Mountain Men of Liberty (Complete Box Set)

by K. C. Crowne

  I offered her my hand and got down low to help her. I pushed her up to a standing position as her face tightened in a look of pain.

  “Spasms again?”

  “Don’t you know it,” she muttered. She was standing, but I held her hand, offering her support. “Getting old ain’t for the weak, let me tell you.”

  I hated seeing my mother in pain. I knew the reason for her back pain came from overdoing it all her life. She was a nurse’s assistant while going to school to become an RN. She never slept back then. I didn't even know how she did the job, but she did. At least until one of the patients at the hospital, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, attacked her. She’d never been the same and had been forced to go on disability, giving up on her dreams of ever being a registered nurse.

  She was one of the reasons why I did what I did. I wanted to help people like her, people who lived in chronic pain. If my life had turned out differently, I might have gone to school to become a physical therapist, but yoga and natural healing called to me too.

  Mom sat down on the couch, which had a firmer back, and she seemed more comfortable there. I joined Milo on the floor, who handed me one of the cups he’d been trying to stack together. I stacked it for him as he watched in awe, grabbing another one that was far too small to stack on top and trying anyway.

  I showed him how it would go beneath it. He grabbed a larger cup and stacked it properly.

  “You’re so smart, Milo.”

  My son looked just like me. His hair was the same white blonde I’d had as a baby, and if he was anything like me, it would darken over time. My hair was still blonde, but more of a dark honey blonde. He had my blue eyes too. He didn’t resemble his father in the slightest, for which I was grateful.

  “He’s really trying to walk lately,” Mom said. “He’ll be on his feet before we know it.”

  I worried about my mother watching a toddler. Right now, he was fairly light, easy to pick up and carry. He couldn’t exactly run away from her either. When he got bigger, it would pose a problem, though. She could get around most days, but her life was a lot easier if she didn’t have to constantly move around. I both looked forward to the day Milo started walking and dreaded it at the same time, knowing I might have to look into daycare or other options for him.

  Mom beamed with pride, so I smiled back, trying not to let my anxiety about the situation show. She already had enough to worry about. I’d figure out a way to take care of Milo. The local daycare was run by a friend of mine, and even though I’d tried to keep Milo out of the public eye so his psychopath dad didn’t find out about him, Wade was in jail and hopefully would be there for a long, long time. We’d figure it out.

  “Did he eat yet?”

  “Yes, we’ve both had our supper. Go, enjoy your dinner, sweetheart,” Mom said, waving me off. “We’ll be just fine.”

  I hurried off to the kitchen and piled my plate high with her famous fried chicken and mashed potatoes, all homemade. She had gone all out today. I decided to not eat dinner in the kitchen, instead walking back into the living room with my son and mother.

  I sat down beside Milo, who reached for my plate. I put a little bit of mashed potatoes on a spoon for him and fed him.

  “I just fed the little bugger about fifteen minutes before you got home, and he acts like he’s starving.”

  I chuckled. “I mean, who can resist your cooking, right?”

  It was easy to forget about the bad stuff when we were together. I leaned back against the couch and enjoyed my dinner, sharing some of it with Milo when he expressed interest in a bite or two. Most of the time, I tried to eat fairly healthy, but every now and then, some comfort food was needed. My mother had read my mind.

  We watched television as I finished my plate, and then I played with Milo into the evening while my mom watched her shows on TV. We were happy, life was good, but I feared at any moment, something horrible might come and take it all away. There was always that anxiety in the pit of my belly that I couldn’t get rid of, no matter how good things seem to be.

  Milo began fussing, and when I looked at the time, I realized it was well past his bedtime. “Time for bed, baby.”

  I picked Milo up and walked down the hallway to his nursery. It was a small room, much too small for him when he got older, but for now, it would do.

  Milo’s eyes were already drooping as I changed his diaper, put him in pajamas, and laid him in his crib. I stayed with him, talking to him in soft tones until he dozed off. I stared at him, simply amazed at how fast he was growing up and how much I loved him. I never knew it was possible to love someone so much until I had him.

  I slipped out of the nursery and heard Mom watching television. She was watching the news now. I was exhausted, mentally and physically, and decided to head to my room instead of spending the rest of the evening with my mother. I loved her, but I needed my alone time too.

  As soon as I was alone, all the feelings from earlier came rushing back. I crawled into bed and pulled the blanket up over me even though it wasn’t that cold. Tears ran down my cheeks as I pulled my knees to my chest, laying on my side, and sobbed quietly.

  I’d wanted more out of my life than this. I wanted to have a family with a house that wasn’t too small for three people and that wasn’t falling down around us. I wanted a father for Milo, someone who loved him as much as I did, but if I never found someone, I’d be fine. I knew I would be. My mother raised me alone, and even though it was hard, she made it work.

  But I wanted to give Milo a better life than I had. I wanted him to have a nice house and security. I thought my business was finally starting to pick up, and I’d convinced myself that maybe it would be possible to buy us a home of our own. But then my business started slowing down, so I’d checked the reviews. I couldn’t say that was the only reason, but it felt like a big one.

  Dammit, Cyrus, you have no idea what you’ve done to us, I thought. My mom needs medical care I can’t provide, my son needs a home. I need customers in order to take care of the people I love.

  It felt like every time I took one step forward, something hit me out of the blue and pushed me two steps back.

  And simply put, I was just tired.

  Chapter 2

  Cyrus

  After Josie had left, I pulled out the reviews again and read them. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t write them – I would never do something so shitty – but I had an idea who might have done it.

  “Ben, can you come here for a second?”

  Ben was an intern, a college student from Salt Lake City who was interested in working in the recreation business. He seemed like a good kid, but he was still very much an immature teenager.

  Ben poked his head into my office. “Everything okay, boss?”

  “Take a seat. We need to talk.”

  Ben scratched at the stubble on his chin nervously before stepping into the office and sitting across from me. I slipped the papers across the desk toward him. He looked down at them, read them, and grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

  “These were good, huh?”

  “So you wrote them?” I asked.

  Ben’s smile faltered, but only a bit. I cracked my knuckles and stared at him. His smile fell away completely.

  “Uh, yeah. I thought they might help bring business our way. I figured it would be good marketing to—”

  “You seriously call this shit marketing? It’s trash. Complete and utter garbage, Ben. I don’t know what they’re teaching you in your fancy college classes, but this is not the way you run a business.” I threw the papers back in the trash where they belonged.

  “Is that why Josie Parker was here earlier?” he asked, his voice cracking a bit.

  “Yeah, and I’m glad she pointed it out too, because this doesn’t just make her look bad – it makes me look like an asshole.”

  “I don’t think—”

  “Stop talking, Ben. There’s nothing you can say that will convince me this is oka
y. Got it?”

  Ben nodded, swallowing hard. He was shaking now. I had to remind myself he was still a dumb kid, only nineteen or twenty. But the fact that he’d done this without consulting me first pissed me off like no other.

  “Go home and delete every single one of these reviews and replace them with a five-star review. And maybe I’ll consider keeping you on.”

  “But, Cyrus, I—”

  “Did I not make myself clear?” I growled.

  “No, I just— well, what would I say in a five-star review? I’ve never used her services before, and—”

  “Hell, then, that’s a good idea, don’t you think? Take tomorrow off and attend one of her yoga classes, write a good review, then we can talk about keeping your job.”

  “You want me to do yoga?”

  I nodded. He needed to see that his actions had consequences. Josie pissed me the hell off by coming in here, but I understood all too well why she was mad.

  “You don’t fuck with people’s livelihoods, Ben. Let this be a lesson to you. Josie works hard, and you need to see that firsthand. And if you still don’t appreciate what she does for a living and how important it is to not screw with people, well, I can’t help you. I’ll end the internship right here and now if you’d prefer.”

  “No, no, I’ll go,” he assured me quickly.

  I knew he needed this internship to graduate on time. Without the credits from it, he’d be held back a semester, and no preppy little rich boy would ever want that.

  “Good, now get out before I change my mind and fire you on the spot.”

  I’d never fired someone, but Ben had fucked up. Not only did he damage Josie’s business, he made mine look bad too. He made me look like an asshole, and no one made me look like an asshole. Only I was allowed to do that.

  Ben hurried out of the office, and I heard the front door open and close as he left. Leaning back in my chair, I rubbed my temples. My entire body was tense all over, and not just from stress. Josie Parker was heavy on my mind. I didn’t want to be on her bad side, not because she was scary— though she tried to be – but because she was one of the hottest women in Liberty. Ben’s reviews were right about one thing: she did have a nice ass. A very nice ass. Going to yoga with her was hardly punishment in my book, not if you got to stare at her bending over in tight yoga gear. All the blood in my body rushed to my groin every time I pictured Josie in her yoga pants. I couldn’t contain the erection growing in my jeans.

  On top of everything else, I was still furious at Ben. I needed to release some tension. The obvious solution would be to go home and take care of business while imagining Josie bent over in downward dog, but that would only solve one of my problems. Besides, I hadn’t gotten much of a workout in today. Too much time spent meeting with potential clients, too little time actually moving around.

  I pushed away from my desk and walked out into the main lobby. I locked the door and put a sign on the door stating we were closed. It was now my personal time. One of the perks of my business is that I had a makeshift gym right there, always available to use. It wasn’t open for the public, but it could be included as part of a client package. I was a registered personal trainer, and some guys wanted to go on the hardcore hikes but just weren’t ready for it. I helped get them ready.

  My gym had the usual workout equipment – weights and dumbbells and the like – but I went straight for the punching bag. There was no greater release of anger than beating the shit out of an inanimate object. Sure beat taking that anger out on someone else, like my father used to.

  With every punch and kick to the bag, I pictured his face. I hadn’t seen my dad in years, but I’d never forget that mean mug of his. As if he was staring at me, criticizing me for every move, it pushed me to work out harder and harder, hitting the punching bag with everything I had. I’d never laid a hand on my old man, and I never would. I wasn’t going to stoop to his level. I’d handle my anger in other ways.

  There was so much rage built up inside of me that had caused me to lash out at Ben. Not that he didn’t deserve some of it, but I often wondered if I went overboard. That’s why I needed my time with the punching bag, and sometimes, inside the actual boxing ring itself with a real person.

  Punch after punch, I felt some of the tension leave my body. Sweat poured down my face, my arms and legs began to hurt, but it still wasn’t enough. I worked until I was utterly beat, my knuckles sore despite being wrapped.

  Yet as soon as I stopped, my mind returned to Josie.

  At least it wasn’t on Ben or my father or anyone else I wanted to beat the shit out of. No, Josie’s was a face I could handle picturing without anger. Even after she ruined my meeting earlier today, any anger I had toward her was gone. Instead, I just felt incredibly turned on.

  I took a quick shower, hoping the cold water would help clear my head. No such luck. There was only one thing left to do. I finished closing and headed home.

  Ooo000ooo

  My house was dark and silent when I entered. I flipped on the light switch and made a beeline to my bedroom. I lived alone, so technically I could take care of business anywhere I pleased, but it was simply more comfortable in my bed. I could lay back, relax, and fully get into the fantasy. Did I feel bad fantasizing about Josie hours after she came into my office wanting to kill me? Maybe a little. But I figured it was better than letting my dick do all the thinking next time we spoke. I’d hate to do something stupid, like come on to her, only to give her even more reason to assume those reviews had been from me. Better to literally take matters into my own hands.

  I began stripping off my clothes upon entering my bedroom. I dropped my pants and boxers just short of the bed, and even pulled my shirt off too. It was warm, and about to get even hotter.

  I laid back in my bed, taking my engorged cock in hand. Moving my hand up and down my shaft, I let my mind wander. I pictured Josie in her tight yoga pants, bending over to show off that shapely ass of hers. Her long, honey blonde hair flowed loose around her shoulders instead of up like it usually was. Her blue eyes stared at me, beckoning me to come closer to her. How could I resist? I pictured running my hands all over her ass and hips before sliding those yoga pants down and out of the way. Of course she wasn’t wearing any panties; she’d prepared herself for me. She knew I wanted her, and she’d wanted me too.

  She backed her ass toward me, wiggling it. “Please, Cyrus,” she begged, biting her lower lip. “Please fuck me.”

  In my fantasy, I dropped my pants as I grabbed her hips. I couldn’t deny her; I had to give her everything she wanted. Pressing my erection against her lips, I watched her face as I slowly entered her. Her eyes widened in surprise as my thick cock filled her up, inch by inch. Her legs shook underneath me, and I had to hold her up as her legs threatened to give out on her.

  “Oh God, yes,” she whimpered. “Fuck me, Cyrus. Fuck me harder.”

  I began thrusting into her hard and fast. Each time I entered her caused her to cry out in pleasure. Her body trembled beneath me as I fucked her as hard as I’d punched the bag earlier today. I fucked her with my entire body, filling her tight little pussy up with my cock over and over again. God, she was so tight and wet and warm, it almost caused me to nut immediately, but I didn’t want it to end just yet. No, I wanted to enjoy her body a little bit longer.

  And of course, I wanted to make her come first.

  She screamed my name as I buried my rod inside of her.

  “Harder, Cyrus!” she cried out.

  God, she was a naughty little thing, and I loved it. I grabbed a chunk of her hair, pulling it just a little. Leaning forward, I kissed the side of her neck as I continued fucking her like a wild animal. Her pussy spasmed around my cock, tightening. I tightened my hand around myself, imagining what it would feel like as she came on my dick.

  She screamed out, “I’m coming! Cyrus, I’m coming!”

  And it was just in time too. My balls were boiling over already, I couldn’t hold it a second longer. A
s her pussy clenched around me, I pumped my seed deep inside her, groaning loudly along with her as our bodies writhed and came together.

  Rope after rope of cum shot from my cock, covering my belly in warmth. It wasn’t until every last drop had been freed from my balls did I finally return to my senses and remember that I was in my bedroom, not Josie’s yoga studio.

  I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling and calming down. My head was cleared, as was my cock. I felt like I was finally returning to normal. I knew it was only temporary, however. The next time I saw her, I’d deal with this all over again.

  God, what I wouldn’t give to fuck her for real one day, I thought. I cleaned myself up, laughing at the impossibility of that scenario. She hated my fucking guts. She was probably the one woman in Liberty that wouldn’t lay down and let me have my way with her. Of course, that only made me want her more.

  Chapter 3

  Josie

  “And down to downward facing dog,” I murmured, taking a deep breath as I lowered my body into the pose.

  It was just my best friend and me in my studio that morning. Not an official class, just some relaxation before we both set out to work. Elle - short for Eleanor - was the editor and owner of the local paper. We’d grown up together but had parted ways a few years back when she went to some fancy journalism school in New York City. She came back to Liberty afterward, and we fell right back into our friendship as if nothing had changed, even though we’d both changed a great deal over the years.

  “How come your ass always looks so good like this, and mine looks, well, flat?” Elle frowned as she wiggled her butt, staring at the mirror on the side wall.

  “Your ass doesn’t look flat,” I said, rolling my eyes. It was hard not to break out into laughter when we worked out together. I tried to take it seriously, Elle… well, not so much.

  “You need to help me get a rounder tush,” Elle said, releasing her body down into child’s pose before I gave the okay.