The Payment

by Mysty McPartland

  THE PAYMENT

  Mysty McPartland

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  THE PAYMENT

  MYSTY MCPARTLAND

  Published by Solstice Publishing at Smashwords

  Copyright 2010 Mysty McPartland

  Publishers Note: This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and events are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to real person, places, or events is coincidental.

  Solstice Publishing

  The Mathew’s men learned their lessons well from the woman they should have been able to love and trust above all. Instead, their own mother taught them that women could never be trusted and were nothing but venomous to ones soul. She left them with bitter hatred in their hearts and poison in their souls towards all women.

  It will take a very special woman to defeat the bitterness in their hearts and teach them to respect and care for a woman.

  Dane, the eldest brother, finds the very woman he cannot live without. Even though he knows how furious his brothers will be. He cannot give her up. Little does he know that this one woman would heal all their hearts and souls.

  Follow the Mathews men as each one takes you on their journey and they find the only woman who will completely heal their hearts and souls.

  THE MATHEWS MEN

  BOOK ONE

  DANE

  THE PAYMENT

  ONE

  Alone in his hotel room, he sat with his long legs stretched out in front of him, he held a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. Dane sprawled in a chair and wondered if he might have completely lost his mind; his brothers would certainly think so. Is his pride and ego so great that he intended to force that stuck up little vixen to marry him?

  Irritated at himself, he wiped a hand over his face and dropped it on the arm of the chair. He leaned his head back against the leather seat and closed his eyes. Tomorrow he would be married to the most beautiful and enticing woman he ever laid eyes on. As soon as he saw her across the room at the Tillerman’s ball, he wanted her.

  He had never seen a more beautiful or alluring woman as this one. She wore a deep lilac gown, which bared her shoulders, white pearls at her throat and in her ears. Both set off her midnight hair and creamy tanned skin to perfection, the sheer beauty of her captivated him and astounded him.

  Never did a woman have such an effect on him before. Her violet eyes slanted upwards and were a color he could never remember seeing previously. The few short moments he gazed into them, they fascinated him and drew him deep into a vortex of sensual pleasure. Those few seconds still confounded him; he shook his head in confusion. He returned his thoughts back to the night that now would change his life forever. She might be small of statue, but her enticing, and seductive curves definitely were made for a man’s loving.

  Even now, he could feel his body react just thinking about her. He grimaced as he started to become aroused. It amazed him how easily a certain part of his body hardened and grew just thinking about her. He opened his eyes, gave an exasperated sigh, and shifted in his seat. Hell, if just thinking about her makes me react like this, what in the hell will it be like when I finally have her in my bed?

  With an irritated toss of his head, he shook his lustful thoughts aside and continued to think of their first meeting. He asked his friend Colin to introduce him. Colin advised him not to waste his time, he still insisted. How could he have acted like such a damn lustful fool?

  He probably would not be marrying tomorrow if he could have controlled his lust. Well, it was far too late now. He insisted on meeting her and after the introduction, those mesmerizing eyes of hers gazed back at him distastefully, she lifted a dark brow in the air. Then with a dismissive toss of her head, she turned away ignoring him completely.

  He heard the snickers around him and felt the heat of embarrassment crawl up the back of his neck. He quickly excused himself and left. Furious at her for humiliating him, he swore to make her pay any way he could.

  Luck turned his way two nights later when he ran into her brother at a high stakes poker game. He didn’t hesitate to quickly join the game, which continued late into the night. Finally, around dawn her brother lost everything he owned to him.

  It did not surprise him that her brother turned up at his hotel room late the following day. It came as no revelation to hear he could not pay his debt. Her brother made several possibilities on how he would eventually pay off his gambling debt, and none of them interested him at all.

  He did not want to take the man’s ranch. He did not need his money. In the end, he told her brother, he would make a decision in a few days. He didn’t intend to rush in to anything without thinking the matter over first.

  The next two days he thought long and hard over the debt. He hesitated to take everything from her brother. Even though he now held the means to have his revenge on the woman right in his very hands, he found himself unwilling to take it. One thought though kept whispering through his mind, and he kept shoving it away.

  An absolutely ridiculous idea yet, a persistent one though, it nagged at him day and night and in the end, he finally accepted the idea. Lord, he must have completely lost his mind and when he put the suggestion to her brother, he must have thought so as well.

  After a few speechless moments, her brother reluctantly agreed, knowing it would be his only hope to keep hold of all he owned. Taking a long sip of his drink, he let out a heavy sigh. Could he be making the biggest mistake of his life? Well, it is far too late to be having second thoughts now.

  He wondered just how she would react to the news that she is about to be married because of her brother’s gambling debt. A feeling in his gut told him she would not only be enraged, but would try just about anything she could to stop the wedding from occurring.

  Well there would be no stopping it. Neither one of them were backing out off this deal. All he could do is hope that once she was over her anger, she would be willing to give their marriage a chance.

  Once again, he wondered how he would explain this madness to his brothers. No doubt, they were going to be furious. None of them ever wanted another woman living with them again. Not after Irene.

  Tuff, who is more like a father to them all, already angrily pointed that very fact out so many times over the last few days that he’d lost count. He knew Tuff was right though, and he should forget the whole stupid deal completely.

  Yet he couldn’t. For some reason, he did not understand why he wanted the woman with an overwhelming desperation and he could not deny himself. He would do just about anything to have her. Even forcing her to marry me. He didn’t understand the hold she possessed over him, and he definitely didn’t like it but he felt powerless to fight against it.

  All he knew was he wanted her.

  Once again, his thoughts turned to his brothers and how they were going to react. No doubt, they would kick up a storm. He only hoped he and the woman would survive the confrontation. Hell he couldn’t begrudge how the boys would react, but he wanted a wife.

  He wanted a wife and a family of his own. He loved his brothers, but they were not enough anymore. Irene, their mother, might have destroyed any trust or the need for a woman in them all. Now though he felt at his age that taking a wife seemed the right thing to do.

  Hell, he did not have any idea what is right or wrong any more, not si
nce he met that woman. He seemed to have lost every bit of sanity he owned. This might be the greatest mistake in his life, and it would be utter madness to go through with the marriage.

  Lord help him, he could not stop it and by God, no matter what happened, he would make sure his brothers were protected from any damage or harm the woman may cause. If it turned out to be a mistake, he would cut his losses and send her back home. Lord, he hoped things would work out, he truly did.

  TWO

  Still unable to believe what is about to happen to her, India furiously paced her bedroom. Her brother must have completely lost his mind. What madness now possessed her brother and how could he ever imagine she would actually go through with his crazy scheme?

  Never would she let her brother force her into marriage with a complete stranger. To a stranger her brother owed a great deal of money to, damn his hide. Jarrod is a fool to have gambled away everything he owned and by God, she did not intend to be the one who would have to pay for it.

  She stopped pacing and her eyes narrowed. Reaching up, she lifted a vase off the mantle and threw it against the wall, where it shattered into tiny pieces over the floor. Her lips turned up in a sneer.

  It might have been a beautiful vase, a present from her brother, and she felt not an ounce of regret in destroying it. The anger inside her so immense she wanted to tear the room apart.

  With that thought in mind, she hurried over to the wardrobe, flung open the door, and let it bang against the wall. Inside she stared at the only things that remained after her brother ordered her clothing removed and now they were packed in the waiting wagons.

  With spiteful anger, she reached in pulled out the beautiful white wedding gown and all the other paraphernalia that went with it. Damn you Jarrod if you think I will wear this or marry that man you are in for a huge disappointment.

  No matter what he tried to do to force her to marry the fiend, she would not go through with it. He is mad to have even imagine she would. Going over to the fireplace, she tossed everything in and reached for the matches. Kneeling down she smiled maliciously as she set fire to everything.

  You might think you have given me no choice Jarrod to do what you want. Taking my things and locking me in my room will only make me defy you even more.

  Down stairs sitting behind his desk in the study, Jarrod cringed when he heard something upstairs smash against the wall. He should not be surprised his sister would act in such away, and he did feel guilty about forcing her into marriage but he did not have any other choice.

  If she did not marry this Mathews fellow, he would lose the ranch. He still could not understand why this stranger wanted to marry India but by God, he felt relieved and immensely grateful that he made the offer.

  India, being a beautiful young woman even though she might be headstrong and stubborn as all get out; it never stopped men from pursuing her. Many a man came out to the ranch to court her and offer her marriage, but she refused every offer. Soon she would be considered an old maid.

  Perhaps she will eventually realize he didn’t have any other choice, wearily leaning back in his chair he rubbed the back of his neck in remorse. Well, one thing he knew without any misgiving he would never ever gamble again.

  He foolishly nearly lost everything his parents left him and his future with the turn of the cards. Only his madness to win is what drove him into insanity. No, he would never gamble again.

  Now with a chance to rectify his stupidity, he would most likely lose his sister. A horrendous situation and a terrible toll to pay, but he did not have any other choice. His only worry now is getting his willful sister to agree to marry Mathews.

  It might be the hardest part of all and he knew he would have a fight on his hands. He grew determined to find a way. If he didn’t, he could lose everything and hopefully one day she will find it in her heart to forgive him.

  India heard the key in the lock turn and the door whisper open. She did not bother turning around. She knew her brother had entered the bedroom. Well, if he thought he could sweet-talk her into this mad scheme, he is definitely crazy.

  After unlocking the door and opening it, warily Jarrod stepped into the room. One look at his sister’s rigid stance he knew it would be useless to try to talk to her. Perhaps if he took out her wedding dress, she might mellow some. After all, no woman could resist a beautiful gown.

  He moved over to the wardrobe, pulled the door open and frowned when he found it empty. He turned his head and his gaze moved swiftly around the room. His eyes stopped when he spotted a piece of frothy lace in the fireplace.

  Quickly, he crossed the room, knelt down and picked it up. He stared down at it for a few moments in disbelief. “God damn it India. What in the hell did you go and burn the gown for? Now what will you wear?” Angered he stood up and strode over to his sister, grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around.

  India ignored her brother’s questions. When he roughly turned her to face him, she shrugged out of his hold and gave him a smug smile. “Well dear brother I have no intentions of wearing that damn gown or for going along meekly with your mad scheme. You are insane if you think I will.”

  She gave a light shrug of her shoulders. “Tell me Jarrod, just how do you propose to make me say my vows?” Convinced she now held the weapon to defeat his crazy plan she smirked and her eyes glittered with triumph. Folding her arms across her chest and leaning against the wall, she wore a wide smug smile.

  Jarrod grasped his sister’s arm and pulled her away from the wall, glaring down at her upturned face, he drew in an angry breath. “Damn you, would you see everyone here with nowhere to go, nowhere to live and nowhere to work? Would you have it on your conscious that old Mickey, Fanny, and Taylor would have no home?"

  He dropped her arm, straightened up and dragged his fingers through his hair. “They’re too old and no one will hire them. This is their home, and if it were lost what would happen to them?”

  Damn her brother to hell, India placed her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. “Damn you Jarrod. Don’t you turn this around so it’s my fault. You’re the one who gambled and lost everything, and I won’t let you lay the blame at my feet.”

  She drew in a breath and sneered. “You’re detestable and selfish; making me the one to pay for your stupidity.” She dropped her arms from her waist and turned away, not wanting to let her brother see he finally won.

  There would be no way she could let everyone else suffer for something her brothers stupidity caused. She loved them too much to see any harm come to them.

  “Don’t you know that I have said the same things to myself ever since it happened? I am truly sorry India, but there isn’t any other choice.” Jarrod took one more guilty and sad look at his sister and remorsefully turned away and left the room.

  India spoke up before her brother closed the door. “You might think you have won Jarrod, but let me tell you, both you and this man will regret this. I swear both of you will rue this day for eternity.”

  Riddled with guilt, Jarrod took on a final look at his sister and closed the door. Sadly, he admitted she was right, he already regretted everything.

  India heard the key in the lock turn, leaned her brow against the windowpane, and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She felt like a prisoner about to hang and there would be no reprieve. She knew now she did not have a choice but to go through with this farce. If she didn’t, too many innocent people would suffer.

  Damn you Jarrod, one day I will make you pay for this, damned if I won’t. As for the man that is taking me for payment, he would live to regret this more than he would have ever thought possible.

  She would make his life a living hell.

  THREE

  India stood like a frozen statue as Fanny fussed with her gown; shortly she would find herself in a living nightmare and could find no way out of it.

  “I’m sorry India but this is the best I can do love. It’s a pity and such a shame all your pretty gowns are packed in the wagons ready
for your trip to your new home.” Fanny kept fussing at the gown. “Maybe if we add a flower to the bodice it will pretty it up some.”

  “It’s all right Fanny. It’s just a simple ceremony, and I am sure I look just fine.” Having trouble hiding her anger from Fanny, India just wanted the whole horrendous ordeal over with.

  “Now love, don’t go getting nervous. I know it’s a big step you're taking but from what I can see you have picked yourself a fine man. The only thing that puzzles me is how the two of you met and why you kept it so secret.” Fanny finished pinning the rose to the gown and stepped back to see if it brightened up the gown.

  “There. That makes it a little better. Now there’s no more we can do, and it’s time we went down stairs. Oh, I’m so happy for you India. It’s a new life you’re starting, and I just know you're going to be happy.” She dabbed at her eyes and gave India a hug. “I’m sure going to miss you though honey.”

  India hugged Fanny back and blinked back the tears that burned her own eyes. “I’m going to miss you too Fanny, along with everyone else. Come on let’s go down stairs and get this over with.” She ignored the puzzled look in Fanny’s gaze, turned away, and left the room.

  Inside she dreaded the next few minutes and knew there would be no way she could hide how she truly felt, well she didn’t care. As soon as the ceremony is over, the man who wanted her for payment would quickly realize that instead he received hell and not a wife.

  Tense and worried, Jarrod waited at the bottom of the stairs for his sister. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her come down. “Fanny why don’t you join the others in the parlor, I’d like a few words with India.”