Renegade Love (Rancheros)

by Fletcher, Donna

  “Your wounds first,” she insisted knowing what he was about to tell her and not wanting to hear it.

  He nodded.

  “In our chambers,” she instructed. “I have everything ready there.”

  “Including more wine?” he asked teasingly, wanting a smile to replace the frown that marred her lovely features, if only for a short time. He knew that what he had to tell her would steal her smile for some time.

  But she didn’t smile, not even a little. She grasped his hand tightly and led him from the room without saying a word. Once they entered the room, she made him sit on the edge of the bed, then she brought him a glass of wine.

  He thought that she needed it more than he did, but he didn’t say that. He took the wine and let her go about her business in silence. And with every movement she made, he could sense her worry growing.

  She gently removed his shirt and began cleaning his chest and arms. There were minor wounds here and there, nothing serious and nothing that required bandaging. They probably came from altercations since his knuckles were scraped and bloody.

  Rosa couldn’t bring herself to speak as she worked. She feared she would break into tears if she did and she wanted to finish tending him. When she finished, he would tell her what she didn’t want to hear and each time she thought of it her stomach clenched again and again.

  When she was almost done, a thought came to her and she leaned down, gave a lift to his chin and brought her lips to his. She would put off the inevitable as long as she could by making love to him.

  Her kiss grew more demanding and as it did she eased him back on the bed going down on top of him.

  He in turn eased her off him to rest on her side and eased the kiss as well, until he brought it most reluctantly to an end. He went to speak, his lips a bare inch from hers.

  She pressed her finger against them. “Please, no.”

  Her plea broke his heart, for he knew he would have to disappoint her. “We must talk.”

  “No,” she said again with a shake of her head.

  “We must, Caro.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes and she tried to fight them. She did not want to appear a whimpering wife. She wanted to show him strength, but it was so very difficult when her heart felt as if it was breaking in two.

  “Caro,” he whispered softly and kissed her gently. “If I could but change what must be done, I would. But no one will be safe until I see this through.”

  She understood that, but accepting it was another matter. “I know you must, but my heart breaks with the thought.”

  He rested his hand to her chest. “I would do anything not to break your heart, but I would do even more to keep you safe.”

  “You will not give your life for me,” she ordered empathically.

  He brushed her lips with his. “I never wanted to live as badly as I do now. I want a life with you, Rosa. I want to make babies with you and watch them grow. I want to grow old with you and see our grandbabies born. I love you beyond belief.”

  She couldn’t stop her tears from falling. They trickled out one after the other flowing down her cheeks. “I did not want to cry, but I cannot help it.”

  “You can cry whenever, wherever, and for whatever reason you want, and I will always be there to comfort you.”

  She placed her hand to his cheek. “Then promise me one thing.”

  “Anything.”

  “You will return home to me. No matter what... you will return home to me.”

  “I will do whatever it takes to come home to you, Caro. I promise you.”

  “When do you go?” she asked, her voice trembling

  He reluctantly answered her. “I must leave now.”

  She had known he would say that. She had known as soon as he had returned that he would be leaving again only this time on his own.

  “I wish, how I wish...” Her tears returned as her words trailed off. “How long will you be gone?”

  “I’m not sure. It depends on what the devil has to say.”

  She didn’t want to think about what that meant, though it was obvious. If the devil told Esteban where Pacquito could be located, then he would go after him and bring this to an end. It terrified her to think of the dangers her husband was about to face.

  “You must promise me something,” he said.

  “I will stay at the hacienda until you return, I promise,” she said knowing what he was about to ask.

  “You will not even venture to the orchards?”

  “No, I will not go to the orchards. I will not cause you to worry over me while you are gone. I will keep myself busy here. I give you my word.”

  He kissed her. “Thank you, Caro, you have eased my mind.”

  He went to move off the bed and she grabbed him and hugged him tight. “Stay safe, my love.”

  He kissed her again and got off the bed quickly, as if he feared changing his mind and hurried out of the room.

  Rosa laid there, tears streaming down her cheeks, her heart breaking, and her stomach tight with worry. She didn’t know how she was going to survive this time without him, though after a few minutes of feeling sorry for herself, she sat up and wiped her tears away. Esteban was about to do what was necessary. She had to do the same.

  She washed her face, pinned up her hair, and went to join Dona Valerianna in tending the injured.

  The hacienda was busy with activity. Servants rushed around, vaqueros were everywhere, and somewhere in the midst of it all Esteban was preparing to leave or perhaps he already had. She held her head high and went to do her part.

  It was hours later, late into the night when she finally made her way back to her chambers. She was bone-tired and glad of it, for she would drop into her empty bed and fall fast asleep. Though she had been busy, her husband had never left her thoughts. She had continually prayed for his safety and for his speedy return.

  She had walked around back to reach her chambers, the way she and Esteban so often did. With all the vaqueros around, she never gave thought to her safety. So when she was grabbed from behind, a hand covering her mouth, and dragged past the bushes and trees, she found herself too shocked to respond.

  The man settled her back against a tree, his hand remaining over her mouth.

  He was a tall, thick shadow in the black night and she feared his intentions.

  “Listen to me,” the shadow said sharply. “You can go with me willingly with no harm done to those here or Pacquito’s men will be here shortly to take you and no doubt he will leave destruction in his path. If you come with me I will send word to Pacquito that we have you and he will leave the hacienda alone. You will give me your answer and ask no questions or others will pay for your disobedience. Do you understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Will you come with me willingly and in silence?”

  Rosa didn’t have to think about it. One way or the other she would be taken, but one way others would suffer and she could not let that happen. She nodded, though wondered who her captive was, since he obviously wasn’t one of Pacquito’s men.

  Her suspicions grew as he led her to a small group of men waiting with horses. How did these men slip past the guards? And if they were not with Pacquito, then who had sent them and why?

  She was placed on a horse and the shadow mounted behind her. More silent than she thought possible they made their way off Cesare land and disappeared into the night. As they got further and further away from the hacienda, she realized just why she had been taken. She was the bait Pacquito would use to bring Esteban to him.

  The only question was... what would Pacquito do to her before Esteban could reach her?

  Chapter Thirty-five

  It took Esteban only a couple of hours to reach his destination. It was nothing more than a campsite, though heavily guarded. He was directed to the fire and given food and drink without a word being spoken to him. He accepted both, for not to do so would insult the devil and because he’d be wise to eat when he could. He needed his strength
for what he was about to face.

  The strange thing was that he had thought about the day he would kill Pacquito ever since the day he had been captured. It had been one of the things that had kept him alive... revenge. Now he wanted nothing more than to finally free himself from the evil man so that he could get back to his wife and live the life he had thought had been lost to him.

  He had started missing Rosa as soon as he had left her. And leaving her had been more difficult than ever, especially when she had been so upset. He did not like leaving her like that. She had tried to be strong for him and had done so well, and then her tears had begun to fall and it had torn at his heart to see her so distressed. He wondered what she was doing now. She would probably be tucked safely in bed, sound asleep. No doubt exhausted from the busy and worrisome day. That was the image he held in his mind.

  The thought brought a reminder to just how long and difficult the day turned out to be. He was feeling the fatigue himself and knew he would have to grab at least a couple of hours of sleep to make certain he was not worn down when he met up with Pacquito.

  A man stepped out of the shadows and Esteban got to his feet to greet the devil. But one look told him this man wasn’t the one he had come to see. He was short and solid with muscles and not a strand of hair on his head. He had fine features and dark eyes that seemed to have a perpetual squint to them, as if he forever had the sun in his eyes.

  “The devil is delayed,” he said abruptly. “He will be here at sunrise.”

  Esteban didn’t like that news, but what could he say. He nodded and the man turned and the shadows once again swallowed him whole. He was annoyed, though he intended to use the time to his advantage. He would get much needed sleep and be well rested for what he was about to face. He stretched out not far from the fire, resting his head on a thick fallen branch. He stared at the numerous stars in the sky and thought about how he would much rather be sleeping with his wife by the pond under such a beautiful canopy. And one day soon he planned to do just that. He closed his eyes and thought about lying in bed cuddled around his wife and in no time fell asleep.

  ~~~

  Every bone and muscle in Rosa’s body ached. The first time they had stopped, her legs had almost given out from under her when she had been placed on the ground. It had taken all her strength to lower herself to the ground to sit, and it was only a short time after that that the man who had come for her—Jared—grabbed her by the arm and hauled her up. She was placed back on the horse and they continued to ride for hours.

  She didn’t know how she kept her eyes open, though she had nodded off a couple of times, her chin lolling on her chest. She was completely exhausted by the time they reached a campsite. At first she had thought that the men there were part of the band she rode with, but then she spotted the difference. The men who had come for her were far different from the grimy, worn-out looking men at the campsite.

  And that’s when she knew that they had finally arrived at Pacquito’s camp. Fear trickled through her, remembering the stories Esteban had told her about what happened to the women Pacquito captured.

  She had to stay strong. She couldn’t let her fear show. Esteban would come for her. She had to hold on until then. One look at the way Pacquito’s men leered at her and she knew it was going to prove difficult to hold onto her courage. The men whispered to one another, pointed at her, and then laughed. She didn’t know how she would ever attempt to sleep tonight. She feared the thought of drifting off and being left vulnerable to these men.

  Though the night was warm, a chill kept running through her. She kept her arms wrapped around her middle and her eyes focused on those around her. She wasn’t foolish enough to think that she could defend herself against so many men, she could only hope and pray that she wouldn’t have to try.

  The other men scrambled to their feet at the approach of footsteps and grumbling. Then out of the shadows stepped three men. It wasn’t hard to tell which one was Pacquito since the other two men walked a step or two behind him.

  Rosa shivered at the sight of him. He was shy of six feet by a few inches and lean, but it was his face that, no doubt, struck fear. It was heavy with lines and a ragged scar ran down from just above his right eye to his jaw. Another scar cut across his left cheek to his nose. A small scar at one corner of his mouth made it appear as if he forever frowned on that side and one earlobe looked to have been bitten off. The worst part though was his brown eyes. They were so empty that you would think he was dead. His dark shoulder length hair was unkempt and tucked back behind his ears. His clothes needed a washing, but then he and his men looked as if they’d been on the road for some time, dirt and dust covering all of them.

  Pacquito grinned when his eyes fell on Rosa and he walked over to her. “Esteban has found himself a beauty.”

  She suppressed the shiver that struggled to surface.

  He walked slowly around her, inspecting her from head to toe, his eyes lingering in intimate places. “After I take you in front of Esteban, I will keep you for myself.”

  Her legs trembled and her stomach roiled at the disgusting thought and though words rushed to spew from her lips, she kept them tightly closed. Antagonizing him would do her no good. She must be patient and wait.

  “You’re a quiet one.” He laughed. “I’ll have you screaming in no time.”

  She bit at the tip of her tongue to keep from responding. It was better she said nothing or so she tried to convince herself.

  He walked around her again, rubbing his chin. “I was going to kill Esteban fast and be done with him, but now,” —he grinned wide—“I’m going to cut him so that he slowly bleeds to death and the last thing he will see as he lies there helpless and dying, is me riding you like a mighty stallion.”

  The image his words evoked was too much for her to bear. She couldn’t hold back. Her words shot out like an arrow hitting its mark. “You are a hapless fool if you believe that.”

  Pacquito’s hand shot out so fast that she didn’t see it, but she did feel it. Her head snapped to the side so hard that she feared he broke her jaw.

  “You will learn to obey me,” Pacquito screamed at her.

  Roberto screamed those exact words at her after having lived with the Curros for only one day. She had been a little girl unable to defend herself... she wasn’t a little girl anymore.

  She tossed her chin up. “Never!”

  He swung out to hit her again and this time she ducked and he missed her. He grew furious and lashed out at her again. This time Jared stepped between them, though not before Pacquito managed to catch the corner of Rosa’s right eye and she stumbled from the blow.

  “Enough,” Jared ordered.

  “You have no say in this. She belongs to me now. Take your men and leave,” Pacquito ordered.

  “My orders are to stay until the end,” Jared said.

  Pacquito laughed. “So you wish to watch me take her while Esteban dies?”

  “What comes afterwards doesn’t concern me.”

  “So you are to protect her from me until Esteban shows up?” Pacquito asked his laughter gone along with any remnants of a smile.

  “I am here to see you get what is owed you.”

  The chill that had lingered in Rosa grew until she couldn’t help but shudder. They spoke as if she didn’t matter at all. She was nothing more than a pawn to them and it made her realize just how dire her situation was.

  “Finally, he realizes this?” Pacquito snapped. “It is about time.”

  “Then do what you will with her tomorrow, but tonight she rests.”

  Pacquito’s grin returned. “She’ll need the rest for what I have planned for her.”

  His sneer turned her stomach and she was glad that he walked away and joined his men at their campfire. They passed a bottle around, talking and laughing and jabbing fingers in her direction.

  With trembling legs, she made her way to the campfire and collapsed close to it, her whole body chilled. She held her trembling hand
s out to the fire. She wished there was something she could do, but what chance did she have against so many men? And what chance did Esteban have?

  The thought sent her stomach roiling so badly that she thought she would be sick, but she fought the waves of nausea, not wanting to show her fear to these men. But the more she considered the outcome, the more she worried that Esteban would have little chance against so many. Pacquito’s men wouldn’t simply let him walk away. The only thing that gave her some solace was that she would be there with him. Whatever his fate, was her fate too and they would share it together.

  If her husband was to meet death, then she would greet it alongside him. With that thought in mind she began to nod off, though she’d wake as soon as her head bobbed too low. And so went her night, dozing and waking, making sure no one crept up on her until, with relief, she greeted the dawn and prayed that her husband wasn’t far behind it.

  ~~~

  Esteban rose with the dawn, eager to be on his way and see this thing done. He grew agitated when the sun was full up and the devil still hadn’t made an appearance. He tried not to let his annoyance show, fighting to keep himself from pacing.

  When the short, stocky man appeared Esteban wondered if he was the devil’s emissary and that he wouldn’t even get to speak with the devil himself. But then if that was so why wouldn’t the man have spoken with him last night?

  Esteban was about to approach the short man when he stepped aside and from behind a tree stepped a man so shrouded in black that Esteban took a step back. The man was covered from head to toe in a robe not that unfamiliar from what the padres wore. The hood hung over his head down to just above his chin and the wide sleeves fell past his hands making it seem as if he had none. He was tall, over six feet, and though the shroud covered him, from his imposing stance he appeared lean and muscular. He didn’t appear to carry a weapon, but then his appearance so terrified that it was weapon enough to stop anyone from approaching him.

  “You requested a favor Esteban Cesare.”

  His articulate and deep voice surprised Esteban. He sounded more cultured than he had expected. He nodded, though it hadn’t been a question.