Chapter 21 Liam
Liam
The road twisted through the mountains, sunlight cutting through the trees in long golden streaks.
Poppy sat in the backseat, quiet but calmer than I’d seen her in days, her stuffed rabbit tucked under her arm.
Jenny kept looking back at her, like she needed to make sure she was still there, still safe.
We all needed this drive.
Time to let the weight of the last few days slip off our shoulders, mile by mile.
When the sign for Fraiser Mountain finally appeared, Jenny let out a breath like she’d been holding it since last night.
“Feels different,” she said softly.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Like we can breathe again.”
The small town opened up in front of us, familiar streets and quiet shops, the kind of place that felt a million miles away from gunfire and screaming and flashing police lights.
I pulled up outside the big log cabin where Forest and the others stayed sometimes, a safe place until the sheriff figured out what to do next about Poppy. The sheriff was married to my friend Jason Bourne.
Forest was waiting on the porch, arms crossed, expression softening when he saw us. Fraiser stood beside him, already talking with the sheriff’s deputy who followed us up the mountain.
Jenny and Poppy went inside while I talked with Forest.
“Is she holding up?” he asked, nodding toward the cabin door.
“She will,” I said. “She just needs time.”
Forest studied me for a long moment before a slow smile tugged at his mouth. “And what about Jenny?”
I glanced toward the door where she disappeared inside, sunlight catching in her hair. “She’s stronger than she thinks,” I said. “But… yeah. She needs time too.”
“Time,” Forest repeated, like he didn’t believe me for a second.
I ignored him.
Inside, Jenny sat on the edge of the bed while Poppy sat next to her. She looked up when I stepped in, eyes soft, like she didn’t quite know how to thank me for all of it—for the rescue, the protection, the long drive back here that felt like leaving a nightmare behind.
“Liam,” she said quietly.
I crossed the room, crouched in front of her so we were eye to eye.
“We’re safe now,” I said.
She nodded, but I could see the storm behind her eyes. Relief. Exhaustion. Something else I didn’t want to name just yet.
Poppy hugged me, as if she didn’t want to let go. I hugged her back.
Jenny smoothed the girl’s hair back, her hand trembling just a little, then looked at me like she wasn’t sure what came next for any of us.
Neither was I.
But I knew one thing.
I wasn’t letting either of them face it alone.