Take Me To The River: A Mountain Man Romance (Mountain Men of Whiskey River Book 1)
Take Me To The River: Chapter 23

My skin is crawling being away from Emelie. Though I know why they’re keeping us apart, but that doesn’t mean I’m okay with it. I don’t know if she’s comfortable, or if she’s scared. The thought of her being fearful makes me want to tear down the door and go search for her, but I know that won’t look good for either of us.

Just as I take a deep breath, a cop walks in. Apparently, they had to replace the largest guy they have, and while this guy is much bigger than the two that brought me in, he’s still smaller than me.

He stops at the door and sizes me up like he didn’t expect me to be so big.

‘How’s Emelie? Is she okay?’ I ask.

‘She’s fine, Mr. Ingleson. I’m Detective Greer,’ he says, sitting down.

We spend the next twenty minutes or so going over how Emelie found me, the storm, and using being trapped in the cabin. I tell about Chris showing up, our trip to town, and to the cops showing up on our doorstep today.

‘Any idea why Mr. Wyatt would say you were keeping Ms. Owen against her will?’ He asks curiously.

Even though this cop seems like a nice guy, and I know he’s just trying to do his job, but the longer I’m here, and the longer I’m away from Emelie, the angrier I get. The more furious I get, the more I want to take it out on the man in front of me, no matter how much I remind myself it’s not his fault.

‘My best guess is because he’s trying to save face with someone. He trespassed on my property. Check with the guys who brought me in. The proper signage is posted on the fence by the road, the gate, the trail up to my door, and even on the front porch.’

‘I don’t doubt it. If you are cleared of the charges today, you have the right to file criminal trespassing charges.’

‘That’s up to Emelie.’

‘It isn’t her property,’ he says.

Of course, they knew where they were going, before they showed up.

‘She’s my girl, and she chose to stay with me, and to live with me, so it’s as much hers as it is mine, and I’ll make sure it is legally soon enough. But above all, Chris is her ex, so she chooses how this is handled.’

He regards me with a blank face and then nods.

‘As a father, I respect that.’

He starts asking different versions of questions he asked me earlier, all centering on me forcing her to stay, or forcing her to do other things. The thought of forcing my Little One the way they’re suggesting, makes me sick.

‘Did you know her parents died, when she was sixteen, and she was in the foster care system?’ He asks.

‘Yes, she told me.’

‘Makes her an easy target, no?’

‘Target for what?’ I ask.

‘Kidnap, keep as a slave, you tell me.’

‘Does your paperwork there also tell you she’s really close to her foster parents still, and that her ex is their son? She has people who care about her. Hence, why we are here, even if it’s for the wrong reasons.’

He looks over his paperwork again, before looking back at me.

‘Sit tight. I’m going to go talk to Ms. Owen, but from the looks of it, you both will be out of here soon.’

Thank Christ. The moment he leaves, I am up out of my chair and pacing the room. I feel like a caged bear, and the thought of that detective looking at and talking to my girl makes things even worse.

Then, I lean my head on the wall, lacing my hands behind my head, and then close my eyes. I picture our day in town, Emelie walking on my arm proudly. I see us in the truck, her smile when I told her I loved her, and the feeling of her saying it back.

My thoughts flow to the moment she slid onto my cock, saying I love you over and over again.

Great, now I’m hard in the questioning room of the police station. Opening my eyes shoots me back to the present, and my hard on disappears almost instantly. I need to stay focused, so I can get to my girl.

Emelie

The door opens and Detective Greer steps in.

‘Ms. Owen, you are free to go.’ He holds the door for me.

‘And Axel?’ I ask.

‘He’ll only be a few more minutes. I suggest you decide if you will be pressing charges before you leave, while we still have Chris here at the station,’ he says.

I nod and follow him out past rows of desks. Only a few officers look up at me, and each one of their stares makes me uncomfortable, but I’m not sure why. We walk to the front of the building and through a gate to the waiting area.

On the other side of the room, I replace Chris and his dad arguing. Well, more like his dad is going off on him. They don’t see me, so I take a few steps closer to hear what’s being said. Yes, it’s being noisy, but I want to know if they heard what I still want to say.

‘What the hell is wrong with you, Christopher? Cheating? I know I taught you better than that. If you wanted to break up, you know we would have helped her out, but stringing her on like that is wrong.’

‘I know, Dad.’

‘No, you don’t. If this man hadn’t found her, you would be facing murder charges. As it is, do you understand what kind of trouble you’re in if they press charges? Up to a year or more of jail time. Let that sink in.’

‘You talk to her. I know she’ll listen to you.’ Chris rolls his eyes though at the mention of a murder charge, but he looked scared for only a split second.

‘I won’t. I honestly hope she presses charges. It will teach you a lesson.’

For the first time in all the years I’ve known him, there’s real fear on Chris’s face, and he doesn’t try to hide it. It’s oddly satisfying, after what he has put Axel through.

That’s when I clear my throat and make my presence known. Both of them turn to look at me, as I give Chris a pointed look.

‘Em, I’m so sorry about all of this.’ Chris’s dad says and walks over to hug me. It’s the same hug he gave me when I walked into his house the first time after my parents died. I felt safe in his arms. Now, I feel nothing.

Back then, I was a scared kid and was clinging to any type of family, and while I put him in that father position, he can never replace my father.

‘Thank you for everything you did for me. For taking care of me, and giving me a place to live, and for giving me a job. But I officially quit.’

‘I understand. And whatever legal action you decide to take on Chris, I fully support. I’m just glad you’re okay. This story could have had a very different ending.’ He looks genuinely concerned, but I don’t feel the need to comfort him.

Yes, it could have taken a very bad turn, if I had taken one different turn in the woods, just one, and I could have died out in the woods, instead of replaceing My Giant. This leads me to the question I need an answer to.

‘How did you even replace me, Chris?’

He shifts his weight and looks down at his feet.

‘You were walking down the path to the car, so I thought you were heading back there. But when I got to the car, and you weren’t there, I panicked. I went back to look for you, and when you never made it into town, I went to the police. There are cameras all up and down the road we drove in on, and they never saw you come out of the woods. So, I figured you went the other way. Then, I pulled up a satellite map, looking for an unmarked hunting cabin you might have taken shelter in. Then, I checked with the people on the road up to where it flooded and nothing. I asked around in town, and a guy heard of a girl taking shelter. Every day, until it cleared, I checked the road. Finally, I found you at the second cabin I checked that day.’

‘Lucky me. I’m not sure what possessed you to go to the cops when I told you I didn’t want to leave with you.’

‘Are you kidding? Have you seen that guy? He’s scary as hell, and there was no way you were there willingly.’

‘Well, I was, and I’ll be willingly going back to him and living up on the mountain. I’m at peace there. I’ll be filing charges for no other reason than to make sure you aren’t at the apartment when I show up in a few days to get my stuff.”

When Chris’s eyes go wide, looking behind me, I know what he sees, before I even turn around.

My Giant.

I turn and smile at Axel, who looks relieved to see me. I run towards him and jump into his arms. He catches me with ease, as I wrap my arms and legs around him.

He holds me tight and buries his face in my neck.

‘Little One, are you okay?’ He hugs me tighter.

‘I’m fine now that I know you are okay.’ I pull back just enough to kiss him and assure him I’m okay now that I’m in his arms. The kiss turns passionate faster than either of us expected, and we are gasping for breath when we pull apart.

‘What do you want to do about him?’ He nods behind me, once I pull back from the kiss.

While I sat in that room waiting on someone to come talk to me, I got a lot of thinking done. Chris had been there. He was easy and comfortable, but he was never the love of my life. I was never in love with him.

I liked the idea of his parents being my in-laws someday and working with his dad and truly being part of the family. Chris was more like a friend I slept with and lived with than a boyfriend. I know that, because looking back now, the thought of his cheating on me, doesn’t hurt, not one bit.

‘Let’s file charges. If it was anyone else on your land, I know you would, and he gets no breaks.’ I run my hands through his hair.

Axel smiles, nods, and then sets me down.

A lot of paperwork later, we are leaving the police station. It was oddly satisfying, seeing Chris being taken back in handcuffs. They were just going to walk him back, but the idiot started arguing with them and calling me names. They didn’t take too kindly to that.

That’s how I know this place is for me. The men here are real men that protect the ladies and their own.

‘We should head to the store and place the order you want for the lights.’ He says once we are outside in the fresh air.

It’s just a short ride in the truck and a few blocks to the store.

‘Axel! I didn’t know you were coming today.’ Jack greets us.

‘This wasn’t a planned trip into town.’ He grumbles, and instantly, Jack’s face goes deadly serious.

‘What’s wrong?’ He looks between me and Axel.

‘Long story short, my ex showed up and decided I couldn’t possibly want to live out here and went to the police. Then, he told them Axel was keeping me against my will. They showed up at our door this morning, and we have been down there all day, answering questions.’

‘Next time, you call me. Before I opened this shop, I was a lawyer, and I still have a license to practice. That goes for all four of you.’ He nods seriously.

Axel looks a bit shocked but recovers quickly. ‘Thank you, Jack.’

‘Now, what can I do for you?’ He asks.

‘I need to order some supplies,’ I say.

‘Well, let’s go to my office where my computer is, and we can replace what you need.’

‘Little One, you go with Jack, and I’ll stay here. I’m going to run a few errands, and then stop by the grocery store, too.’

‘Okay, I’ll be here, when you get back.’

Following Jack into his office, I explain what I want to make. He loves the idea and is able to replace the lights, and a few other supplies from his vendors, and we place an order that will be here to pick up on our next trip into town.

‘I’ll likely see Phoenix before then. If it’s in, I’ll let him know, and he’ll bring it to you,’ Jack says.

‘Oh, he doesn’t have to do that.’ I begin, but Jack stops me.

‘It’s what he does. You’ll see. Phoenix is the more outgoing one. I don’t know his story, but he’s from the big city. He’s more comfortable in town, but he’s loyal as hell and will do anything for those guys, and now you by extension.’

‘It’s true,’ Axel says, leaning against the doorway to Jack’s office. ‘He will drop it off, and I’ll demand he stay, so I can feed him, and that’s how it always works.’

I nod and then walk over to Axel.

‘You get everything ordered you need?’ He asks.

‘Yes, I’m ready, when you are.’

Axel and Jack talk for a few more minutes about the jerky, as I just lean into My Giant, and he holds me close. Once we are outside in the fresh mountain air again, I smile up at him.

‘Take me home, Axel.’

He looks me over with a playful glint in his eyes.

‘Where is home?’

‘Our cabin.’

I know I catch him off guard because he closes his eyes and soaks my words in, and when he looks back at me, there are unshed tears in his eyes.

‘As you wish, Little One. But we go tomorrow to get your stuff. I want you in the cabin as soon as possible, all of you.’

‘Deal.’