by Selena Kitt
Chase surged forward and plowed into Nevada. The blow knocked the man back a few steps, and he hit the back of the chair. Driving home his advantage, Chase pounded his fists into the other man’s stomach, his arms swinging back and forth with powerful punches. The blows didn’t seem to bother Nevada. He caught Chase by the shoulders and shoved him backwards.
Scrambling out of the way, Sarah hastily scurried to one side. Not watching where she was going, her foot hit the butt of Chase’s rifle. She stumbled, only saving herself from falling face down on the floor by grabbing hold of the banister.
Thud!
Alarmed by the noise, she whipped around to see Chase flat on his back with Nevada on top of him. They wrestled for a moment, before Nevada gained the upper hand.
Fear hit Sarah at the same force as Nevada’s fists landed on Chase’s jaw. His head snapped back and rebounded off the floor. Nevada didn’t stop with one punch. He continued his attack, beating relentlessly against Chase’s motionless body.
Each painful blow ripped through Sarah’s senses and her anger grew. “Stop!”
Nevada paid no attention and split Chase’s lip with a hard uppercut. Blood splattered across the floor.
Grabbing the gun at her feet, Sarah rose off her knees and stalked forward. “I said stop.”
“Shut up, slut,” Nevada swore and planted another fist to Chase’s face.
Cocking the gun, she aimed it at his head and ordered, “Get off him!”
Nevada glanced over his shoulder. A wicked leer spread over his lips. “You sure you want to do that, sugar? This man here paid the price for pointing a gun at me. What makes you think I won’t do the same to you?”
His lecherous gaze slid over her, and he rose to his knees. “Though with you, I’d make you pay in a different way. Perhaps I’d tie you to the bed and allow everyone I know to fuck you.”
With the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears, she ignored his threats. Instead, she made sure to keep her distance from him while she used the gun to direct him back to the chair where his coat still lay. “Move over there.”
He rolled to his feet, stepped over Chase’s prone body, and turned with a knowing smirk. “There’s only one way out of this. Either you return with me and I let this Injun live or...”
Unwilling to take her eyes off him, she lowered the gun and targeted his crotch. “Back up or I swear I’ll shoot.”
The heated amusement in his eyes shifted to a murderous glint. He edged backwards until his rear hit the chair. “Looks like I’m going to need to teach you some manners. Always thought, Micah allowed you too much freedom.”
Concern for Chase, she used the front wall to guard her back and paused by the door. Was he okay or had Nevada knocked him out?
“I believe he actually loved you,” Nevada sneered.
Hyped up on adrenaline, she fought the pain his observation caused and screamed, “Shut yer cock holster. For all I know, you had Micah executed and blamed it on Pretty Boy.”
A rough chuckle rang through the room. Nevada offered her a sinister grin. “Now, why didn’t I consider such a plan?”
Convinced by his comment he was capable of murder, she forced herself not to pull the trigger and drew in a deep breath. “Are you saying you killed Micah?”
He shrugged. “Wouldn’t take much, that stallion of yours is a skittish horse.”
Chase touched her leg. “Sarah.”
She didn’t lower her gaze, keeping her focus instead glued on Nevada. If given the opportunity, she had no doubt he’d rush her the same way he had Chase. “It’s okay. Once Mr. Burns makes himself at home on the couch, I’ll check your injuries.”
Nevada raised his hands in surrender and turned to the couch. “Appears I’m staying a while.”
Sarah glanced at Chase’s battered face. One eye almost swollen shut, dark red marks crisscrossed his cheeks. A blinding fury flashed through her. How could anyone be so cruel? But then again, the man might also be responsible for the death of her husband. Just as the notion registered, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.
Nevada spun around and swung an arm out to grab the rifle. His aim off, his fingers flew by the tip.
Without giving it a second thought, she pulled the trigger.
Boom!
8
“It appears you have a visitor.” Zack Goodman nodded to the horse tied to the post in front of the house.
Returning from his foreman’s place, Bo stared down the lane at the large, black horse. Today, the sun had finally made an appearance, but the cold wind hadn’t permitted the temperature to rise much above freezing.
“Can’t imagine who it could be, my boss has a paint. Jack also said he planned to stop by a friend’s in Naked Bluff, before he’d be heading out this way.” Bo tapped his heels against his horse’s flanks, encouraging his mount into a faster trot. Something about the stranger’s sudden appearance didn’t sit right. Was there a problem somewhere in the territory that needed his attention?
Boom!
Shocked by the sound of the gunshot, Bo yelled, “What the hell?”
Only a short distance from the front porch steps, he jerked his horse to a stop and slid from his saddle. He threw the reins to Zack, who was a few paces behind, and raced across the wooden planks.
Throwing open the door, he fought to identify the two men spread out on the floor. The one in the middle of the sitting room was bleeding from a chest wound. The other had Sarah on her knees beside him. “What happened?”
As if ignoring him, she rose and hurried to the other man. With her out of the way, Bo caught sight of his brother’s battered face. His concern doubled. He closed the door and stepped forward, ready to demand some definitive answers to his questions.
“I just shot Nevada Burns.” She tossed over her shoulder before she sank onto her knees next to the injured man.
Immediately recognizing the name, Bo glanced back and forth between the two men, taking in the obvious clues... the odd angle of a chair, scuffmarks, a wayward hat by the staircase, and Chase’s rifle at his feet. The two had been fighting.
“She did it in self-defense, Bo,” Chase muttered. He rose briefly to his elbows before he collapsed back to the floor with a heavy moan.
“Don’t worry, Chase. We’ll sort this out after we stop Mr. Burns’ bleeding.” Bo rushed forward and kneeled by the big man.
After unbuttoning the man’s shirt, Sarah stripped the blood-soaked cloth away from the wound and stared at the mutilated flesh. Appearing unaffected by the sight, she laid a hand on his chest. “Nevada, can you hear me?”
The man remained silent, his face growing pale.
Having seen a number of men die, Bo figured the man wouldn’t live long enough for them to dress his wounds. A pool of blood already stained the floor. Then his shallow breathing ended with a soft sigh.
“All right, Bo, if you can get me some hot water and bandages, I’ll see if I can remove the bullet.” She ran her fingers restlessly over the man’s chest, probing at the wound.
Bo covered her hands. “Sarah, he’s gone.”
“What?” She blinked, her expression stunned by the possibility of Mr. Burns being dead.
“Holy shit, what happened in here?” Zack exclaimed from the doorway.
Hoping to divert her attention away from the dead man, Bo worked his way to her side and cupped his hands under her elbows, gently lifting her to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and ushered her to the couch. With gentle encouragement, she sank onto the cushions with him.
Then Bo turned to his foreman. “Zack, I need you to ride into town and get Doc Murphy and my boss. Tell them both what happened. Ask Jack to come out and assess the situation. Not that I can’t do it, but I want a second set of eyes to review the evidence, especially since this will be a high profile case.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Zack spun around and bolted out the door.
Eyes wide with shock, Sarah stared
at the man at her feet. “Are you sure?”
Bo nodded and hugged her. Strands of her hair brushed his cheek, and she buried her face into the side of his neck. The stiff line of her back didn’t relax. She shifted restlessly, revealing how much the incident had upset her.
Damn it, this had to be an accident. The woman he knew wouldn’t have committed murder.
Fighting back his doubts, he struggled with his desire to comfort her and his need to check on his brother’s condition. He waited a few more heartbeats and then slowly shifted away from her. A quick glance confirmed his brother hadn’t moved. He still lay in a heap on the floor. “We need to make sure Chase is okay.”
As if prodded with a branding iron, she suddenly bolted from the couch and rushed to Chase. She squatted next to him, her hands running hurriedly over him. “Please, Chase, tell me you’re all right.”
Laying a hand on Sarah’s shoulder, Bo leaned over to stare into his brother’s face. The red marks on his face were beginning to turn blue. One eye appeared to be swollen shut, and blood leaked from a cut on his lip.
Chase frowned. With what appeared to be a great amount of effort, he forced his good eye open. Confusion lay in its depth as if he wasn’t certain where he was, or what was going on.
Bo quickly determined his brother probably had a concussion. “Take it easy. We merely want to see if you can remember what happened.”
Worry lines formed on Chase’s forehead. He lifted a hand to rub it over his chin and shifted as if to come up off the floor.
“Oh, my head,” he grumbled and glanced around as if disoriented. “How did I end up here?”
Sarah leaned over him and prevented him from rising. “No, Chase, stay where you are. You need to catch your breath first.”
“What? Why?” Chase muttered and captured her hands in his.
“Because I need you to be okay,” she sobbed and buried her face into his chest.
“What the...”
“Don’t worry, Chase. We’ll explain it to you when you’re feeling better.” Suddenly, Bo took note of her clothes. Dressed in her rain slicker, she had her whole body covered except for her head and hands. Underneath, he bet she still had on only his shirt.
Chase wove his large hands through her hair and whispered, “Easy, babe, there is no reason to cry.”
Staring at the two most important people in his life, Bo wondered if that was true. Because by the way things looked at the moment, Sarah had better have a damn good excuse for shooting Nevada Burns. The wealthy bastard had friends in high places and they would want answers. Good, rock solid answers.
Hell, why was the man even here?
Needing to assess the situation before his boss arrived, Bo cupped his hands around Sarah’s shoulders and tugged her away from his brother.
Chase growled, “She’s fine where she’s at.”
“Yes, but you aren’t. You need up off that cold floor and to bed.” Bo lifted Sarah to her feet in front of him and brushed a kiss against the back of her neck. “Why don’t you head up and prepare Chase’s room for him? We’ll be up in a second.”
She turned in the circle of his arms and clutched at his coat. “Bo, I...”
He read the regret and misery in her tear-stained eyes. “Don’t think about it right now. We still need to get Chase to bed before we deal with...”
He glanced at the dead man lying in the center of the room. A dozen theories fired through his head, and Bo wanted to demand answers. His attention jumped back to Sarah. He opened his mouth to drill her for a solid explanation.
Her eyes widened, her shocked gaze spoke of the paniced feelings she was experiencing. Color drained from her face, and she wobbled on her feet. “Oh, my God, look at me. I’ve gotten blood all over you and...”
Bo caught her around the waist before her knees gave out and held her tight. “Easy, sugar, take a few deep breaths.”
She slumped against him, her head falling to his chest. After a few moments, she mumbled, “Keep it together until the cows come home.”
Amused by the comment, he hugged her close and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. “Why don’t you go clean up in the kitchen while I help Chase to bed?”
She nodded and inhaled a deep breath. Her hands shifted deeper between them and she shoved back from him. A small space formed between them. A weepy smile touched her lips, and she patted his chest. “I’ll be up as soon as I’ve washed my hands and cleaned off my coat.”
Not wanting to let her go, Bo forced his hands open and released his grip. “Take your time. It’ll probably take a while for me to help Chase up those steps.”
She shifted backwards and turned in the opposite direction. Without looking at either of the men on the floor, she rushed from the room.
Bo watched her leave, fighting the urge to go after her and soothe her fears. The problem was the evidence seemed to indicate she’d murdered Nevada Burns in cold blood.
Unwilling to contemplate the problems this would cause in her, his, their lives, he shucked off his coat and hung it by the door. Then he leaned down beside his brother and caught hold of his arm. “Come on, Chase. Let’s get you on your feet and up to bed.”
* * *
Standing outside Chase’s bedroom, Sarah listened to the two men inside and debated what she should do about the man lying on the floor downstairs. With sudden clarity, another image of a blood-soaked body flashed through her head. A quiver of fear raced through her.
She crossed her arms over her chest and fought to shove her past mistakes aside. Steadying her nerves, she forced herself to stay in the present and to concentrate on what she should do right now... at this moment.
Should she move Nevada or wait? Bo might want his boss to see the scene, before they moved the body.
Uncertain what to do, she stared at her bare feet and then at Bo’s shirt which covered her torso. Luckily, she hadn’t stained it with blood the way she had her coat. Lifting her hands to brush back a wayward strand of hair, she noticed the damp cloth in her hand and recalled she’d brought it along to clean Chase’s injuries. Shuffling forward against the cold floor, she walked into the room and paused after crossing the threshold.
Bo sat on the bed with Chase resting on the mattress. “There’s no need for you to move at the moment. We have to wait until Jack gets here. Then you and Sarah should tell him what happened.”
“I don’t remember much.” Chase brushed a hand over his cheek. “Ouch, what did I do to my face?”
“Don’t you remember Nevada hitting you?” Unsure as to why he couldn’t remember the facts, she strolled forward, noting how the blankets hid most of his body from sight.
“I...”
“He has a concussion.” Bo set his hand on his brother’s arm, offering a calm reassurance before he stood. He stepped back and motioned her to his side. “It might take him a while to recall everything that happened. Maybe an hour or two, perhaps a little longer, but he’ll be just fine. Though, we’ll need to keep an eye on him for the rest of the day.”
Sarah studied Chase’s injuries, regretting how, because of her, Nevada had shown up at their door. Chase hadn’t asked for this. Hell neither had she. Fighting the guilt and anger warring inside her, she set the wet rag against his forehead. “It doesn’t matter right now that you don’t remember. I believe we have some time before the man with Bo...”
“My foreman, Zack,” Bo offered in her silence and circled his arm around her waist. With his body snuggled warm against her back, she gained strength from his solid form.
“Yes, well it should be awhile before he returns with the doctor and your boss,” she muttered, trying her best to recall Bo’s words to his... foreman.
“That’s right, and why don’t I show you the dress Carolyn let us borrow. It’s a pretty blue print with small yellow flowers.” Bo released her and strolled to the door. “I’ll be right back.”
Sarah watched him go, speculating as to how long it’d take before he left her for good. You could
n’t kill a man and not pay for it. Especially not someone with as much money as Nevada Burns, he had important friends. Even though they might hate his guts, they’d still want justice for his family.
Despair washed over her. She sank sluggishly onto the bed next to Chase. She turned and stared at the bruises on his face. With his eyes closed, he appeared to be asleep, but she somehow needed to reassure herself he was all right. “Chase, I’m so sorry about this. If I had thought for one minute Nevada would show up here and cause trouble, I’d have told Bo no when he asked me to marry him.”
Chase shifted his arm out from under the covers and clasped his hand over her thigh. His warm touch brought home to her again how cold she felt inside at having shot Nevada. “The man was an ass.”