Page 10 of Outlaw Daddy
Fuck. She does something to me I can’t understand.
I make my own plate, piling it higher with pancakes, and sit across from her at the small table. We eat while we chat about nothing and everything. She tells me about how her brother took care of her after her parents died. I tell her about how my parents also died when I was really young and I was raised by my aunt. We touch on lighter subjects like how she and Caleb used to go huckleberry picking when they were kids in the Montana mountains.
When we’re done, I help her into a warm sweater and her boots. My hands linger a little longer than necessary on her waist as I steady her. She doesn’t pull away. Instead she looks up at me with those curious eyes, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. The air between us feels charged again. Heavy. Full of everything we’re not saying.
There’s a knock at the door. I open it to find Piper and Boyd standing on the porch. Piper looks determined. Boyd stands protectively beside her.
“Come in,” I say, stepping aside.
They enter the cabin with the familiar ease of people who belong here. Piper steps in first, her hand lightly resting on Boyd’s arm as he holds the door for her. The cold mountain air follows them inside for a moment before the warmth of the fire pushes it back out. Piper’s eyes find Junie immediately, warm and kind, but there’s a seriousness in her expression that tells me she has important news.
“Good morning,” I say. “Would you two like some tea? I just made a fresh pot of huckleberry. It’s still hot.”
Piper smiles gratefully and nods. “That would be wonderful, thank you, Wyatt. It’s freezing out there this morning.”
Boyd gives a short nod of appreciation as I pour two more mugs. He takes one for Piper and hands it to her before accepting his own. They both settle at the table across from us, the steam rising gently from their cups. Junie watches them with quiet curiosity, her hands wrapped around her own mug like it’s an anchor.
Piper takes a careful sip, then sets the mug down and looks straight at Junie. Her voice is gentle but direct. “I overheard you mention Viktor Lane yesterday. He’s…uh, my father. The one I helped put away not too long ago. He was an evil man. There’s a man by the name of Thomas Tremblay who has always helped my father in the past. He came out of the whole mess unscathed and we could never pin anything on him. If your brother was working for Viktor, then maybe he’s now working with Tremblay. He has a house here in Montana not too far away.”
Piper reaches into her pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper. She slides it across the table toward Junie with a steady hand. “This is the address. We think it’s worth checking out. Boyd and I talked about it last night. It might be a long shot, but it’s something.”
Junie takes the paper, her fingers trembling just slightly as she unfolds it. She stares at the address for a long moment, then looks up at Piper, her eyes wide with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. She glances at me, searching for reassurance, before turning back to Piper.
“Thank you,” Junie says, her voice soft but sincere. “I don’t know what to say. This means more than you know. I’ve been searching for any lead on Caleb for so long.”
Piper reaches across the table and gives Junie’s hand a gentle squeeze. Her smile is warm and understanding. “You don’t have to say anything. We help our own here. That’s what Haven 7 is for. If there’s even a chance your brother is connected to Tremblay, we want to help you find out. You’re not alone in this anymore.”
Boyd nods in agreement, his arm resting protectively along the back of Piper’s chair. “We’ll keep digging on our end too. Anything you need, just say the word.”
The four of us sit together for a few more minutes, the conversation shifting to lighter things. Piper asks Junie how her leg is feeling, telling her the story of how she broke her leg and how Boyd took care of her while it healed. Junie tells her it’s much better today and thanks her again for the clothes and toiletries the women brought over. Boyd and I talk quietly about the new security measures at the gate. The tea mugs are emptied and refilled. The moment feels almost normal, like four friends catching up instead of four people bound together by danger and survival.
When Piper and Boyd finally stand to leave, Piper gives Junie one last encouraging smile. “Come by the lodge anytime. The women would love to see you again. We’re all here for you.”
After the door closes behind them, the cabin falls quiet once more. Junie and I finish the last of our breakfast in comfortable silence. She’s thinking hard. I can see it in the way her brow furrows slightly and her fingers trace the edge of her mug. She takes her time chewing the final bite of pancake, her eyes distant. When she finally looks up at me, there’s a new determination in her gaze.
“I want to check it out,” she says, her voice steady. “The address. Today. If there’s any chance my brother is there, I need to know. I can’t just sit here waiting.”
I nod without hesitation. “We’ll go together. But we’re careful. No risks. We scout from a distance first. We do not go in blind.”
She smiles, small but grateful, and reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “Together.”
We decide right then to check it out after breakfast. I help her get ready, making sure she is warm enough with an extra layer under her sweater and her boots laced securely. I grab my rifle, a few extra magazines, and a small pack with water and emergency supplies. Junie watches me prepare with quiet focus, her expression a mix of nerves and resolve.
As we step outside into the crisp mountain air, I stay close to her side, ready to support her if her leg tires. The path ahead feels heavier now, but with Junie beside me, I’m ready for whatever we find.
EIGHT
JUNIE
I stand by the window in Wyatt’s cabin, watching the morning light stretch across the snow-covered ground. My heart’s beating faster than it has in days. Not from fear this time, but from something closer to hope. We might actually find Caleb today. The address Piper gave us feels like a real lead, the first solid one I’ve had since this nightmare began. If he’s there, if there’s even the smallest chance, then maybe this mess can finally end. Maybe I won’t have to tell anyone the full truth about why I’m really here. Like why those men are holding my brother and blackmailing me. I just want it all to be over. I want my brother back safe. I want to stop looking over my shoulder every second. I want to breathe without this weight crushing my chest.
I turn away from the window and adjust the sweater Wyatt gave me. It’s warm and clean and smells like pine and clean soap. My leg’s still sore, but I can put weight on it now without the crutches if I’m careful. I test it with a few small steps across the room. It holds. The pain’s there, but it’s manageable. I can do this. I have to do this.
Wyatt’s in the kitchen, packing a small bag with water, snacks, and a first aid kit. He moves with quiet efficiency, his broad shoulders tense but controlled. I watch him for a moment, the way his muscles shift under his shirt, the way his jaw tightens when he’s focused. He’s so strong. So steady. Last night keeps playing in my head. The way he kissed me. The way his hands felt on my body. The way he made me come apart with just his fingers and his voice. My cheeks heat up just thinking about it. I shouldn’t be having these feelings. I haven’t known him that long. Can love happen this quickly? We haven’t even had sex yet. I push the thoughts away. This isn’t helpful. I can’t have these feelings. Not with everything that’s going on. Not with the secret I’m still keeping from him. But I can’t help it. Wyatt makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.
He looks up and catches me watching him. His eyes darken for a second, that intense look that makes my stomach flutter. “You ready?”
I nod, trying to push down the nerves. “I’m ready. I just hope he’s there. I just want my brother back.”
