You laugh. I not run again. The air went still. Klay's face hardened and he took another step forward. That was enough.
Cole raised the rifle steady sighting down the barrel. "Mount up," he said. Klay stared at him, weighing whether to push it. The other two were already backing toward their horses. "This ain't over," Klay said finally.
"It is if you keep riding," Cole said. Clay spat once more, then swung into the saddle and wheeled his horse around. They rode off slow at first, then faster as they hit the trail. Cole stood there until the sound of hooves faded completely, then lowered the rifle. He turned back toward the cabin.
Nia was still by the door, her hands tight around the rifle she held. "You all right?" Cole asked? She nodded, though her chest rose and fell fast. "They not stop." No, Cole said, stepping closer. But they know now.
They know you got a place here. Nia's grip on the rifle loosened. She set it back near the wall, then stepped off the porch and came to him. Her hands were dirty from the door frame, but she placed one flat against his chest. "You stand for me," she said.
Cole nodded every time. Her fingers curled in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer. Cole didn't hesitate. He bit his head and kissed her. This time, not careful, but certain.
She didn't flinch, she leaned into him, her hands gripping his back. When they finally stepped apart, the tension in her shoulders was gone. Inside the cabin that night, they sat close by the fire. Cole cleaned the rifle, set it within reach, then looked at Nia. "If they come again, we might have to go to the sheriff." "Make it official," Nia tilted her head.
Official means no one can touch you without paying for it," Cole said. She was quiet for a long moment, then nodded. "Then we go." Later, when they lay down on the cot, Nia didn't wait for him to reach for her. She pressed herself against him, her head under his chin, and let out a long, slow breath. Cole rested his hand against the curve of her back.