Chapter 26

“The one man I can’t have is the best in camp. Do yourself a favour, Mace. Cut the loner crap. What’s always been a lonely world, is now worse.”

Her words, the sound of her voice…Mason heard all the underlying nuances she didn’t utter. The truth about Cat shone through, and her gaze narrowed as he studied her. Beneath all the layers of her hard exterior and softer insides lay a carefully constructed composure. She was not unlike Mason in many ways. He almost wished he could be what she wanted.

Something in his gaze made her look away first, examine the ground, give her weapon a perfunctory once-over—she was one of a few who knew how to fire a gun. He didn’t expect her to speak again but she surprised him. “Don’t listen to the likes of Hank.”

He frowned at her, confused. Cat met his stare.

“He claims you’re unreliable because you’re gay, and he’s going to believe it more when he finds out you’re in love, but don’t listen to him.”