“No, ma’am.” It’s not a lie. Maybe it would have been a week ago, but now it’s nothing but the pure, unadulterated truth.
“Even though you tried to flee for your life on a snowmobile?”
There’s an undercurrent to her words that sounds eerily like Auntie Gray’s voice when I’ve been naughty and I have to fight the urge to squirm. “I wasn’t fleeing them. I was fleeingyou.”
“Me? Why?”
“Because you threatened to arrest the people I love and you said you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you I wanted to be here. You were going to take me back to my parents and I would rather live alone in the woods for the rest of my life than go back there.”
Awareness flickers in her eyes. “We found your church van on the side of the road, abandoned. From what your parents said, you were running away from your wedding. I assume you weren’t… thrilled about said wedding?”
“The marriage wasn’t my idea. Which isn’t unusual in our church, but…” I shrug. “I couldn’t do it. I tried imagining my life with this man who was twice my age and who I’d barely spoken ten words to in my whole life. And it all just felt sobleak.”
“I see.” And from the tone of her voice, I can almost believe she does. “And you were worried that if I took you back to your parents, you’d be forced to go through with the marriage.”
“Pretty much. Between that and you threatening to arrest my family, I thought maybe it would be better for everyone if I just disappeared.”
“Little girl, I want you to listen to me very clearly. Absolutelyno onewould be better off if you disappeared. Do you understand me?”
Her voice rings with such conviction that all I can do for several long moments is stare at her in disbelief. “Um, yes, ma’am.”
“Good girl. Just a few more questions and then we can be done. When I first got here, you weren’t wearing any pants. Have you…” She hesitates, clearly choosing her words carefully. “Has anyone touched you, sexually, without your consent?”
Heat floods my face. “Axel is the only one who, um,touchesme like that. And he has my full consent.” He’s always had my body’s full consent, even if it took a while for my brain to catch up.
“And what about the marks on your bottom?” Obviously uncomfortable, the sheriff clears her throat. “Was that, ah, consensual as well?”
“Yes.” Suddenly more tired than I can ever remember being, I sigh and shift the heavy blanket on my shoulders. “Sheriff Donnelly, Axel and his family rescued me from certain death. They gave me a place to stay and made me one of their own. And yes, part of becoming a member of their family involves me getting my butt spanked from time to time when I’m naughty, which I sometimes am on purpose. Like switching out Ford’s cotton balls for marshmallows, which he’s going to be very mad about when he finally realizes. But I love them and they love me.Now, if you don’t have any further questions, I would like to see my husband.”
The sheriff blinks again, surprise written all over her face. “Your husband?”
I grin. “Yes. Axel is my husband, and if you think I’m going to let you or anyone else take me from him without a fight, you are very, very mistaken.”
“Lanie… You realize if Axel isactuallyyour husband, nobody can force you to marry someone else, right? All you had to do was tell your parents you’re already married and they wouldn’t have been able to pressure you into anything.”
Now it’s my turn to be shocked. And more than a little embarrassed at my own oversight. “I didn’t actually think of that. And I don’t think there’s any paperwork or anything.”
“Well… if you’re very sure you want to stay here with the Thornes, I’ll see what I can do about getting that paperwork. But you have to promise me that you will never, ever do anything as dangerous as you did today.”
“I’m very sure. And I promise.”
“All right.” Sheriff Donnelly gives a decisive nod. “And what about your parents? They’re waiting for us in town, but you don’t have to see them if you don’t want to.”
“I’ll come see them tomorrow.” With my Daddy by my side. I have no doubt that even if I wanted to go alone, after today’s incident with the snowmobile it’s going to be a while before he lets me out of his sight again.
“I’ll let them know.” Stuffing the phone she’s been typing notes on into her pocket, the sheriff straightens, then pauses. “One last question, if you don’t mind.”
“One more.”
“Are you happy?”
Another ridiculously easy question. “Sheriff, never in a million years would I have ever dreamed that I could be this happy.”
“Good.” She nods absently, as if her mind is already somewhere else. “That’s good.”
I watch as she opens the door to leave. There’s a muted conversation I can’t quite hear on the other side of the door before it opens again and Daddy steps inside. He seems to fill up the entire space, not just with his body but with his very presence.
Plucking me off the table, he cradles me in his arms, pressing a kiss to my forehead as I close my eyes and snuggle into his embrace. “Scared me, babygirl. You scared all of us.”
