EXCERPT for MOOSE

"Why are you leaving?" he asked, looking down at the small woman holding the baby. His heart was cracking in two, and he didn't even know why.

"I'm safe now. I can leave, and I'm not sure you want to have a woman and a baby in your home for the rest of your life."

Moose swallowed, ready to blurt everything out of his head and toward her beautiful mouth, but he just couldn't do it. He'd been burned so many times before. Why would this be any different?

She ducked inside the ATV as Matthew closed her door. Looking out the window, she smiled up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough, Moose. I will remember you always."

As Matthew pulled away, he could hear Jennifer crying, waving her little chubby hands at him. But when he heard what she was crying, he crumbled to the earth.

"DADADADADADA!"

"What are you doing, asshole?" growled Christian. "Get the fuck up and stop her!"

"She deserves better," said Moose.

"No. You deserved better than those two you had before. She's it! Don't be a damn idiot. Go get that woman and that sweet little girl who is crying for you."

Moose leaped to his feet, racing toward the other ATV, and took off after them. He knew that Matthew could see him in his rearview mirror, but the man didn't slow down. He was going to make him work for this one.

When they reached the gate, Moose caught them, jumping from the vehicle.

"Wait! Don't leave," he said. "Please don't leave."

"Why?" asked Erica, staring at him with tears running down her face. Jennifer reached for him, and he grabbed her, hugging her tightly.

"You can't leave."

"Why?" she said again.

"Because…"

"Down!" yelled Matthew. As Moose plastered Erica and Jennifer beneath him, a hail of bullets flew by them, and the alarms went off at Belle Fleur. Someone had just tried to kill his woman and girl.