Page 2 of Mountain Grump Protector

He’s already watching me. They all are.

I move toward him, eager to get this over with.

“Well, well, well.” He leans on his pool cue and licks his lips as his eyes rake over me, leaving me feeling way too exposed.

I regret the tank top and cutoffs I’m wearing. But it’s not like I have a walk-in closet of options to choose from.

Besides, just because he’s looking doesn’t mean he gets anything more than that.

“I came to pay my brother’s debt,” I say, ignoring the gross way he’s leering at me along with all his cronies who’ve come to gather round.

“Is that right?” He leans back, setting the cue down on the table top before crossing his beefy arms. “And how much do you think that little shit racked up before he ran off this time?”

I swallow hard, hoping he doesn’t see the shake in my arm as I reach for the envelope in my back pocket. “I have two hundred now, and I can get you the rest in⁠—”

“Two hundred?” He almost chokes on his laughter. The sound rolls out of his chest, like he can’t believe what I said. The men around him start snickering and elbowing each other as if they’re all in on a joke that isn’t funny.

I don’t look away. I won’t give him that satisfaction.

“Little lady.” He draws out the words as he steps toward me, pinning me with his eyes. “Your brother owes me twenty-eight hundred dollars. Not two.”

Twenty-eight?

My throat goes dry.

I knew Bryson was in trouble; he always was. But I didn’t think it was that deep. The two hundred in my hand suddenly feels like nothing. Less than nothing.

It might as well be.

“I…” my throat closes around the rest, mostly because I have no idea what to say. “I’ll get the rest,” I manage after a moment. “I just need a little time. Let me give you this as a down payment.”

The truth is, I have no idea how I’m going to come up with any more. Scraping together two hundred dollars had been hard enough. After rent, food, and bills, there’s never enough. Especially since Dad hasn’t worked in…well, I can’t think about how long it had been since he’d brought home a pay cheque.

It may be cheaper to live in Iron Peak, but there isn’t much in the way of work in this backwoods town. At least not unless I want to work at the mill. I will, though, and Lord knows, I’ve tried. But they refuse to hire a woman.

Sexist assholes.

Not that I should be spending any time worrying about that right now. I have much bigger concerns in front of me.

Like the way Ronnie is closing in on me, a leering grin on his face. “Time?” He tilts his head and doesn’t bother hiding the grin on his face. “Your brother already had time. In fact, I gave him three different deadlines and now…here you are.”

I don’t like the look on his face, but I refuse to take a step backward. I will not let him see that he’s getting to me.

“Unless, of course, he’s sent you in payment.”

“Absolutely not,” I spit.

"After all, the price has gone up,” he continues, as if I haven’t spoken at all, and reaches out, tracing one thick, greasy finger down my cheek. It takes all my restraint not to bite it off. “You might just be the right price to pay off his debt after all.”

“Like I said,” I step back, so his hand falls away. “Absolutely not.”

The expression on Ronnie’s face shifts, the slimy smile slipping away, replaced by a leer. “Here’s the thing, little lady.” His voice drops, turning even more menacing. “I’m not an unreasonable man. I’m willing to work something out with you. But if you’re not going to cooperate, the price will continue to go up.”

The way he says it makes my skin crawl. His eyes drop to my chest, then lower even further. I don’t need to ask what exactly he’s willing to work out.

I’m running out of options, but there’s still no way I’m going to allow myself to get drawn into his sick twisted game. Not for a second. I shake my head and take another step backwards, but my escape route is blocked.

“Don’t be like that.” He’s once more standing inches in front of me, as if I haven’t moved at all. He reaches out and twists a strand of my red hair around his fingers. “I wonder if the curtains match the drapes.”