I roll us to the side, keeping her close, unwilling to break the connection. Her face is flushed, her eyes half-lidded, and pride surges through me at the sight of her, sated and soft.
"What have you done to me?" I murmur, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Riley lets out a contented sigh, her body relaxed and warm against mine. "Ruined you for anyone else," she says, a teasing note in her voice.
I chuckle, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. "That you did?"
She snuggles closer, her leg draping over mine. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"Don't ever stop looking at me like that."
I tilt her chin up, letting her see everything in my eyes. "Never," I say, the word a vow, a commitment deeper than any restraint I've ever tried to hold. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."
Her smile is slow and satisfied, and I capture it with my mouth, kissing her softly, thoroughly. When we finally break apart, her head rests on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns over my skin.
"So," she says, feigning nonchalance as sleep starts to claim her. "Do you think the town will survive this scandal?"
"Not sure," I reply, a smile tugging at my lips. "But I know we will."
I hold her as she drifts off, my heart finally at peace. I'm on the verge of following her into dreams when my phone rings, the sound jarring in the quiet cabin. Carefully, trying not to wake Riley, I reach for it on the nightstand. Sawyer's name flashes on the screen.
"This better be important," I answer quietly, easing out of bed and moving to the hall to avoid disturbing Riley.
"It is," my brother's voice is grim. "Cooper's contesting the restraining order. His father's pulled some strings with Judge Harmon. They're claiming insufficient evidence and demanding a hearing."
Cold fury replaces the warmth of just moments before. "Insufficient... She has photos. Witnesses. Trail camera footage of him on my property with a gun."
"I know. It's bullshit," Sawyer agrees. "But the Coopers have been major donors to the judge's reelection campaign. He's giving them a hearing."
"When?"
"Monday. County court in Helena. I already called Rebecca Winters. She's taking the case."
Rebecca is a good choice. She’s Caleb's friend and the best defense attorney in the state. If anyone can navigate this legal minefield, it's her.
"Good," I say, mind already calculating. "What do we need to do?"
"Keep Riley close. Safe," Sawyer advises. "Cooper's been drinking since the diner incident, making threats. Nothing he's stupid enough to act on yet, but I don't trust him."
"Neither do I." The protective instinct surges, nearly overwhelming in its intensity. "I'll keep her here until the hearing."
"Finn's coming up tomorrow," Sawyer continues. "Extra security. And Elias?" His tone shifts, becomes more personal. "For what it's worth, I've never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her. Dad would approve."
The mention of our father, who abandoned us when I was ten, takes me off guard. "Dad didn't approve of a damn thing I ever did."
"Maybe not," Sawyer concedes. "But he should have."
After we hang up, I stand in the hallway for a long moment, mind racing with implications, strategies, and the fierce need to protect what’s mine.
When I return to the bedroom, I find Riley sitting up, sheet clutched to her chest, concern etched across her features.
"What's wrong?" she asks as I enter, reading my expression in the dim light.
I hesitate, torn between protecting her from worry and honoring the partnership we're building. In the end, honesty wins. She deserves to know what we're facing.
"Cooper's contesting the restraining order," I explain, sitting beside her on the bed. "His father has connections with the local judge. They're forcing a hearing."
