Marc flinched as if he’d been slapped. Before he could say something that Conner would no doubt punch him for, he decided to be direct, even if Sadie hated him for it later. Finding her was more important than irritating his best friend or worrying about possible jail time for something he didn’t do. Sadie was all that mattered. “She has anxiety attacks. Debilitating ones. Set off by stress. She shouldn’t be alone right now.”
Marc’s hard expression softened. “I—I didn’t know that.”
“Of course, you didn’t. Because, despite what you may think about her, you don’t really know your sister. She puts up a tough front, but she’s more fragile than she lets anyone see.”
“Except you, obviously,” Marc muttered.
“Because I don’t judge her for her past. I don’t judge her at all.”
Marc looked uncomfortable as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, staring at the ground.
“Did you know her ex has been bothering her again?” Conner was probably going to pay for that, but he didn’t care. Marc needed to know what was at stake here. “He keeps changing his phone number so he can text her after she’s blocked the number before it. She wants to change her phone number but doesn’t want to explain to you or anyone elsewhy. If I knew who the guy was, I’d go handle the problem myself.”
“What’s the deal with some text messages?”
“C’mon, Marc. Do youknowabout this guy? What he’s done to your sister? Get your head out of your—”
“He’s right, Marc.” Cody Evans stepped into their conversation, his presence surprising but instantly calming. He had that way about him. “All those times I went to Anchorage to rescue Sadie? It was from him. And before you ask why she didn’t just leave him, just know it’s never that simple. Stop judging her and start listening—”
A scream rang out from the wooded area now shrouded in darkness from the overcast evening sky. A shrill, high-pitched scream that made Conner’s blood run cold. He didn’t wait for anyone else to join him. He sprinted through the crowd with one intention: get to Sadienow.
Conner heard footsteps catch up to him on the pavement, both Evans brothers flanking him. The three raced toward the dark, wooded area with more than one sign warning people away. He didn’t think as he ran right into the uncertainty.
Two steps in, he heard another scream. But this one wasn’t Sadie’s.
“Sadie?” he called out.
“Conner?”
He spotted her plastered against a tree half a second before he saw the biggest bull moose he’d ever encountered in his life charging nearby. The beast wasn’t after Sadie or any of them. But some dark shadow hightailing it in the opposite direction.
Conner rushed to Sadie and pulled her into his arms. She clung to him so fiercely it caused him physical pain, but he didn’t dare loosen his grip. If the moose changed course, he would take the brunt of the beating. Keeping Sadie safe was all that mattered.
“Aaron, you better hope that moose gets to you before I do,” Cody yelled, sounding scarier than Conner would’ve expected he could. He was the easygoing Evans sibling who never seemed to let anything upset him. Until this moment, Conner didn’t think Cody capable of instilling fear in anyone. He was glad to be wrong about that.
“Call him off! Call him off!” Aaron cried, running toward them as he wove through trees.
Conner clung tighter to Sadie to keep her safe. To send a message to her pathetic ex that Sadie would always have his protection.
“I need to have a few words with you.” Marc’s grizzly bear timbre surprised both him and Sadie, her expression proof enough.
“Who areyou?” Aaron grabbed a trunk and hid behind it as the moose Conner could only assume was Ed turned and trotted to a stop. No doubt debating charging again since he was still looking at them.
“I’m her oldest brother.”
Despite the tenseness of the situation, Conner caught the slightest smile on Sadie’s tear-streaked face. She closed her eyes and breathed a tiny sigh of relief, pressing her cheek against his shirt.
“Are you harassing her?” Marc demanded.
“No!”
“Try again,” Cody barked. “Try the truth this time. Or I’ll sic Ed on you.”
“Who’s Ed?” A few loud snorts were all it took to get that message across. “You named a moose? You people are crazy. You can’t control him. He’s a wild animal.”
“You’re right. Wecan’tcontrol him,” Marc said. “So good luck. Maybe he’ll go easy on you. Only break half your ribs when he stomps on you. Maybe he’ll break them all. Like you said, we can’t control what he does with you.”
“You guys are nuts,” Aaron muttered.
