“Easy, honey. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Alice tightened her grip around his hips. “Dear heaven, hurry.”
As gently as a breath, he entered her and sent the first strokes pumping into her. The pain of her maidenhead breaking created a gasp. He paused, she thought for her pain to subside, but need drove her.
She thrust herself at him, head twisting on the pillow and eyes squeezed shut. He pushed into her again and again, driving her to an ecstasy she could not have dreamed. She wrapped her arms around him and stretched toward paradise. Earth dropped away and she soared to the heavens with stars shooting around her like fireworks.
Her body hummed with rapture whose existence she’d never known existed. She cried out as he burst with fulfillment. Never could she have believed such joy possible.
Rolling off her, he cradled her head to him. She stilled the trembling of her hands against his powerful chest while he caressed her body.
When her heartbeat returned to normal, she pushed her hair from her eyes and sighed.
“Sorry for the pain,” he consoled her. "I know it hurt this time, but it gets better. I promise.”
"Better? That's hard to believe.” She moved to her back and pulled his hand to her breast. “Did I do it all right?"
"You were perfect.” He kissed her chin. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.”
“Reckon you haven’t seen many then, have you?” She turned her head toward him. “Maybe you shouldn’t answer that.”
“If you mean have I done this with other women then, yes, I have had sex before. But, Alice, I promise you that never before tonight has it been making love.”
“That was a perfect answer and you’re the perfect man for me. The day we met was when fate dealt me a winning hand and my new life began.”
“The same for me, honey. I was even lonelier than I realized until I discovered the difference you’ve made in my life.”
“I yearned for this so long, and for a big family.” She sighed with happiness.
“Our life together will be wonderful.” He caressed her arms. “Oh, I know there will be rough times from things fate throws at us, but we can work through them together.”
“Together sounds wonderful.” Her hand slid along his chest and she touched an indention. “Is this where you were shot?”
“There and here.” He guided her hand to his thigh. “This was the one that almost killed me because I lost so much blood. Blasted thing got infected and I nearly lost my leg.”
“Was this when the robber shot your face?”
“Same time. Man in jail shot my face. He or his partner shot my chest and leg. I wasn’t sure which by then.”
“So his partner got away?”
“Partners, plural. Three of them escaped. Damn Kirby Gang.”
Her heart like to have stopped. “K-Kirbys?”
Dear Lord, not them. Please not them.
“You probably haven’t heard of them, isolated like you were, but they robbed all over this end of Texas.” He shifted slightly and cradled her hand against his chest. “They were the gang that held up my father and cost us our ranch. Far as I’m concerned they killed Papa and then my Mama too. He died of humiliation and sorrow for losing the ranch he’d slaved over for years. She died of heartache after losing her home and her husband.”
“I didn’t know.” What else could she say?
Breath froze in her lungs. Her stepfather and his family had ruined this man’s life. Had ruined his family’s very existence. Her heart broke into a thousand shards, aching for this wonderful man and his kind family.
“Now I have this ranch and you and Seth, things are going right for me. Micah has Hope and Andrew. I hope Joel can find his own wife soon. Then we’ll all have rebuilt our lives.”
“I’m sure Joel will find someone. He’s a nice man and good looking, even if a bit standoffish at first.”
“Yeah, he knew I wasn’t telling him the truth about you. He’s always suspicious. ‘Sides, hurt his feelings I wouldn’t level with him.”
“You’re close, like brothers should be.” Not like her stepbrothers, who were everything men should never be.
She scooted from Zach’s side, hating the thought of leaving his bed, knowing she’d have to leave this wonderful man. Would have to face loneliness and trouble on her own. but how could she stay knowing she possessed the fruits of her stepfather’s crimes? That those included destroying this man’s home?
“What are you doing?” He reached for her.
“I’d better go back to my room. I don’t want to shame us in front of your family.” Fighting back tears, she scooped up her gown and grabbed her shawl.
He rose and came to stand beside her. “Guess you’re right, honey, but I hate for you to leave me. One more week and we can be together forever.”
“You have no idea how much I hate the thought of leaving you.” The truth of that broke her heart. What would he think of her when he learned her secret? He’d hate her, that’s what. And Seth?
Dear Lord, this is your servant Alice Price. I know I haven’t been faithful tonight, and sinned against You with Zach Stone. Forgive us, Lord, and give me the strength to leave this wonderful man. Protect him and his family forever. Send him a fine woman to love. Thank You for letting me know him and his family. No matter what life has in store for me, at least I had this happy time to remember.”
She rose on her toes and kissed Zach with all the fervor she possessed.
His manhood hardened against her stomach. “If I didn’t think you’d be too sore, I’d convince you to stay until dawn.”
“I love you, Zach. Please believe that and remember it forever.”
“Honey, don’t sound so sad. You know I love you. I’ll see you in the morning.” He loosened his embrace. “I’ll get my britches on and walk you to your room.”
“No, stay here.” She opened the door, but couldn’t look back. She didn’t want him to see the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Good night.” And goodbye.
Back in her room, she dressed in the clothes she’d worn on the trail. She wrote a long letter to Zach.
Dear Zach,
You never asked me Pa’s name and reckon I never mentioned it. His name was Lawson Kirby and his brother was Forest Kirby. Frank and Rusty are really named Franklin and Randall. Their cousin Charlie, Forest’s son, headed for California after his dad went to prison. He vowed to live an honest life from here on.
All the time I thought of Pa’s money as his legacy to me and the boys. He kept it hidden under the floor in his bedroom, and I had come to think of it as his. I knew he probably hadn’t come by it honestly, but I never dreamed how he collected it. Now I realize it represents the lives of your family and others like yours.
I know you can never forgive me for being part of Pa’s life, even though Mama and I didn’t know all he did. We knew it wasn’t anything good, but we shut our eyes to it. We couldn’t have lived with him otherwise, even though he was always kindly and good to us. And now I understand the money wasn’t his, but should go to your family and the Rangers to be returned to other people who were robbed, if that’s still possible.
I’ve taken two gold pieces. The rest is in the bags in the barn. I trust you to get the money back to the people who lost it, to your family first. If I get away from Frank and Rusty and Fernando Vargas, I will repay the money as soon as I can find work.
Please tell your family how sorry I am. I love each of you, but I love you most of all. Please forgive me.
All my love,
Mary Alice Price
She folded the letter and wrote Zach’s name on the outside. Her mother’s wedding dress hung on the peg, airing before the aunts pressed it for the wedding. So close, she’d come so close to grasping the life she craved. Alice broke down. She threw herself onto her bed and cried. When her sobs subsided, she rose and pulled out her carpetbag.
After packing a few belongings, she crept to the kitchen. She added a few
provisions to her carpetbag, propped the letter on the kitchen table, and left the house. She wouldn’t look back like Lot’s wife. No, she had to keep moving forward or she’d weaken and be unable to leave.
Alice couldn’t remember a time pain struck so sharply or so deeply. When her mother passed, sorrow pitted her heart and left her lonely. But even then she had hope of one day leaving the ranch and founding a new life with the promise of happiness. Leaving Zach brought on a different kind of heartache. Every dream she’d ever held dear swirled and danced away from her like mist over the river.
Her life had changed again, but for the worse. Once more she had no one to rely on, no one to love, and no one to care for her. Pain threatened to shred her heart, to leave her empty. Now she knew the security and happiness of being loved and accepted. Now she knew what she’d missed all her life. Now she knew how wonderful life could have been with Zach and Seth and the Stones.
She’d leave because Zach and his kin would hate her once they learned the truth about her stepfather and stepbrothers. There would be no forgiveness for the sins committed to him and his life. Alice prayed that somewhere in Zach’s heart he would hold their time together in his bed in a safe and warm embrace within his heart. She prayed Zach would explain to Seth why she had to leave them.
Keeping to shadows, she entered the barn and saddled Blue. She led her into the yard and out to the road before mounting. She’d ridden half a mile when she heard hoofbeats behind her and turned. Seth rode toward her and Harry loped beside him. How much more could she bear before she crumbled?
“Mama, Mama, where are you going at night? Why are you wearing them clothes? Hey, you got your travelin’ bag.”
“Seth, go back home. I-I have to leave.”
“No, you’re my new mama.” He peered at her. “Why are you crying? What’s happened? If somebody hurt you, I’ll fix ‘em.”
“I can’t explain, but I left a letter for your pa. He’ll tell you everything in the morning. Please, trust me and just go on back home and to bed.”
“Not without you. We cain’t be a family if you’re not there.”
Harry growled.
“Well, well, ain’t that sweet. Rusty, look who we found.”
Alice whirled to see her two stepbrothers riding slowly toward her. She drew the pistol she’d stuck in her waistband.
Frank drew his at the same time. “Looks like we got two packages for Fernando.”
Alice’s blood turned to ice. “You can’t have the boy. He leaves or I shoot.”
Rusty laughed. “Come on, Mary, we know you can’t kill a bird, much less a man.”
“Seth, ride home as fast as you can.” She shot the gun from Frank’s hand.
While Frank yowled and nursed his hand, she aimed at Rusty. “You next?”
Seth took off with Harry running beside him. He called over his shoulder. “I’ll get Pa.”
Chapter Twenty Nine
Frank cursed. “You crazy bitch, you ruined my gun hand.”
“You’ll be okay, you lazy coward.”
Rusty said, “Looks like we have a standoff, Mary.” He rode closer. “I have my gun cocked and aimed at your hard heart.”
“I reckon I knew you’d find me.”
“We heard in town how some rancher was having a fancy engagement to-do and marrying Alice Price.” He laughed. “You practically invited us to the party.”
“I didn’t count on you hearing my name.” Stupid, stupid. stupid.
“We heard how you won over his whole family. Reckon they won’t be so happy when they learn who you are, so don’t count on that kid or his pa saving you.”
“They’ll hate me when they learn you’re the Kirbys. You ruined their life by robbing the stagecoach Zach’s dad was on. They lost their ranch because you got the money to pay their mortgage.”
Frank wrapped his bandana around his hand. “As if we care what a bunch of whiney folks lost. You come on now. You try to get away, we go back and kill that kid and his Pa.”
Alice knew they’d do it. She knew she should shoot both of these men. Inside, her being waged a battle for strength, but she couldn’t bring herself to kill another human, not even men as bad as these two. Reluctantly, she shoved her gun back in her waistband. They’d won this hand.
Rusty sneered at her. “You are such a weakling. I don’t know why Pa let you hang around after your ma died.”
“You’d have gone hungry and never had clean clothes if he hadn’t. Neither one of you raised a hand to take care of him or the house.”
Rusty gestured with his gun. “Ain’t a man’s job. Now you get along. Fernando’s waiting for us up ahead.”
Frank shoved into Blue and she almost fell from the saddle. “He’ll teach you a thing or two. Get rid of your high and mighty ways pretty damn quick. Serves you right, you bitch.”
All hope deserted Alice. After all her efforts, she’d be handed over to that evil Vargas, to be treated worse than an animal. At least she’d known a real man, experienced true lovemaking before she was forced to endure whatever Vargas dealt her.
“I never did anything bad to either of you. Don’t know why you hate me so. I cooked for you, cleaned, sewed your clothes, and nursed your Pa.”
Rusty spit a stream of tobacco juice, narrowly missing her foot. “And he thought lots more of you than he did his own sons. You tried to make us look bad.”
“You made yourselves look bad. You never helped your Pa when he was sick. All you two could do was drink and play cards and rob folks.”
“Never you mind what we did or didn’t do. You better be worrying about what Vargas is gonna do to you.” Frank laughed. “You’ll be sorry you ever lived.”
For once in his life, Frank spoke the truth. She rode between the two men across the hills. After thirty minutes, they sighted a campsite.
“It’s only us, Fernando,” called Rusty.
Vargas stepped from the shadows when they rode in, his gun drawn. The men dismounted and Rusty jerked her off Blue.
Vargas appeared excited as he tossed Rusty a rope. “Get this around her neck and bring her here.”
Rusty slipped the noose over her head. Pleasure lit his eyes as he tightened the hemp against her throat.
Vargas growled, “Not so tight. I don’t want that skin damaged unless she resists me.”
Rusty handed the end of the rope to Vargas, who reeled her in like a calf. She figured that was literal, as she’d heard he branded his women.
Frank still cradled his hand to his body and threw her a hate-filled glare. “Damn bitch like to have ruined my hand.”
“I’ll ruin more than that, you stupid man.” With no more care than if he shot a tin can, Vargas shot each of the Kirbys.
Alice started to go to them, to see if they were dead or merely wounded.
His rope halted her motion. “What do you care for them?”
“Mean as they were, they were part of my family. And they were your friends.”
“Pah! I have no friends, only people I meet.”
She gestured to the bodies. “You can’t just leave them like that. Couldn’t we at least cover them with their blankets?”
“What difference can it make?” He shrugged. “Dead is dead. Move.” He yanked on the rope and she gasped. Never would she give him the satisfaction of hearing her complain or beg for mercy.
She staggered toward Blue, torn between sorrow for her stepbrothers’ end and gratitude her own assault would be postponed.
He jerked the rope again. “Not that nag. I have a horse for you. Bring your bag if you wish, but pronto.”
He mounted his black gelding and she collected her carpetbag and climbed into the saddle of the black mare beside his.
“We disappear into the night. Vamanos.”
She had no choice but to follow his lead. They galloped through the night. Scant moonlight chased the darkness, but Vargas appeared to know the direction through the brushy hills and valleys. As dawn tinged the sky pink, they stoppe
d near the river.
“Here you will learn what it is to be with a real man.” He climbed down from the saddle and tugged on the rope until she did the same.
She wanted to tell him she’d been with a real man, not a filthy animal like him. But she wasn’t crazy enough to taunt him. Her mind sought excuses to stall him.
“You’ll want a good meal first? I have food in my bag to make a nice stew.”
She thought he would refuse, but then he laughed cruelly. “Perhaps I should fill my belly before I plow into yours. Try to get away and you die. I will anticipate our coming together while your fear grows.”
She removed some ham and a potato from her supplies. “I must have water to cook.”
“I will watch you, so do not think you can slip out of the rope. Remember you will not like what I do to you if you try to trick me.”
With barely enough slack in the rope to reach the water’s edge, she filled her pan. Nearby, she spotted rain lilies growing from the recent rains. Quickly she pulled up a dozen bulbs and swished them in the river.
“What takes so long, woman? Andale.”
“I remember you like your food spicy, and I am lucky to have several fresh onions. I was just washing the dirt from them.”
“Yes, spicy food and spicy women.” He pinched her breast as she passed him. “I think you will be a tasty delight. Hurry or I will not wait.”
She built the fire and had the lethal stew boiling. “If you want coffee, I must go back to the river.”
“Hurry, woman. I hunger for many things.” He rubbed the front of his crotch and laughed.
Alice started the coffee, then kept stirring the stew lest he think she was available for his grubby paws. When the potato was soft, she dished him a large bowl full and her a small one. He watched her so she pretended to eat.
With the manners of a hog at the trough, he dug into his stew. When he’d eaten, he asked for more. She served him another large helping.
When his second bowl was nearly empty, he grabbed his throat. “What have you done to me?” He drew his huge knife.
“What are you talking about?” Eyeing the knife, she scooted out of his reach.
High Stakes Bride, Men of Stone Mountain Book 2 Page 18