His expression softened. “Tell me.”
And so I did. Right there among the luminook pens, with the sun climbing toward noon and the mountains watching silently in the distance, I told Dungar Bronish the truth I’d been hiding.
“My real name is Riley James, not Riley Smith. I was a forensic accountant for Blainsworth Industries, one of the largest financial conglomerates in the country. Two years ago, I discovered irregularities in their accounts. Money laundering, tax evasion, bribes to government officials. When I brought it to my supervisor’s attention, he thanked me, asked me to compile everything I’d found, and told me they’d handle it internally.”
Dungar listened intently, his dark eyes never leaving my face.
“That night, I stayed late to finish the report. I overheard the CEO, Edgar Blainsworth, instructing securityto find me and make sure I couldn’t cause problems. They were going to kill me, Dungar.”
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he remained silent, letting me continue.
“I grabbed what evidence I could and ran. I spent six hours hiding in a supply closet before I could escape the building. I carefully reached out to the FBI, and they contacted me two days later. It turns out they’d been building a case against Blainsworth for years, and my evidence was the missing piece they needed.”
“So you testified against him,” Dungar said.
I nodded. “I entered witness protection. Spent two years in safe houses, always moving, never staying anywhere long enough to build connections. The trial ended three months ago. Blainsworth went to prison, but his sons vowed revenge. They have resources, contacts. The Marshals decided I needed a new life somewhere remote.”
“And they sent you here.”
“It’s a small town with minimal connections to the outside world. They knew I could maintain a low profile. It seemed perfect.” I released a hollow laugh. “I was supposed to be safe here.”
Dungar stepped closer, his big frame blocking the sun, casting me in his shadow. “You are safe here,” he said with such fierce conviction that I almost believed him. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
His certainty washed over me. “You can’t promise that.”
“I can.” He took my hands in his,engulfing them completely. “Riley, protecting this town and its people is what I do. My systems, my preparations… They aren’t just quirks or habits. They’re how I keep everyone safe.”
I shook my head. “Blainsworth’s sons have resources you can’t imagine. Private security, hackers, people who specialize in making problems disappear.” Like me, I didn’t add.
“And I have seven brothers with combat training, a town full of people who look out for each other, and security protocols that account for every possible scenario.” His thumb traced circles on my palm. “The first night you were here, I updated all our defensive systems to include scenarios involving professional trackers and corporate enforcers.”
I blinked up at him. “You…what?”
“I knew you were running from something the moment I saw you.” His dark eyes held mine. “The way you cataloged exits, how you positioned yourself in rooms, your reluctance to have your photo taken. Those aren’t casual habits. So I adapted my security measures accordingly.”
“You’ve been preparing to protect me since day one?”
“Of course.” He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Though I admit, I didn’t anticipate corporate assassins. My initial assessment leaned more toward domestic violence or organized crime.”
A laugh escaped me, half-disbelief, half-relief. “You’re something else, Dungar Bronish.”
“I’m thorough.” His expression loosened. “And now that I know what we’re facing, I can be even more so.”
He released my hands and pulled his phone from his pocket, thumbing through what looked like hundreds of files before stopping on one labeled “External Threat Protocols: High-Level Resources.”
“See? I’ve mapped every entrance to Lonesome Creek, established surveillance points, created emergency response procedures.” He scrolled through pages of diagrams, contingency plans, and even what looked like topographical maps with defensive positions marked. “I designed this system after watching The Bourne Identity and realizing how many gaps existed in our security.”
The care he’d taken and the sheer amount of thought he’d put into keeping everyone safe made my throat tight with emotion.
“You did all this before you even knew me.”
“I did it because it’s who I am.” He tucked his phone away. “But I would do far more now that I do know you.”
The strength in his eyes made my heart skip. Before I could respond, his phone rang.
He frowned at it. “Ruugar.” Answering, he put it on speaker.
“Dungar?” Ruugar’s voice came through, tight with urgency. “We’ve got a situation at the wild colony site. Can you get over here?”
