Page 5 of Saved By the Mountain Man

“Thank you.”

“Are you ok?” I frown, getting the feeling something is off. “Why are you driving up a mountain at night?”

I want to ask how she found me. Her father has been dead for years, and her mother, well, I think she took his death the hardest.

Emma hesitates as a fresh wave of tears fill those beautiful eyes. I scooch closer and grab her hand, squeezing it tight. Goddammit, I’ll do anything to make sure she never looks like this again. I want to take away all her pain. She’s terrified, horror etched across her beautiful features.

With a deep breath, she reveals her terrifying incident in the city. She tells me how she was attacked, not for the first time. She tells me about the man who won’t leave her alone and every muscle in my body clenches.

“I want to find that fucker,” I snap, the gravel in my voice harsh against my throat.

“I know, he’s scary. I didn’t know where else to go,” Emma says, staring at the ground as Georgie nudges her wet nose into her palm for more. “I just thought maybe I can stay here for a few days, while I sort my shit out.”

I nod. “Stay as long as you want.”

Her eyes fill with gratitude, and something ignites inside of me.

She’s not going anywhere.

She’s staying right here, right where I can protect her for the rest of her life.

“My bag is in my car, I’ll just go and-”

“No, I’ll get it,” I say, rising up off the sofa. “You stay here. Looks like your new friend needs you to pat her back to sleep.”

Emma laughs and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.

The way she looks up at me, so innocent. So pure.

I force myself away from her and climb down the steps of my porch. I can’t believe I didn’t even notice a car driving up the mountain, usually I’m so alert to those types of things.

But I’ve been all over the place lately. The blackouts. The flashbacks. They’re all getting worse, it’s no wonder I didn’t hear her.

Fighting against the wind, I reach Emma’s car and peer inside. I see a bag tossed in the passenger’s seat and a few pieces of clothing thrown in the back. I collect it all together and shove it in the only bag I find.

When I push it all down with my fist, my knuckles collide with a sharp edge.

I reach in and retrieve an old photo frame, the picture inside making my stomach drop right out from beneath me.

Ryan and Stella.

I squeeze my eyes shut. I haven’t seen this picture of my best friend in years. My heart fucking pounds inside my chest. He’s smiling next to his wife, his arms curled around a tiny little baby.

They’re standing in front of the cabin I used to live in, just up the mountain another few minute’s drive from here. I lived there before I built this one, but it was too much. I had to get away and start fresh.

I remember the day this photo was taken - they were so excited to show off their little princess. The princess that now sits in my cabin, looking all grown up and too damn tempting.

“You look so proud, buddy,” I whisper, my thumb dragging across the baby’s tiny head. A feeling of regret squeezes my lungs tight. “I’ll keep your little girl safe.”

I toss the photo in the bag and shove down any feelings of Emma that I might be thinking about. My best friend gave his life for me, the least an old, depraved man like me can do is make damn sure his family is taken care of.

I march back inside and hold up the bag. “Is this all you got?”

Emma nods, cute plump cheeks glowing red.

Goddamn. She’s not going to make this easy.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you some clothes from Misty Peaks tomorrow.” I place her bag down beside the bookshelf in the corner. “Are you hungry? I was about to cook something.”

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