by Leah Brooke
Sarah lifted her chin. “Of course.”
“Good girl.” Blade inclined his head, silently saluting Phoenix. “I think you’re right. I’d bet that Willy’s still out there. He’ll strike again.”
Hawke kept an arm around Sarah, leading her outside, his insides clenched into hard knots. “We’ll be ready for him.”
Still shaken at how close he’d come to losing the woman he loved, he started toward the door, pausing when Duke stepped in front of him.
With a glance at Sarah, Duke clenched his jaw, his eyes screaming with grief. “I’m glad your woman’s all right. I wasn’t so lucky.” A sad smile curved his lips. “I see that you’ve realized just how much she means to you. That happened too late for me. Keep her close.”
He hadn’t fully understood why Duke had become so hard and cold until now.
He hadn’t understood the other man’s anguish.
Looking down at Sarah, he took in her tear-stained cheeks, and the trust and love shining in her eyes. “I will. Very close.”
She was everything to him—as vital to him as breathing—and he’d kill to keep her safe.
Chapter Thirteen
Lying in the darkness on the pallet his brothers had made for him in the yard, Phoenix looked up at the stars, struggling to keep his eyes open. A low fire burned several yards away, providing just enough light for him to see his surroundings.
If he could only keep his eyes open.
His brothers had cleaned up the blood inside the cabin, but the scent of whiskey and gunpowder still lingered in the air. Leaving the cabin open to air out, they’d decided to sleep outside.
The mattress from the bed burned in the fire.
“Do you need anything?”
Phoenix forced a smile at the question Sarah had already asked in one form or another for the past hour, the pain in his shoulder making it difficult to get comfortable. “Just for you to go to sleep. You’re wiggling all over the place.”
“I’m sorry. It must hurt your shoulder.”
Chuckling at that, Phoenix turned his head to meet her gaze. “Among other things. How do you expect me to sleep when you’re wiggling your ass against me?”
He hoped by teasing her, she’d relax enough to get some sleep.
Blade turned from where he stood talking to Hawke several yards away. Approaching, he stood over Sarah, the tension at learning that Willy hadn’t been one of the intruders pouring from him in waves.
“Go to sleep, honey. You’re safe. There are men stationed all over the place.”
Phoenix tried to sit up, but the laudanum they’d managed to pour down his throat left him too dizzy and weak to try. “Did the other guy wake up yet?”
Blade nodded grimly. “Yeah.” Scrubbing a hand over his face, he glanced in the distance and sighed. “He didn’t want to talk at first, but Duke changed his mind. Enjoyed it, too. Willy’s out there, about a mile north. The plan was to kidnap Sarah and get her to lead them to the gold.”
Blade held Phoenix’s gaze for several long seconds, the message in them clear. “Said Willy’s got a burr under his saddle because he had to ride here on horseback, and didn’t like being in strange territory.” His lips twitched. “Pity.”
Phoenix glanced at Sarah, who sat staring north. “Yeah, a real shame.”
Willy wanted more than just the gold. He wanted Sarah, and most likely wanted to get even with her for inconveniencing him.
Phoenix didn’t even want to think about what Willy would do if he got his hands on her.
Forcing a smile in Sarah’s direction, he ran a hand over her arm, not liking the look in her eyes, or how she kept avoiding their gazes. “Don’t worry, honey. You’re safe here. Go to sleep.”
Sarah frowned, shaking her head. “I’m not scared for me. I’m worried about you. In case you’ve forgotten, you were shot just a few hours ago. You shouldn’t be lying on the ground outside.”
Phoenix smiled. “Well, I can’t lie on the ground inside, now, can I?”
Whipping her head around, she slapped at his leg. “I’m serious, Phoenix. Please don’t make fun of me, or make me feel stupid for caring about you. For the first time in my life, I feel cared for, and a part of something. Please don’t take that away from me.”
Blade raised a brow, chuckling softly. “You can’t argue with that without sounding stupid, little brother, especially with that laudanum in you. Just shut up and let her fuss a little. It’ll make you both feel better.”
“I hope you remember that if you ever get hurt.” Phoenix reached out and pulled her closer. His cock stirred briefly, but the laudanum kept his arousal at bay. “I’m not used to being fussed over. I’m fine. I don’t want you to worry.”
“Well, I am worried.” She placed her hand lightly over his shoulder wound, her eyes dark with remembered horror. “This is my fault. I knew I would bring trouble here. I told you that Willy’s dangerous. I really think I should just get the gold and go give it to him.”
“No.” The menace in Blade’s tone sent had Sarah whipping around to face him. “You’re not getting anywhere near him. No one can get to you here.”
Sitting up again, Sarah leaned back to look up at Blade, her hands braced slightly behind each hip. “I know that.” Averting her gaze, she shrugged, a delicate lift of her small shoulders. “It’s probably stupid to say this under the circumstances, but I love this feeling.”
* * * *
Kneeling beside her, Blade glanced at his brother, who’d finally lost the battle with the laudanum. “What feeling, love?” He reached out to run a hand over her braid, which had become loose and tousled. The knots in his stomach hadn’t loosened since he’d heard the first gunshot, and he found he couldn’t stop touching her, reassuring himself that she was safe.
Sarah smiled, leaning into his touch. “I feel so safe here. With you. Phoenix. Hawke.” She glanced in the distance, her eyes lingering on Hawke, who accepted a cup of coffee from Duke, the two men deep in conversation.
As if sensing her attention, Hawke turned, meeting her gaze, every line of his body tensing. He scanned the area around her, and met Blade’s gaze with a raised brow before looking back at her again with a faint smile of reassurance.
Sarah smiled and leaned against Blade’s chest, her eyes brimming with tears—and trust—as she looked up at him. “I feel so safe here—as if nothing can get to me. No drunks can barge into my room by accident and try to crawl into bed with me.”
Blade gritted his teeth at the shiver that went through her, pulling her tighter against him. “No, love. The only men in your bed will be us. No one can get through us to get to you.”
Sarah nodded, the single tear trickling down her cheek making his chest ache. “That almost cost Phoenix his life.”
“My brothers and I would die to keep you safe. Without hesitation. Without regret.” Cupping her cheek, he lifted her face for his kiss. “We’re better able to handle danger than you are. I’ll make you a deal. You let Hawke, Phoenix and me deal with the danger, and you concentrate on dealing with us.”
He kissed her again, his chest swelling with pride that such an adorable and sweet woman belonged to him. “Go to sleep. We’ll be close by, and if you or Phoenix needs us, just call out. We’ll hear you.”
* * * *
From the other side of the chow shack, Hawke sipped coffee, watching his wife over the rim of his cup.
The dark circles under her swollen eyes, proof that she hadn’t gotten much sleep, made her appear even more fragile and delicate.
He and Blade had spent the night watching over her while watching out for Willy to make an appearance, and a sleepless night hadn’t helped his temper at all.
Every man on the ranch worked in shifts, riding in wide circles around them, the tension on the ranch thick enough to cut with a knife.
Hayes and Wyatt had raced to the chow shack as soon as they heard gunshots, rushing back to get Savannah as soon as they realized what happened.
After settling their pregna
nt wife in the big house and under guard with Adam Marshall and Conal Jones, the two lawmen focused their attention on the outlaw Blade and Duke had captured. Once they’d gotten all the information they could, they’d loaded him and the dead man onto the backs of their horses and headed for Tulsa to turn them over to the sheriff there.
Out of the corner of his eye, Hawke watched Blade approach, his brother’s attention on Sarah.
Frowning, Blade strolled to Hawke’s side. “She looks exhausted.”
Hawke sighed, watching her stare at the far wall. “She does.”
“She didn’t sleep much.”
Not taking his eyes from Sarah, Hawke inclined his head. “She didn’t.”
She’d tossed and turned all night, alternately checking on Phoenix and staring into the fire they’d built. Even now, she stared at the far wall despite Maggie’s and Savannah’s efforts to get her attention.
Not even the baby seemed to interest her.
Blade set his cup down and crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s got something on her mind.”
“Or she’s planning something.” Hawke hoped his suspicions proved to be wrong, but he’d begun to understand his wife’s daring, and her heart.
Glancing at him, Blade clenched his jaw, his eyes flashing. “Damn it. She feels guilty for Phoenix getting shot. She’s planning to take the gold to that son of a bitch!”
“Yeah.” Hawke set his cup aside and straightened, something inside him warming with satisfaction when she turned her head to look in their direction.
He didn’t look away, holding her gaze for several long seconds before she averted hers, the combination of guilt, fear, and sadness in her eyes, visible even from this distance, confirming his suspicions. He lowered his voice even more, despite the fact that the conversation in the shack and their distance from the others prevented anyone from eavesdropping. “I’m gonna take her back to the cabin and have a little talk with her, and let her know she’s not going anywhere.”
Blade straightened and set his cup on the table with a thud, his eyes alight with anticipation. “I want to be a part of that conversation.”
Hawke moved toward Sarah, unsurprised that she looked up when he took his first step toward her.
There’d been a connection between them from the first time he’d laid eyes on her—a connection he had every intention of using to keep her safe.
He loved her—more every day—and could no longer imagine a life without her.
She wanted to protect them, which made him love her even more.
He couldn’t allow herself to put herself in danger to protect them, of course, something he would make very clear to her.
* * * *
Sarah stared at the far wall, letting Maggie’s and Savannah’s conversation wash over her as the scene that had taken place the previous night played over and over in her mind.
The sound of gunshots.
The image of Phoenix falling, his shirt soaked with blood.
The very real fear of someone getting hurt because of her had become a reality.
Phoenix was lucky. It could have been much worse.
The change in him had been phenomenal.
He’d gone from being a playful, fun-loving man to a hard-edged gunslinger in the blink of an eye. He’d stopped to check on her earlier, but seemed distracted, the glitter of anger in his eyes convincing her that getting shot had changed his mind about her.
He’d left over an hour earlier to go to the cabin, the need for sleep after losing so much blood plainly visible.
Hawke watched her from the far side of the building, his gaze following Phoenix as he left, his eyes unreadable. He didn’t even look up when Blade walked up to him.
She could tell he was also tired, and heard from the others that he and Blade had been up all night, watching over her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah watched Hawke approach, followed closely by Blade, the determination and anger in their eyes making her stomach clench.
They had to be mad as hell that she’d gotten their brother shot.
She couldn’t say that she blamed them.
She’d brought a lot of trouble to the ranch they loved, and threatened the only people they cared about.
Taking the gold to Willy was the only way to make sure that the outlaw didn’t hurt anyone else.
Aware of Hawke and Blade watching her from the other side of the sturdy wooden building, she glanced toward the doorway again, anxious for Phoenix to reappear.
There hadn’t been any loose floorboards in the sturdy cabin, so she’d hidden the gold in the back of the drawer they’d given her to use.
She knew she couldn’t get to it without waking Phoenix. Just the thought of looking at the anger in his eyes—anger she knew she deserved—made her stomach knot and her eyes burn with tears she didn’t dare shed.
Forcing a smile at whatever Savannah seemed so happy about, Sarah looked straight ahead again, her smile falling at the purpose in Hawke’s strides. Keeping track of their progress, she stiffened, fighting the urge to run.
“Sarah, come with us. We need to talk.”
Gulping at Hawke’s harsh tone, Sarah lifted her gaze to his, the knot in her stomach turning to ice when she saw his expression.
Hawke had a hard glint in his eyes that sent a chill all the way to her bones. His features appeared to have been carved in stone, so set and cold that she began shaking.
“Uh-oh.” Savannah’s voice, filled with amusement, barely penetrated through the roaring in her ears. “I know that look. Someone’s about to put his foot down.”
Savannah patted her arm, her voice lowering. “Don’t look so scared. They’d never hurt you. You can handle them. They’re probably just scared that you almost got hurt last night.”
Maggie nudged her. “Go with them, honey. You need them right now and they need you.”
Not wanting to get her new friends involved, or cause any more trouble than she already had, Sarah nodded and got to her feet, holding onto the edge of the table to steady herself.
Her knees shook so badly that she feared they wouldn’t support her, and she found herself leaning heavily against Hawke as he led her away from the others and through the doorway.
Realizing what she was doing, she straightened, pulling away from him, only to bump into Blade who came up on her other side.
Whipping around to meet his steady glare, she swallowed heavily. “I understand why you’re angry.”
“Do you?” The silkiness in Blade’s voice couldn’t hide the simmering anger underneath.
Chilled despite the blaring heat of the sun directly overhead, Sarah rubbed her arms. “Yes. I don’t blame you.”
One of Blade’s dark brows went up. “Well, that’s a relief.”
Grimacing at the dripping sarcasm, Sarah clamped her mouth shut and kept walking, noticing that ranch hands rode in the distance in every direction.
Rubbing her arms again, she glanced at Hawke, her stomach tight with nerves. “Stupid, huh?”
Still, she couldn’t deny that coming here had been the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Hawke’s jaw clenched. “On that, we agree.”
Her breath caught, the agony of knowing she’d lost them so sharp that it took several long seconds to fully penetrate.
When it did, only willpower kept her from falling to her knees. Taking several deep breaths, she locked her knees and kept walking, fighting to hold back tears.
Suddenly, a strange calmness overtook her.
She’d already made her plans anyway.
She just needed to carry them out.
She’d cry buckets later, but for now she had something to do.
She opened her mouth to tell them that she would make her way back to Tulsa, when Hart and Gideon came riding hell bent for leather in their direction.
Gideon brought his horse to a stop only a few yards away, the horse rearing at his abrupt stop. “Tracks. About a mile out. They’re close.”
Turning, they headed back in the direction they’d come from, their features hard and filled with determination.
Phoenix came running out of the cabin, blinking at the bright sunlight. “Son of a bitch!”
Hawke took off toward the stables, with Blade running hard beside him, Phoenix at their heels. Glancing over his shoulder, his features lined with fury, Hawke gestured toward the cabin. “Get inside and stay there!”
With her heart pounding in her throat, and her stomach churning with fear for them, Sarah raced into the cabin, rushing to the drawer they’d given her to use.
Blinking back the tears burning her eyes, she grabbed the blanket she’d taken from her room in Waco and started throwing her clothes inside.
She didn’t know how long they’d be gone, and had to hope that she could find Willy before one of them got hurt.
Please, God. Don’t let them get hurt.
Gathering the small bags of gold, she stuffed them into her pockets, not wanting Willy to have an excuse to look under her skirt.
A sob escaped as she jumped to her feet again, her hands shaking so badly that it took her several tries before she could tie the rope around the top of the bundle she’d made, a sharp reminder of the terror she’d felt when she’d escaped Waco.
Hearing the sound of pounding hooves, she looked up in time to watch Hawke, Blade, and Phoenix riding hard after Hart and Gideon.
Please, God. Keep them safe. Let me find Willy first.
She started to run out of the cabin, when the material lying across the back of one of the chairs caught her eye. Pausing just long enough to run her hand over the buckskin dress Hawke and Blade had spent nights making for her, she swallowed a sob.
It had all seemed so perfect. Too perfect. She should have known that a woman like her could never have that kind of happiness.
Another sob escaped, one that seemed to come from her soul, and then another as she forced herself to turn away from the beautiful dress.
The image of the way they’d smiled at her—the memories of the way they’d talked and teased her—would be impossible to turn away from, though.