Page 18 of Sniper Daddy
She comes hard, crying out my name as her walls clamp down around me. The sensation pulls me over the edge with her. I bury myself deep and groan her name as I come, pulsing inside her.
I stay there for a long time afterward, kissing her softly, stroking her hair, telling her how perfect she is. When I finally pull out, I clean her gently with a warm cloth and pull her into my arms.
She rests her head on my chest, breathing slow and content.
I press a kiss to the top of her head. “You’re mine now, Piper. And I’m never letting you go.”
She tightens her arms around me. “I don’t want you to.”
We lie tangled together as the afternoon light shifts across the room. The mountain’s quiet outside. Inside, everything feels right for the first time in years.
She’s healing.
She’s here.
And she’s mine.
TWELVE
PIPER
The walk back to Boyd’s cabin feels lighter than it should after everything that has happened. My leg still aches with every step, but the crutches feel more natural now, and the fresh mountain air fills my lungs with something that almost feels like hope. Boyd stays right beside me, one hand hovering near my elbow in case I need him. He doesn’t say much. He never does. But his presence is steady and warm, like the mountain itself.
We stop by the main lodge on the way. The women are gathered in the big kitchen area, cleaning up from the big Sunday dinner. Harper spots us first and waves us over with a bright smile.
“Piper! Come sit with us for a minute,” she calls. “The men are still outside talking strategy. You look like you could use some girl time.”
Boyd glances at me, checking to make sure I’m okay with it. I nod. He presses a quick kiss to the top of my head. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
He leaves, and the women pull me into their circle like I’ve always belonged here. Harper pours me a cup of herbal tea.Kayley slides a plate of leftover apple pie in front of me. Sadie and Daisy make room on the couch so I can prop my leg up.
I settle in, suddenly surrounded by warmth and easy conversation. It feels so normal. So safe. I have to blink back tears more than once.
Harper sits across from me, little Poppi asleep on her shoulder. “How are you feeling today? You looked stronger at dinner.”
“Better,” I say honestly. “Eli took the cast off this morning. I can walk on it now. It still hurts, but it is so much better than it was.”
Fiona grins. “That’s our girl. You’re tougher than you look.”
The words settle deep inside me. Our girl. I have never belonged to anyone like this before.
I look around at all of them—Harper with her quiet strength, Kayley with her bright laugh, Sadie with her gentle eyes, Daisy with her endless kindness, Emma with her warm eyes, Fiona with her no-nonsense fire, Hannah with her soft resilience. They’ve all been through something. I can see it in the way they carry themselves.
“Can I ask you something?” I say quietly. “All of you… you came here running from something, right? How did you decide to stay? How did you make a home here?”
The women exchange soft, knowing looks.
Harper speaks first. “I was running from a bad situation. It was dangerous. When I showed up here with Poppi, I was terrified. But Silas and the men made it clear I didn’t have to run anymore. They gave me safety. Then they gave me family. I never left because this is the first place that ever felt like home.”
Kayley nods, her hand resting on the back of Aidan’s empty chair. “I came with my nephew after my sister… well, she died. I was scared and broke and had no idea what I was doing. Then Aidan’s father came after me. Gavin and the others helped me. They showed me what real family looks like. I stayed because Aidan deserves this kind of life. And so do I.”
Sadie smiles softly. “I ran from a man who wanted to control me. Thorne found me and brought me here. At first I thought it was temporary. But the longer I stayed, the more I realized I didn’t want to leave. This place heals you. The people here heal you.”
Daisy leans forward. “I was running too. When I got here, I was broken in ways I didn’t even understand. The women helped put me back together. Now I’m planning to go to nursing school in Timber Creek. I want to help Eli at the clinic here. I want to give back to the place that saved me.”
I listen to every word, my chest growing tighter with emotion. These women were once like me —scared, running, alone. Now they’re strong. Rooted. Loved.
“I have always wanted a big family,” I say quietly. “Not just blood. But this. People who choose each other every day. Laughter around a table. Kids running around. Sunday dinners that last for hours. I never thought I could have that.”
