Broken Hart: The Hart Duet Book One

by Bo Reid

  This wasn’t some accident where she fell while hiking.

  “Where’s Brooks?” she asks.

  “Sleeping in his crib, what happened? Who the fuck did this to you?” I growl. I can’t contain my anger.

  Slowly she sits up on the couch, and I finally see the full extent of her bruised face and busted lip.

  “I was going to tell you,” she whispers as she looks down in her lap.

  “But you didn’t think whatever this was warranted an immediate phone call? Hart, I would have been here in an instant,” I tell her.

  I shake my head and move to sit by her on the couch. She snuggles into my side, and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close. I know I need to calm down, she doesn’t need my anger. I’m not mad at her, well… I am. I’m mad that she didn’t call me. Or maybe I’m mad because she didn’t need me, or because she didn’t trust me enough to need me? I take a long, deep, slow breath and let it out.

  “Please tell me what happened. Was it someone on the trail?” I whisper.

  “I never made it to the trail.” She sighs. “After you left with Brooks, Lucas showed up here just before I was able to leave. He threatened me, made comments about you, about Brooks. When I tried to get away from him, he hit me, and kicked me,” she whispers.

  I tighten my grip around her waist. Not painfully tight, never enough to mark her. I would never mark her. But enough to let her know that I’m here. That I will always be here.

  “Did he…” I trail off trying to control my breathing before asking the question I’m not sure I want the answer to, but she answers before I have to say the words.

  “No, he didn’t,” she says, but if I’m being honest with myself, I’m not even sure she would tell me if he had.

  “Hart you need to call the police,” I tell her gently, I don’t want to push her, but maybe she needs a good push.

  “I already did. I filed reports for the rape and the assault today. I gave them the evidence from the rape. But…” she stops, and I kiss her head, silently asking her to keep going.

  “But I didn’t actually press charges yet,” she says, and I pull back a little to study her face.

  “What do you mean you filed a report but didn’t press charges?” I ask her.

  “They said I could file the report today so they would have it and take pictures of the bruises for evidence and such but that I don’t have to press charges. I told them about the contract from the rape, about him releasing his rights to Brooks. That I wasn’t sure I wanted to risk that. It’s not worth it Kasen, it’s just not,” she says shaking her head adamantly. “They suggested I contact a lawyer, someone to look over the contract and tell me legally what my options are. So, I’m going to do that before I consider pressing charges,” she declares.

  She looks at me with a fierce determination and fire in her eyes. I will not be able to get her to waver on this, but I can protect her from him. From now on I’m not leaving her or Brooks alone. Not ever.

  I haul her into my lap and hug her tightly to my chest. I bury my face in her hair, and breath her in. I might need to hold her to know she’s okay, more than she needs any comfort from me. Maybe that’s why she didn’t call. Not because she didn’t need me. Not because she doesn’t trust me. But because she knows something like this would hurt me as much as it hurts her, and in true Hartley fashion, she’s trying to shield everyone else from the pain before she fixes herself.

  “Do you want to hear something good?” I ask.

  “More than anything else, yes,” she says into my neck and she hugs me back.

  “Brooks called me ‘dada’ today when I picked him up from Martha’s and repeated it in the car till he fell asleep,” I tell her, and she whips her head up.

  I see tears in her eyes and worry I’ve upset her until a huge smile spreads across her face. She kisses me and then hugs my neck tightly.

  “That’s fantastic,” she says, squeezing me as hard as she can and I hug her back.

  “Yeah, little man almost made me cry. Almost,” I tell her as I feel her hot tears on my skin.

  “Yeah me too,” she laughs, “almost.”

  When she pulls back, she’s still smiling, happy tears streaming down her face. I reach up and brush them away with my thumb.

  “Yeah, almost huh?” She just leans back into me.

  After a few moments, I feel her breathing even out and she starts to softly snore. I laugh to myself but wrap my arms around her. I move so I’m laying down on my back with her pressed against my chest, sleeping on top of me. I lightly stroke her back.

  “I love you Hartley Rae Montgomery,” I whisper.

  Chapter 30: Tulips

  Hartley

  Today’s the day, the start of our six-day long group hike. I’ve probably checked everything at least thirty times while we wait for everyone to get here and check in. The tour bus company has already called to say the driver is running late.

  I stand in front of Wild Hart Outfitters as everyone begins to arrive and check in with Sol.

  “Hey, everything is going to be fine,” Kasen whispers as he wraps his arms around my waist, hauling me against his chest.

  Brooks is wrapped in the baby carrier asleep on my chest. Kasen runs a gentle hand along his head as I rest mine against his broad chest.

  “I just want everything to go perfectly,” I sigh.

  “Nothing is ever perfect My Hart, but we do the best we can and go with the flow okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “And I’ll be right here the whole time,” he says kissing my shoulder. I turn my head and catch him before he pulls away, planting a kiss on his lips.

  “Then I can get through anything,” I whisper.

  Kasen

  You ever have those moments where you feel like everything is right in your soul? That’s what it's like watching Hartley pack Brooks through the wilderness, guiding a group of people, and teaching them various plants and survival skills along the way. The first two days went better then she had planned, and by the third morning, she was no longer concerned about how the rest of the hike would go.

  Watching her in her element is like magic, everything about her makes me want her more, makes me love her more. I get to hike holding her hand and kiss her whenever I want to. Like now.

  It’s early in the morning before the sun or anyone else is awake. Brooks has managed to sleep in every day. Apparently, Hartley isn’t the only one soothed by nature.

  “Morning Beautiful,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around Hartley’s waist and pulling her into me.

  “Good morning,” she giggles as she wiggles her ass against my morning wood. Good morning indeed.

  “You want something My Hart?” I ask her, nipping at her ear, trailing kisses down her neck, and pressing my dick into her ass.

  “Hmmm coffee?” she teases.

  “I can't interest you in anything else?” I whisper running my nose along her neck, stopping at the sensitive spot behind her ear.

  “Hmm, maybe one thing,” she says reaching behind her and sliding her hand down my sweatpants. She grips my dick in her hand before slowly stroking up and down.

  I run my hand up her bare thigh, pressing my thumb to her clit over her panties. She lets out a low moan and bucks her hips.

  “What do you want My Hart?” I whisper in her ear.

  “You,” she moans, pushing her ass into me.

  She drops her hold on me, turns around and presses her lips against mine, quickly wrapping her leg around me. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her against me as I nip her bottom lip. She reaches between us lining my dick up with her entrance, and I reach down to pull her panties aside before sliding inside her.

  She moans and I kiss her, covering her mouth and swallowing the sound so no one hears. Moving my hips, I thrust in and out of her, never breaking our kiss. She trails her nails down my back, moving her hips closer to me as I reach down and grab a handful of her ass.

  She throws her head back, causing her ba
ck to arch, and I feel her legs start to shake. She bites her bottom lip to keep from moaning when she comes. I kiss her neck, thrusting my hips faster, reaching between us and pressing my thumb to her clit, prolonging her orgasm. I come as her body stills, burying myself inside her.

  I kiss her lips and pull her close to me.

  “Now, where did we land on that coffee?” she asks, and I can't help but laugh.

  “I’ll get you your coffee,” I say rolling my eyes, but I kiss the end of her nose. At this moment everything feels perfect. Everything. I never want it to end.

  Brooks starts to stir awake, I sit up grabbing him and holding him close to my chest.

  “Dada,” he says and grabs my face, I kiss his head and pass him off to Hartley. “Be good for mama little dude,” I tell him.

  Getting out of our sleeping bag, I unzip the tent and head out to the area we set up for breakfast, primarily coffee. ‘Cause Hart still can't survive without coffee.

  “Hey, Kase.” I hear a voice call. When I turn around one of our hikers, Johan, is just getting out of his tent. This is his first hike and he was worried he wouldn’t be able to do all six days but he’s crushing it.

  Is it weird to say I'm proud of everyone for committing to this? In a way, I almost feel prideful in this group as if they’re my hikers, but I'm just here to support Hart and Brooks.

  “Hey Johan, how’d you sleep?” I ask.

  “Surprisingly well. I mean, the ground sucks, and it's not like I have someone warm to snuggle next to.” He winks, nodding his head back towards the tent I share with Hart and Brooks.

  “It does get cold at night,” I laugh softly.

  “Not for you I bet.” He laughs, grabbing some dry wood to get a small fire going. “All jokes aside you guys seem really happy, it’s nice. I hope I have something like that someday,” he says.

  “You will,” I tell him, grabbing the small pot to boil water in for the instant coffee. A few more people join us around the fire as they start to wake up.

  “Hey Kase, you think Hartley will be okay with starting the day a little later? I’m still beat,” Carly says as she grabs her camp cup to make herself some coffee.

  “I’m really not sure, you’ll have to ask her. I know we have a schedule that we have to keep. She might not want to start later in case the day's miles take us longer to get through.”

  “Can you talk to her? I know she would listen to you,” she implores me.

  “Yeah, I’m not getting in the middle of anything Carly. You want to start later, you ask her. She would probably do a group vote anyways.”

  “Fine.” She huffs a little, rolling her eyes as Hartley steps out of the tent with Brooks already ready for the day. He reaches his arms out as she walks closer and I take him from her.

  “Little dude, were you good?” I ask, giving him a stern look and he just reaches up, pulling on my hair.

  “Dada!” he says and laughs.

  Hartley tucks herself into my side, and I wrap my free arm around her.

  “Smile!” I hear Monica, our resident photographer, say before she snaps a picture of us. “Oh gosh that is perfect, Hartley you have to put this up in the store!” She turns the camera screen around to show us the picture.

  I didn’t manage to look at the camera, but that’s okay cause I’m staring at the best view in the world. My Hart, wrapped around me.

  “Can I get a copy of that?” Hart asks.

  “Of course,” Monica says.

  “Hartley, could we start a little later, maybe just an hour later than normal?” Carly asks. Hartley takes a moment to look around at the group.

  “If everyone else is okay with it sure, but I want camp breakdown started in thirty so we’re not wasting time,” she says, leaning into my side again.

  A chorus of agreement sounds around the camp as Hart takes a seat on a fallen log, looking a little green.

  “You good?” I ask, taking a knee next to her.

  She shrugs her shoulders, “Yeah just tired, it's been a long few days. And my stomach feels off, probably dehydrated.”

  “Okay well, then you need water before coffee,” I tell her and she nods reaching her hands out for Brooks. “Just relax I got him,” I say, kissing her on the lips before standing to get her some water. She spends so much time taking care of others that sometimes she forgets to take care of herself.

  I catch Monica sneaking a few more pictures of us, as well as the rest of the group. Monica is getting to hike in exchange for photos. Hartley wants to create a new brochure as well as posters and include pictures of this trip to the Wild Hart website.

  Hartley grabs her sketchbook from the tent, arranging herself on the small cliff just off the trail. I peek a few times and see that she is sketching the surrounding mountain ranges. She really is talented, and I can't wait to see what she does with the little sketches she has managed to do in the early morning or late at night after we get camp set up.

  She has paintings up in the hallway, and I hope she does a few more to add to the collection.

  As we’re starting to break down the camp I hear an ear piercing shot ring out through the canyon. When I look over at Hartley she’s set her sketchbook aside and is standing with her hands on her hips.

  “What was that?” Carly asks.

  “30.06, big game hunting rifle,” Hartley says turning to the group. “But nothing that big is in season here right now.”

  “Maybe someone is practicing,” Johan offers.

  “You don’t practice out here, you practice on a long-range course. Here you hunt,” she says sternly. “Or poach.”

  After that we quickly get the camp packed up, and Hartley makes a call on the satellite phone to the local Fish and Game Warden to let them know someone is likely poaching in the area. They decide to send someone out.

  As we’re heading down the trail, Hartley stops dead in her tracks, shushing us when the group starts to mumble. When I look up to where she has her gaze on the trail I see two small baby bear cubs and instinctively I step around Hartley and Brooks to shield them from view.

  “Where is the mother?” I ask.

  “They’re too little to be alone Kasen, the mom wouldn’t leave them in the open like this unprotected.”

  “The poacher?” I ask.

  “Yeah,” she grits out and I hear the click of Brooks pack being undone. Turning around I see Hartley setting the pack down and pulling out the satellite phone.

  “Warden Johnson? Yeah, it's Hartley Montgomery again, we have two baby bear cubs out on the trail and no sign of their mother…. About three miles from our previous location. North…. Yeah, we will…. Okay,” she says clicking the phone off and shoving it back into her bag.

  “He wants us to sit tight and update him on the cub's movements until he gets here. They’re going to call in a wildlife rescue, the cubs won't make it alone at this age,” she explains to the group and instructs everyone to head a mile back down the trail and sit tight. We won't be making our goal today.

  Hartley, Brooks, and I stay thirty feet from the cubs but keep them in our sights. We’re not supposed to approach them, feed them, or give them anything to drink. At this age they’re impressionable and getting too friendly with humans in this environment wouldn’t be good for them.

  I take Brooks from Hartley and she pulls out her sketchbook, taking the time while we’re waiting for the Game Warden to sketch the cubs. Taking a few pictures with her phone as well.

  “Ms. Montgomery?” I hear a deep voice call from down the trail.

  “Over here, Warden Johnson,” Hartley calls softly as to not spook the cubs. As she sets down her sketch pad, I see a large man in his early fifties with salt and pepper touching the temples of his dark brown hair approaching.

  “I appreciate you calling both these in, my guys found the poacher just south of here, and we have him in custody. As for these little guys, the Tahoe Wildlife Reserve will be out in no time to get them. You saved their lives,” he tells Hartley.
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  She shrugs her shoulders like it’s no big deal, but I see the way she lights up to know she did a good thing. “Just doing the right thing, I know they’re too young to make it alone.”

  Not many people would have known to call in the poacher in the first place, the rest of the group were ready to write it off completely. But Hart knows better, and that’s why she’s the one guiding us on this hike in the first place.

  Getting to watch her interacting in this environment has been eye-opening. I'm going to make it a point to get her out here more often. Maybe not here specifically but in nature, its where she thrives, Brooks too.

  I’ve never seen myself as much of an outdoorsman, I know a thing or two but not nearly enough to survive. Hartley could probably live here without issue. I mean, she did hike this whole trail in four months, alone.

  I lean over and kiss her cheek, wrapping one arm around her middle and holding Brooks with my other. “You’re amazing Hartley Rae Montgomery,” I whisper.

  Chapter 31: Violet Blue

  Kasen

  I hear the alarm going off, and without opening my eyes I reach over attempting to find the button to silence it. Last night Hartley had insisted that we go into the store at regular opening time, she’s eager to begin planning the next guided overnight hike. This is what she lives for, the reason they have the store. But it wouldn’t kill her to take one day off, to go in a little late. After all, no one expects her back today at all.

  We could just stay in bed all day, or at least try to.

  The hike was highly successful; no injuries and everyone had a great time. We even managed to successfully pack Brooks for the whole hike, and he was a trouper. We had Sol on standby to meet us and take over guiding if at any point it was too much for Brooks or Hartley, but Brooks didn’t so much as cry for most of the trip. It seems that just like his mother, he belongs in the woods.