDs with a large, bedazzled pot leaf across the center.

“My big, beautiful beast,” she greeted Brutus, bending to give him all the pets.

A smile tugged at my lips. God, I loved this woman. Lolli was the first of the Colson clan to reach me when I arrived in Oregon. She’d come to live with her daughter, Nora, after Nora’s husband and son passed away in a car accident, leaving her to raise their two biological children, adopted son, and foster kids herself.

But Nora hadn’t once considered no longer fostering. She was one of the strongest people I’d ever met, and you could see she’d gotten that strength from her mom.

Lolli glanced up at me as she kept giving Brutus his rubdown, endless bracelets jangling. “And how’s my Little Gremlin? I’m surprised you’re even awake.”

I grinned at her. “It’s after two.”

Lolli straightened, crossing to me and pressing a kiss to my cheek. “But my girl is like a bat. Prefers to hunt at night.”

I snorted. “I’m not exactly hunting.”

“Okay, fine. My girl likes to create at night.”

That much was true. My creativity flowed best after the sun went down or first thing in the morning. Sleep never came easily to me, so I figured I might as well get some work done.

“How’s the new piece coming along?” Lolli asked .

Her asking about my work never bothered me because it never felt like pressure. Maybe because she was the one who’d given me the gift of art in the first place. I’d never forget her setting up two easels in front of the horse pasture and inviting me to paint with her.

Weeks passed where we simply painted together. She never asked me questions or pushed me to speak. She simply let me open up in my own time.

It was Lolli I talked to about my fears: that the man with the gun would find me, too; that I’d never be safe.

And it was Lolli who encouraged me to take all that fear and put it onto a canvas. From that day on, I hadn’t stopped. And I had her to thank for it.

“I’m not sure,” I admitted, the dark bramble painting with its deep red blossoms flashing in my mind. Right on that image’s heels came Linc’s face: his sharp jaw covered in a thick layer of dark brown scruff, his hazel eyes pinning me to the spot.

“That bad, huh?” Lolli asked, amusement lacing her words.

It was then that I realized I was glaring at the grass in front of me, only it wasn’t the grass that had gotten under my skin. It was Lincoln Pierce. I tried to dislodge the image from my mind, the memory of the hints of cedar and bourbon that clung to him. But shards of both had dug in deep.

“Not bad, just different,” I muttered, taking a sip of coffee.

Lolli was quiet for a moment as she studied me. I wondered if she’d press, sensing there was more to the story. But, understanding me like always, she didn’t. Instead, mischief danced in her eyes. “Want to see my new piece?”

I turned to her, grinning. “Of course.” Lolli had never been a professional artist. She was a true hobbyist, trying out every medium under the sun. The second she got bored, she moved on to the next. But she’d been firmly settled on one for the past year or so.

Diamond art.

Like paint by numbers but filled in with tiny gemstones. Only Lolli created her own images. And they were always…unique.

Lolli slid her phone out of her pocket and moved closer, showing me a photo. “It still needs some finishing touches. I’m calling it Elf Queen.”

It was a good thing I hadn’t taken a sip of coffee because I would’ve spewed it all over the screen. “Is that—I mean—are those elves…?”

“Doing a little Eiffel Tower action on their queen?” she asked innocently as if she hadn’t constructed an elaborate elven three-way.

I chuckled and took a sip of coffee. “Definitely gift that one to Trace.” I could only imagine the shade of red his face would turn.

Lolli made a humming sound. “He could use a reminder to let loose a little.”

I grinned down at my coffee. I couldn’t wait to see this gift-giving in action. “Please, do it when I’m there.”

“This weekend. Family dinner,” Lolli said.

I winced. “I’ve got several pieces I need to finish for the fundraiser and?—”

Lolli pinned me with a stare she only used once in a blue moon. “My girl. It’s time for a command performance. If you don’t come, Nora will be over here hovering. Stocking your fridge, cleaning your house, poking into your business.”

I did a mental tally of the last time I’d done a family dinner. It had been a while. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to spend time with my family or didn’t adore them. I did. It was just that when we all got together, especially since half of them were partnered up now, it was a crowd. And crowds weren’t my thing.

Add to that the fact that all my siblings were a touch overprotective and constantly worried about me, and it felt like I was on display at times. But I didn’t want to be a source of concern for any of them. They all had their own stuff to deal with and didn’t need me burdening them.

I studied Lolli for a moment. “Did I make you worry?”

It wasn’t uncommon for her to make the drive out here, but it wasn’t a regular occurrence either.

Lolli’s mouth pulled into a smile, the wrinkles on her cheeks deepening, showing just how easily her lips made the move. “I missed my girl.”

Guilt niggled, and I quickly wrapped her in a hug. “Sorry, Lolls. I’ll do better.”

“You don’t have to do anything. You’re perfect as you are. But you will need to put up with these old bones checking on you once in a while.”

I released her and stepped back. “Who are you calling old?”

Lolli cackled. “Damn straight. I’m trying to get the girls together for another night at the cowboy bar. You in?”

I shook my head but did it smiling. “You know that’s not my scene.”

“I could do some of that goth face paint, and we could go to one of your murder band shows.”

I snorted. “I’ll keep that in mind.” I pulled out my phone to check the time and cursed. “I gotta run. Sparring with Kye.”

Lolli shooed me toward the house. “Go. Kick that boy’s ass. It’s good for him.”

“I’ll tell him you said that,” I called over my shoulder.

By the time I grabbed my gear bag and Brutus’s leash, Lolli had already taken off. I motioned him into Wanda’s cab and climbed in behind him. The leather seats were warm from the sun but not too hot, and I let the feeling skate over my skin as I started her up.

I drove into town a little faster than was strictly legal and hoped like hell one of Trace’s deputies didn’t pull me over. If they did, I’d never hear the end of it.

Downtown Sparrow Falls was the sort of picturesque you’d expect of a small town. Aged brick buildings held a mixture of restaurants, galleries, tourist shops, and other retail businesses. The town prided itself on the elaborate flower beds that dotted every corner of the main drag: Cascade Avenue.

Kye’s businesses weren’t on that main street. He’d chosen a spot off the beaten path in a slightly less perfect part of town. It felt like a conscious choice, part of how Kyler saw himself despite finding incredible success as a tattoo artist .

The fact that he also owned the mixed martial arts gym next door was less of a well-known fact. He liked to stay under the radar there, which made sense given what he’d gotten mixed up with in his teens. Kye also didn’t want the world to know what a tender heart he hid beneath all the ink. Which meant he didn’t advertise the fact that he also ran a youth program out of the gym.

I pulled into a parking spot next to a couple of motorcycles and Kye’s souped-up black truck with shadow detailing along the sides. I grinned at the difference between our vehicles. He hated that I hadn’t fixed Wanda up.

I grabbed my phone out of the cupholder and saw a flurry of new texts.

Shep has changed the group name to Arden’s Next Victims.

I scowled at the screen. What the hell had I done now?

Shep

Apparently, Arden nearly made poor Linc bleed out on the floor of Kye’s gym.

I dropped my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. I’d thought I was safe from Linc spreading that little story around since it didn’t paint him in the best light, but apparently, he didn’t care about people knowing he’d gotten his ass handed to him by a girl.

Rhodes

You didn’t.

Cope

Kye, you need to up your umbrella insurance policy. I already called about mine.

Kye

We’ll never be able to afford enough coverage for Arden.

I let out a little growl of frustration and typed out a text.

Me

He barely even bled, you guys.

Fallon

YOU CUT HIM?!?!

The chat devolved into a series of stabbing GIFs, and I locked the screen, shoving the phone into my bag. Linc would pay for this. I wondered if there was a way for me to sabotage the hot water heater. Or maybe put pink dye in his showerhead.

A smile tugged at my lips at that image. Turning off my engine, I hopped out and grabbed my bag, motioning for Brutus to follow. He loved going to the gym during regular business hours because he was a ho for all the pets he got. And everyone here loved him.

I slung my duffel over my shoulder and shut the door, locking it behind me. Then I headed for Haven. The moment I hauled open the door, the music hit me. I wasn’t talking about the rock playing over the speakers; the true music was the sound of gloved hands hitting bags and mitts. It was a rhythm that managed to both soothe and excite. A familiar buzz lit in my muscles as I stepped farther inside.

The moment I moved deeper into the gym, Kye greeted me. “Way to go, killer,” he said, his lips twitching beneath his dark brown beard.

I flipped him my middle finger. “You guys are the worst.”

He smiled fully then, and I saw why women fell at his feet. The combination of the ink, the muscular frame, and that devastating grin were potent. “You mean the best ?”

“Keep telling yourself that.”

Someone let out a hoot, and I turned. It only took a second to see why. Mateo was sparring with someone in one of the practice rings. Usually, Kye was the only one who could give him a run for his money. And it made sense; Mateo was working his way up the pro circuit in MMA. But whoever he was sparring against now had him struggling.

I couldn’t make out who it was. They didn’t look familiar from the back. All I could see was a bare torso, broad, muscular shoulders with intricate ink wrapped around them, and a head of dark hair. But everything about the man’s body was toned. Lean muscles that had been honed into a weapon.

The man’s fist snaked out lightning-quick, clipping Mateo on the chin. But he didn’t rest on his laurels; he went for a double-leg takedown. Mateo hit the mat in a flash. Oooooh s filled the air at the smacking sound.

But his opponent didn’t stop there. He quickly moved into a triangle choke hold, the movements fluid, graceful, and almost beautiful in their restrained brutality. I couldn’t help but stare in fascination.

The moment Mateo tapped the mat, the man released him and jumped to his feet, offering Mateo a hand. As he pulled Mateo up, he turned, and I saw his face. There was no stopping the way my lips parted on a silent but sharp inhale.

Linc.

His eyes were darker than the last time I’d seen him, the green deepening and drowning the gold as if shadows were doing battle there. There was also a hardness to his features that seemed in direct opposition to the teasing man I’d first met. I studied every detail of his beautiful face, trying to understand the changes.

Dark, avenging angel was the perfect description for him. Even more so now because he was battling something. I couldn’t tell if something had happened or if this was simply his outlet for the things that haunted him, the way my art was an outlet for me.

He pulled out his mouthguard, tucked it into his case, and grabbed some water. I watched as he reeled whatever it was in, tucking it away and hiding it from the world. He turned as Mateo asked him something about the takedown. Linc gestured, demonstrating the angle of his body during the approach, but I just kept staring, trying to see a glimmer of those shadows that felt so familiar. Because the same ones lived in me.

Kye bumped his shoulder against mine. It was about as affectionate as he got. “You’ve got a little drool right there.”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, annoyance flaring to life.

Linc slipped between the ropes, sliding his feet into flip-flops. Those hazel eyes flashed the moment they landed on me, a grin tugging at his lips as he crossed the space. “Have you checked her for weapons?” Linc asked Kye.

“You trying to get me killed?” Kye challenged.

Linc chuckled as he glanced down at Brutus. “Hey, big man.”

Brutus’s tail thumped twice, which only served to piss me off more.

“Can I pet him, or will he rip off my hand?”

I looked down at my dog. “He’ll only do that if I tell him to.”

Linc’s dark brows lifted at that. “And are you going to tell him to, Vicious? ”

I glared at the man opposite me. “You could’ve easily disarmed me the other day.”

Surprise filled Linc’s expression. Maybe at the abrupt turn in the conversation or perhaps my statement. But I knew it was true. It only took a matter of seconds to see that he was ten times better than me in the ring—actually, at hand-to-hand in general. But he’d stood there and let me press a blade to his throat. Let me cut him.

Linc shrugged, seemingly without a care. “So?”

“Why didn’t you?” I ground out.

He stared at me for a moment, his gaze sweeping over my face. “I don’t ever want a woman to feel powerless because of me.”

And with that, he walked away.

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