Page 15 of The Mountain Man’s Curvy Bride (Mountain Man Sanctuary #3)
Wes
The chicken sizzles softly in the oven, its comforting aroma wafting through the cabin, but even its familiar warmth isn't enough to dispel the nagging feeling of unease that's begun to settle in the pit of my stomach.
I glance again toward the back porch door, expecting Daisy to reappear at any moment with the blankets she'd stepped outside to retrieve.
But minutes tick by, each feeling longer and more oppressive than the last.
“Daisy?” I call out gently, my voice slicing through the silence of the kitchen. When there’s no response, the vague unease blooms into something sharper. I wipe my hands hurriedly on a kitchen towel, stepping toward the door as worry claws at my chest.
Just as I reach for the door handle, a faint sound drifts in from outside—a muffled cry that could almost be mistaken for the wind.
My heart skips a beat, and I freeze, straining my ears.
Was that Daisy's voice? My heart rate accelerates, a spike of adrenaline shooting through my veins, sharpening my senses.
“Daisy!” I call again, louder this time, the urgency unmistakable in my voice.
Silence stretches back to me, mocking and cruel.
Without hesitation, I yank open the door, stepping onto the back porch.
My eyes sweep quickly across the wooden deck, noting the blankets Daisy had come out to retrieve are scattered haphazardly across the ground, one corner dangling off the porch railing.
The sight sends a cold jolt of panic through my chest. “Daisy, where are you?” I shout, stepping rapidly toward the edge of the porch.
My breath clouds in front of me as I scan the growing darkness, heart hammering violently against my ribcage.
Only the whisper of leaves and distant birdsong reply, the serenity feeling impossibly sinister now.
My gut twists painfully, fear driving me off the porch and into the yard, eyes frantically searching for any trace of Daisy.
"Daisy, answer me!" My voice rings out louder, sharp with panic.
The lack of response sends a deeper surge of dread coursing through my veins, urging me forward into the shadowed edges of the woods.
With every step I take into the darkness, memories of Steven’s unsettling presence in town flicker through my mind, filling me with a fiery mixture of fear and rage. The thought of him laying his hands on Daisy makes my blood boil with a fury I've never known.
I pause momentarily, forcing myself to calm my breathing, to focus. I strain to hear any sound—footsteps, voices, anything—but all that greets me is silence, thick and oppressive. The twilight shadows deepen around me, trees casting eerie shapes, each rustling leaf making my pulse race faster.
I press on, desperation propelling me forward, my eyes keenly attuned to any small sign of Daisy’s passage.
Just beyond the treeline, something catches my eye—a small piece of fabric snagged on a thorny branch.
I reach out with trembling fingers, recognizing the soft texture instantly.
It's a torn piece from Daisy's favorite sweater, one she wore earlier today.
My stomach knots violently, nausea twisting through me as reality crashes down hard. Daisy has been taken—abducted right from our home, from under my nose. Rage floods through me, mixing with a profound sense of guilt. How could I have let this happen? How could I have failed to protect her?
“Daisy, hold on!” I roar into the darkness, desperation fueling every word. “I'm coming for you!”
Driven by fierce determination, I push deeper into the woods, branches clawing at my clothes, my boots slipping slightly on damp leaves and uneven terrain. Each step feels too slow, every second passing by like a cruel, ticking clock.
My mind races wildly, envisioning all the terrible things Steven could be capable of.
The images threaten to break me, but I grit my teeth, using the anger to keep myself moving forward, more resolved than ever to save Daisy.
She's become my everything—the light in my life, the reason I finally opened up my heart again. I won’t lose her.
The forest grows thicker, darker around me, but my senses sharpen, honed by desperation.
I stop suddenly, kneeling down to examine the disturbed earth—a clear sign of struggle.
Fear pulses sharply through me once more as I trace the faint tracks through the trees.
Steven has taken Daisy deeper into the wilderness.
Cold determination surges within me. I won't rest until Daisy is safe, until Steven faces justice.
He'll regret the day he ever laid eyes on her again, and nothing will stop me from bringing her home.
My heart thunders with fierce resolve, every beat echoing a promise that Daisy will be safe again, no matter the cost.