At All Cost: A Mountain Man Romance

by Katerina Winters

  The slow-building whistle from the boiling water eventually interrupted him from his escalating thoughts. Grabbing the kettle, he poured the hot water into the metal mug with the awaiting teabag. Opening the nearby drawer, he grabbed one of his old pill bottles. There was once a time when he kept the bottle next to his bed, never forgetting to toss one back before he lay down. When was the last time he needed to take one? Dumping one pill onto his counter, Jax crushed it into a fine white powder before dumping the powder into the steaming hot tea. Stirring the powdered granules until they dissolved and adding some honey, Jax carried the cup across the room and stopped in front of her.

  “Hey,” he watched her startle out of her sleep, giving him a confused blank stare before recognition quickly settled into place.

  He ignored the faint whisper of guilt at waking her and handed her the mug. With both wrists bound to one another, she awkwardly accepted the cup. No argument, no cautious sniffs of the liquid, no suspicious glances—absolutely nothing. The bright spark of light that had shined in her eyes earlier was gone. Tilting the cup mechanically, she sipped her tea with no response.

  “Try to get some rest,” Jax nearly winced at the gruffness in his own voice. He meant for that to sound a bit gentler than it came out.

  Casting one last glance at her blank expression, he went outside to his porch and grabbed an arm full of wood. Coming back in, he filled the wood stove and stoked the flames. She said and did nothing. Even when he put the heavy metal poker, a perfect weapon in her situation, back on its holder next to the woodstove, she didn't spare it a glance.

  Eventually, she slumped back against the arm of the sofa and fell asleep. Closing the front door of his cabin, Jax stepped down his porch steps and into the rain. Throwing his hoodie over his head, he fished the keys to his four-wheeler out of his pocket. He needed this trip to be quick so he could be back before the worst of the storm hit. Igniting the engine, he guided the machine to her camp. Though if he was being completely honest with himself, Jax wanted to get back for the blank-eyed girl sitting quietly on his couch. It was as if she had been holding on by a thread this whole time and that thread finally reached its limit— because of him.

  Stopping the four-wheeler near the tent, Jax hopped from the machine. Quickly, he grabbed the large camping backpack and a few other items in the tent. Strapping it to the back of the four-wheeler, he cursed under his breath as a loud clap of thunder sounded above him. An absolute idiot, that was what he was. He should have just called the sheriff or hell, he could have just let the pure magnitude of the storm run her off if she survived it. Avoiding a ditch that was now filling with water, he thought about the girl in his cabin, out here huddled in that pathetic tent.

  Parking the four-wheeler back in its shed, he stood there in the doorway of the shed for a moment and stared out into the rain towards his cabin a few yards away. Gray and darkening by the second, the dark horizon made it feel late in the evening rather than early in the afternoon. He had planned on finishing his screened-in porch today, but he didn’t see that happening now. Grabbing the bag, he bent his head to the rain and ran back to the cabin.

  Chapter 5

  It took her a few moments to remember where she was when she woke up that next morning. High wooden rafter ceilings and a toasty fire from the wood furnace to her right certainly wasn’t the qualities of her meager green tent. Sitting up, Alessia pushed away the heavy quilted blanket. Vaguely, she could recall blurry snapshot memories of the man who abducted her handing her something last night. Grimacing, she worked through the images. She remembered drinking the bitter tea as he quietly loaded up the wood heater on the wall in front of her. She could vividly remember the comforting warmth from the heater pour out of the grate and steal the last of her remaining energy. That was the last of her coherent memories, the rest were disjointed and pieced together. The sound of his rough voice woke her again sometime later, commanding her to eat and another hazy memory of him pointing to the bathroom after that. But it was the memory of him bending over her in her sleep that she tried desperately to fully recall.

  It was dark when she woke up that last time. The light from his open kitchen no longer illuminated the living area. Only the faint orange glow from the wood furnace next to her offered any sort of light. She was so tired, she could barely blink. Each time she did, it felt as if minutes would pass by before she found the strength to open her eyes again. There was something next to her hip, that was what she was waking up for. Alessia wanted to know what that something was, it was so warm and solid, and when she moved against it, it wouldn't budge. Forcing herself to open her eyes and actually look, she was confused by the dark shape the suddenly loomed over her. Alessia could remember her heart skipping in fear, but she could also remember the deep tone that calmed her immediately. It was him, she thought, he was leaning over her doing something, saying something. But what?

  Swinging her feet down to the floor, she stared for a second at her sock-clad feet as she winced at the ache in her head. Though she slept like a rock, her head felt like a pile of crap. The temptation to lay back down onto the comfy worn sofa was turning into a physical pain of longing. Did she take her shoes off? Looking around, she found them sitting neatly next to the couch next to her backpack. Something warm and tight coiled in the pit of her stomach as she stared at the bag.

  Her shoes were off, her bag was here, and she remembered last night that he gave her a sandwich. Looking down, she realized her hands were untied. For some reason, all of these facts only made her more nervous. Yesterday, he was harsh and demanding, and now she wasn’t sure what to think.

  Turning on the sofa, she looked around the wood cabin for the first time. It wasn't huge, but it was a surprisingly large space. The ceilings were high and gabled, with two loft spaces at either end of the cabin. On one side was the kitchen and the front door, and on the other end of the large room was a bed shoved against the wall. The only thing separating the kitchen area from the bed was a small living area she was sitting in now. A noise from behind her made her turn all the way around in her seat. On the opposite wall from her were two doors, in one she knew for sure was the bathroom. Light at the bottom of the door flickered with movement.

  He was in there—this was her chance.

  As quickly and quietly as possible, Alessia grabbed her shoes and put them on. With her bag in hand, she carefully made her way to the front door. Her hands were clammy as she made it off the porch. Looking back at the cabin, she remembered the tall man yelling and pointing to the wall in the supposed direction of her tent.

  The ground was wet and slippery at points as she stepped through the piles of dead soaked leaves, with every step she took, she had an unshakable feeling she was heading towards disaster. Last night, she admitted things to that man she had never even admitted to herself. The hopelessness she had been pushing further and further down into a locked portion of her heart had burst free. The words she said to him, those terribly bleak and cowardly words scared her. It was terrifying to know she could easily talk of wanting to die and thoroughly mean it.

  Sniffing, she wiped the tears that had fallen with the back of her sleeve. She needed to keep going, she needed to go get the rest of her things. Just by looking at her bag, Alessia knew her tent wasn't in the bag. Her laptop, clothes, and most everything else was inside but the familiar green plastic of her tent was gone. If she was going to survive, she was going to need it. Every now and then, her heart and body would freeze when she heard any little noise behind her. Picking up her pace, Alessia walked faster. She just needed to get her stuff and get out of these woods and far away from that man.

  Though, he didn’t hurt her. The stray thought floated through her mind.

  She couldn’t help but think of his gruff attendance to her last night as he shoved tea and a sandwich at her. Despite his terrible attitude and his forceful abduction, he wasn’t completely bad. Alessia felt herself smile at that.

  Seeing the bright green material
up ahead, Alessia felt a surge of relief as she walked quicker towards it. Getting closer, she stopped at the sight of the mangled wreckage in front of her.

  Crushed underneath the weight of a large, gnarled dead branch, her green tent was completely destroyed. Thin metal spokes bent in various wrong directions, jutted from the snagged and torn material from underneath the branch.

  A widow-maker. One of the first things all the camping and survivalist guides warned her about. Looking up, Alessia followed the narrow tree’s form to the top and stared at the other heavy dead branches that promised to give way and come crashing down soon. Alessia could feel the pain in the back of her throat as she suppressed the urge to cry. How could she make such a simple mistake? A simple mistake that could have cost her life if she had slept there last night as she intended.

  Reaching out to the wet branch, she dragged it partly off her mangled tent. Grabbing her sleeping bag and tarp she had laid down inside of it, she folded it up and stuffed it in her bag. Sparing her camp one last look, she wiped her tears and headed for the road.

  ~*~

  Sitting on a weathered beached log, Alessia took another bite of her folded waffle. The wax paper crinkled loudly as she peeled it further down to access more of the syrupy pastry. Hot and crispy, the waffle tasted so good. For a brief moment, she temporarily forgot about her troubles as she ate and stared at the waves.

  The beach was long and deserted. Initially, she only walked back to the town with the intention of eating a cheap hot breakfast and accessing the diner’s Wifi signal. She just needed to sit down and figure out what was going to be her next step. As soon as the bell to the diner’s entrance jingled at her entrance and the curious stares boldly met hers, Alessia knew immediately that sitting down for a peaceful breakfast wasn’t going to be an option. The same waitress was there from her initial visit a couple of days ago. It was probably too much to hope a small town like this would have a varied wait staff. Alessia could easily see the woman's overwhelming curiosity as she recognized her from last time. If she sat down, it was only going to be a matter of minutes before the prying questions began, and she certainly wasn’t in the mood for that. The trace of disappointment in the woman’s eyes when she requested her waffle to be wrapped to-go wasn’t lost on Alessia. Smiling politely, she took her thermos of coffee and waffle and walked quickly out of the diner.

  Gaulding’s beach was at the west end of town, all the way down the main street. Boarded and shuttered seasonal shops lined the road on either side. The pastel sea weathered buildings were worn and tired, but still held a note of promise for the bright sunny summer season. Crêperies, bookshops, kite stores, and other nautical theme souvenir shops made her wonder what the city looked like during the tourist season. Following the wooded trail to the beach, thick trees and steep inclines eventually evened out into gentle sand dunes littered with sun-bleached driftwood and tangles of invasive succulents. The windy beach was absolutely barren. As far as she could see in either direction, up and down the coast, there wasn’t a single sign of life. Alessia couldn’t understand it. Why would anyone not want to put their house closer to the beach? Especially if they could wake up each morning and look at a view of this.

  For whatever terrible reason, that thought made her think of that man. Eating the last of her waffle, she crumpled the wax paper into her jacket pocket. Why was he living out in the woods anyway, she thought with a huff. From what she could tell, despite his thick clothes and equally thick beard, he looked reasonably young and fit. Oh, he was certainly fit enough, she thought with a snort of derision. The crazy man took no effort at all, throwing her over his shoulder and hiking her back to his place like a sack of beans.

  Glaring at the repetitious movements of the waves, Alessia was lost in her thoughts when she heard the movement to her left. Startled, she looked up to see the very man in question standing next to the log she was sitting on. Admittedly, he didn't look so wild today as he did yesterday. Though the fierce edge in his cold dark eyes still remained, the bushy beard that had covered most of his face and neck was now trimmed close, allowing her to see the hard lines of his jaw through the light brown scruff. He was actually rather handsome, she realized.

  Sitting down at the end of the log, he looked out to the choppy sea. “I saw your tent.”

  Alessia stiffened. “Look, if you just came out here to continue telling me how stupid I am, you can save it.”

  "No— I didn't come for that," turning his head away from the water, he looked at her directly.

  With his hair pulled back from his face into another bun at the nape of his neck, Alessia could clearly see what made this man so intimidating besides his terrible personality. It was his eyebrows. They were thick with a natural wicked arch that gave even his most relaxed expressions a sinister feel.

  Catching herself staring, Alessia averted her eyes from his. “Then what?”

  “I told you last night that I would take you to the next town over.” His tone was so dry and matter-of-fact, Alessia couldn’t be sure of his mood.

  Shifting uncomfortably on the log, she tried to ignore the pressure of his gaze. It was undoubtedly filled with silent ridicule for leaving without telling him.

  "No," she said a little too quickly. Taking a deep breath, she sat up straighter as she pinned her eyes on a far-off target. "Thank you for your help last night." The words tasted bitter on her tongue. She didn't want to thank such a surly man, but she couldn't deny he saved her life. "But going there won't work either," this time she did turn to look at him. She hoped he would see a competent young woman who was just facing a minor setback. She didn't want him to see the anxiety that gnawed at her stomach.

  One severe eyebrow arched deeper in silent question.

  Subconsciously, Alessia began to toy with the zipper of her jacket as she licked her lips nervously, trying to best word her thoughts. "I… I made another dumb decision when I left…" Taking a heavy breath in pause, she felt the anxiety intensify, just admitting it. "I stole his prized car and ditched it on the way here."

  The surprise on his face only made her feel even worse about her decision.

  “You have to understand,” she shook her head, feeling and inevitable chink in the armor of confidence she was desperately trying to convey. “Gary is a part of some motorcycle gang with dangerous and resourceful friends… I know he is angry at me now… And I didn’t want him to find me…” Even saying it aloud sounded stupid. Closing her eyes, Alessia took a deep breath as the anxiety in her stomach churned to nausea as she imagined Gary’s angry face coming towards her.

  "… I shouldn't have taken it, I know," she tried again, her voice was smaller than she wanted it to be. "I should've just left and spent the money for a bus ticket." Tilting her head back, she stared up at the gray, dismal sky. "It just felt good to do it, you know?"

  “Oh, I bet,” the man replied with a grin. “The sorry fuck deserves a whole helluva lot more than a stolen car, but yeah, I can understand.”

  It felt good hearing his coal-black voice agree with her for once. Turning back to face the ocean, they both stared at it as silence hung between them for a moment while the strong surf tumbled in with a mighty roar.

  “So, what are you going to do now?”

  The question she had been dreading was finally here, laid down at her feet like a challenge to battle. She had no clue, that was the answer. She had no idea what to do next. Before, she thought she had it all figured out, but now— now she was utterly lost. But there was no way she could tell him that, not if she didn’t want to find herself hogtied and driven to the police station.

  Clicking the tab to her zipper faster, Alessia turned and gave him a suspicious look. "How did you find me, anyway?" Doing her best to change the subject.

  A knowing look passed in his eyes before he shrugged. “This is a small town, all I had to do was ask one person if they had seen a young woman with the camping bag around.”

  “How did you know I was in town and not
on the road?” She pressed.

  “Your footprints.”

  She frowned in confusion. “My footprints?”

  He simply stared at her for a moment as if he was weighing the seriousness of her question. Alessia knew by the gleam in his eyes, before he even answered, that he was going to ridicule her somehow.

  “I’m genuinely surprised you made it even one night out in those woods.”

  Heat rushed through her, and Alessia could feel her face and neck flush. Standing up with jerky movements, she snatched the straps of her heavy bag

  “You know what?!” She turned to face him as she hoisted the bag in place on her shoulders, not missing the spark of excitement in his eyes. “You’re an asshole.”

  “An asshole who saved your life.” Still sitting on the log, he stretched his legs out purposely as he made himself comfortable. “Or did you forget that fact?”

  Hot pinpricks of tears dotted behind her eyes in shame at his words. Alessia wanted to scream and yell at him, to do anything but stand there. Turning on her heel, she turned back in the direction of the town.