Page 53 of Mountain Man Daddy

Mike walked to the closet and grabbed his black box. He opened it, stared for a moment at the pictures of Ella and Lydia, slid them to the side, and grabbed his badge.

“Did you bring a car?”

Alex looked at the badge in Mike’s hand and opened his mouth without speaking.

“The life of the woman I love is on the line, and I will break your jaw if you don’t hurry up and answer me.”

“Yes.” Alex paused, paling. “I’ve got one.”

“Good. Let’s go.” He shoved Alex out of the cabin and slammed the door behind them.

“Where are we going?”

Mike didn’t have time to drive to the RCMP location in Moncton, so he’d go to the police station in Bathurst and make contact from there. He needed to find Avery, and he needed backup. A blip in his gut over Avery made him start to jog out of the cabin.

“To the police station. Hurry the hell up. That’s where I get my job back, and you get to live.”

* * *

Prescott tightened zip ties around Avery’s wrists and the arms of the wooden chair she sat on in the middle of the dank hunting shack. He’d already secured her ankles to the chair legs. Both pinched uncomfortably, but her feet tingled with numbness already.

“I’m sorry about the unpleasantness, my dear, but it’s necessary.” He stood, slow and methodical in his every move, and assessed his work. He gathered a breath and dug into his pocket, pulling out a container. He opened it, shook a tablet into his palm, and popped it into his mouth.

“I won’t run. I’m tired of running. Sitting for a while might be nice.”

He chuckled and her stomach rolled. He was an older man and looked more CEO than killer, but his chuckle—that was definitely a killer’s. He had chewed the white tablet, and chalky residue coated his lips.

“Funny, I’ve been watching you two for days, and I’d think sitting would be the last thing you’d want to do.” He rubbed his chin and circled her like an animal might circle its prey. “Michael isn’t what you call him, is it, Avery?” She lowered her face, feeling her cheeks heat. God, how much had this man seen? How long had he been watching them? “Did you grow up in a single parent home, dear?” He tsked. “So many women these days with daddy issues.”

Avery refused to answer. She wouldn’t sully the beauty of her relationship with Mike by allowing this monster to discuss it. “Don’t you think keeping me right under Mike’s nose is a little reckless?”

“Right under his nose is exactly where I’ve been every time. He never checks his own backyard.” He stopped, pulled another chair out, took a moment to tug up his pant legs before sitting in front of her. He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her face. It heated further. He took a bottle from a case of water on the floor and cracked it open. He took a swig, swished and swallowed, grimacing in disgust.

“You’d think after all these years I’d learn to like the taste of those things.” He shuddered. “Chalky and nasty but they do the trick.” He patted his trim stomach. “It’s funny, I eat well and I keep myself in prime shape and still…” He sucked air through his teeth.

“Acid reflux,” she said, and a smile spread on his face. He turned, pulled a straw out of a convenience store bag on the table, and plopped it into the water bottle. Avery thought of her own reflux and realized since she’d been with Mike she hadn’t needed an antacid even once.

“A doctor once told me it was stress and that maybe it was time for a career change.” He chortled. “He thought I didn’t like my job, joked I didn’t have the stomach for it.”

“Maybe you don’t.” Avery looked plainly at him as he offered her the bottle with the straw. She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ll only have to pee.” She glanced at her tied wrists and wiggled the fingers of her bound hands. He paused and touched her right wrist, which had begun to bleed. He fingered the blood, almost mesmerized by it.

“Well, that’s practical thinking, my dear. Most of the women I tie up are not nearly as calm and logical. They’re usually crack whores though.” He set the water with a straw next to her on a high side table. “I have a victim to deal with, but you reminded me. Before I go, do you need to use the outhouse?”

His calm everyday tone unnerved Avery, and fear raced wildly within her as she imagined the women before her in this man’s possession.I’ve killed so many women; I can do it in my fucking sleep.They’d never made it back to their loved ones. But beneath the bone-chilling fright—deep in her gut, she knew Mike would save her, and that kept her sane and outwardly calm. She wasn’t meant to die yet. Maybe she’d let go before, maybe it seemed easier that way in the Jeep, but now she had Mike. And with him, she wanted to fight—she wanted tolive.And for that, she needed to keep Henry talking.

“You want Mike to play your game. But how is killing a game? And why Mike?”

“So, that’s a no then?” He stood, clapping his hands together. “Very good. Now be a dear and behave.” He smirked then, patted her on the head, and whistled as he walked away stripping off the hunting attire. “I think you’ll find my punishments for disobedience quite different from yourdaddy’s.”

Avery swallowed hard. Knowing Henry knew such intimate things about her and Mike made her sick to her stomach, but hearing him refer to Mike as her daddy reassured her that he was coming for her.My mountain man daddy is coming, and this asshole will regret ever laying a hand on me.

* * *

The rustic one-room hunting shack was cold. Light and wind came through the old slatted wood structure, but without the sun to warm the air, the damp draft chilled her. It had nothing in the way of amenities, but Henry did manage to find a little mirror so he could smooth his hair after he’d removed the hunting clothes he’d been wearing over his slacks and white button-down shirt.

Avery huffed quietly. Her only thought was to keep him there with her until Mike came.

“What was that, my dear? Do you have something to say?”

---