Page 16 of The Mountain Man’s Retribution (Summer in the Pines #7)

FAWN

“ Fawn!” two distinct voices call. One is gruff and masculine, the other is smooth like silk but trembling with fear.

I cannot speak. I cannot think. My mind fixated on only one thing: concealment. Logically, I understand these people must be Bodie’s friends. But how can I be certain after the scene that unfolded moments ago? Especially since he never mentioned the presence of a woman.

My thoughts fly back to the smell of smoke as I took a shower in the bathroom, trying to calm myself after Bodie left. I barely had a chance to get out before gray fumes licked and crawled across the ceiling.

“Fawn, you better come out!” male voices taunted. “Lest you wish to burn alive like the fucking whore you are!”

Malaketh and Kael—Big Man’s sons.

Terror gripped me, my knees shaking as I sprinted from the shower into the bedroom, sliding into one of Bodie’s large shirts and grabbing the handgun. I crawled along the floor, finding, in horror, flames licking up the walls of the cabin.

Our cabin. Our books. Our life.

Tears froze on my face as their voices called again. “Come out, little stepmother. Time to pay for what you did to Father.”

Did to Big Man? I don’t understand.

“We know you set our father’s cabin on fire. We know you burned him alive to escape, you little whore. Not even twenty-four hours after unrepentantly wetting his cock, you evil, wicked temptress! You must learn your place and face your punishment!” Malaketh screamed.

Big Man had both sons convinced that he had first consummated our union years before, with frequent conjugal relations following.

He used to make me scream and wail with fake pleasure while he beat himself off, ensuring his sons heard the noises emanating from the bedroom.

He called them our shows, but they always made my skin crawl.

Nevertheless, I had to comply, and I did it as convincingly as possible to keep his far more terrifying sons at bay.

Reliving these memories in Bodie’s burning cabin, my stomach roiled, mind racing for a place to hide. But as the heat of the flames engulfed the home, making my skin steam, I knew I had only one option. To make my stand.

Kael screamed, “We watched your man leave this morning. We know you’re all alone, so don’t even try to run from us. There’s no way?—”

Crawling out of the guest bedroom’s side window, opened just enough to squeeze through, I crouched, sneaking towards the voices, until I got Kael in my sight.

I opened fire, recalling everything Bodie taught me about this gun.

But at the first whir of a bullet, both men dropped to the ground, scrambling into underbrush and exchanging fire.

“Hands up!” a new voice screamed, its tone dark and menacing. Bodie’s friend, Roscoe? Perhaps.

A hail of gunfire followed. Bullets whizzing, fire devouring, smoke choking my lungs. More bullets.

In the tumult, I ran into the woods, finding a spot to continue laying siege on Malaketh and Kael. Squinting into the early morning light, I trained the weapon, ready to fire again. No more hiding. Instead, actively fighting back.

Pulling the trigger, I watched with satisfaction as Kael gripped his upper arm, eyes searching the tree line as I buried my head beneath the verdant vegetation of the elderberry bush.

Frantic screams.

Sirens.

Squealing truck tires.

The Law.

Firefighters.

And then, two voices calling frantically for me. I close my eyes tightly, wishing the last hours away, unable to move, think, or even breathe properly until I hear Bodie’s voice again. My heart feels like it’s failing, melting in my chest.

I watch from my hidden burrow as firefighters strain and grunt out orders, working in synch like ants at their hill for the same goal. Tears run diagonally across my cheeks, remembering my folded pages and the grand library in the cabin with its countless tomes, each a hidden treasure.

But I am alive, and endlessly grateful that Bodie wasn’t here for this ambush.

He could’ve been shot by those depraved men as we tried to escape.

We both might’ve been. But even worse than that mutual fate is the thought of living without my mountain man.

I sob quietly to myself, trying to keep it together.

“Fawn? Where’s Fawn?” a frantic voice screams.

“We don’t know,” the unfamiliar male answers.

“We keep calling her name, but she isn’t responding,” the softer woman’s voice adds.

“Have you seen a woman? Anyone?” My giant of a mountain man towers above the firefighters, face drawn with worry.

Without a second thought for my lack of clothing apart from his shirt, the strangers swarming the place, or the whereabouts of Big Man’s sons, I shimmy out of my burrow beneath the berry-laden bush, sprinting towards my man.

“Bodie!” I scream, barely giving him a moment to react before I slam into him.

“Fawn,” he exclaims, voice shuddering. “Thank God.” He can say no more, burying his head in the crook of my neck and weeping.

I wrap my arms frantically around him, kissing and touching him, trying to convince my churning brain that this is real, not a dream. My hair swirls around us, a curtain against prying eyes, as he grips me so tightly I can only draw shallow breaths.

“If anything ever happened to you,” he whispers. “God, I can’t even imagine. I would die.”

I sob, nodding frantically and feeling the weight of his words. “I love you, Bodie.”

“I love you, Fawn. More than my life. More than anything.”

“But your cabin?” I whimper, looking at the ravenous, golden flames. “Big Man’s sons did this. I’m so sorry. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t hidden in the hollow log in front of your house.” I fight for the last words, knowing full well that I dragged Bodie into this fight.

He inches his head back, palming my cheeks and growling, “You hiding in the hollow log is the single best thing that’s ever happened to me. I would burn down the fucking world to keep you.”

He kisses me ravenously, stealing the breath from my lungs.

“But Big Man’s sons. Are they still nearby? What happened to them?” I ask wide-eyed, glancing around as my senses return.

“Handled,” Bodie says grimly, finality in his gaze.

A blond-haired man with a thick beard and a woman with gentle gray-blue eyes approach us, concern written on their faces.

“I take it this is Fawn?” the blonde woman asks, arching her eyebrow and staring at me with incomparable kindness.

I nod, eyeing her and the man curiously. He puts his arm around her, and she snuggles into him.

Bodie introduces, “Fawn, this is Roscoe and Ginger. My friends a couple of mountains over. We were supposed to meet them during our errands until the incident with Mrs. McCartney.” Shaking the blond man’s hand, Bodie adds, “I can’t thank you both enough.”

I nod, the corners of my lips turning up as I appraise them.

“Of course,” Roscoe says gruffly. “You would do the same for me.”

Bodie nods.

“It was all fire and brimstone from the moment we got here,” Roscoe says, wrapping both arms covetously around Ginger, who stands in front of him. “Thank God Ginger’s been target practicing and learning evasive maneuvers. And Fawn here is a crackshot.”

Bodie smiles, squeezing me tightly. “See how brave you are, Fawn? Able to protect yourself when life demands it.”

“I used all of your bullets. I’m sorry,” I whisper, handing him the weapon. He quickly conceals it in the waistband of his pants.

“You did exactly what I told you. Fought back. You are my equal in every fucking way.”

“I knew I could never let them take me, Bodie,” I say earnestly. “After the love and kindness you have shown me, I could never go back. Ever.”

“And you never will,” he whispers, kissing me.

Roscoe says in gravelly tones, “Fire was blazing when we pulled up. Two men taunting Fawn. Threatening to burn her alive and saying ugly shit. They said she burned Big Man’s cabin.

Whoever the hell that is. I didn’t have a chance to confront them before the place turned into the O.K.

Corral, bullets whizzing, cowards scrambling to get away.

I barely got texts off to you. Thankfully, Ginger called nine-one-one.

The moment sirens sounded in the distance, the men fled.

I wish I had better eyes on where they went. I’m sorry, man.”

Bodie grips his shoulder. “No worries. I’ll explain later.”

The blond mountain man nods grimly.

“And how are you holding up?” Bodie asks Ginger.

She shrugs. “I’ve been through worse,” she says matter-of-factly, clinging to her man.

I arch an eyebrow, curious to know more about these two.

“We’ve already given reports,” Roscoe excuses. “Figure we better get back to the cabin to clean up for you two. Looks like you could use a spare bedroom.” He eyes Bodie’s truck skeptically. “If you can make that thing move another inch?”

Bodie chuckles. “Thank you for the offer of a place to stay. It’s one we’ll be taking you and Ginger up on. The truck’ll make it there. If not, we’ll call for a ride.”

The couple nods before turning and walking back to their truck arm in arm.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Bodie calls after them. They both turn. “This mountain doesn’t feel like a home anymore. I’d like to discuss another offer you made some time ago. Moving into your community of veterans and wounded warriors.”

Roscoe smiles. “Sure thing, man. We could always use another gun … or two. No later than six, friends. That’s when Ginger likes to serve dinner.” He helps his woman into the truck, and they leave.

Bodie and I watch the scene, transfixed as the living, breathing, devouring fire transforms into black, smoking wreckage. I sniffle, running the sleeve of his jacket over my nose. “All our books, our clothes, our life …”

My rugged mountain man pulls me tightly against his chest, kissing me. “We’ll rebuild, and we’ll do better. I promise. But not on this mountain. Too much bad blood here.”

“But how can we rebuild, and what do you mean by bad blood?” I whisper, staring up into his kind eyes, noticing they’re entirely free of sadness or concern.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet, Fawn. Because it’s a part of me I rejected a long time ago. But I’d be lying if certain facets of it won’t prove highly convenient now.”

“What is it?” I arch an eyebrow.

“I’m the heir to a tech billionaire’s fortune thanks to my father.

Made it huge in the military-industrial complex, so I’m sitting on an unfathomable amount of money.

That means we’re going to rebuild, and we’re going to start over, away from this place and these people with their prying eyes and gossipy mouths. ”

I nod, stroking his beard, and confessing, “I have secrets, too. My name isn’t Fawn at all.” My voice breaks as I add, “Though I can’t remember what it is.”

Stroking my cheek, Bodie says, “I know. I looked up your information online. Found a story of a five-year-old girl abducted from Sunday school. Bethany Marie Dunning.”

I cover my mouth with my hand, straining against a sob. So many painful memories and lost hopes blossom at the sound of that name. Yes! How could I ever forget?

“When you’re ready, my little elf, we’ll track down your people in town …”

A frantic sob lodges in my throat.

“Together,” he croons. “Always together, drawing from each other’s strength and tasting each other’s sorrow.” He brushes the tears from my cheeks with his thumb, licking away the salt.

Finding my voice and my resolve, I add, “Always together.”

Drawing me tightly against him, he grumbles, “Because you’re far more than a witty Elizabeth or a romantic Jane. You’re my everything, the most precious woman on this planet. And you’re mine, all mine. Always. ”

“And forever,” I add, standing on my tiptoes to kiss my handsome mountain man giant.