Claimed by 3 Mountain Men (Silver Ridge Mountain Men)

8. Hank

8

HANK

T he sun is sinking behind the tree line, casting long shadows across the front porch.

I stand there, leaning against the wooden railing, looking out into the forest. The trees are dark silhouettes against the fading light, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze.

I take a deep breath, the scent of pine and earth filling my lungs.

Ben’s been gone all day, and it’s not like him to be out this late without checking in. He was gone yesterday as well.

The forest is quiet, the kind of quiet that feels almost eerie. I can hear the distant call of an owl, the chirp of crickets starting up as night falls. I shift my weight, feeling the rough wood of the railing under my hands, and stare into the darkness.

Where the hell is he?

I pull out my phone, checking for any missed calls or messages. Nothing. I sigh, shoving it back into my pocket. Ben’s a grown man, and he knows these woods better than anyone. But still, something feels off.

He hadn’t said much before leaving this morning, just something about needing to take care of a few things. Whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. JT and I have no idea what he’s up to, and it’s starting to get to me.

JT and I have been butting heads more than usual, and Ben’s been the only thing keeping us from tearing each other apart. But now he’s off doing God knows what, and I can’t shake the feeling that something’s about to give.

A rustling sound catches my attention, and I straighten up, peering into the forest. A figure emerges from the shadows, and relief floods through me as I recognize Ben’s tall, sturdy frame. He’s walking slowly, looking tired but determined.

“Ben!” I call out, my voice carrying through the quiet evening.

He looks up, a small smile on his lips as he approaches the porch. “Hey, Hank.”

“Where’ve you been? It’s getting late,” I say, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.

“Just needed to take care of a few things,” he replies, climbing the steps to the porch. “No big deal. I went out, walked the trails to the edge of the property.”

I study his face, looking for any signs of trouble. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” he says, leaning against the railing beside me. “Just lost track of time.”

I nod slowly, trying to make sense of his vague responses. “You sure? JT’s been asking about you.”

“I’m fine, Hank,” Ben says, meeting my gaze with those steady hazel eyes of his. “You don’t need to worry.”

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “I just… I don’t like not knowing what’s going on, Ben. We’re a team. We need to stick together. Especially with everything that’s going on right now.”

He claps a hand on my shoulder, a reassuring gesture that eases some of my tension. “We will. I promise. Just trust me, okay?”

He’s lying.

I glance at him sideways, searching his face for signs of deception, but I find none. Reluctantly, I nod. If he’s not going to tell me then I won’t be able to force it out of him. Ben is stubborn.

"Alright. But you better not make a habit of it."

Ben's lips quirk up into a smile, just small enough to be missed by the untrained eye, but I see it. We know each other better than we know ourselves. He knows I've caught him. "Scout's honor?" he says.

God. I feel like I’m turning into Dad.

We both head inside, where JT emerges from the shadows, his face etched with concern.

“The hell you doing out there this late?”

“A whole bunch of shit,” Ben says. He shakes his head. “Since when do you both care so much?” He shoulders past us and heads up the stairs.

The only sound left in the room is the methodical ticking of the massive grandfather clock in the entryway.

The air between JT and I is thick with unspoken words, we lock eyes.

“You know anything?” I ask, my voice low, so Ben can’t hear us from upstairs.

JT shakes his head, his brown eyes clouded with worry. “He’s been acting off.”

“We all have,” I mutter, kicking my work boots off.

“This isn’t like him though,” JT counters. “And you know it. He’s the one who's always making sure we keep our heads on straight.”

I sigh, raking a hand through my hair. “I don’t know anymore, JT. Maybe we just need to back off.”

He doesn't respond, but I can feel his eyes boring into me.

“Follow him tomorrow if heads out.”

I shoot him a look. “Are you serious?”

“We’re past worrying about that crap, Hank. Something is wrong and we’re damn well gonna find out what.”

“He’s probably just walking the trails, clearing his head after losing Dad.”

“That’s something you or I would do. Not Ben. You know there’s two reasons he pulls away.” He holds up a finger. “Either he’s found a woman, or two he’s hiding something. Since there hasn’t been any sign of a woman, I'm betting on the latter." JT crosses his muscular arms across his chest and leans against the wall, his stance an unyielding sign that he won't budge.

“Follow him, yourself,” I say, waving my hand. “You’re the ex-military.”

“I’m going to meet with the lawyer tomorrow. Unless you want to?”

“No. No. You can deal with that shit. I’ll figure out what the hell Ben’s up to. Though we could just ask.”

“He would’ve told us.”

“Yeah. He would’ve,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair again. My brother, the mystery man.

The sun barely breaks the horizon, casting a dull gray light over the forest as I step out onto the porch and into the cool morning air.

I lean my head against the wall, watching the front yard, waiting for Ben.

Except he doesn’t head out into the woods. He walks past me clutching truck keys.

“The hell you off to?” I ask him.

“What does it matter?” he asks.

“It doesn’t.”

He studies me for a moment, then continues toward the truck. “I’m headed into town for groceries and to run a few errands. Some of the equipment needs some work. I want to fix it up and get it ready for winter.”

I nod.

Great. Can’t follow the asshole, but I might be able to follow his tracks from yesterday since we didn’t get any rain. We’ve all got big feet, size eighteen. Should be no problem to see his work boots in the mud.

“Where’s JT?” he asks, opening the driver door to the truck.

“Meeting with lawyers.”

“You alright, bro?” he asks.

“Fine.” He sees right through my lie, but luckily, he doesn’t press because he knows that I’m on to him.

He pauses before getting in. “I’ll see you around then.”

“Sure. I’ll be here, holding the fort down.” I wait until his truck disappears at the top of the hill onto the main road and is well out of sight. “Let’s see what you’ve been up to, bro.”

I follow the path Ben took last night, his tracks still visible in the dew-dampened earth. The ground is soft, the indentations of his boots clear and easy to follow.

If he's up to something, it’s got to be important. But I can’t shake the feeling that whatever he’s involved in, it’s something he doesn’t want JT and I to know about. But now was not the time to be keeping secrets from one another. He knows that.

The trail leads deeper into the woods, winding through thick underbrush and between towering pines. The air is crisp, filled with the scent of pine needles and damp earth.

His tracks stay close to the trails we commonly use, but I’m surprised at how far he’s been going. Every turn I think he would’ve stopped, he kept going deeper into the property. After a while, just as I’m about to reach the edge I come across a makeshift camp. A small tent is set up in a clearing, hidden well away from any road or main trails.

And there’s that biologist girl from the bar. It takes me a moment, but I remember her name.

Mac.

Her long, raven-black hair is pulled back in a messy bun, and her skin glows in the morning light. She’s focused, determined, and completely unaware of my presence.

She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

She’s dressed in a pair of short jean shorts that show off the full length of her toned legs and a loose tank top, no bra underneath.

The realization hits me like a punch to the gut.

Has Ben been meeting her here?

I grind my teeth together.

Goddamn it.

My anger simmers just below the surface as I watch her, completely engrossed in her work. She’s setting up more cameras, jotting down notes in a worn-looking notebook, her brow furrowed in concentration.

I step out from behind the tree, my boots crunching on the underbrush. Mac hears the noise and looks up, a soft smile forming on her lips.

“Ben, you’re back early,” she says, her voice tinged with relief. “Didn’t think you’d come by this morning.”

I pause, caught off guard by her assumption. But I decide to play along, if only for a second. “Yeah, figured I’d check in on you,” I say, my tone casual.

“I wanted to talk about the other day at the lake. I’ve never you know. This is embarrassing—” She starts to say something else, but then she hesitates, her brow furrowing. Her eyes narrow slightly as she takes a closer look at me. “Wait a minute… You’re not Ben.”

Her expression shifts to one of surprise and then irritation as she realizes who’s actually standing in front of her.

“Hank, right?” she asks, her voice tight. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” I fold my arms across my chest, trying to appear nonchalant, but my heart is pounding in my chest. “What are you doing on our land? Spying on us now, Mac?”

“None of your business.” She tries to pack her stuff away, but I reach out and grab her arm, holding her in place.

“Ben’s been meeting you here, hasn’t he?” I demand.

“One question at a time, asshole!”

“Okay. We’ll back it up. What the hell is going on?”

She pushes my hand away, her stunning eyes flashing with anger.

“If you must know, I’m here for work, and your brother has nothing to do with it.” She straightens her tank top, trying to regain her composure.

I can’t help but notice how her body responds to my touch, how her breath catches ever so slightly.

“Bullshit, princess.”

“He knows I’m here, Hank. He’s been helping me with my research.”

“Resc-”

“Yeah, research. People do it, you know? Try it sometime.”

The nerve of this woman! As if I’m the one in the wrong here.

“And what exactly are you researching? Our every move?”

She scoffs, rolling her eyes at me. “I’m here to study the wildlife in this area. You know, the animals? The ones whose habitats you guys have been destroying. Your paranoia is misplaced.”

“Oh, it’s not paranoia.”

I step closer to her, invading her personal space. “It’s called protecting what’s mine. And I don’t trust you, Mac.”

“Well, you know what, Hank? I don’t give a flying fuck. I’m here for my research and nothing else.

I grab her notebook and flip through the pages, my blood boiling as I see page after page of notes about us and our property.

“Care to explain this, Mac?”

“Give it back!” she lunges for the notebook, but I step back, keeping it out of her reach. “Those are private!”

“Oh, privacy? Funny coming from a woman who's been snooping around on our land."

“What are you so worried about?”

She pushes my hand away, she scowls as anger starts to appear on her delicate features. It’s hot as hell.

“Seems to me like you’re really worried about me being here,” she hisses.

“Seems to me, I’m just worried about what my brother’s doing with a woman like you,” I echo her words. I can play this game all damn day.

"A woman like me?" she scoffs. “What the hell does that mean?”

I cross my arms over my chest, staring down at her, letting her snatch her notebook back. “It’s not like you’re our friend.”

“No. But I could be.”

I give her a dark smile, leaning forward. “I don’t think you have it in you.”

“You’d be surprised by what I’m capable of.”

“I already know you’re capable of breaking the law and trespassing, as well as being incredibly sassy.”

She rolls her eyes and it infuriates me even more. “Grow up,” she mutters.

I step even closer, so our noses are mere centimeters apart. Her breath hitches, and I know she feels it too, this simmering attraction between us.

“I’m warning you, Mac. If I catch you on our land again…” I growl.

“Or what, Hank? You’ll shoot me? Try to scare me by being bigger than me?” she asks in a singsong voice, her eyes daring me to react.

“No. I’ll do much worse.” My gaze moves to her lips, and I can't stop myself from leaning in just a little bit closer. Her heartbeat picks up, a surge of satisfaction rushes through me.

Her breath catches in her throat as my lips hover close to hers. Her body betrays her, leaning in just a fraction of an inch.

“You don’t scare me,” she whispers.

Her response is all the invitation I need. I cup her face in my hands, and my lips crash onto hers, claiming her mouth with a fierce hunger that takes us both by surprise.

As my tongue sweeps into her mouth, her lips part with a loud moan, I taste the sweetness of her. She melts into my arms, her hands sliding up my chest to lock around my neck. My fingers roam down her curves, tugging at the hem of her tank top to reveal toned, tanned skin. Desire drips through me like a hungry, untamed beast.

My hand tangles in her hair, anchoring her to me as I deepen the kiss. Mac moans into my mouth, her body pressed against mine, and for a brief moment, I forget why we're even fighting. All I know is that I need more of her.

But then it happens, a spark of defiance flickers behind her eyes, and she pushes me away with all her might. I break the kiss, but I don’t budge, keeping her pinned against me, my heart pounding and my cock rock hard.

“You better not cause any trouble, you understand?” I whisper, her chin gripped in my palm.

Instead of backing down, she narrows her eyes at me. “Another ominous threat. Tell me what you plan to do? Kiss me again?” Mac challenges, her chest heaving.

“I don’t know, Mac. Maybe you’d like that.”

“Fuck you,” she sneers, straightening her clothes, attempting to regain her composure.

“That can be arranged.” I smirk, giving her a wink before releasing my grip on her.

Her cheeks flush a vibrant red.

“You think this is a game?” she snaps, her voice low and sharp. “This isn’t about you and your damn ego, Hank. This is about something bigger than both of us.”

I take a step back, giving her the space she needs, but my gaze never wavers. “I know that, Mac. But you need to understand something. You’re in our territory now, and you don’t get to call the shots.”

She squares her shoulders, meeting me head-on. “I’m not here to play games, Hank. I’m here to make a difference, and if that means standing up to you and your brothers, so be it.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, but instead of backing down, I feel a surge of respect for her. She’s not afraid to stand her ground, and that’s something I can’t help but admire.

“Alright,” I say, my tone softening slightly. “But you better be damn sure you know what you’re getting into.”

“I do,” she replies, her voice steady. “Do you?” Mac’s breathing is heavy, her eyes wide as she stares at me, as if she’s just as shocked by what she did as I am.

I open my mouth to say something—anything—but the words don’t come. I don’t know what to say. I don’t even know what I’m feeling. All I know is that the kiss has left me completely off-kilter.

“I—” I start, but she cuts me off, shaking her head as if trying to clear her own thoughts.

“Just go, Hank,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not going to cause any problems unless I find out that you’ve been the ones creating them.”

I hold my hands up. “You’ve been warned.”

Without another word, I turn and walk away, my mind reeling. I don’t look back, but I can feel her eyes on me as I leave the camp, every step taking me further away from the confusion.

But even as I put distance between us, the kiss lingers in my mind, replaying over and over. What the hell just happened? Why did I kiss her? And why, despite everything, do I want to go back and do it again?

I don’t have any answers, and that scares me the more than anything. I’ve always been the one who knows what to do, the one with a plan. But right now, I don’t know what the hell to think.

By the time I reach the lodge, my head is spinning. I push open the door, stepping into the familiar warmth of home.

Neither JT nor Ben are home.

That’s good. I just want to be alone right now. I sure as shit still don’t know what the hell Ben’s doing with Mac out there, but I didn’t want to stay and see if I could control myself around her.

I pour myself a glass of whiskey, downing it in one go. The burn in my chest does nothing to extinguish the fire that Mac ignited in my veins.

I can’t shake the memory of her. Mac’s lips are soft and warm against mine. My body responds to the memory, and I curse under my breath.

And as I stand there, trying to make sense of it all, one thing becomes clear; nothing about this is going to be easy.

This is bad—very bad?—