Anna Mae nodded. “You go on. You better stay clear of trouble and not make me regret letting you go.”
Birdie leaned in and gave a quick peck to the woman’s wrinkled cheek. “Thank you, so much. I won’t be long.”
Before Anna Mae could change her mind, Birdie reached for her heavy wool shawl and dashed out the door.
She ran along the river’s edge, anxious to see Rem. She hadn’t made it halfway to the ponds, when she saw his figure emerge from the woods ahead.
“Rem!” she called out. She waved her arms so he could see her from the distance.
His brisk walk turned to a run when he realized it was her. In an instant, he was standing in front of her, taking her into his arms. “Birdie? Are you all right?” He pulled away and examined her body. “Is Ma hurt?”
Birdie shook her head. “No, I couldn’t wait for your return any longer. I was so worried.” Now that she was away from his hold, she could see that his shirt was covered in blood. “Oh my! Are you hurt? Have you been shot?”
Rem ran his hand along her face to soothe her. “No. I am fine. This blood is not mine.” He studied her eyes, looking sad. “Your pa...he’s dead.”
Birdie simply nodded. No hysterics, not the slightest ounce of sadness, nothing but a huge sense of relief washed over her. “You did what needed to be done.”
Rem leaned in and kissed her lips quickly, and then looked over his shoulder and the flowing river beside them. “Birdie, I need you to turn away.”
Confused, she asked, “Why?” She walked closer to him, desperate to be held in his arms again.
“Birdie...” But before he could say anything further, she saw a large piece of ice flowing down the river. The sight of large pieces of ice wasn’t uncommon on the Truckee, so why would Rem want her to look away? This was his job after all. Why—
The large chunk of ice floated closer, close enough that she could make out her pa’s frozen form inside of it. His mangled and contorted body folded in the most grotesque way, and his face appeared frozen in agonizing pain.
She should have turned away and screamed. Maybe even cry or feel ill to her stomach. A proper lady would possibly faint at the sight. Something, anything besides what she was feeling. Watching that block of ice in the cold Sierra river was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. She stood on the river bank with her husband’s arms wrapped around her and watched her misery, her pain, her fear all wash down the river with the tiny rapids around it. It was over. She had been freed from her cage—just as the birds at the Valentine’s Dove Festival had been freed from theirs. She was free. Birdie Bluebell was finally free.
About Alta Hensley
Alta Hensley is a #1 Amazon best-selling erotic romance author who has had top-selling books in erotic science fiction, humor, BDSM and historical. She writes the naughty... and then the cure for it.
Being a multi-published author in the Domestic Discipline genre, Alta is known for her alpha heroes, sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission.
You can find out more about Alta on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. You can also contact her at [email protected]
Bound, Spanked and Loved: Fourteen Kinky Valentine's Day Stories Page 78