When were men going to start treating her as an equal, instead of someone who needed to be coddled, kissed, and sent back into the house?
Or taken against her will.
She didn’t want to be in the house. She wanted to be outdoors—riding, roping, testing her strength against man and beast alike. The men all felt the same. Why could they not understand she wanted the things they had? That she craved praise for the way she ran the Big W? Her desire didn’t seem like much. If she’d been a man, her father would’ve beamed with pride at the work she’d done.
Instead, he’d acted like it was unnatural and just a passing fancy of hers, one of which she’d give up once she married. Then her husband, the man, would take over her responsibilities.
As if she’d ever allow that!
No man would take what was hers just because he happened to be the right gender. He’d have to pry it from her lifeless fingers if he wanted to have it all. And that’s what she thought it would eventually come down to. Because never, not once, had any man expressed sharing a life with her as a partner.
Except Ivan.
He’d given her his word he’d hand the ranch over to her, and they’d strictly have a marriage of convenience. It had seemed like a blessing when she’d left Texas. But after the kiss she’d shared with Dec, she wasn’t so sure anymore.
“How much longer?” she asked, and couldn’t keep the pain hidden from her voice.
Dec leaned forward in the saddle as the horse galloped beneath them, trying to cradle her. “Not too much longer. We’ll probably make camp over that hill.”
She looked at the mound of dirt he gestured to, guessing it to be only three miles away. It was a lifeline. She wouldn’t take her eyes off it. If she did, she knew she would break. And she was not going to break. Not now, not tonight, not tomorrow.
She would get through this. And soon, she’d be safe. She had to believe that. If she gave up hope for even a moment, she wouldn’t make it through.
As Dec predicted, Jesse stopped the group just over the hill. There was a stream bubbling by and a few trees they could take shelter under. But other than that, no cover. There was no way she’d be able to sneak away.
Her shoulders deflated. She would have to endure at least one more day like this. Then she whimpered.
Declan dismounted and reached up for her, carefully pulling her down. He held her close so she was nestled between his body and the horse.
Tears of gratitude filled her eyes when he didn’t let go. He was keeping her steady until she could stand on her own. If he let her go, her legs wouldn’t hold her, and she’d be the one with mud all over her face.
Oh, how far she’d fallen.
He loosened his hold, and her legs immediately buckled. Instead of letting her fall on her face, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to a rock, before setting her down.
“Thank you.”
He nodded, before walking away and performing the same chores as the night before. They each must have particular jobs.
He tossed her a rock-hard biscuit and another piece of jerky, before passing her his canteen. They didn’t speak as they methodically ate the food.
She finished every bite; though exhausted, she was ravenous too, and her stomach growled.
“Are you still hungry?” he asked with concern.
“A little.” She shrugged. There wasn’t much to eat since they were sharing his rations. “I’m used to eating more.”
He stood and held out his hand. “Come on.”
A little wobbly, she stood with his assistance. “Where are we going?”
“There’s a stream. We can probably catch a fish or two for dinner.”
At that announcement, several of the men decided they all needed fresh meat.
Jesse stepped forward. “Dec, you and Bob go catch enough for us all. Leave the woman here. She’ll just slow you down, and I’m hungry.”
His muscles froze; he didn’t want to leave her.
She really didn’t want him to leave her either. She didn’t trust Dec exactly, but he’d been the lesser evil compared to the rest of them. He hadn’t hurt her, and he’d even put himself at risk to protect her. She didn’t want to leave his side.
“Sure.” He let go of her hand and just walked off.
She was left gaping at his back as McCoy caught her attention. The gleam of promise in his eyes had her staying in the exact center of camp. She would stand there the entire time Dec was gone, even if her muscles cramped with exhaustion. Ellie knew she was safest within the middle of the group, in sight of everyone. Jesse had all but given her to Dec, and she hoped they all would respect that. Although she was pretty sure McCoy didn’t respect anything.
After about ten minutes, Jesse came and dumped a bag of ingredients in front of her. “Make biscuits.”
He didn’t give her a chance to accept or refuse. He just issued the command and off he went.
She picked up the clunky bag and looked inside at all the items. She would’ve made the most amazing biscuits to save her life if it were possible. The only problem was, she had no idea how to cook.
She could put a few simple things together because everyone needed to know how to survive, but she’d been out working on the ranch more than in the kitchen. Heaven help her.
She tried to remember her lessons from long ago when the family cook had actually tried to teach her how to do such things. But it hadn’t been long before the woman had given up on Ellie ever becoming a proper lady.
She took out a biscuit tin and threw in some flour, water, lard, and salt before mixing it all up.
Please, oh please, let this work.
She placed the tin over the fire, and almost as if she’d summoned him, saw Dec returning with several fish. While no one offered words of gratitude for the food, the atmosphere in the group changed to something less dark. Perhaps men with full bellies would be a little less vigilant. One could only hope.
But as they ate the fish and her burned-but-thankfully-edible biscuits, they also drank. And as the night wore on, they had even more and more to drink.
Ellie herself took a small sip when Dec passed her his flask, but she’d been around enough rough cowboys to know how liquor and men blended together. Dec must’ve learned the same lesson, because he hadn’t taken one sip. In fact, his muscles were bunched like he was ready to attack at a moment’s notice.
Bob let out a drunken laugh just before McCoy punched him. He wasn’t laughing anymore. Another swing was thrown, and then another, before the two of them were rolling on the ground punching each other. Dec took her hand and whispered, “Looks like we need a moment alone.”
Her eyes wide, she tucked her head onto his shoulder as she imagined a lover would. Shaking on the inside, she counted each step as they walked across camp toward—
A bullet grazed the ground next to them, stopping them in their tracks.
Declan swore, turning them slowly back to the men. The two weren’t brawling anymore. McCoy’s glazed eyes glared at both of them, but his gun wavered back and forth, aiming at Ellie’s chest, then Dec’s.
“She was mine from the start, Dec. Can’t let you take her.” Dec released her and leaned back. The movement seemed to relax McCoy. “I thought she wasn’t anyone’s. I thought we took her for the ransom money.”
“You know well enough that I planned on having my way with her. But I won’t settle for seconds. You haven’t been with her yet. If you want her so much, take her when I’ve finished with her.”
“Enough.” Jesse walked out of his tent. “The woman won’t be forced. If she chooses to be with Declan, that’s her choice.”
When McCoy mouthed off, Jesse slid out his own weapon and pointed it at the man too drunk to know what was best for him. The leader pressed the muzzle of his weapon to McCoy’s nose. “I said the woman wouldn’t be forced.”
McCoy held his gun up, suddenly a bit more sober. “All right, Jesse. All right.”
But the minute Je
sse walked back into his tent, McCoy glared at her. “Better watch out. You never know what’ll happen if you find yourself alone.”
Not realizing what she was doing, she stepped closer to Declan.
“Come near her, and I’ll kill you myself. She’s mine.”
“We’ll see about that,” McCoy promised as Declan led her away, back over the hill and out of sight.
With every step they took, she shook more and more, until her body was nearly convulsing all over. Dec pulled her closer and briskly rubbed her upper arms. The firm pressure helped ease some of her shock, but her teeth still chattered. “I’m not going to make it out of here, am I?”
“You will.” He notched her chin up to look him in the eyes. “You’re going to be just fine. You hear me?”
But she didn’t nod. She couldn’t. All she could see was the threatening promise in McCoy’s eyes and the way the men had brawled. It was only a matter of time before McCoy got his hands on her. He’d never stop, he’d never give up. He was a hunter, and she was his prey. Nothing would change that.
“Ellie, I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
Her eyes focused enough on Dec to actually see him. “You can’t promise me that. You aren’t in control here. Jesse could decide to give me to anyone else, and you’d have to let them. The only way to keep me safe is if you let me go now.”
His eyes softened, and she knew his answer before he spoke. “I can’t.”
“You mean you won’t.”
He shook her softly. “I can’t. And it wouldn’t matter if I did anyway, they’d track you down before you could blink. You’d have a bullet in your back before you even realized they’d found you. The only way out of this is to see it through.”
She pushed away from him. He wasn’t saying anything she didn’t already know, but that didn’t mean she liked hearing it. “See what through? The ransom? What if no one pays it? What if they message a refusal tomorrow?”
“Either your father or your fiancé will—”
“My fiancé could decide I’m not worth the bother and let them have me instead of his money. And my father, well, we didn’t part on the best of terms. He told me if I left, he’d disown me. It’s very possible that neither of them will pay for my release, and they’ll be blunt about it. I’m running out of time.”
Declan’s jaw tensed, and she wondered if he fully understood her circumstances now. She needed to get away as soon as possible. She didn’t even have a few extra days. “Escape with me. We can both be safe from Jesse,” she pleaded.
When he didn’t respond, bitterness welled up within her. “Oh, that’s right. You’re here for the money.”
He snarled. “The money means nothing. But I haven’t finished what I’ve come here to do.”
“And what is that, Declan? What could possibly be more important than our lives?”
When he didn’t speak, she had her answer.
Chapter 5
What could possibly be more important than her life? Absolutely nothing. Nothing on Earth was worth her life. And by staying, he was saving it, along with dozens of others. But his plan had to change.
He’d thought he’d have time to make it to the hideout, and contact his superior at the same time he sent her ransom message. But that was too risky now.
If they received word her fiancé wouldn’t pay for her release before the other marshals arrived, she’d die. He had to make contact with his superior tonight, even if that meant leaving her with the others while he was gone.
“I can’t go back there,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.” Her feet shifted through the brush, and her hand disappeared inside the pocket carrying her gun.
He grabbed her hand through the fabric, holding her firm. “If you take out your weapon now, I’ll have to take it from you.”
She gasped and tried to jerk out of his hold. “How’d you know?”
“I felt it during one of our kisses.”
That seemed to distract her from fighting. “If you knew I had it, why didn’t you take it?”
“Because I didn’t want you to be completely defenseless against the men.”
“Weren’t you worried I’d use it against you?”
He shook his head. That was the least of his worries. What he did worry about was where the gang would strike next, who the puppet master calling all the shots was above Jesse, and how to keep her alive. “Listen, I need to leave tonight. It’s important, but you’ll have to stay with the others.”
Ellie’s eyes bulged. “You can’t be serious! You know what McCoy wants to do to me.”
“If you stay in sight of the others, he can’t touch you. Jesse forbade it, and they won’t cross him.”
In the time he’d been riding with Jesse’s gang, he’d learned the men were loyal—or afraid—of their leader. If Jesse said no to something, they listened. Either that, or they died.
He slowly released her hand, and she didn’t reach for the weapon again. “I’ll only be gone a few hours, but it would relieve my mind if you had the gun just in case.”
“It only has one shot.”
“Do you know how to shoot it properly?”
She nodded once, then looked down. “I’m afraid.”
His heart beat a little harder. He didn’t know this woman, he didn’t even know her last name, but he could tell she was strong. She’d held up under the burdens of being a hostage with dignity and a grace he’d rarely seen in others. For her to admit such a thing, must’ve been hard.
She seemed so small and vulnerable. Her once pristine dress was dirty and torn in places. Her hair had long since fallen down her back, tied with a simple ribbon from her dress.
They were both sweaty, grimy, and exhausted from hard days of travel. He wished he could give her more right now. Maybe take her someplace where she could bathe and change into something clean. Somewhere she’d feel safe again.
But none of that was possible now. Right now, he had a job to do. It was a risk leaving her with the others, but he didn’t see a way around it. And he truly believed she’d be safe if she remained within sight of all the men, at all times.
“This will be over soon,” he promised. “But right now, I need you to trust me.”
It was a hard thing for him to ask. He was her jailer and was refusing to turn her loose. He was keeping her in a situation that, in her mind, would end with her death. He wasn’t sure she could actually trust someone like that.
But after a moment, she nodded. “I don’t have any other choice.”
Grimacing, he took her hand and led her back to camp after allowing her to relieve herself so she wouldn’t need to after he’d gone.
“Well, if it isn’t the love birds.” McCoy sneered.
One day very soon, Declan would take a chunk out of him, but for now, instead of replying, he simply acted as if he hadn’t heard him and led Ellie next to the fire. “Stay here.”
He didn’t wait for a reply; he had to pretend he didn’t care for her. She was his possession, that’s what the other men understood. They didn’t understand kindness, or compassion, or love. They only cared about themselves and what they owned. He could play the same game.
Right now, she was his possession. She belonged to him. Heaven help anyone who tried to take Ellie from him.
That feeling shouldn’t have pleased him so much. It shouldn’t have felt so right to call her his. But there it was.
Perhaps he’d been undercover too long and had adopted the same mentality as the scum he ran with. Then again, maybe he was so good at his job because those baser instincts were a little too close to the surface.
In either case, he wasn’t pleased. It rubbed him raw to admit he had anything in common with these animals.
“Jesse?” he called from outside their leader’s tent.
“Come in.”
Declan walked through the flap and saw Jesse rolling up one of his maps.
“What do you want?”
Declan tried to not appear too curious. “W
e’re out of moonshine. I’m gonna ride to the nearest town and restock. With your permission, of course.”
Jesse eyed him a moment, before waving him away. “I don’t care what you do, but be back before we head out. And leave the woman,” he added, looking sideways at Declan for a reaction.
Declan shrugged. “Sure thing, boss.” He left the tent with an easy stride, but something felt off. Jesse was testing him back there. Did he not trust him because of what has happened with Ellie, or was it something else?
If the situation here was falling apart, he needed to move fast and figure out who really ran the gang before it was too late.
Ellie was grateful for the fire. Not only was it in the center of the group, it was also warm, maybe a little too warm, but it gave her an excuse to stay there. It was also bright. McCoy walked by for the sixth time, telling her all of the horrible things he was going to do to her, taunting her, calling her names no lady should ever be called. At first she’d been angry, but slowly, her anger died away, replaced by white-knuckled fear.
Declan had been gone for hours already. How much longer could she stay here, standing by the fire? What if something had happened to him?
He’d told the others he was running to a nearby town for whiskey, but she didn’t believe that. He’d said what he had to do was important, and whatever it was, he’d kept it a secret from the other men.
“Are you scared to step away from the fire, sugar?” McCoy used a stick and began to lift her skirts.
She swatted it away, angry with herself for fearing him, but that anger didn’t block her fear. He only laughed and did it again.
Jesse eyed the two of them, but didn’t intervene. Apparently, it was all right to torment and terrify women as long as they weren’t completely sexually assaulted. Ellie wondered where Jesse drew the line. And the other men weren’t helping. Probably bored, they catcalled, egging McCoy on in his mission to scare her.
She hated this, hated them. She wanted to pull out her gun and shoot McCoy, but that would only accomplish getting herself killed, and she wasn’t ready to die.
There was still too much she wanted to do. She would make it to Montana, and she would run the ranch Ivan had promised her, turning it into one of the finest in the country. She would prove herself. And that was all that mattered.
A Mail-Order Chance Page 4