7. Boyd
SEVEN
BOYD
It’s been a full week since Piper woke up in my bed.
She moves around the cabin much better now.
The crutches have become an extension of her body.
She still winces when she puts too much weight on the cast, but she pushes through it with a stubbornness I’ve come to respect.
I stay close without hovering too obviously.
I help her when she needs it, but I let her do as much as she can on her own.
She’s not the type who likes feeling helpless, and I don’t want to take away what little control she has left.
This morning she stands by the window, sunlight catching in her dark hair. She’s been stronger every day. Eating better. Sleeping better. Laughing more. I like the sound of her laugh. It fills the quiet spaces in the cabin that used to feel too empty.
“Boyd?” she asks, turning toward me. “What day is it?”
“Sunday.”
Her eyes brighten. “The big family dinner you told me about?”
I nod. “They do it every week. Harper cooks enough for an army. The women have been asking about you.”
She bites her lip, nervous but trying to hide it. “I think I’m ready. If you’re okay with taking me.”
I study her for a moment. She has color in her cheeks again. The bruises are fading to yellow. She can make it to the lodge on the crutches if we go slow. And part of me wants her to meet everyone. To see what Haven 7 really is. To understand that she’s not alone anymore.
“We’ll go slow,” I say. “If it gets to be too much, we come back. No questions.”
She smiles, small but real. “Thank you.”
I help her into a soft sweater and a pair of loose sweatpants that Harper brought over. The clothes are comfortable and easy to move in. I wrap a blanket around her shoulders for the short walk, even though the sun is warm today. She rolls her eyes at me but doesn’t argue.
The walk to the lodge takes longer than usual.
I stay right beside her, ready to catch her if she stumbles.
She concentrates hard on each step, crutches thumping softly on the gravel path.
When we reach the porch steps, I lift her without asking and carry her up.
She doesn’t protest. She just rests her head against my shoulder for a second.
Inside, the lodge is loud with life. Voices, laughter, the clatter of dishes. The long table is already set. The women move around quickly, making sure everything is ready. The smell of chicken and fresh bread fills the air.
Everyone turns when we step through the door.
Harper is the first to reach us. She smiles warmly at Piper. “You made it! I’m so glad. Come sit down. We saved you the best spot by the fire.”
Kayley waves from the table, Aidan peeking out from behind her leg. “Hi, Piper! I’m Kayley. This is my nephew Aidan. He’s been dying to meet you.”
Fiona gives a nod from where she stands with Chase. “Welcome to the chaos. I’m Fiona. This is Chase.”
Sadie steps forward with a gentle smile, a teenage girl beside her. “I’m Sadie. This is my sister Lily. We’re really glad you’re okay.”
Thorne stands behind them, quiet but watchful. He gives me a small nod of approval.
Rafe and Silas are already at the head of the table. Silas pulls out a chair for Piper. I help her settle into it, then take the seat right beside her. My hand rests on the back of her chair. Protective. What can I say, I can’t fucking help it.
Dinner unfolds the way it always does. Loud.
Warm. Full of stories and teasing. The women make a point of including Piper.
Harper asks her what her favorite foods are.
Kayley tells funny stories about Aidan trying to help in the garden.
Sadie and Lily talk about books they think she might like.
Even little Poppi reaches across the table to offer Piper a piece of bread.
Piper relaxes slowly. She smiles more. Laughs at Wyatt’s terrible joke about the generator. She fits here. I can see it. The way the women lean in when she speaks. The way the men watch her with quiet approval. She belongs.
After the main course, while the women clear plates and the kids play near the fireplace, I catch Gavin and Silas’s eyes. I tilt my head toward the far corner. They follow me.
“Anything on Viktor Lane?” I ask, voice low.
Silas keeps his tone even. “We dug deep. He’s not as clean as he looks.
Business owner on paper, but he has ties to some shady financial circles.
Shell companies. Large cash movements. Nothing we can pin on him yet, but it lines up with what Piper said about seeing things she shouldn’t have.
He’s been calling every precinct in the state, playing the worried father.
But there are gaps in his story. We’re still looking. ”
Gavin adds, “He has money and connections. If he wants her back, he won’t give up easily.”
I nod once, jaw tight. “She stays here. No one tells him anything. Not until she decides.”
Silas agrees. “Your call. We have her back.”
I glance over at the table. Piper is laughing at something Daisy said. The sight eases something in my chest. She looks happy. Safe. I want her to keep looking like that.
The rest of dinner passes in comfortable noise. Dessert is Emma’s apple pie, warm with ice cream. Piper eats two slices. When she catches me watching her, she smiles shyly and offers me a bite from her fork. I take it. The women notice. They share knowing looks but don’t tease. Not yet.
As the evening winds down, people start heading back to their cabins. Goodnights and hugs are passed around. Harper squeezes Piper’s shoulder. “Come back anytime. Even if Boyd tries to keep you locked away in that quiet cabin of his.”
Piper laughs. “I will.”
I help her up and hand her the crutches. The walk back is slower. The sun has gone down and the mountain air is cool. I stay close, ready if she needs me. When we reach the cabin, I unlock the door and help her inside.
She sinks onto the edge of the bed with a tired sigh. “That was nice. Really nice. They’re all so kind.”
“They like you,” I say.
She looks up at me. The firelight catches in her eyes.
Something shifts in the air between us. The tension that’s been building for days suddenly feels heavier.
I’ve wanted to kiss her for weeks. Every time I helped her eat.
Every time she laughed at something I said.
Every time she looked at me like I was her safe place.
I can’t hold back anymore.
I cross the room in two steps. She doesn’t pull away. I cup her face gently with both hands and lean down. The kiss starts slow, careful. I don’t want to hurt her. But when she sighs against my mouth and kisses me back, something inside me breaks open.
I kiss her deeper. She tastes like apple pie and safety and everything I didn’t know I needed. Her hands come up to grip my shirt. I tilt her head back slightly, tasting her, learning her. She makes a soft sound that goes straight through me.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. I rest my forehead against hers.
“I’ve wanted to do that for days,” I admit.
She smiles, a little breathless. “I’ve wanted you to.”
I kiss her again, softer this time. Slower. Like we have all the time in the world.
Because here, in this cabin, on this mountain, we do.
And I’m going to make sure she knows she never has to run again.