Protected in Cedar Ridge
(2026)(The fourth book in the Mountain Men of Cedar Ridge series)
A Story by M J Herald
He was trained to protect.
She learned the hard way what happens when you trust the wrong man.
When Chloe Hartley comes to Cedar Ridge, she’s not looking for love.
She’s looking for peace. Safety. A place where no one knows her past.
What she doesn’t expect is Sheriff Deacon Elliott.
Six-foot-four.
Broad-shouldered.
A man who doesn’t hesitate when a woman is afraid.
Deacon doesn’t step in halfway.
Not when danger is circling.
And not when his instincts tell him she’s his to protect.
For Deacon, protection isn’t a job.
It’s a promise carved into bone—born from a childhood he can’t forget.
For Chloe, trust is dangerous.
She survived abuse by learning how to disappear.
By never relying on anyone.
By never believing a man could be both gentle and strong.
But forced proximity has a way of stripping away defenses.
And Deacon isn’t backing off.
As Chloe tries to bury her past, Deacon draws a hard line between her and the world—one built of muscle, discipline, and absolute devotion.
He’ll stand between her and every threat.
Even if it costs him everything.
And Chloe is about to learn what real protection feels like…
When a man falls first—and falls forever.
Genre: Romance
She learned the hard way what happens when you trust the wrong man.
When Chloe Hartley comes to Cedar Ridge, she’s not looking for love.
She’s looking for peace. Safety. A place where no one knows her past.
What she doesn’t expect is Sheriff Deacon Elliott.
Six-foot-four.
Broad-shouldered.
A man who doesn’t hesitate when a woman is afraid.
Deacon doesn’t step in halfway.
Not when danger is circling.
And not when his instincts tell him she’s his to protect.
For Deacon, protection isn’t a job.
It’s a promise carved into bone—born from a childhood he can’t forget.
For Chloe, trust is dangerous.
She survived abuse by learning how to disappear.
By never relying on anyone.
By never believing a man could be both gentle and strong.
But forced proximity has a way of stripping away defenses.
And Deacon isn’t backing off.
As Chloe tries to bury her past, Deacon draws a hard line between her and the world—one built of muscle, discipline, and absolute devotion.
He’ll stand between her and every threat.
Even if it costs him everything.
And Chloe is about to learn what real protection feels like…
When a man falls first—and falls forever.
Genre: Romance
Used availability for M J Herald's Protected in Cedar Ridge