Ryder felt his bear rise up inside him. He wouldn’t let that happen. Scott would only take advantage of her and hurt her again. He liked to think Janna would never go for it, but he’d left her hurt and probably feeling vulnerable.
Still, he’d tear Scott apart before he let him touch her.
But what if Janna wanted Scott to touch her? The thought made him nearly lose control of his bear right there.
But then he took a deep breath and summoned the rational mind that had made him who he was. In this fight for his mate, brain would be just as important as brawn.
And his brain combined with his passion had never let him down.
“I’m going down there. But I still want Mike.”
“Sure thing. I’ll text him your number. He can keep you updated. Where will you stay?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “I’ll sleep in the woods if I have to.” He turned to go and then stopped and put a hand on Riley’s shoulder. Riley looked shocked at the contact. Ryder shrugged. “Thanks for the help.”
“Sure thing,” Riley said. “And Ryder?”
“Yes?”
“I smelled it too. She’s at least part bear. That’s why she’s having so much trouble. When you tell her, at least a small part of her should accept what you say as the truth.”
“I hope so,” Ryder said, turning to go.
“What will you do if she doesn’t?” Riley called after him.
Ryder looked at his brother over his shoulder. “I’ll negotiate.”
At that, Riley went completely silent and then barked out a laugh.
Ryder went back to the cabin, packed, and then got in his Range Rover and headed out into the snow-blurred night.
He’d be there for his mate whether she wanted him or not. And then he’d make her see she was meant for him, by whatever means necessary.
* * *
When they arrived back at her place, Scott helped Janna out and followed her up to the door.
Now for the awkward part, she thought.
She gave him an awkward hug, which he barely returned, but he still didn’t leave.
“What happened?” he asked.
She folded her arms over her chest and looked down. “I don’t want to talk about it. Look, Scott, I appreciate you picking me up, but after you hurt me, I’m not really interested in anything further with you.”
He sighed. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. You were the best thing that happened to me. I guess I just… wasn’t thinking.”
She set down her suitcase with an exasperated sigh. “You were thinking, all right. You were thinking with your other head, and now you regret it because she left.”
He frowned, pouting. “Look, can’t we let bygones be bygones? You’re not the woman I cheated on. You’ve been getting stronger every day. I can tell. When you called me, I thought you were ready to bury the hatchet.”
“No,” she said, shocked he could even think that. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to bury the hatchet. Do you know what you did to me, Scott? How hard you made it for me to trust men after that?”
He scowled. “Apparently not enough for you to not run off with that Ryder guy. I guess money talks, huh, Janna?”
She frowned. “That’s none of your business. I’m not yours anymore. I’m not sure if I ever was.”
“You were mine,” he said, and the wistful look on his face almost made her heart twinge with a bit of regret for how things had happened. But they couldn’t go back. Even if she was learning to let other men in, she couldn’t with him. She’d be stupid to.
Maybe some people could overcome cheating. Especially if the partner confessed. But she’d caught him, and he’d stayed with the other woman as long as he could.
He only came back to Janna when she was the only option.
At least Ryder had treated her like the first option. He hadn’t come on to any of her friends. Well, she didn’t know what he’d done when she wasn’t around, but he’d been around her pretty much since he’d gotten into town.
Nothing made sense. From the minute he’d met her, he’d been protective, brave, strong. Why did he run?
But her heart sank as she wondered if she was simply trying to find a way to let him off the hook. Or was it just that her intuition kept saying there was more to it than met the eye?
She couldn’t tell and she was too tired to do it right now, with Scott on her porch.
“Good night,” she said. Then she turned, unlocked the door, and went inside, not waiting for Scott to protest.
The apartment was dark and a little cold. She’d turned the heat down before she left.
Everything here was so familiar. Knickknacks she’d had since she was little littered the fireplace mantle. The small living room had a couch, a worn but practical rug, and a comfy chair by the window where she could read. There were still books strewn across the seat.