14. Piper
FOURTEEN
PIPER
The mountain air feels sweeter these days.
It’s been a few days since Eli removed my cast, and I’m healing faster than anyone expected.
The pain in my leg has dulled to a manageable ache, and I can walk short distances now without the crutches if I’m careful.
My ribs only protest when I laugh too hard or move too quickly. I feel almost like myself again.
Boyd and I are spending a lazy afternoon on our favorite flat rock overlooking the valley.
The sun is warm on my skin, and a light breeze moves through the pines.
Boyd sits behind me, his chest against my back, one arm wrapped loosely around my waist. His binoculars rest in my lap as I scan the trees for movement.
“There,” I whisper, pointing. “Is that the nuthatch you told me about?”
Boyd leans in closer, his stubble brushing my cheek. “Yeah. See how he walks straight down the trunk? Most birds do not do that. They’re built different.”
I smile and adjust the binoculars. These quiet moments with him have become my favorite part of the day. No rush. No fear. Just the two of us, the mountain, and the birds. I have never felt this peaceful before. This… safe.
Boyd presses a kiss to the side of my neck. “You look beautiful in the sun. The light catches in your hair and makes it look like it’s glowing.”
Heat rises in my cheeks. I lower the binoculars and turn my head to kiss him softly. “You’re getting romantic on me, Boyd Walker.”
He hums against my lips. “Only for you.”
We stay like that for a while, trading slow kisses and quiet conversation.
I tell him about the silly dreams I had as a little girl —wanting a house with a big porch and flowers in the yard.
He tells me about the first time he saw a golden eagle riding the thermals and how it made him feel small in the best way.
Every word pulls me deeper into him. I’m falling hard. So hard it sometimes scares me.
A low rumble of an engine cuts through the peaceful afternoon.
Boyd tenses instantly. He sets the binoculars aside and stands, pulling me up with him. “Stay close.”
We move behind a thick cluster of trees just as a dark Jeep comes into view near the main gate. Wyatt and Harlan are already on watch, rifles held casually but ready. Boyd positions me carefully behind a wide pine trunk, shielding me with his body.
“Stay hidden,” he murmurs. “Don’t make a sound.”
My heart pounds as two men climb out of the Jeep. They’re dressed in plain clothes, but they carry themselves like they’re used to getting answers. One holds up a photo. Even from this distance, I recognize it. It’s a picture of me from my driver’s license.
“We’re looking for a missing woman,” the taller man says loudly. “Piper Lane. Twenty-two. Dark hair. Last seen in this area. Her father is real worried about her. He’s offering a substantial reward for any information.”
Harlan leans against the gatepost, looking relaxed but alert. “Sorry. No one by that name here. This is private property. You need to move on.”
The second man narrows his eyes and steps closer to the gate. “We have reason to believe she might have come this way. There was a car wreck reported a couple weeks back on the east ridge. Woman matching her description was seen in the area. You sure you haven’t seen anyone who fits?”
Wyatt shakes his head, voice calm but firm. “We would know if someone showed up hurt. Like Harlan said, this is private land. No trespassing. You boys best head back down the mountain.”
The taller investigator doesn’t back down.
He pulls out his phone and shows them another photo.
“This is her. Piper Lane. Her father Viktor is desperate. He says she ran away after an argument, but he thinks something bad happened to her. We have witnesses who say a woman matching her description was seen near Timber Creek right before the wreck. If she’s here, we need to know.
Her father is offering ten thousand dollars for any solid lead. ”
Harlan’s expression doesn’t change. “We don’t take bribes, and we don’t have her. You’re wasting your time. Turn around and leave before this becomes a problem.”
The second man laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “You don’t understand. Viktor Lane is a powerful man. He has resources. He’ll keep sending people until he finds her. If you’re hiding her, it’d be better for everyone if you just tell us now. Save yourselves the trouble.”
Wyatt steps forward, his posture shifting from relaxed to authoritative. “We’re not hiding anyone. And we don’t respond well to threats. This is private property. You have thirty seconds to get back in your vehicle and leave, or we’ll get the sheriff to escort you off the mountain ourselves.”
The investigators exchange a look. The taller one glares at the gate for a long moment, then spits on the ground. “This isn’t over. We’ll be back. And when we find out you’re lying, there’ll be consequences.”
They climb back into the Jeep, slam the doors, and drive away slowly, tires crunching on the gravel. Boyd doesn’t relax until the engine sound fades completely into the distance.
He turns to me, eyes sharp with concern. “You okay?”
I nod, but my hands are shaking. “That was them. My father’s people. He’s not going to stop. He never stops.”
Boyd pulls me into his arms, holding me tight. “He’s not getting you. Not while I’m breathing.”
I press my face against his chest. “What are we going to do? He’ll keep sending people. He’ll never let me go.”
Boyd strokes my hair, quiet for a moment. “Harlan has a brother. Mason. He’s a US Marshal. Good man. If you’re willing to talk to him, tell him what you know about your father’s business, we might be able to build a real case. Get Viktor locked up for good. Not just hiding. Ending it.”
I pull back and look up at him. The idea terrifies me. Talking means reliving everything. But staying silent means running forever.
I nod slowly. “Okay. I’ll talk to him. If it means we can end this… I’ll do it.”
Boyd kisses my forehead. “That’s my girl. Brave as hell.”
We walk back to the cabin slowly. My mind races the whole way. I keep thinking about the life I have started to build here. The Sunday dinners. The women who feel like sisters. The quiet mornings with Boyd. The birds. The peace.
I want this forever.
I want a home here. A real one. With Boyd. With the possibility of children someday. With the kind of family I’ve always dreamed about but never thought I could have.
But fear keeps whispering in the back of my mind. What if my father finds me before we can stop him? What if this beautiful dream slips through my fingers?
Boyd seems to sense my thoughts. Once we’re inside the cabin, he pulls me onto the couch and holds me close.
“You’re safe,” he says again. “We’ll handle this together. You’re not alone anymore, Piper. Not ever again.”
I believe him.
I have to.
Because for the first time in my life, I have something worth fighting for.
A future.
A home.
A man who looks at me like I’m his whole world.
And I’m going to hold on to it with everything I have.